The Swiss Army Knife of accounting software tools, QuickBooks is the largest player in that space. The organization has gained notoriety for quality and dependability. In an industry like finance, where speed is crucial, it’s tough to beat them at their game. That being said, there are several smaller players in this segment as well. To find the right tool for you, use our handy checklist below. Here are irrefutably the most notable brands. If your needs require customization, check out these two options. Note: All terms are abbreviated by Microsoft®. Terms with asterisks or hyphens may have different meanings.
Quickbooks
Best known for its simplicity, QuickBooks offers more than 70 products for small businesses and freelancers. Whether you need payroll support or bookkeeping automation, all of those features can be found under one roof. It integrates with almost every business platform but requires only one license per location, so don’t worry about having multiple licenses to run your business efficiently. One limitation is it doesn’t offer customizations, making it harder to customize your reports. However, if necessary, you can create a new account to get rid of those limitations. There is no limit to how many users you can add to your family, so they have the flexibility to grow their operations. For free trials, try QuickBooks here.
Xero 
Xero offers excellent customer service but does come with restrictions. While many other companies that compete with QuickBooks include extra security features, Xero is not ready yet to do so. You must choose between either Self-service or full self-service. Full self-service allows you to upload reports and track expenses directly from within the app, while Self-service allows you to save time typing out each transaction. When choosing between self-service and full self-service, we recommend starting with self-service. As you gain experience, we recommend switching over to full self-service. Read more about Xero here.
Ascent
Unlike the rest of the market today, Ascent can help you build your financial model. Their user interface is simple and easy to navigate, so even beginners can build their customized model. Not only do you have access to the same reporting metrics that QuickBooks provides (revenue, income, total assets, etc.), but you also have access to thousands of online calculators for various scenarios you could encounter. They are affordable for SMBs, too. With Ascent, you can access millions of bank accounts, including credit cards, personal loans, car loans, savings certificates, and insurance policies. At $12/month for subscription plans and $35/month for a trial version, you have plenty of cost control. Check out the reviews on Ascent here.
Mint
Mint is a great option if you’re familiar with spreadsheets. It is designed for teams who wish to combine data points, such as sales figures and inventory levels, into a single piece of information. What makes it stand out is the ability to integrate your workbook into any kind of system, e.g., Excel, Google Drive, Trello, or Slack. This gives you the maximum flexibility in how you report on your data. Since this platform is built into Office 365, customers can easily take advantage of integrations to transfer from other platforms. Plus, when you combine sales and expense data with other reports that are available through the platform, the results are always in sync with the real numbers so you know what you have coming in. Mint costs $9/month for yearly renewals or $11/month for one year of paid subscription. Get started for free here.
More accounting software solutions cater to specific niches, especially depending on what your industry is. But if you have a startup, then using QuickBooks will likely save you money. And if you are comfortable writing complex reports, then as long as you pick up the basics of spreadsheets, you can start saving time on day one. We hope these suggestions have helped you find the best accounting software tools for your unique industry, regardless of your budget.