Zoho Books vs Akaunting (2024 Comparison)
Zoho Books offers a comprehensive suite of accounting features, making it ideal for businesses seeking a robust solution. With excellent customer support and extensive integrations, it's a top choice for managing finances.
- Comprehensive feature set for businesses
- Robust customer support options
- Wide range of integrations available
- Slight learning curve for new users
- Higher cost compared to open-source options
Free plan?
YesStarting price
$10 per month
Akaunting is a free, open-source accounting software perfect for small businesses and freelancers. Its user-friendly interface and community-driven development make it a reliable choice for budget-conscious users.
- Free and open-source solution
- User-friendly interface for beginners
- Community-driven development
- Limited advanced features
- Relies on community support
Free plan?
YesStarting price
$24 per monthWhat is Zoho Books?
Zoho Books is a comprehensive accounting software designed to streamline financial management for businesses. It offers features like invoicing, expense tracking, and inventory management, making it a versatile tool for small to medium-sized enterprises. With its user-friendly interface and robust integrations, Zoho Books helps businesses automate their financial processes, saving time and reducing errors. Whether you're managing cash flow or preparing financial reports, Zoho Books provides the tools you need to stay on top of your finances.
What is Akaunting?
Akaunting is a free, open-source accounting software that caters to small businesses and freelancers. It offers a range of features including invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reporting. Akaunting's user-friendly interface and flexibility make it an attractive option for those looking to manage their finances without incurring high costs. With its community-driven development, Akaunting continuously evolves to meet the needs of its users, providing a reliable and customizable solution for everyday financial management.
Pros and Cons of Zoho Books vs Akaunting
Pros & Cons of Zoho Books
- Zoho Books offers a wide range of features that cater to various business needs, from invoicing to inventory management. This makes it a versatile tool for businesses looking for an all-in-one accounting solution.
- With multiple support channels including chat, email, and phone, Zoho Books ensures that users have access to assistance whenever needed. This level of support is crucial for businesses that require immediate help.
- Zoho Books integrates with numerous third-party applications, enhancing its functionality and allowing businesses to streamline their operations. This makes it a great choice for those looking to connect their accounting software with other tools.
- New users may find Zoho Books a bit complex initially due to its extensive features. However, with time and practice, users can fully leverage its capabilities.
- Compared to open-source options like Akaunting, Zoho Books comes with a higher price tag. This may be a consideration for businesses on a tight budget.
Pros & Cons of Akaunting
- Akaunting is a cost-effective solution for small businesses and freelancers, offering essential accounting features without the need for a subscription. This makes it an attractive option for those on a budget.
- Akaunting's simple and intuitive interface makes it easy for beginners to navigate and manage their finances. This is ideal for those who are new to accounting software.
- As an open-source platform, Akaunting benefits from continuous improvements and updates driven by its user community. This ensures that the software evolves to meet the needs of its users.
- While Akaunting offers essential accounting features, it lacks some of the advanced functionalities found in paid solutions like Zoho Books. This may be a limitation for businesses with complex needs.
- Akaunting's support primarily comes from its user community, which may not be as immediate or comprehensive as dedicated customer support. This could be a drawback for users needing quick assistance.
Zoho Books vs Akaunting: At A Glance
Value to Price
Zoho Books offers a comprehensive suite of features at a competitive price, making it a great value for businesses looking for robust accounting solutions. Akaunting, being open-source, provides excellent value for those on a tight budget. However, Zoho Books' extensive features and integrations make it a better choice for businesses seeking a more complete solution.
Ease of Use
Akaunting's user-friendly interface makes it easy for beginners to navigate and manage their finances. Zoho Books, while slightly more complex, offers a more comprehensive set of features that may require a learning curve. For those prioritizing ease of use, Akaunting is a more straightforward option.
Functionality
Zoho Books excels in functionality with its wide range of features including advanced reporting and inventory management. Akaunting, while offering essential accounting features, lacks some of the advanced functionalities found in Zoho Books. For businesses needing advanced features, Zoho Books is the better choice.
Scalability
Zoho Books is designed to scale with your business, offering features that grow with your needs. Akaunting, while flexible, may require additional customization as your business expands. For businesses planning for growth, Zoho Books offers more scalability.
Integrations
Zoho Books offers a wide range of integrations with other Zoho products and third-party applications, enhancing its functionality. Akaunting, while offering some integrations, does not match the extensive options available with Zoho Books. For those needing seamless integrations, Zoho Books is the superior choice.
Customer Support
Zoho Books provides robust customer support with various channels including chat, email, and phone support. Akaunting, being open-source, relies more on community support, which may not be as immediate. For those valuing direct support, Zoho Books is the better option.
Security
Zoho Books prioritizes security with features like two-factor authentication and data encryption. Akaunting, while secure, may require additional measures for enhanced security. For businesses prioritizing security, Zoho Books offers more comprehensive protection.
Overall Rating
Zoho Books scores higher overall due to its comprehensive features, scalability, and robust support. Akaunting, while a strong contender, is best suited for those seeking a cost-effective, open-source solution. For a more complete accounting solution, Zoho Books is the preferred choice.
Zoho Books vs Akaunting: A Detailed Breakdown of Key Features
Invoicing
Zoho Books offers a robust invoicing feature that allows you to create, customize, and send invoices with ease. Its automation capabilities, such as recurring invoices and payment reminders, save you time and effort. Akaunting also provides invoicing features, but lacks some of the advanced customization options found in Zoho Books. If you need a comprehensive invoicing solution, Zoho Books is the better choice.
Expense Tracking
With Zoho Books, tracking expenses is a breeze. You can categorize expenses, upload receipts, and even automate expense recording. Akaunting offers basic expense tracking, but may require additional plugins for advanced features. If you want a seamless expense tracking experience, Zoho Books is the way to go.
Inventory Management
Zoho Books excels in inventory management, offering features like stock tracking, reorder levels, and inventory valuation. Akaunting provides basic inventory management, but lacks the depth and automation of Zoho Books. For businesses with complex inventory needs, Zoho Books is the superior option.
Financial Reporting
Zoho Books provides a wide range of financial reports, from profit and loss statements to cash flow analysis. Its reporting capabilities are more advanced than Akaunting, which offers basic financial reports. If detailed financial insights are important to you, Zoho Books is the better choice.
Multi-Currency Support
Zoho Books supports multiple currencies, making it ideal for businesses with international clients. Akaunting also offers multi-currency support, but may require additional setup. If you frequently deal with foreign currencies, Zoho Books provides a more seamless experience.
Mobile App
Zoho Books offers a mobile app that allows you to manage your finances on the go. Its app is user-friendly and offers most of the features available on the desktop version. Akaunting's mobile app is more limited in functionality. If mobile access is important to you, Zoho Books is the better option.
Pricing Comparison of Zoho Books and Akaunting
To assist you in making an informed choice, we’ve outlined the pricing plans and essential features of Zoho Books and Akaunting. This comparison will highlight the best option for managing your finances.
Zoho Books Pricing Plans
- Issue sales receipts and manage credits and refunds efficiently.
- Enable self-service customer portal for enhanced customer interaction.
- Automate payment reminders to ensure timely payments.
- Access P&L, Balance Sheet, and 50+ reports for financial insights.
- Generate divisional reports with reporting tags for better insights.
- Setup recurring expenses to automate regular payments.
- Add custom fields and create custom reports for tailored insights.
- API access for integration with other applications.
- Track sales and purchase orders for better inventory management.
- Record multi-currency transactions for global business operations.
- Analyze project profitability to ensure financial success.
- Collaborate with users through chat, voice, video, and screen sharing.
- Enable self-service vendor portal for streamlined vendor interactions.
- Set up custom domain for personalized business branding.
- Create business-specific custom modules for tailored solutions.
- Embed contextual web pages/apps for enhanced user experience.
- Manage up to 5 warehouses for large-scale operations.
- Track serial numbers and batch tracking for detailed inventory insights.
- Integrate Shopify stores for seamless e-commerce operations.
- Print shipping labels and track shipments for logistics management.
- 50+ pre-built data visualizations for comprehensive reporting.
- Create custom dashboards with charts and widgets for tailored insights.
- Add and track KPIs for performance measurement.
- Collaboratively create reports with colleagues for team insights.
Akaunting Pricing Plans
- Manage up to 5 bills to keep track of expenses.
- Connect with 1 bank for seamless transactions.
- Handle W-9 and Form 1099 for tax compliance.
- Support for multiple currencies for global transactions.
- Unlimited bills to manage all expenses efficiently.
- Unlimited bank connections for comprehensive financial management.
- Accept payments directly to streamline revenue collection.
- Capture receipts for accurate expense tracking.
- Inventory management to track stock and supplies.
- Project management tools for task organization and tracking.
- CRM features to manage customer relationships effectively.
- Point of Sale (POS) integration for retail operations.
Our Rating Methodology
We thoroughly test each accounting software, evaluating key features like functionality, scalability, and security. We also analyze user reviews to ensure our recommendations fit your needs. Each of the seven evaluation factors is weighted by importance to provide an accurate final rating, helping you avoid poor-quality tools and make informed decisions.
Zoho Books or Akaunting: Which One Matches Your Business Needs?
Choose Zoho Books If You Need ...
- Comprehensive accounting solution
If you are a business looking for a comprehensive accounting solution with advanced features and robust support, Zoho Books is the ideal choice. Its extensive integrations and scalability make it suitable for growing businesses.
- Advanced reporting needs
If you require detailed financial reports and insights, Zoho Books offers advanced reporting capabilities that can help you make informed business decisions. Its wide range of reports provides valuable insights into your financial health.
Choose Akaunting If You Need ...
- Cost-effective for small businesses
If you are a small business or freelancer looking for a cost-effective accounting solution, Akaunting is a great choice. Its free, open-source nature allows you to manage your finances without incurring high costs.
- User-friendly for beginners
If you are new to accounting software and need a user-friendly interface, Akaunting is ideal. Its simple design makes it easy for beginners to navigate and manage their finances effectively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which software is better for small businesses, Zoho Books or Akaunting?
Does Zoho Books offer more integrations than Akaunting?
Is Akaunting suitable for businesses with complex accounting needs?
How does customer support compare between Zoho Books and Akaunting?
Which software offers better security features, Zoho Books or Akaunting?
Can Akaunting handle multi-currency transactions?
Martin Lunendonk
Martin Lunendonk is a senior tech writer specializing in website builders, web hosting, and ecommerce platforms. With a background in finance, accounting, and philosophy, he has founded multiple tech startups and worked in medium to large tech companies and investment banking, bringing deep expertise and reliable insights to his software reviews.
