2015-05-13

While they say that the best things in life are free, some free stuff just won’t do. In the world of business accounting, many free accounting solutions, if not all, are rather limited in features and tools. While they may seem to be adequate for startups and developing enterprises, free accounting software just won’t do.

As businesses grow and evolve, so too are their needs for a reliable accounting platform. This is where paid accounting platforms come in. They carry functionalities and options you just can’t get from a freemium version. Having said that, you do not have to shell out a whole lot of money so you could purchase highly expensive accounting systems. But you do not need to be cheap either.

As most experts say, invest on the best software your money can buy as well as address your business needs. Listed below are the best of the low cost accounting software that works for small to medium sized businesses. Check them out.

Do you have a B2B product you’d like to add to our listing?
If you are a vendor and have an interesting B2B product that hasn’t yet been listed on our review platform feel free to let us know about it. You can add your product to the listing here. Our experts will be happy to prepare a detailed review of your product free of charge. Here’s an example of an accounting software review by us.

Chargebee



Chargebee is specifically developed as a subscription billing solution optimized with high value features that include accounting and business management tools. Ideal for developing enterprises to medium-sized businesses, Chargebee is integrated with a very functional dashboard that gives users a quick overview of their customer base as well as snapshots of their revenues.

At the very basic level, Chargebee standard plan is pegged at $79 per month and is limited to 200 invoices, which includes the following functions and tools:

Credit Card Billing

Invoice Billing

Smart Dunning Management

Role Based Access

Email Notifications

Hosted Payment Pages

Customer Portal

Theme Gallery

API Access & Support

Reporting & Analytics

Third Party Integrations

Unlimited Trial Customers

Priority Email Support

ChargeBee SmartScore and Customer Satisfaction

Our B2B experts conducted a review of ChargeBee features, user experience, customer support and other key elements of the service. Final results as summarized by the SmartScore system gave ChargeBee a score of 6.9/10 while the results provided by the Customer Satisfaction Algorithm place the overall user satisfaction rating at 100%.

ZenCash



Zencash streamlines every essential invoicing and collection processes without compromising accuracy and reliability. The software automatically follow ups all issued invoices via multiple channels (emails, phone calls, notecards, etc.)  until the invoice is paid and the amount is settled. Zencash also syncs with 8 different accounting systems, making it an ideal accounting tool as well.

Zencash boasts of flexibility, excellent customer support, and great features that many would want and need from a paid billing and invoicing software. The setup is so simple and powerful that it has become a widely used billing and invoicing solution among small and medium sized enterprises.

What is so great about Zencash, apart from its features and tools, is its very flexible pricing scheme. Zencash charges $15 per customer per month with a minimum of 10 customers. Users can then easily add more customers to their package. Listed are the usual features as well as premium options you get with the ZenCash experience.

Connect to your Quickbooks, Xero, Freshbooks, etc.

Automate data entry

Make follow-up phone calls

Schedule ZenCash to send printed reminders

Offer integrated third-party collections

Send emails, including thank-you notes

Schedule follow-ups to happen automatically

Use drag and drop technology

Automate the process of tracking unpaid invoices

Connect with popular invoicing applications

Fast and free set-up

Allows you to dDecide which customers can be managed

Live A/R agents inside the United States

ZenCash SmartScore and Customer Satisfaction

Our B2B experts reviewed ZenCash accounting software features, user experience, customer support and other key elements of the service. Final results as summarized by the SmartScore system gave ZenCash a score of 8.4/10 while the results provided by the Customer Satisfaction Algorithm place the overall user satisfaction rating at 95%.

Sage 50 Pro

As small businesses grow, the need for a more advanced and robust accounting software grows as well. Sage 50 Pro offers a dynamic and powerful accounting solution for small to large businesses. With Sage 50 Pro, users can work on tax-related processes like collection, tracking, and submission with utmost confidence. The tool also helps users manage cash flow and costs as well as monitor sales, expenditures, and taxes. Clients can pick from over 90 built in report templates for their presentations.Sage 50 Pro also prepares and generates invoices and quotes.

Sage 50 Pro is priced per user, with the standard bundle rated at $269 per user per year.

Listed are the tools and features Sage 50 Pro bring to the table.

Basic accounting

Invoice through mail or email

Monitor cash flow

Pay bills online

Excellent inventory and job management

Fixed assets management

Job/Project management

Vendor Management Center

Customer Management Center

Inventory and Services Management Center

Dig up insights in data

Over 100 customizable reports and financial statements

Sage Business Care Silver

Sage Advisor

Multi-User up to five licensed named users

Terminal Services

Sage 50 Pro SmartScore and Customer Satisfaction

Our B2B experts wrote a review of Sage 50 Pro functionalities, user experience, customer support and other key elements of the service. Final results as summarized by the SmartScore system gave Sage 50 Pro a score of 7.8/10 while the results provided by the Customer Satisfaction Algorithm place the overall user satisfaction rating at 97%.

FreeAgent

Built for freelancers and small businesses, FreeAgent flaunts a simple platform packed with an extensive repertoire of accounting tools that will not only take care of your finances, but also help manage and track expenses, budget funds, and streamline tax-related processes. FreeAgent also boasts of a very reliable and knowledgeable customer support team that is more than ready to provide expertise for every issue and concern that arises.

When it comes to price, FreeAgent is a budget-friendly solution, thanks to its $20 per month universal rate. And for something so affordable, there is no question that users get a whole lot more.

Send estimates as well as proposals

Beautiful invoice templates

Customize invoices

Send recurring Invoices

Automated bank feeds

Give profit and loss statements

Do time tracking

Expense tracking and management

Timesheet reporting

PayPal, Stripe, GoCardless Integrations

Customizable sales tax rates options

Multi-currency invoicing

Balance sheet

Tax timeline

Sales tax reports

Configure sales taxes

Mobile app for iPad and iPhone

Multi-language support

Save or email invoices as PDF

Give your accountant access

Support

Easy invoicing

Expense management

FreeAgent SmartScore and Customer Satisfaction

Our B2B experts performed a detailed review of FreeAgent features, user experience, customer support and other key elements of the service. Final results as summarized by the SmartScore system gave FreeAgent a score of 6.9/10 while the results provided by the Customer Satisfaction Algorithm place the overall user satisfaction rating at 97%.

Quickbooks Pro

QuickBooks Pro is a perfect accounting software for businesses that are in the brink of expansion and looking to graduate from their basic accounting platform. Developed with the small and medium businesses in mind, QuickBooks Pro is quite a simple solution that really concentrates on helping users become more productive with their financial tasks. With QuickBooks Pro, users can track sales, generate invoices, be in control with their expenses, and gain business insights.

QuickBooks Pro is offered as a desktop software for a one-time payment of  $229.95. The package includes the following features:

Add multiple attachments

Customize email templates

Your income-producing transactions in one spot

View all banking transactions

Track bounced checks

See key reports in just one click

Simplified customer forms

Customer, Vendor and Employee contact information

Simplified navigation

Calendar View

Lead Center

Document Center

Use report templates created by other QuickBooks users

Customer Snapshot

Memorized Transactions

Save worksheet formatting when you export to Excel

Professional looking invoices and forms

Track sales, sales taxes, and customer payments

Send invoices and estimates from Yahoo!, Gmail, or Hotmail

Track inventory, set reorder points, and create purchase orders

Create and print deposit slips

Print checks, pay bills, and track expenses

Company Snapshot

Report Center

Import from Excel or other email address books

Up to 3 users at the same time

Individual user permissions

Create a copy for your accountant

Import from Excel, Quicken, Microsoft Office Accounting, and older QuickBooks versions

Download bank and credit card transactions

Pay W-2 employees and file payroll taxes

QuickBooks Pro SmartScore and Customer Satisfaction

A full review of QuickBooks Pro features, user experience, customer support and other key elements of the service. Final results as summarized by the SmartScore system gave QuickBooks Pro a score of 9.0/10 while the results provided by the Customer Satisfaction Algorithm place the overall user satisfaction rating at 98%.

The post 5 Most Affordable Accounting Software For Small & Medium Companies appeared first on Financesonline.com.

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