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QuickBooks Online vs Zoho Books: $38 for one user against $20 for three
Updated Oct 15, 2026
Zoho Books Standard costs $20 a month, or $15 a month billed annually, for 3 users, with bank feeds, 200 receipt autoscans a month, reconciliation, a balance sheet, mileage, progress invoicing and 1099 e-filing, capped at 5,000 invoices a year. QuickBooks Online Simple Start costs $38 a month, monthly only, for 1 billable user, with bank feeds, receipt capture, reconciliation, a balance sheet and mileage. Progress invoicing on QuickBooks starts at Plus ($140).
At a glance, by our score
- Lowest price
#2 Zoho Books
Small businesses that want three users and receipt scanning on a $15 plan
8.7/10Very goodOur scoreVisit Zoho BooksOn zoho.com - Lowest price
#6 QuickBooks Online
Businesses that want all five basics we check, receipt capture included, on the entry plan
7.0/10GoodOur scoreVisit QuickBooks OnlineOn quickbooks.intuit.com
Side by side
| Criterion | QuickBooks Online | Zoho Books |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 7.0/10GoodOur score #6 of 10 | 8.7/10Very goodOur score #2 of 10 |
| Included on the entry plan (30%) | 10.0 / 10 | 8.0 / 10 |
| Regular price (30%) | 3.7 / 10 | 7.5 / 10 |
| Leaving (10%) | 10.0 / 10 | 10.0 / 10 |
| Free plan or trial (10%) | 10.0 / 10 | 10.0 / 10 |
| Price after the introductory offer (10%) | 5.0 / 10 | 10.0 / 10 |
| Users (10%) | 4.0 / 10 | 10.0 / 10 |
| Price from | $0 / month | $0 / month |
| Best for | Businesses that want all five basics we check, receipt capture included, on the entry plan | Small businesses that want three users and receipt scanning on a $15 plan |
| Visit | Visit QuickBooks OnlineOn quickbooks.intuit.com | Visit Zoho BooksOn zoho.com |
Who should pick which
- QuickBooks Online: Businesses that want all five basics we check, receipt capture included, on the entry plan
- Zoho Books: Small businesses that want three users and receipt scanning on a $15 plan
At a glance
| QuickBooks Online | Zoho Books | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan | Simple Start | Standard |
| Regular price | $38 a month | $20 a month, or $15 a month billed annually |
| Billing | Monthly only | Monthly or annually, per organization |
| Introductory offer | 50% off for 3 months ($19) or a 30-day trial, not both | None |
| Unlimited invoices | No cap published (the Free plan's is 2 a month) | No: up to 5,000 a year |
| Bank feeds | Yes | Yes |
| Receipt capture | Yes (phone photos) | Yes (200 autoscans a month) |
| Bank reconciliation | Yes | Yes |
| Reports | Profit and loss and balance sheet | Profit and loss, balance sheet and 50+ reports |
| Users | 1 billable user + 2 accounting firms | 3 (more at $3 a user a month) |
| Leaving | Cancel any time; read-only for one year | Cancel any time; data turns read-only |
| Free plan or trial | Free plan and a 30-day trial | Free plan (revenue under $50K) and a 14-day trial |
Prices from QuickBooks' Simple Start page and Zoho Books's pricing page, read Sep 25, 2026.
Price
Zoho Books Standard is $20 a month, or $15 a month billed annually ($180 a year). QuickBooks Simple Start is $38 a month, $18 more, and QuickBooks publishes monthly billing only. Over a year, Simple Start costs $276 more than Zoho billed annually.
QuickBooks offers new customers 50% off for 3 months ($19 a month) or a 30-day trial, not both. Zoho shows no introductory offer; its paid plans have a 14-day trial.
Users widen the gap. Zoho Standard includes 3 users and adds more at $3 a user a month, so five users cost $26 a month. QuickBooks' 3-user plan is Essentials at $85 and its 5-user plan is Plus at $140, on its pricing page.
Where they differ
- Invoice limits. Zoho's pricing page caps Standard at 5,000 invoices a year and the Free plan at 1,000. QuickBooks publishes no cap for Simple Start; the only cap it states is its Free plan's 2 a month.
- Contractor work. Zoho Standard lists progress invoicing and e-filing 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC. QuickBooks' invoicing page puts progress invoicing on Plus and Advanced; Simple Start prepares and files 1099s, with additional fees for e-filing. Our contractor guide compares these by plan.
- Receipts. Zoho Standard includes 200 receipt autoscans a month. QuickBooks Simple Start matches receipt photos from your phone to expenses.
- Free plans. Zoho's is free while revenue stays under $50K a year, for 1 user and 1 accountant. QuickBooks' free plan is 1 user, 2 invoices a month and 1 bank connection.
- Leaving. After you cancel, Zoho keeps your data read-only and deletes accounts inactive more than 120 days. QuickBooks gives read-only access for one year and export for up to a year.
Payroll is separate on both: Zoho Payroll is its own Zoho product, and QuickBooks sells QuickBooks Workforce.
Who should pick which
Pick Zoho Books if two or three people keep the books, you bill jobs in stages, or you want 1099 e-filing on the entry plan, and 5,000 invoices a year is enough.
Pick QuickBooks Online if one person keeps the books and you would outgrow Zoho Standard's 5,000 invoices a year; QuickBooks publishes no cap for Simple Start.
Both appear in our accounting software ranking, our list for freelancers and our list for construction and trades. How we score is on the methodology page.