6 Best QuickBooks Competitors & Alternatives for Startups in 2024

Business woman smiling next to text that says, QuickBooks alternatives.

Business software can make a huge difference in productivity, streamlining processes and saving time that entrepreneurs and their teams can dedicate to growing their businesses. QuickBooks is a trusted name in business software, but it may not be the right choice for every business. If you’re looking for another option, you’re in the right place. 

Due to their vast amount of business software solutions, QuickBooks has several competitors. Whether you’re looking for QuickBooks alternatives for payroll or accounting, these are the top services to consider. 

Best QuickBooks Alternative: Gusto

Top Alternatives to QuickBooks

Finding the right business software for your startup can be a challenge. If you’re not sure if QuickBooks is the right solution for your business, these are the top QuickBooks competitors to consider for everything from payroll management to accounting software

1. Gusto

Gusto is a popular payroll software. Their services make it easy to automate payroll, prepare and file taxes, and manage HR tasks. Plus, with their self-service employee portal, your team is better able to manage their documentation, payroll, and benefits themselves — saving you or your HR department valuable time. 

Features you can expect from the Gusto platform include: 

  • Full-service single or multi-state payroll for both W-2s and 1099s 
  • Benefits administration 
  • Self-service employee portals 
  • Integrations for other business services, such as accounting and bookkeeping 

Gusto is also slightly cheaper than competitor QuickBooks. The service offers four packages: Simple ($40/month + $6/month/user), Plus ($80/month/user), Premium (custom pricing), and Contractor ($6/month/contractor).

2. OnPay

Another strong payroll software alternative, OnPay is an HR, benefits, and payroll software built for small businesses. The platform offers all of the essentials for taking care of employees, from benefits administration to automating payroll. 

While OnPay keeps its offering fairly simple, its features are valuable to any business in need of employee management services: 

  • Unlimited monthly pay runs 
  • Automated tax payments and filings 
  • Free W2 and 1099 processing 

OnPay is also slightly cheaper than QuickBooks at $40 per month, plus $6 per user per month. However, that is the only plan offered by the service. Therefore, if you are looking for enhanced features or plan options, OnPay may not be the right fit for you.

3. Xero

If you’re looking for an accounting alternative to QuickBooks, Xero may be the right choice for your business. Xero is one of QuickBooks’ biggest competitors. The accounting software boasts powerful features and, most notably, unlimited users for all packages. Making it a strong choice for larger businesses and big teams. 

Some features you can count on from the Xero platform include: 

  • Sending invoices and quotes
  • Enter and capture bills 
  • Short-term cash flow and business snapshot 

Xero offers three different packages: Early ($15/month), Growing ($42/month), and Established ($39/month). QuickBooks accounting software is significantly more expensive than Xero ranging from $30-$200 per month. However, the service does offer more robust features than Xero.

4. FreshBooks

FreshBooks is another great accounting software alternative boasting better customer service (live, human customer support) as well as the multiple users allowed on all plans. The platform is geared towards small businesses and offers an easy-to-use platform with a robust invoicing system. 

Stand-out, unlimited FreshBooks features include: 

  • Unlimited invoices 
  • Track unlimited expenses 
  • Send unlimited estimates 

FreshBooks’ four packages are also cheaper than QuickBooks: Lite ($17/month), Plus (30/month), Premium ($55/month), or Select (custom pricing). The platform has a couple of valuable features not offered by QuickBooks; however, they do come up short on reporting features and integrations.

5. LessAccounting

LessAccounting bills itself as the #1 simplified accounting software and bookkeeping service. Built for small businesses, freelancers, and consultants, this is likely a better solution for small companies rather than large enterprises. LessAccounting is an intuitive, straightforward platform that offers the essentials for managing your business’s accounting and bookkeeping. 

A few of the most noteworthy offerings from LessAccountings products include: 

  • Sending proposals and invoices 
  • Tracking revenue and expenses 
  • Monthly budgets and expert-reviewed reports 

LessAccounting offers two products: Standard ($24/month) and Bookkeeping Copilot ($150/month). The latter product, Bookkeeping Copilot, pairs you with a virtual bookkeeping partner providing expert, comprehensive support.

6. Paychex

Paychex is another payroll, HR, and benefits solution that competes with QuickBooks. The award-winning company offers a robust set of employee management solutions ranging from time tracking to business insurance to payment processing and everything in between. If you’re looking for a comprehensive employee management service, Paychex may be the perfect fit. 

Some of the valuable features offered by Paychex include: 

  • Recruiting, onboarding, and applicant tracking 
  • Payroll and expense management 
  • Professional Employer Organization (PEO) solutions 

One drawback is that Paychex doesn’t disclose pricing, which makes it difficult to compare it to competitors like QuickBooks. However, Paychex offers a more robust suite of employee management features than QuickBooks. Therefore, it may be worth requesting a price quote to determine if this is the right software for your business.