Zoho Books Review for Small Business Owners
Zoho Books is one of the most affordable accounting tools on the market — and part of the massive Zoho ecosystem. Whether you just need invoicing or want to manage your whole business, Zoho scales with you.
What is Zoho Books?
Zoho Books is a cloud-based accounting solution designed for small to medium-sized businesses.
It covers the basics like invoicing, expense tracking, reporting, and tax compliance — but its real strength is integration. As part of the Zoho ecosystem (40+ business apps under Zoho One), Zoho Books can connect directly to your CRM, HR, helpdesk, email, inventory, and more.
Think of it as affordable accounting that plugs into an entire business suite.
Key Features (Plain English)
Invoicing
Send branded invoices, accept online payments, and set up recurring billing.
Expense Tracking
Track expenses, attach receipts, and categorize automatically.
Banking
Connect your bank and reconcile transactions in a few clicks.
Tax & Compliance
Automate tax rules, track sales tax, and prepare GST/VAT if needed.
Inventory
Manage stock, purchase orders, and sales orders directly inside Books.
Automation
Share estimates, manage projects, and collaborate with clients.
Pros & ⚠️ Cons
Pros (Why People Love It):
Budget-friendly → starts at ~$15/month
Seamless integration with other Zoho apps
Great automation features for repetitive tasks
Clean interface, easy for small businesses to learn
Flexible — works for freelancers up to SMBs
Cons (What to Watch Out For):
Fewer accountants/bookkeepers in the U.S. familiar with Zoho compared to QuickBooks
Payroll is limited outside certain regions
Advanced features sometimes require Zoho One subscription
Customer support rated good, but not as fast as premium competitors
Why Using Zoho Books is Important
Zoho Books is a cost-effective way to get professional accounting without breaking the bank.
Save money
A fraction of QuickBooks’ cost
Grow into Zoho One
Add CRM, HR, helpdesk, or inventory when you’re ready
Stay compliant
Automates taxes and keeps records organized
Scale easily
Move from a freelancer setup to a full SMB without switching platforms
It’s ideal for small businesses that want accounting plus the option to expand into a full Zoho suite later.
Expanded SaaSChooser Picks (Finance Tools by Level – Detailed View)
QuickBooks Online → Best All-in-One, Industry Standard
Who it’s for:
Small to medium businesses that want a tool most accountants/bookkeepers already use
Companies with employees, contractors, or multiple revenue streams
Anyone planning to apply for loans or funding (banks trust QuickBooks reports)
Why it’s great:
Covers everything in one platform: invoicing, expenses, payroll, reporting, and taxes
Huge integration ecosystem (Shopify, Stripe, PayPal, banks)
Recognized as the default standard in U.S. accounting
Who should avoid it:
Freelancers who only need invoicing (too advanced and pricey)
Ultra-budget startups who can’t justify ~$30–$50/month
Small to medium businesses that want a tool most accountants/bookkeepers already use
Companies with employees, contractors, or multiple revenue streams
Anyone planning to apply for loans or funding (banks trust QuickBooks reports)
Why it’s great:
Covers everything in one platform: invoicing, expenses, payroll, reporting, and taxes
Huge integration ecosystem (Shopify, Stripe, PayPal, banks)
Recognized as the default standard in U.S. accounting
Who should avoid it:
Freelancers who only need invoicing (too advanced and pricey)
Ultra-budget startups who can’t justify ~$30–$50/month
Xero → Best for Growing Teams & Collaboration
Who it’s for:
Businesses with multiple users (owners, accountants, partners) needing real-time access
Companies with international operations (great global bank feeds + multi-currency support)
Teams already using SaaS tools (Xero integrates with 1,000+ apps)
Why it’s great:
Unlimited users (rare compared to QuickBooks charging per seat)
Clean, modern interface — less intimidating for non-accountants
Strong bank reconciliation features
Who should avoid it:
U.S. businesses needing built-in payroll (requires add-ons like Gusto)
Solopreneurs — it’s more power than they need
Businesses with multiple users (owners, accountants, partners) needing real-time access
Companies with international operations (great global bank feeds + multi-currency support)
Teams already using SaaS tools (Xero integrates with 1,000+ apps)
Why it’s great:
Unlimited users (rare compared to QuickBooks charging per seat)
Clean, modern interface — less intimidating for non-accountants
Strong bank reconciliation features
Who should avoid it:
U.S. businesses needing built-in payroll (requires add-ons like Gusto)
Solopreneurs — it’s more power than they need
FreshBooks → Best for Freelancers & Service-Based Businesses
Who it’s for:
Freelancers, consultants, agencies, and service pros who bill clients directly
Small teams that rely on time tracking + invoicing
Business owners who want simplicity first — not advanced accounting
Why it’s great:
Incredibly easy to use — no accounting knowledge required
Built-in time tracking + invoicing saves freelancers from underbilling
Clean, client-facing portals that look professional
Who should avoid it:
Retail or e-commerce businesses that need inventory management
Larger businesses — reporting and advanced features are limited
Freelancers, consultants, agencies, and service pros who bill clients directly
Small teams that rely on time tracking + invoicing
Business owners who want simplicity first — not advanced accounting
Why it’s great:
Incredibly easy to use — no accounting knowledge required
Built-in time tracking + invoicing saves freelancers from underbilling
Clean, client-facing portals that look professional
Who should avoid it:
Retail or e-commerce businesses that need inventory management
Larger businesses — reporting and advanced features are limited
Zoho Books → Best Affordable Alternative
Who it’s for:
Small businesses that need full accounting but can’t justify QuickBooks’ cost
Companies already using Zoho apps (CRM, Mail, HR, Helpdesk, etc.)
Owners who want automation and scalability without paying enterprise prices
Why it’s great:
Budget-friendly (~$15/month)
Strong automation (reminders, recurring invoices, workflows)
Part of Zoho One → you can scale into CRM, Projects, HR, and more under one platform
Who should avoid it:
Businesses that rely heavily on U.S.-based accountants (many prefer QuickBooks/Xero)
Companies needing advanced payroll features in the U.S.
Small businesses that need full accounting but can’t justify QuickBooks’ cost
Companies already using Zoho apps (CRM, Mail, HR, Helpdesk, etc.)
Owners who want automation and scalability without paying enterprise prices
Why it’s great:
Budget-friendly (~$15/month)
Strong automation (reminders, recurring invoices, workflows)
Part of Zoho One → you can scale into CRM, Projects, HR, and more under one platform
Who should avoid it:
Businesses that rely heavily on U.S.-based accountants (many prefer QuickBooks/Xero)
Companies needing advanced payroll features in the U.S.
Wave → Best Free Option
Who it’s for:
Freelancers, side hustlers, and very small businesses that just need the basics
Owners who want professional invoices and basic reports without paying
Startups running lean with 1–5 clients
Why it’s great:
Core features (invoicing + accounting) are completely free
Unlimited invoices and transactions
Great starter tool for those not ready to invest yet
Who should avoid it:
Businesses planning to scale quickly → Wave lacks advanced reporting & payroll
Product-based companies → no strong inventory management
Anyone who wants premium support → Wave offers limited help
Freelancers, side hustlers, and very small businesses that just need the basics
Owners who want professional invoices and basic reports without paying
Startups running lean with 1–5 clients
Why it’s great:
Core features (invoicing + accounting) are completely free
Unlimited invoices and transactions
Great starter tool for those not ready to invest yet
Who should avoid it:
Businesses planning to scale quickly → Wave lacks advanced reporting & payroll
Product-based companies → no strong inventory management
Anyone who wants premium support → Wave offers limited help
5-Tool Comparison Table (Finance SaaS)
| Tool | Best For | Invoicing | Expense Tracking | Payroll | Tax Compliance | Starter Pricing* | Beginner-Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks | All-in-one, industry std. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ~$30/mo | ⚠️ Medium |
| Xero | Growing teams, collab | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ~$13+/mo | 👍 Easy |
| FreshBooks | Freelancers, invoicing | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ~$19+/mo | ✅ Very easy |
| Zoho Books | Budget SMBs, Zoho users | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ~$15+/mo | ✅ Easy |
| Wave | Ultra-budget, free option | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐ | ⭐ | Free | ✅ Very easy |
Ratings from Major Platforms
| Platform | Rating | What People Say |
|---|---|---|
| Capterra | ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5) | Praised for affordability, automation, and integrations. |
| G2 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.4/5) | Loved for ease of use, scalability, and Zoho ecosystem. |
| Trustpilot | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.2/5) | Great value for money; some mention support delays. |
Real Customer Reviews on Zoho Books
I switched from QuickBooks to Zoho Books because I was already using Zoho CRM. Everything talks to each other now — invoices, clients, and even my helpdesk. At $15/month, it’s hard to beat the value.
Amanda R. – Dallas, TX
As a small retailer, Zoho Books works well for tracking inventory and expenses. It does everything I need, but I wish more local bookkeepers were familiar with it. Most of them only know QuickBooks.
Chris M. – Denver, CO
Zoho Books is incredibly user-friendly. I manage expenses, send invoices, and reconcile bank accounts without stress. Paired with Zoho Payroll, it makes my life so much easier
Lena K. – Miami, FL
Affordable, yes, but not perfect. Customer support can be slow, and I had to figure out a few workarounds. Still, for the price, it does more than I expected.
Raj S. – Phoenix, AZ
I signed up for Zoho One and got 40+ apps including Zoho Books. Now I have CRM, email, and accounting under one roof for my agency. The integration is smooth and saves me hours every week.
Sarah P. – Los Angeles, CA
“I like that Zoho Books automates tax compliance and integrates with Stripe. For a U.S. business, payroll is still a weak spot, but overall it’s a cost-effective alternative to bigger names
Jamal H. – New York, NY
Don’t Want to Handle Accounting Yourself?
If managing books still feels overwhelming, NurturerAI can:
- Sync Zoho Books data automatically
- Flag cash flow or tax issues early
- Recommend fixes before they become problems
Disclosure
We only recommend tools we’ve tested. Some links may be affiliate links—your price is the same.