If you already use Zoho’s products, this Zoho Books review will help you decide whether to add Books to your accounting toolbox. But even if you aren’t a Zoho accounting software customer, Zoho Books operates handily as a standalone product that serves all your bookkeeping needs.
Completely cloud-based, Zoho Books provides both a desktop and mobile app that makes it easy to view and pay invoices on the go. But one of the best features is its reporting option, which gives you oversight of your business’s profitability.
Pros
- Free plan includes all the basic features
- Full suite of features in one app
- Mobile app helps you access your books from anywhere
Cons
- Top pricing tier limits you to 15 users
- Customers report difficulty getting support
- Limited integration options
When to Use Zoho Books
- You work with other Zoho products: If you already use other Zoho products, Zoho Books will be a natural fit.
- You’re a small operation: If you only have a few users who need access, the free and low-cost options will make it a great fit.
- You work with external accountants: Zoho makes it easy to connect your accountant or tax preparation professionals.
When to Use Something Else
- You have a large number of employees: Zoho Books pricing is designed for smaller businesses with less than a dozen or so users.
- You need one-on-one support: Zoho has multiple support options, but the team is stretched pretty thin.
- You need multiple reports: Although Zoho Books has robust reporting tools, you’ll get a bigger report variety with competitors.
Deciding Factors
| Price | 4/5: Free for 1 user and 1 accountant; $15/month for up to 3 users; $40/month for up to 5 users; $60-$120/month for up to 10 users; $240/month for up to 15 users; $2.50/month for each additional user |
| Ease of Use | 4/5: User-friendly interface makes it easy to learn, and notifications ensure you’re always on top of new invoices and payments. |
| Support | 3/5 : Variety of contact options, but users report difficulty getting immediate help. |
| Scalability | 3/5: Limited integrations and a cap on users make this a better app for newer businesses. |
| Number of Users | 2/5: 0-15 (per-user price for more) |
Zoho Books Prices and Features
Zoho Books reviews often mention user limitations, but it’s important to note that Zoho has a full-featured free version. At no expense whatsoever, you can enjoy the following Zoho Books features for one user and one accountant:
- Manage up to 1,000 invoices each year
- Automatic payment reminders
- Set up recurring invoices
- Track expenses and mileage
- Import bank and credit card statements
- Customize invoices
- Schedule reports
If you need to manage more invoices each year, though, or add more users, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan. Those plans start at $15 a month and go all the way up to $240 a month.
This is where a Zoho Books review has to mention the user limitations, though. Yes, the $240 monthly plan only includes 15 users, but you can add additional people for $2.50 a month per user.
One of the best features of Zoho Books is its reporting. You can pull sales, inventory, and business reports, with sales reports organized by customer, item, and salesperson. You’ll be limited on report customization with the free plan, though, so you might find you need to upgrade to the $15 monthly plan to get the reporting features you need.
Zoho Books Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages:
Zoho Books is available for free, catering to a single user and an accountant. Comprehensive features are included in the more affordable plans, and the other offerings under the Zoho product suite display seamless integration.
Disadvantages:
Third-party integrations are limited in their availability. There are alleged shortcomings in customer service quality, and an annual payment commitment is required for optimal pricing.
Zoho Books Customer Service
On the surface, Zoho Books offers standout customer service. But one Zoho Books review after another mentions difficulty getting help using those methods. The good news is, there’s no shortage of contact options. You can reach customer service via telephone 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday. Sunday through Thursday, customer service representatives are available by email.
If you need help learning how to use Zoho Books, you’ll probably want to sign up for a Zoho Books webinar. These are held weekly, and you can register on the Zoho Books website. There are also video tutorials that can walk you through using the various features on the platform.
Zoho Books Integrations
Any Zoho Books review will mention its integrations with other Zoho products. You can easily link Zoho Books to Zoho CRM, which will help your sales team track your accounting information. This will also sync your contacts between apps.
But what if you don’t use Zoho products? Your Zoho Books accounting software integrates with a variety of solutions, although there are fewer than you’ll find with other apps. You can track and manage sales tax with integrations like Avalara and Tax 1099, and you can collect and manage payments on the go, thanks to integrations with Square, PayPal, and Stripe, among many others.
Is Zoho Books Worth It? The Final Verdict
Although it might have its limitations, the pricing Zoho Books offers makes it a great deal. Startups and extremely small businesses will probably find all the features they need in the free version, but as your business grows, you might find Zoho accounting software doesn’t scale as well as other tools. Still, as long as you keep your accounting team small, Zoho Books packs enough features to power your small business.
FAQs
What are the disadvantages of Zoho Books?
The biggest disadvantage of Zoho Books is its lack of scalability. The user limits and lack of integrations make it ideal for startups. Its slow customer service response times is also a disadvantage.
