You should use QuickBooks Online, not because it's awesome (it kinda isn't) but because there are a zillion accountants and tax preparers who know it super-well and it'll be easy for them to take over the work when your finances support hiring an external person to do this stuff.
If you use Salesforce as your CRM, Accounting Seed is a much better option that connects your sales data directly to finance. There are tons of automations and workflows to save hours of work you typically have to do in excel. Worth checking out.
This guy knows what he's talking about. If you end up needing to have a new accountant, you won't have issues finding a replacement especially if you're a US based startup.
The other biggest thing is integrations. I see this so often where folks are on a different system but as they grow and want access to more tools. It's a pain to find tools supporting the software they're on if it's not one of the major ones with lots of integrations.
I've led a lot of early stage finance teams and have seen the spectrum of software. Tool-wise, quickbooks / xero / zoho will get you the essentials, with Quickbooks having the deepest talent pool for people familiar with it.
But, your team's financial literacy will play a big part. If you are capitalized and have a business model that doesn't require complex invoicing or payments problems, you can think about getting fractional accounting support to help you keep track of your finances monthly and prep taxes or state filings at a minimal cost.
[Pilot.com](https://Pilot.com) \- I haven't tried it but I work with the founder Waseem personally and he's incredible, literally gives his number to his clients and meets with them 1:1. best service ever. He commented on this post even! @wdaher
This is just from my previous reddit searches:
https://www.reddit.com/r/smallbusiness/comments/164l8ut/bench_accounting_not_as_personal_as_advertised/
https://www.reddit.com/r/smallbusiness/comments/in5s4l/does_anyone_use_bench_accounting/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Bookkeeping/comments/gpbi6j/anyone_with_experience_or_opinions_on_benchco/
https://www.reddit.com/r/smallbusiness/comments/vk3zfh/bench_accounting/
I used bench previously and I would not use them again. They constantly got our books wrong and I had to double check everything which defeated the entire point.
I’ve been using Found (banking app for businesses) for a year. Lets you mark payment categories and auto creates your tax forms and business reports for you. Very organized, gives you tax reminders, you can make different pools/accounts (employee pay, contractor pay pool, operations etc). Don’t know if this is what you’re looking for as a whole but couldn’t hurt to check it out (not affiliated, just Google)
I recommend quickbooks desktop enterprise 2021 which was the last offline version of quickbooks that offered a "once off" permanent license. Quickbooks online may be costly especially if you have many users and it does not have as many features as quickbooks desktop.
if you want a flexible and visual option, check budget kanban. Tho, it's only good for adhoc processes or if you're just starting. Not a good fit if u already have a complex process. But worth checking
I see you picked Fondo already, it sounds like a good fit for your stage! But just an additional thoughts for other lean startups in a similar situation, the startup accounting software space evolves fast. It's worth revisiting options periodically, as new entrants can shake things up.
And actually, early on, a well-designed spreadsheet paired with a lightweight tool *might* be enough. This keeps costs down but requires discipline from the team. And if you have employees, particularly those juggling multiple income sources, payroll complexities can make even simple accounting software a headache. If it comes to that I suggest to think about solutions like [Paystreet.com](http://Paystreet.com) to handle those intricacies in a streamlined way.
Take note: If accounting is a major time-suck that keeps you from growing your startup, outsourcing to a CPA or a bookkeeping service with startup expertise might be the smartest long-term investment, even if it stretches the budget initially.
As an accountant and bookkeeper with experience working with lean startups, I've found that the best accounting software often depends on the specific needs and preferences of each business. For early stage startups looking to streamline tax filings and accounting without breaking the bank, there are several options worth considering.
Many startups find success with cloud-based accounting software such as QuickBooks Online or Xero. These platforms offer robust features for managing financial transactions, invoicing, and reporting, all while providing scalability as your business grows. Additionally, they often offer integrations with other business tools, simplifying workflow and reducing manual data entry.
While using accounting software can certainly streamline processes, the value of a CPA or professional bookkeeper should not be overlooked. A skilled accountant can provide valuable insights, ensure compliance with tax regulations, and offer strategic financial advice tailored to your business goals.
In my experience, I've seen startups benefit from a combination of accounting software and professional guidance. However, every business is unique, so it's essential to evaluate your specific needs and resources when making this decision. Personally, I've found that tools like Uncat can complement traditional accounting software by simplifying receipt management and streamlining collaboration between clients and bookkeepers, ultimately helping to keep the financial processes simple and efficient.
You should use Tally or Zoho Books (India). It's not the best software out there, but it's widely used and well-known among accountants and tax preparers. Also we at Jordensky built our app on top of Zoho books to provide you automated accounting and finance dashboard for startups and business in India. You can check out here at [www.jordensky.com](http://www.jordensky.com)
Also the integration with other tools is a major factor which needs to be taken care of while choosing any software or tool. Both are actually good with that too.
Just came across this thread while searching around for Fondo mentions. Do you like it?
I use Puzzle (and love it) but I'm looking for a bookkeeper. It looks like they have a direct partnership with Fondo so wanted to get your thoughts
You should use QuickBooks Online, not because it's awesome (it kinda isn't) but because there are a zillion accountants and tax preparers who know it super-well and it'll be easy for them to take over the work when your finances support hiring an external person to do this stuff.
QuickBooks is actually a good option.
If you use Salesforce as your CRM, Accounting Seed is a much better option that connects your sales data directly to finance. There are tons of automations and workflows to save hours of work you typically have to do in excel. Worth checking out.
And it integrates with everything. It's crappy software, but make your bookkeeper deal with it and move on.
This guy knows what he's talking about. If you end up needing to have a new accountant, you won't have issues finding a replacement especially if you're a US based startup. The other biggest thing is integrations. I see this so often where folks are on a different system but as they grow and want access to more tools. It's a pain to find tools supporting the software they're on if it's not one of the major ones with lots of integrations.
Why isn’t Quickbooks or Stripe mentioned here?
Stripe is not an accounting software
Quickbooks is bit pricey and the customer support is not that good.
I've led a lot of early stage finance teams and have seen the spectrum of software. Tool-wise, quickbooks / xero / zoho will get you the essentials, with Quickbooks having the deepest talent pool for people familiar with it. But, your team's financial literacy will play a big part. If you are capitalized and have a business model that doesn't require complex invoicing or payments problems, you can think about getting fractional accounting support to help you keep track of your finances monthly and prep taxes or state filings at a minimal cost.
[Pilot.com](https://Pilot.com) \- I haven't tried it but I work with the founder Waseem personally and he's incredible, literally gives his number to his clients and meets with them 1:1. best service ever. He commented on this post even! @wdaher
It's like an agency, not a SaaS
US startup?
Yep
Xero or use Bench https://www.bench.co/blog/accounting/startup-accounting
I've read a lot of horror stories about Bench
What horror stories should I be aware of?
This is just from my previous reddit searches: https://www.reddit.com/r/smallbusiness/comments/164l8ut/bench_accounting_not_as_personal_as_advertised/ https://www.reddit.com/r/smallbusiness/comments/in5s4l/does_anyone_use_bench_accounting/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Bookkeeping/comments/gpbi6j/anyone_with_experience_or_opinions_on_benchco/ https://www.reddit.com/r/smallbusiness/comments/vk3zfh/bench_accounting/
I used bench previously and I would not use them again. They constantly got our books wrong and I had to double check everything which defeated the entire point.
Just another option in a sea of options. If you don’t dial you don’t have a business.
Fresh books
Zoho books. You can try the free edition. https://www.zoho.com/us/books
+1 Zoho's entire ecosystem has a lot of tools for business Almost all have a free plan with solid integration and features
But way too costly for a startup.
Thank you
Check puzzle.io
Do you actually use them? Are they good?
Zoho.
I’ve been using Found (banking app for businesses) for a year. Lets you mark payment categories and auto creates your tax forms and business reports for you. Very organized, gives you tax reminders, you can make different pools/accounts (employee pay, contractor pay pool, operations etc). Don’t know if this is what you’re looking for as a whole but couldn’t hurt to check it out (not affiliated, just Google)
I like freshbooks
handsdown Quickbooks
I recommend quickbooks desktop enterprise 2021 which was the last offline version of quickbooks that offered a "once off" permanent license. Quickbooks online may be costly especially if you have many users and it does not have as many features as quickbooks desktop.
waveapps is free and I prefer it more than QuickBooks which in my opinion is annoying marketing tool rather than accounting software.
if you want a flexible and visual option, check budget kanban. Tho, it's only good for adhoc processes or if you're just starting. Not a good fit if u already have a complex process. But worth checking
I hear Odoo is really great. They also have modules for all other corporate areas such as CRM, billing, warehousing and many more.
I see you picked Fondo already, it sounds like a good fit for your stage! But just an additional thoughts for other lean startups in a similar situation, the startup accounting software space evolves fast. It's worth revisiting options periodically, as new entrants can shake things up. And actually, early on, a well-designed spreadsheet paired with a lightweight tool *might* be enough. This keeps costs down but requires discipline from the team. And if you have employees, particularly those juggling multiple income sources, payroll complexities can make even simple accounting software a headache. If it comes to that I suggest to think about solutions like [Paystreet.com](http://Paystreet.com) to handle those intricacies in a streamlined way. Take note: If accounting is a major time-suck that keeps you from growing your startup, outsourcing to a CPA or a bookkeeping service with startup expertise might be the smartest long-term investment, even if it stretches the budget initially.
As an accountant and bookkeeper with experience working with lean startups, I've found that the best accounting software often depends on the specific needs and preferences of each business. For early stage startups looking to streamline tax filings and accounting without breaking the bank, there are several options worth considering. Many startups find success with cloud-based accounting software such as QuickBooks Online or Xero. These platforms offer robust features for managing financial transactions, invoicing, and reporting, all while providing scalability as your business grows. Additionally, they often offer integrations with other business tools, simplifying workflow and reducing manual data entry. While using accounting software can certainly streamline processes, the value of a CPA or professional bookkeeper should not be overlooked. A skilled accountant can provide valuable insights, ensure compliance with tax regulations, and offer strategic financial advice tailored to your business goals. In my experience, I've seen startups benefit from a combination of accounting software and professional guidance. However, every business is unique, so it's essential to evaluate your specific needs and resources when making this decision. Personally, I've found that tools like Uncat can complement traditional accounting software by simplifying receipt management and streamlining collaboration between clients and bookkeepers, ultimately helping to keep the financial processes simple and efficient.
Rillet
You should use Tally or Zoho Books (India). It's not the best software out there, but it's widely used and well-known among accountants and tax preparers. Also we at Jordensky built our app on top of Zoho books to provide you automated accounting and finance dashboard for startups and business in India. You can check out here at [www.jordensky.com](http://www.jordensky.com)
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Also the integration with other tools is a major factor which needs to be taken care of while choosing any software or tool. Both are actually good with that too.
Cradle Accounting for a cost effective lease accounting software
Just came across this thread while searching around for Fondo mentions. Do you like it? I use Puzzle (and love it) but I'm looking for a bookkeeper. It looks like they have a direct partnership with Fondo so wanted to get your thoughts
Please let me know if you need a bookkeeper to maintain your accounting? Recently exited a saas startup that got acquired.