Find the right cloud accounting software.
See the real 3-year cost.
Every pricing page shows the promotional monthly rate. We show what you will actually pay in year 3 — including payroll add-ons, per-user inflation, and the migration cost nobody mentions.
The pricing trap nobody discloses
QuickBooks Online's base plan is $30/month. If you have employees (73% of small businesses do), payroll adds $45-125/month. Real cost: $75-155/month — not the $30 in the ad. Xero's payroll is £40/month additional. Wave's is $20/month (US only). The "cheapest" option in search results is almost never cheapest once you add payroll.
Find your real cost →Software reviews
Tested under real business registrations. Real bank feeds. Real pricing data.
Best for: Freelancers billing 5-15 clients who prioritise polished invoicing and client portal
Skip if: Freelancers with 15+ active clients — per-client billing makes it expensive fast
Best for: US small businesses with employees, bookkeeper-managed accounts
Skip if: UK sole traders on MTD — payroll add-on inflates cost dramatically
Best for: US freelancers and micro-businesses wanting genuinely free accounting and invoicing
Skip if: UK businesses (no UK bank feed, not MTD ITSA), businesses needing payroll outside US/Canada
Best for: UK freelancers, small businesses needing MTD ITSA compliance, multi-currency businesses
Skip if: US businesses without a UK connection — QBO has better US payroll integration
Best for: SMBs and freelancers already in the Zoho ecosystem, or anyone wanting best feature-per-dollar
Skip if: Businesses needing deep QuickBooks ecosystem integration or US-focused payroll
Not sure which to choose?
Answer 5 questions. Get personalised picks with real pricing — including payroll.
60-Second Software Finder
Answer 5 questions. Get 2-3 personalised picks with real pricing.
Affiliate links are disclosed. Rankings are based on testing, not payments.
What best describes you?
Head-to-head comparisons
UK Making Tax Digital (MTD ITSA)
From 6 April 2026, sole traders and landlords with combined income above £50,000 must submit quarterly digital updates using HMRC-recognised software. Xero and FreeAgent are on the recognised list. QuickBooks Online, Wave, and FreshBooks are not confirmed for MTD ITSA as of April 2026.