Review · Plans and prices checked in 18 country editions, 18–19 October 2026
Zoho Books Review 2026: Free Plan, Prices by Country & Limits
Disclosure: The Zoho Books buttons in this review are affiliate links (marked “partner link”). If you click through and buy, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The limits below are the same either way. Learn more.
Our take
Zoho Books is the best-value pick here for small businesses that want real double-entry accounting without paying much. Every edition we checked has a free plan, there are 18 country editions with local tax handling, and paid plans include several users (3 on Standard, up to 15 on Ultimate). The trade-offs: the lowest prices need annual billing, the free plan stops once revenue passes a threshold, and you can’t change your edition’s country or base currency after you sign up.
How this review works: every price, limit and feature comes from Zoho’s official pricing pages, FAQs and help centre for each edition, read on 18–19 October 2026. We haven’t run a hands-on test, so there’s no star rating here. See how Zoho Books ranks among the best small business accounting software for your country.
Zoho Books at a glance
| Best for | Cost-conscious small businesses, including product sellers, that want a free start and local tax editions |
|---|---|
| Price (US) | Free $0 · Standard $20 · Professional $50 · Premium $70 · Elite $150 · Ultimate $275 a month ($15 / $40 / $60 / $120 / $240 billed annually) |
| Users | Free 1 + accountant · Standard 3 · Professional 5 · Premium 10 · Elite 10 · Ultimate 15. Extra users $3/month ($2.50 billed annually) |
| Free plan | Yes, in every edition checked. In the US it stays free while revenue is under $50K a year |
| Trial | 14-day free trial of paid plans (US) |
| Editions | US, UK, India, Australia, Canada, Singapore, South Africa, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Kenya, Nigeria, Mexico, Germany, France, plus a Global edition |
Zoho Books pricing by country
Zoho prices each edition in local currency (or USD in some Gulf states), and shows two prices: billed monthly, and a lower per-month price billed annually. Prices exclude local taxes. Monthly-billing price first, annual in brackets:
| Edition | Standard | Professional | Premium | Elite | Ultimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $20 ($15) | $50 ($40) | $70 ($60) | $150 ($120) | $275 ($240) |
| United Kingdom | £12 (£10) | £24 (£20) | £30 (£25) | — | — |
| Canada | C$20 (C$15) | C$35 (C$30) | C$50 (C$40) | C$200 (C$165) | C$350 (C$290) |
| Australia (billed annually) | A$16.50 | A$33 | A$44 | A$181.50 | A$319 |
| India | ₹899 (₹749) | ₹1,799 (₹1,499) | ₹3,599 (₹2,999) | ₹5,999 (₹4,999) | ₹9,599 (₹7,999) |
| Singapore | S$18 (S$15) | S$36 (S$30) | S$54 (S$45) | S$193 (S$150) | S$373 (S$300) |
| South Africa | R99 (R82.50) | R199 (R165.83) | R299 (R249.17) | R1,290 (R1,075) | R2,490 (R2,075) |
| UAE (AED) / Saudi Arabia (SAR) | 69 (60) | 129 (90) | 159 (120) | 349 (280) | 799 (660) |
| Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar (USD) | $18 ($15) | $30 ($25) | $42 ($35) | $99 ($85) | $249 ($200) |
| Kenya | KES 999 (849) | KES 1,999 (1,699) | KES 2,999 (2,499) | KES 9,000 (7,500) | KES 18,000 (15,000) |
| Nigeria | ₦4,320 (₦3,600) | ₦9,120 (₦7,600) | ₦13,920 (₦11,600) | ₦61,920 (₦51,600) | ₦119,520 (₦99,600) |
| Mexico | MX$119 (99) | MX$359 (299) | MX$599 (499) | MX$1,799 (1,499) | MX$3,999 (3,499) |
| Germany | — | €40 (€30) | €60 (€50) | €200 (€170) | €400 (€330) |
| France | €12 (€10) | €24 (€20) | €36 (€30) | €129 (€100) | €249 (€200) |
| Global edition (USD) | $12 ($10) | $24 ($20) | $36 ($30) | $129 ($100) | $249 ($200) |
Every edition also has a Free plan. The UK edition lists four plans (Free to Premium), and Germany has no Standard plan. Countries without their own edition use the Global edition, which doesn’t include localised tax features. Compare editions for your country in our comparison table.
The free plan: what you get and when it ends
Zoho’s US pricing page pitches Free at solopreneurs and micro businesses. According to the US FAQ, it:
- stays free “indefinitely” as long as revenue for the financial year doesn’t go over $50K
- allows up to 1,000 invoices and 1,000 expenses a year
- includes 50 receipt autoscans a month
- comes with email support (weekdays, 9 am to 9 pm ET)
- doesn’t support add-ons, except extra document autoscans
The free plan is localised in some editions. In the UK it lists MTD VAT filing, MTD for Income Tax, CIS tracking and SA100. In India it lists GST reports and filing, and inventory tracking. Australia sets the same kind of cap at revenue under A$50K a year and up to 1,000 invoices. If a free plan is your main reason for looking, our free accounting software guide compares it with Wave, QuickBooks Free and others.
Paid plans, tier by tier
Using the US edition as the reference:
- Standard ($20, or $15 annually): 3 users, 5,000 invoices a year, and 200 autoscans a month. Zoho describes it as organising your transactions, accounts, reports and books.
- Professional ($50 / $40): 5 users and 10,000 invoices a year. Adds projects, inventory tracking, purchases and multi-currency.
- Premium ($70 / $60): 10 users and 25,000 invoices a year, with more customisation and automation, and 1,000 autoscans a month.
- Elite ($150 / $120): 10 users and 100,000 invoices a year. Adds full inventory management, Shopify (up to 2 stores), Etsy, eBay and Amazon connections, and shipping labels.
- Ultimate ($275 / $240): 15 users, plus Zoho’s advanced business-intelligence analytics.
For online sellers, Elite is the meaningful jump: marketplace connections and shipping labels inside your accounting tool. Our ecommerce guide sets it against Xero and QuickBooks inventory.
Limits and add-ons
- Annual caps: invoices and bills/expenses are each capped per year, at 1,000 (Free), 5,000 (Standard), 10,000 (Professional), 25,000 (Premium) and 100,000 (Elite, Ultimate).
- Add-ons (US, billed annually): extra users $2.50/month each, document autoscans $8 per 50 a month, extra locations $10/month each, expense claims $7 per active user a month, and BillPay $59/month.
- Edition lock-in: Zoho’s help centre says an organisation’s country and base currency can’t be changed later. Pick the right edition at sign-up.
- Annual billing: the headline prices on most pages assume annual billing. Paying monthly costs more: $20 instead of $15 a month for US Standard, for example.
- Several businesses: Zoho says you can run more than one business as separate organisations under one account.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free plan in every edition, with up to 1,000 invoices a year
- 18 country editions with local tax handling
- 3 to 15 users included on paid plans, and cheap extra users
- Inventory from Professional; marketplaces and shipping on Elite
- Low prices, especially billed annually
Cons
- Free plan ends past a revenue threshold ($50K in the US)
- Edition country and base currency can’t be changed later
- Best prices need annual billing
- Annual invoice and bill caps on every plan
- Global edition has no localised tax features
Who should use Zoho Books (and who shouldn’t)
Good fit: budget-conscious small businesses, product sellers that want inventory without a separate app, businesses in India, the Gulf, Africa or Mexico where Zoho has a local edition and Xero or QuickBooks may not, and anyone already using other Zoho apps.
Probably not: businesses that need payroll included, and anyone whose accountant works only in Xero or QuickBooks. In Australia, Xero and MYOB offer payroll-ready plans (see our Australia guide).
Try Zoho Books free (partner link, opens in a new tab)
Zoho Books alternatives
- QuickBooks Online: a bigger accountant network, with payroll in the US; see Zoho Books vs QuickBooks and our QuickBooks Online review.
- Xero: no per-user fees, and payroll in Australian plans; see our Xero review.
- Wave: a free plan with unlimited invoices in the US and Canada; see Zoho Books vs Wave.
- FreshBooks: invoicing and time tracking for service businesses; see FreshBooks vs Zoho Books and our FreshBooks review.
- For businesses leaving QuickBooks, see best QuickBooks alternatives.
FAQ
Is Zoho Books really free?
Yes. The Free plan costs $0 and, in the US, stays free as long as your revenue for the financial year is under $50K. It allows 1 user plus an accountant, 1,000 invoices and 1,000 expenses a year, and 50 receipt autoscans a month.
How much does Zoho Books cost in 2026?
In the US, paid plans cost $20, $50, $70, $150 and $275 a month billed monthly, or $15, $40, $60, $120 and $240 a month billed annually. Prices differ by edition: in the UK, for example, plans run from £12 to £30 a month billed monthly.
How many users does Zoho Books include?
Standard includes 3 users, Professional 5, Premium and Elite 10, and Ultimate 15. In the US, extra users cost $3 a month each, or $2.50 billed annually.
Can I change my Zoho Books country edition later?
No. Zoho’s help centre says an organisation’s country and base currency can’t be changed after setup, so choose the edition for the country where your business is registered.
