AND.CO has helped hundreds of thousands of freelancers to manage their finances better. But it's by no means a one-size-fits-all option, and won't work for everyone.
These days, there are plenty of bookkeeping options for self-employed people to make use of. If you're working for yourself, you'll find the below list handy—whether you're new to freelancing or a well-established company with employees.
1. Wave
Wave is a bookkeeping software that serves small businesses worldwide. Like AND.CO, you can add your expenses and sales and view everything within a single interface.
In the Wave app, you can also set up payroll if you're in Canada or the US and have employees. Other features include setting up recurring invoices, checking your estimated sales, and more.
Wave has a free option for your accounting, invoicing, and receipts. The free version of the software is more complex than AND.CO, meaning it's a good choice if you don't have much of a budget.
You can also receive payments through the service, with fees as follows:
- Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit card processing: 2.9% + $0.30
- American Express: 3.4% + $0.30
- Bank payments (ACH): 1%, with a minimum fee of $1 for each transaction
If you want to use Wave for more complex business management, you can choose to pay a $35 monthly base fee for tax service states. Additional charges for each employee and independent contractor will apply.
Alternatively, you can pay $20 per month in self-service states. Again, extra charges apply for employees and independent contractors.
2. Bonsai
Over 200,000 freelancers across the globe use Bonsai. The service offers various solutions for small freelancers and more established businesses too.
You can use Bonsai to manage clients, set up proposals, track your time, and more. The platform is also available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
Bonsai has two pricing models. Workflow costs $19 per month, while Workflow Plus is $29 for the same period. Yearly plans costing $192 and $288 respectively are also available.
Though Workflow is $1 more expensive per month than AND.CO, the annual plan actually costs $24 less.
3. HoneyBook
If you’re looking to scale your freelancing business to something bigger, HoneyBook is a handy option. You can use the service to organize new projects, schedule events, create tasks, and track your existing workflows.
With HoneyBook, you can also create branded templates to let your business’ identity shine through. You can also integrate services like Gmail, Google Calendar, and Zoom within the app.
If you already use those services, make sure you also check out these financial tools for freelancers.
HoneyBook has one payment plan, which costs $40 per month. You can also choose to pay annually, which costs $400 per year.
Like AND.CO, HoneyBook is available in the US and Canada. However, you should keep in mind that customers outside of these two countries cannot use HoneyBook.
4. Xero
Xero is designed more for small businesses than solopreneurs. However, it offers a broad range of features that will also be useful to freelancers.
With Xero, you can claim expenses and accept payments from clients. You can also use the service to create accounting reports and send invoices.
If you work with clients in a different country to where you're based, you can also make use of multi-currency accounting options.
Xero is available worldwide, including the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
Xero is more expensive than AND.CO, and has three pricing levels. Starter costs $20 per month while Standard costs $30 per month.
Both plans have similar features to Premium, but neither offers multi-currency usage. If you need multi-currency access, Premium costs $40 per month.
You should note that for some features, like project-tracking and expense-claiming, you'll need to pay extra each month.
5. Holvi
For self-employed readers based in Europe, Holvi offers an excellent alternative to HoneyBook. The platform is available throughout the Eurozone.
With Holvi, you can process expenses and upload receipts within your interface. The service can also be used to look at cash flows and build accounting reports.
If you want an easy way to bill clients, you can also invoice for completed sales with Holvi.
Holvi's services are available in English, German, and Finnish.
If you're still in your early freelancing days, you can use Holvi for free. With the Starter plan, you can send a maximum of three invoices per month. You will also get a bank account and business MasterCard, as well as the ability to upload receipts.
When you're more established, you can upgrade to the Grower plan (€12 per month). This is around $14.60, so Holvi is slightly cheaper than AND.CO.
You get similar benefits to the free Holvi plan when you upgrade, but there is no cap on the number of invoices you can send each month.
6. Zoho Books
Zoho is one of the most popular customer relationship management (CRM) solutions. Its accounting software is also well-respected amongst freelancers and small business owners.
Zoho Books allows users to manage their accounting and gather a complete overview of their books. You can see how much each client owes you, track time for more accurate payments, create contacts, and more.
Zoho Books is available both in North America and Europe, so it has similar coverage to AND.CO. You can also integrate the platform with the other CRM software, enabling you to control various business areas in one interface.
If you want to give Zoho Books a go, three pricing plans are available. Basic costs $9 per month, with the Standard plan is priced at $19 monthly. You can also upgrade to the Professional plan, which costs $29 per month.
If you want to use Zoho Books for the long run, you can save money by paying annually instead. Add-ons, like extra users, are also available.
7. QuickBooks
QuickBooks is a bookkeeping platform dedicated to both freelancers and small business owners. You can use the service on both your desktop and mobile device, meaning you can manage your finances no matter where you are.
With QuickBooks, you can invoice for completed projects and also generate accounting reports for tax season.
You can also look at the profitability of your projects, helping you decide where you should focus more of your efforts in the future.
QuickBooks has three pricing plans. Simple Start normally costs a little less than AND.CO at $16 per month, with Essentials priced at $25. If you're looking to really scale, the Plus plan at $34 per month might be worth looking at.
Like Zoho Books, you can choose to pay annually for QuickBooks instead of monthly if you'd prefer.
8. FreshBooks
FreshBooks is one of the most popular bookkeeping platforms and prides itself on making the payment processes seamless for both small business owners and their customers.
The service can be used by freelancers and small business owners, as well as companies with a mix of employees and contractors.
With FreshBooks, you can accept payments and track expenses. If you're looking to forecast your financial future, you can also create estimates. Like QuickBooks, you can also manage your money on the mobile app.
FreshBooks has three core plans. Lite costs $4.50 per month, with Plus priced at $7.50 per month and Premium costing $15 in the same time period. All of its plans cost less per month than AND.CO, and you can also use the service if you're based in Europe.
Find the Best Bookkeeping Software to Grow Your Business
With so many bookkeeping software options out there, picking the right one for your individual needs is essential. Some platforms are better suited for new freelancers, and others are more useful for seasoned professionals looking to grow globally.
Before committing to any platform, it's a good idea to try out a variety. Make use of free trials where possible, and don't be afraid to change if you find something better.
