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10 Cheapest Accounting Software for Freelancers of 2026

By the Rankozo research desk · Updated November 5, 2026

Among the 10 tools in our best accounting software for freelancers ranking, Bonsai has the lowest verified paid starting price at $9 per user per month. Prices below are quoted from each vendor's US pricing page.

1. 01

   Bonsai

   Freelancers who want proposals, contracts and invoices in one client workflow.

   Basic from $9 per user per month billed annually ($15 monthly); invoicing starts on Essentials at $19 billed annually

   Full entry, No. 9 overall

   Starts at

   $9

   Score 7.5

2. 02

   Akaunting

   Budget-focused freelancers who are comfortable entering transactions by hand.

   Standard from $12 per month for one company, one user and one accountant

   Full entry, No. 8 overall

   Starts at

   $12

   Score 7.5

3. 03

   Zoho Books

   Freelancers earning under $50K a year who want full bookkeeping and tax-ready reports for $0.

   Free plan for revenue up to $50K a year; Standard from $15 per organization per month billed annually ($20 monthly)

   Full entry, No. 1 overall

   Starts at

   $15

   Score 8.9

4. 04

   Lili

   Freelancers opening a first business bank account who want tax set-asides built in.

   Lili Core $0; Pro $15 per month; accounting and invoicing need Smart at $35 per month

   Full entry, No. 7 overall

   Starts at

   $15

   Score 7.7

5. 05

   Wave

   Freelancers who send many invoices and want to pay nothing until they need bank imports.

   Free Starter plan; Pro $19 per month, or $190 per year billed annually

   Full entry, No. 2 overall

   Starts at

   $19

   Score 8.6

6. 06

   QuickBooks Solopreneur

   Self-employed people who file with TurboTax and want help maximizing deductions.

   Free plan; Lite $20 per month ($10 per month for the first 3 months)

   Full entry, No. 3 overall

   Starts at

   $20

   Score 8.3

7. 07

   FreshBooks

   Freelancers with a handful of regular clients who want polished invoices and simple expense tracking.

   Lite from $23 per month ($4.60 per month for the first 4 months); no free plan

   Full entry, No. 4 overall

   Starts at

   $23

   Score 8.1

8. 08

   FreeAgent

   Freelancers who bill by project and time and want everything in one plan with no tiers.

   One plan at $27 per month or $270 per year, 50% off for the first six months on monthly billing

   Full entry, No. 5 overall

   Starts at

   $27

   Score 8.0

9. 09

   Xero

   Freelancers who send few invoices now but expect to hire or grow into a small firm.

   Early from $27 per month ($5.40 per month for the first 3 months); no free plan

   Full entry, No. 6 overall

   Starts at

   $27

   Score 7.8

10. 10

    Kashoo

    Freelancers who want full accounting with no plan tiers and room to add a bookkeeper as a user.

    One plan at $30 per month; 50% off the first 6 months; no free plan

    Full entry, No. 10 overall

    Starts at

    $30

    Score 7.5

Scores and prices come from our Best Accounting Software for Freelancers ranking, which uses one method for every tool. Questions or corrections: editorial@rankozo.com