Comparison · Prices checked 18–19 October 2026
Zoho Books vs QuickBooks (2026): Prices, Plans & Which to Choose
Disclosure: The Zoho Books button in this article is an affiliate link (marked “partner link”). If you click through and buy, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We hold both products to the same criteria. Learn more.
Quick verdict
Zoho Books is cheaper at almost every level and has the more useful free plan. In the US it allows 1,000 invoices a year under $50K revenue, against QuickBooks Free’s 2 a month. It also has country editions where QuickBooks isn’t sold, including India. QuickBooks wins if your accountant already uses it, if you want inventory, orders and all sales channels in one mid-tier plan (Plus, $140), or if you’re self-employed and like its TurboTax-assisted Solopreneur plan.
Prices are regular monthly list prices from each provider’s official pricing page, read on 18–19 October 2026. Zoho Books is cheaper still when billed yearly. We haven’t run a hands-on test for this comparison. For the full field, compare all the best accounting software for small businesses side by side.
Zoho Books vs QuickBooks at a glance
| Zoho Books | QuickBooks Online | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan (US) | Yes: revenue up to $50K/yr, 1,000 invoices/yr | Yes: 2 invoices/month, 1 bank connection |
| First paid plan (US) | Standard, $20/mo ($15 billed yearly) | Solopreneur Lite, $20/mo; Simple Start, $38/mo |
| Inventory (US) | Professional, $50 ($40 yearly) | Plus, $140 |
| Users included | 3 / 5 / 10 / 10 / 15 by plan | 1 / 1 / 3 / 5 / 25 by plan |
| Country editions | 18 countries + Global edition | US, UK, CA, AU, IE, SG, ZA, HK, MY, UAE + global plans |
| Not sold in | — | India, France |
| Trial / promotion | 14-day free trial on paid plans (US) | 50% off for 3 months, or a 30-day free trial |
US plans and prices
Zoho Books has six US plans. Monthly billing first, then the yearly-billed price: Free ($0), Standard ($20 / $15), Professional ($50 / $40), Premium ($70 / $60), Elite ($150 / $120) and Ultimate ($275 / $240). Standard includes 3 users, Professional 5, Premium and Elite 10, and Ultimate 15. Extra users are $3 a month, or $2.50 billed yearly.
QuickBooks has Free ($0) and, for the self-employed, Solopreneur Lite ($20, 1 user, no accountant access). The business plans are Simple Start ($38, 1 user plus 2 accountants), Essentials ($85, 3 users), Plus ($140, 5 users) and Advanced ($340, 25 users). Billing is monthly, with a 50%-off launch offer or a 30-day free trial.
At the same headcount, Zoho is consistently cheaper. A 3-person team pays $20 a month on Zoho Standard, or $85 on QuickBooks Essentials. Five people with inventory pay $50 on Zoho Professional, or $140 on QuickBooks Plus.
Prices in other countries
| Market | Zoho Books (monthly billing) | QuickBooks |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (excl. VAT) | Free · Standard £12 · Professional £24 · Premium £30 | Sole Trader Plus £10 · Simple Start £16 · Essentials £38 · Plus £56 · Advanced £123 |
| Canada | Free · Standard C$20 · Professional C$35 · Premium C$50 · Elite C$200 · Ultimate C$350 | Lite C$20 · Essentials C$70 · Plus C$110 · Advanced C$220 |
| Australia (Zoho billed yearly) | Free · Standard A$16.50 · Professional A$33 · Premium A$44 · Elite A$181.50 · Ultimate A$319 | Simple Start A$33 · Essentials A$60 · Plus A$84 · Advanced A$125 |
| South Africa | Free · Standard R99 · Professional R199 · Premium R299 · Elite R1,290 · Ultimate R2,490 | Simple Start R322 · Essentials R508 · Plus R708 · Advanced R1,144 |
| Singapore | Free · Standard S$18 · Professional S$36 · Premium S$54 · Elite S$193 · Ultimate S$373 | Simple Start S$31 · Essentials S$57 · Plus S$78.99 · Advanced S$124 |
| UAE | Free · Standard AED 69 · Professional AED 129 · Premium AED 159 · Elite AED 349 · Ultimate AED 799 | Simple Start US$22.05 · Essentials US$32.55 · Plus US$48.30 · Advanced US$93.45 (billed in USD) |
| India | Free · Standard ₹899 · Professional ₹1,799 · Premium ₹3,599 · Elite ₹5,999 · Ultimate ₹9,599 | Not available |
Zoho prices exclude local taxes. Switch countries in our comparison table to see both side by side.
Which plan includes what (US)
| Feature | Zoho Books (from) | QuickBooks (from) |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | Track sales and use tax: Standard, $20 | Automated sales tax from Solopreneur Lite ($20); economic nexus tracking from Simple Start ($38) |
| 1099s | Prepare and file 1099s on Free; e-file with the IRS from Standard | Free 1099 e-filing with Bill Pay Elite (Advanced) |
| Stock tracking | Professional, $50 | Plus, $140 |
| Sales & purchase orders | Professional, $50 | Plus, $140 |
| Multi-currency | Base-currency adjustments from Professional; several currencies per customer from Premium | Essentials, $85 |
| Cash flow forecasting | Premium, $70 | Not compared here |
| Sales channels | Shopify (2 stores), Amazon, Etsy, eBay on Elite, $150 | 1 on Simple Start, 3 on Essentials, all on Plus |
| Shipping labels | Elite, $150 | Plus, $140 |
| Budgets | Not compared here | Plus, $140 |
The pattern is clear. Zoho unlocks inventory, orders and price lists much earlier and cheaper (Professional, $50). QuickBooks unlocks sales channels, inventory, orders and shipping labels all together on Plus ($140). Online sellers should read our ecommerce guide, because the channel question can flip the answer.
Free plans compared
Both have a free plan in the US, but they aren’t close:
- Zoho Books Free: free while your revenue for the financial year stays within $50K. It allows up to 1,000 invoices and 1,000 expenses a year, with email support. In the UK, India and Australia editions, the free plan lists 1 user plus an accountant. In the UK and India, the free plan also files VAT (MTD) and GST.
- QuickBooks Free: 2 invoices a month, 1 bank connection, 1 user, no accountant access, and no credit card required. It’s US-only.
See every $0 option in our best free accounting software guide.
Who should choose which
Choose Zoho Books if…
- You want the most useful free plan, or the lowest price at each team size
- You need inventory and orders without paying $140 a month
- You’re in India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kenya or another Zoho edition country
- You want local tax handling in the UK (MTD) or India (GST) on a free plan
Choose QuickBooks if…
- Your accountant already works in QuickBooks
- You sell on several channels and want everything on one plan (Plus)
- You’re self-employed and want TurboTax-assisted filing (Solopreneur Lite)
- You want automatic sales tax with economic nexus tracking from the entry plan
Try Zoho Books (partner link, opens in a new tab) QuickBooks pricing (official site, opens in a new tab)
Also weighing other options? See Xero vs QuickBooks, FreshBooks vs QuickBooks or our QuickBooks alternatives.
FAQ
Is Zoho Books cheaper than QuickBooks?
Yes, at almost every level. In the US, Zoho Standard is $20 a month ($15 billed yearly) with 3 users, while QuickBooks Essentials, its 3-user plan, is $85. Inventory costs $50 on Zoho Professional vs $140 on QuickBooks Plus.
Which has the better free plan?
Zoho Books. Its US free plan allows up to 1,000 invoices a year for businesses with revenue up to $50K. QuickBooks Free allows 2 invoices a month and no accountant access.
Can Zoho Books replace QuickBooks?
For most small businesses, yes: it covers invoicing, bills, bank feeds, sales tax, 1099s, inventory and multi-currency, with an edition for 18 countries. Check with your accountant first, since many accountants work mainly in QuickBooks.
Is QuickBooks available in India?
No. Intuit states QuickBooks Online is no longer available in India. Zoho Books has an India edition with GST filing on its free plan.
