Sage Business Cloud Accounting is among the most popular online accounting platforms for small businesses. It is easy to use and has helpful features for cash flow forecasting, invoicing, and real-time reporting. Additionally, it offers mobile functionality to help you manage your business accounts remotely. Despite these features, it may not be the ideal accounting software for your business. You may need a more affordable solution, integrations for payment processing, or core HR features. To help you find a more tailored solution, we have compiled a list of the eight top alternatives to Sage Business Accounting with their key features, pros, cons, and pricing.
- FreshBooks – Best overall Sage Accounting Alternative
- Zoho Books – Best Sage alternative for Scalability
- FreeAgent – Best Sage competitor for ease of use
- Gusto – Best Sage alternative for Integrated Accounting and HR solutions
- QuickBooks Online – Best Sage alternative for Comprehensive Finance management
- Xero – Best alternative to Sage for self-employed individuals and growing businesses
- Wave – Best free Sage alternative
- ZipBooks – Best Sage competitor for freelancers and microbusinesses
8 Best Sage Business Cloud Accounting Alternatives
Below is our list of the best Sage alternatives for small business accounting needs:
FreshBooks – Best overall Sage Accounting Alternative
Overview
FreshBooks Accounting software is a cost-effective solution for small businesses with a feature-rich platform and an impressive set of invoicing tools. Other features include payment processing, time tracking, custom reporting, client management, and ledger tools. It integrates with multiple third-party applications for added functionalities.
As an alternative to Sage Accounting, FreshBooks scores in
- More affordable subscription rates
- Better invoicing features
- Robust third-party integrations
Top Features
Comprehensive invoicing tools, including customization, recurring invoice automation, and online invoicing and payments
- Billable time-tracking
- Mileage tracking
- Sending estimates and proposals
- Project and client management
- Over 100 business software integrations
pros
- Easy to use
- Clients can pay directly through the invoice
- Employee access to specific projects
cons
- No quarterly tax estimates
- No option to view reports through the app
Pricing
FreshBooks offers four pricing plans as follows:
- Lite – $17 a month
- Plus – $30 a month
- Premium – $55 a month
- Select – Quote-based pricing
All plans can be customized with add-ons. Promotional pricing may be available at different times.
Zoho Books – Best Sage alternative for Scalability
Overview
Zoho Books is an excellent Sage alternative if you are already using other Zoho products, such as Zoho CRM and Zoho Projects. With its inventory management and sales features, it particularly suits physical retail businesses. Additionally, it supports multiple currencies, making it ideal for business owners planning for global expansion.
Zoho Books scores over Sage Accounting in
- Multiple pricing plans that allow for scalability
- Free plan for startups and small businesses
Top Features
- Customized invoicing
- Quotes creation
- Expense tracking
- Bank reconciliation
- Muti-currency support
- Customer Portal
- Inventory management
- Sales tax support
pros
- Easy to use
- Integrates seamlessly with other Zoho products
- RESTful API for business integrations
cons
- Limited automation with the free plan
- Limited users
Pricing
Zoho Books offers a free plan for businesses with annual revenue under $50K and five affordable pricing plans, as below:
- Free plan
- Standard – $15 per month, billed annually
- Professional – $40 per month, billed annually
- Premium – $60 per month, billed annually
- Elite – $120 per month, billed annually
- Ultimate – $240 per month, billed annually
Add-ons for the paid tiers include extra users at $2.5/user/month, up to 50 autoscans at $8/month, and snail mails at $2/credit.
FreeAgent – Best Sage competitor for ease of use
Overview
FreeAgent offers core accounting tools, including invoicing, estimates, expense tracking, and reporting at affordable rates. With the option of adding unlimited users and clients, FreeAgent is ideal for startups and freelancers.
Compared to Sage Accounting, FreeAgent ranks higher in
- Affordability
- Exceptional customer support
Top Features
The key features of FreeAgent Accounting include:
- Sending estimates and invoices
- Expense management
- Time-tracking
- Bank reconciliation
- Project tracking
- User-friendly dashboard
pros
- 30-day free trial
- Ease of sharing with accountants and bookkeepers
- Excellent customer support
cons
- No multi-lingual support
- Mobile app needs improvement
Pricing
- Universal plan – $10/month for 6 months and $20/month thereafter
This includes sales tax reporting and multi-currency invoicing.
Gusto – Best Sage alternative for integrated accounting and HR solutions
Overview
Gusto is an all-in-one solution for the HR, payroll, and accounting needs of small businesses. It is an ideal solution for business owners seeking to automate and manage payroll, accounting, benefits, and HR from one convenient platform.
Gusto can be an ideal alternative to Sage Accounting if you are looking for additional functionalities beyond accounting.
Top Features
- Comprehensive payroll solutions
- Tax filing support
- HR tools such as recruiting, onboarding, and benefits administration
- Time-tracking
- Reporting
- Compliance with HIPAA, ERISA, ACA, and COBRA
pros
- Comprehensive HR, payroll, and accounting solution
cons
- Being mainly an HR solution, needs integration with other software such as QuickBooks or Xero for the full range of accounting features
- Pricier than streamlined accounting solutions
Pricing
Gusto offers three pricing plans, as follows:
- Core – $39/month + $6/person
- Complete – $39/month + $12/person
- Concierge – $149/month + $12/person
QuickBooks Online – Best Sage alternative for comprehensive finance management
Overview
Intuit’s QuickBooks Online is a popular choice with small business owners seeking an integrated platform for accounting and bookkeeping. Although pricier than some competitor products, it has a wide range of features that cater to the financial needs of very small as well as growing organizations.
It is among the best alternatives to Sage Accounting for several reasons, including –
- Wider range of services, including payroll, bill management, and inventory management
- Seamless integration with other QuickBooks business products
- Ease of use
Top Features
- Invoicing
- Payables and receivables management
- Bill management
- Sales tax calculation
- Cash flow planning
- Comprehensive reporting capabilities
- Record-keeping
- Check printing
- Inventory management
- Project profitability tracking
pros
- Comprehensive finance management tools
- Plans built for scalability
- In-house bookkeeping
cons
- Pricier than streamlined accounting solutions
- No e-commerce features
Pricing:
QuickBooks Online offers four scalable pricing plans, as below:
- Simple Start – $30/month
- Essentials – $60/month
- Plus – $90/month
- Advanced – $200/month
Promotional pricing is often available. At the time of this writing, the company offers 50% off for the first three months after purchase.
Xero – Best alternative to Sage for self-employed individuals and growing businesses
Overview
Xero is an intuitive and affordable accounting solution for solopreneurs, startups, and small companies. Even new business owners with no technical or accounting expertise can use the platform with ease. Despite its simplicity, it offers all the core accounting features and integrates with over 1000 applications, which makes it ideal for growing businesses.
Although very similar to Sage Accounting, it stands out as a Sage competitor for its beginner-friendly interface and better technical support.
Top Features
- Invoicing
- Quotes
- Bank reconciliation
- Bill management
- Multi-currency support
- Integrations for payroll and digital payments
pros
- Ease of use
- Scalable plans
- Good technical support
- High-quality app
- Free 30-day trial
cons
- Limited quotes and invoices with the cheapest plan
Pricing
Xero offers three pricing plans:
- Early – $13/month
- Growing – $37/month
- Established – $70/month
Payroll integration with Gusto is available for all plans at an added $40/month + $6 per person paid.
Wave – Best free Sage alternative
Overview
Wave Accounting, from Wave’s financial products suite, is a free yet fully functional accounting platform on the market. It is the ideal choice for small business owners on a budget. Wave includes unlimited invoicing, billing, receipt scanning, and income and expense tracking.
It is a great alternative to Sage Accounting if you are looking for a beginner-friendly and free tool to streamline core accounting processes.
Top Features
- Unlimited invoicing
- Income and expense tracking
- Receipt scanning
- Reporting
- Financial statements
- Advisory services as an add-on
pros
- Free to use
- User-friendly dashboard
- Unlimited users
- Unlimited invoicing
cons
- No scalability
- No direct third-party integrations
Pricing
Wave Accounting is entirely free to use for invoicing and accounting. You can purchase features such as payroll and advisory services at an added cost. Other costs include:
- Bank payments – 1% per transaction with a minimum $1 fee
- Credit card payments – 2.9% + 60 cents per Visa/Mastercard transaction and 3.4% + 60 cents per Amex transaction
ZipBooks – Best Sage competitor for freelancers and microbusinesses
Overview
ZipBooks is a great Sage alternative for startups and self-employed entrepreneurs. It has several useful features for small business accounting, including time-tracking for individual clients, client texting, and bulk transaction editing.
- It scores over Sage Accounting with the following features:
- Free Starter plan
- Payment integrations
- Smart Insights and Reports to ensure profitability
Top Features
- Invoicing
- Double-entry accounting
- Sending estimates
- Expense tracking
- Bank reconciliation
- Accountant access
- Cash flow management
- Insights and reports
- Third-party integrations
pros
- Free plan
- Customizable invoices
- Built-in time tracking
- Integrations with several payment providers for direct payments
cons
- No mobile app
- Not available in all states
Pricing
ZipBooks offers four affordable pricing plans:
- Starter – Free
- Smarter – $15/month
- Sophisticated – $35/month
Accountant – Custom Pricing
Methodology
We analyzed several small business accounting solutions and compared them with Sage Accounting on parameters such as affordability and the range of features and integrations. Based on our evaluation, we have compiled a list of the best Sage Business Cloud Accounting alternatives for you to choose from.
We have especially focused on Sage competitors that offer essential features for self-employed individuals and SMBs, such as recurring invoice automation, expense tracking, billing, reporting, and accounts reconciliation.
Conclusion: Which Sage Accounting Alternative Is the Best for Your Business?
Among the list of Sage competitor products, the best alternative for you is the one that suits your unique business needs.
If you are a microbusiness owner on a budget, you may try free accounting software from Wave or ZipBooks. For integrated payroll and HR functionalities, you may consider QuickBooks Online or Gusto. If you have global clients, you will need an accounting solution that supports multi-currency payments, such as Xero or Zoho Books.
Before you zero in on a solution, ensure that your chosen accounting platform aligns not just with your immediate requirements but also with your long-term business goals. While stripped-down accounting solutions are ideal for small local ventures, growing businesses demand systems that allow for scalability and multiple software integrations.
If you are new to accounting, you may also educate yourself on some key accounting terms here before you begin your search for the ideal business accounting solution.
