Are you a loyal Mac-lover looking for accounting software? You’ve come to the right place!When you buy an Apple product, you inherit a sort of sixth sense — you can sniff out exactly what software wasn’t meant to run on a Mac, whether it says “Mac-compatible” or not.
Another free desktop accounting software option to consider is NCH Express Accounts. The free version of this accounting software can support the accounting needs of small businesses with fewer than five employees. Through this free accounting software for small businesses, you’ll be able to access and generate 20 crucial financial reports.
And when it comes to accounting, you need something that’s easy to use, runs well on your Mac, and is full of all the great features you need to make your business succeed. That’s why we’ve created this list of the top five accounting programs for Mac users.We’ve spent hours researching and testing the most popular accounting programs, so you don’t have to. Only the best of the best made the cut. We judged each software on usability, features, price, and customer support. We’ve picked a variety of accounting software programs that target different business sizes, needs, and price ranges, so you can find the perfect Mac accounting solution to fit your business.Read on to learn which option is right for you.Learn More About Our Top Picks.
Best for businesses looking for that traditional Mac UI and a good feature set.Take the complexity and depth of features of QuickBooks Desktop and the ease of use of QuickBooks Online, and you get. QuickBooks Mac is a locally-installed software program that recently returned to the market after a three-year hiatus.QuickBooks Mac offers strong accounting, a good selection of features, and is probably the most visually appealing for Mac-loyalists.
However, the company didn’t improve the software much in the three years it was gone, and with no payroll, no payment processing, and no integrations, this Mac accounting favorite doesn’t quite live up to the hype it receives.QuickBooks Mac could still be a good choice for small businesses who really want Mac-friendly, locally-installed software. Read on to see if the pros outweigh the cons for your business.
ProsConsDesigned specifically for MacsNo integrationsAdvanced featuresPoor support materialsNice UILimited users110+ reportsPricingA QuickBooks Mac license costs $299.95 and lasts three years before needing to be renewed. A license is only good for one user. You can purchase additional licenses for up to three users. You also have to buy technical phone support for $89.50/three months.
FeaturesQuickBooks Mac offers even more features than QBO. In terms of accounting, you’ll find bank reconciliation, a customizable chart of accounts, accounts payable, journal entries, and 100+ reports. Here are some of our other favorite features:.
Invoicing. Contact management. Expense tracking. Inventory. Project management. Time tracking.
Budgeting. To-do lists. Tax support. Mileage deductionsWhile QuickBooks Mac may be missing payroll and integrations, the software does offer an incredible number of well-developed features.
To learn more about everything this software has to offer, read our full. Ease Of UseThe software has a nice UI and is well-organized. Because the software offers so many features, QuickBooks Mac does have a semi-steep learning curve.
Customer SupportNot only does QuickBooks Mac have poor customer support, but you also have to pay extra for technical support. Phone wait times are short for a QuickBooks product; however, Intuit appears more concerned with maintaining its other, more popular software than with providing quality support and resources to its QB Mac users. TakeawayIn terms of features, QuickBooks Mac has a lot to offer. This locally-installed software also has the most Mac-friendly UI of any program on this list and is clearly designed just for Macs. To learn if the pros outweigh the cons for your business, read our complete. Best for small to large businesses wanting locally-installed, Mac-specific s oftware while still having a mobile app.When most people think about accounting software, they think of QuickBooks (the notoriously difficult to learn, for Windows). Offers the same sort of functionality as QuickBooks Pro but for Mac users.AccountEdge is an on-premise, traditional accounting program chock full of features.
It’s one of the few locally-installed programs to offer a mobile app. The software is more limited than its counterparts in that the cost of extra users adds up fast.
However, for those with accounting experience who are planning on sticking with one software app for a few years, AccountEdge can be an economical choice. It may even prove to be less expensive than some cloud-based alternatives.One major drawback is that AccountEdge will not work with the Mac Catalina operating system. The company does, however, offer some alternative options. Users that do not upgrade to Catalina can use the software. AccountEdge also provides a hosted subscription service that will allow you to access your company file, even if you are running Catalina.
Are offered by the company, including converting Mac licenses for existing users to Windows licenses at no cost.AccountEdge is ideal for users who want locally-installed software or the advanced accounting and features of on-premise software without sacrificing mobility. ProsConsAdvanced featuresSteep learning curvePC & Mac specific versionsLimited integrationsLocally-installedMobile appPricingYou can get AccountEdge Basic for a one-time fee of $149 for a new user license, while AccountEdge Pro runs $399 for a new user. The difference between the two plans is the number of features available. Each license comes with a single user; additional users cost extra. Any future AccountEdge upgrades are offered at a discounted rate. Add-ons, including phone support, payroll, and payment processing, are available for an additional cost. FeaturesAccountEdge is a fully-developed accounting solution with tons of great features for running a business.
In terms of accounting, you’ll find bank reconciliation, a chart of accounts, accounts payable, journal entries, and over 100 reports. Here are some of the other features you’ll find with AccountEdge:. Invoicing. Quotes. Contact management. Lead management.
Expense tracking. Inventory.
Project management. Time tracking. BudgetingAccountEdge also offers several time-saving automations and unique touches, such as managing commissions. The software provides six integrations, which is fairly limited but is much better than QuickBooks Mac’s zero. Read our complete to learn more. Ease Of UseGiven the sheer amount of features available, AccountEdge comes with a steep learning curve, and the software does take quite a while to set up and get used to.
While the UI is nice and simple, it’s often unintuitive. Luckily, the company offers several getting-started support options to ease the process. Customer SupportAccountEdge provides a good amount of support and learning resources; however, receiving answers to questions from real people takes a long time. Phone support also costs an additional $199/year. TakeawayIf you’re looking for a locally-installed Mac accounting software, AccountEdge has a lot going for it. This software shines where QuickBooks Mac drops the ball by offering some integrations, better learning resources, and a mobile app.
However, Catalina iOS is not supported, so this is also something to keep in mind. Read our full to learn more about this app or give it a whirl with the free 30-day trial. Best for medium to large-sized businesses in need of strong accounting, complex features, and unlimited users.has been a force to be reckoned with in the accounting world since 2006, and currently, over a million people use it. This app, along with the rest of the Mac accounting options in this post, differs from QuickBooks Mac and AccountEdge in one significant way: it is. Instead of installing the software on your computer, you access it via the internet. That means that Mac and Windows users alike can benefit from Xero.Xero is ideal for medium-large businesses in need of strong accounting and multiple users. Xero offers strong accounting, incredible customer service, and an impressive number of positive customer reviews.
The software also has well-developed features and over 800+ integrations. The icing on the cake is that Xero allows for unlimited users at no additional cost. ProsConsUnlimited usersPoor customer serviceStrong accountingLimited mobile appsAdvanced featuresSemi-steep learning curveAffordable monthly cost700+ integrationsPricingXero offers three scalable price plans ranging from $9/month-$60/month. Each plan comes with unlimited users. The larger the plan, the more features you have access to. While Xero no longer has an in-house payroll option, you can integrate with for an additional $39/month plus $6/month per employee.
FeaturesXero offers a great selection of features, including accounting staples, such as bank reconciliation, accounts payable, a customizable chart of accounts, fixed asset management, depreciation schedules, and reporting. Here are some of the features you’ll find with Xero:. Invoicing. Contact management. Expense tracking. Accounts payable.
Inventory. Project management. Time tracking. Budgeting. Tax supportXero also offers several time-saving automations and supports over 800+ integrations.
Read our full to learn everything this accounting software has to offer. Offers strong accounting, advanced features, and scalable pricing to grow with your businessEase Of UseXero is easy to use once you get to know the software. It takes quite a while to navigate the complexities of Xero and to set up the software correctly. Luckily, Xero has a comprehensive help center.
(We also offer a free ebook called if you want step by step guidance on how to use the software.) Customer SupportXero drops the ball in terms of customer support. While the company has decent support and learning options, there’s no phone support, and email responses are slow. TakeawayXero is a full-featured accounting solution with ample integrations, unlimited users, and positive customer reviews. If Xero sounds like it might be a good fit for you, check out our comprehensive and take the software for a spin with a free 30-day trial.
Best for small to medium businesses looking for strong cloud-based accounting.launched in 2004. Mame 0.200 romset. Since then, this robust program has grown to support over 2.2 million users.QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based software with 650+ integrations and beautiful invoicing automations and customizations. The software offers strong mobile apps and good tax support as well as a built-in lending option called.QuickBooks Online is ideal for all types of small businesses, particularly those in need of strong accounting and ample integrations.
It is not a good fit for companies with more than 25 users. ProsConsStrong accountingLimited customer supportAdvanced feature setExpensiveStrong invoicingOccasionally unintuitiveGood mobile apps500+ integrationsPricingQuickBooks Online offers three pricing plans ranging from $25-$150/month; each plan allows access to more features and users. Payroll costs an additional $45-$125/month plus $4-$10/month per employee. FeaturesQuickBooks Online offers an impressive number of features. In terms of accounting, QuickBooks Online supports bank reconciliation, a customizable chart of accounts, fixed asset management, journal entries, and ample reports. Here are some of our other favorite QuickBooks Online features:.
Invoicing. Contact management. Expense tracking. Inventory. Project management.
Time tracking. Budgeting.
Tax supportQuickBooks Online shines when it comes to invoicing and automations. Read our full to learn more about this software’s offerings.
One of the best cloud based accounting software options for small businessesEase Of UseQuickBooks Online is well-organized with an attractive UI. The software does take some getting used to and is occasionally unintuitive, although it’s much easier to use than QuickBooks Mac. Customer SupportQuickBooks Online has fair customer support. The company has a good help center and decent support and learning options, but there is no email support, and you may also face incredibly long wait times.
TakeawayQuickBooks Online is one of the best accounting options for small businesses, including those run on Macs. With advanced features, lots of time-saving automation, and 650+ integrations, QBO could be a great choice.
Read our complete for more details and take advantage of the free 30-day trial. Best for small businesses looking for an affordable QBO alternative with strong features and international invoicing.is a complete accounting package.
The cloud-based software was launched in 2009 and is easy for Mac users to learn and use.Overall, Zoho Books is incredibly affordable, offers good customer service, supports 30+ integrations, and provides some of the best invoicing on the market. Zoho Books sets itself apart with international invoicing and incredible mobile apps.
Zoho Books is ideal for small businesses looking for features similar to QuickBooks Online for half the cost. The software is not ideal for businesses in need of payroll. ProsConsExcellent customer supportNo payrollNumerous featuresLimited integrationsStrong accountingInternational invoicingAffordable monthly costPricingZoho Books offers three pricing plans ranging from $9-$29/month. Each plan offers unlimited estimates and invoices. The larger the plan, the more users, contacts, and features you have access to. FeaturesZoho Books offers an impressive number of features, especially considering the price.
Much like QBO, Zoho Books supports accounting capabilities, such as bank reconciliation, a customizable chart of accounts, accounts payable, journal entries, and good reporting. Here are some of the other features you’ll find with Zoho Books:. Invoicing. Contact management.
Expense tracking. Inventory. Project management.
Time tracking. Tax support. Mileage deductionsAs we mentioned earlier, Zoho Books has some of the best invoicing on the market with 15 templates to choose from, advanced customization, several automations, and the ability to send international invoices.The only drawback is that Zoho Books doesn’t offer payroll or any payroll integrations. Read our complete for a full breakdown of the pros and cons.
Offers some of the best invoicing and mobile apps on the market at an affordable costEase Of UseOf every software app on this list, Zoho Books, by far, is the easiest to use. The software is well-organized with a modern, customizable UI. In other words, a background in accounting is not required to use this program. Customer SupportZoho Books is also the first app on this list to offer great customer support. Zoho Books has short wait times, ample learning resources, and its representatives are generally kind and helpful.
TakeawayZoho Books is a compelling QuickBooks Online alternative with strong accounting, advanced features, impressive invoicing, and great mobile offerings. Read our complete to learn more and take advantage of the free 14-day trial. A Last Look At Our Top Picks.Summary - Best for businesses looking for that traditional Mac UI and a good feature set.Summary - Best for small to large businesses wanting locally-installed, Mac-specific software while still having a mobile app.Summary - Best for medium to large-sized businesses in need of strong accounting, complex features, and unlimited users.Summary - Best for small to medium businesses looking for strong cloud-based accounting.Summary - Best for small businesses looking for an affordable QBO alternative with strong features and international invoicing.
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