Zoho Books Review: Affordable Solution for Small Businesses?

Gerry Williams

 


Running a small business means juggling multiple tasks at once — from keeping track of expenses to managing clients and paying staff. The reality is, accounting often becomes one of the most stressful parts of the business journey. This is where Zoho Books comes in.

In this review, I’ll share my personal experience with Zoho Books, how it compares to other accounting software I’ve tried, and whether it truly is the affordable solution for small businesses that Zoho markets it to be. Along the way, I’ll also highlight some related Zoho products like Zoho CRM, Zoho People, Zoho Projects, Zoho Expense, and Zoho Invoice, since one of Zoho’s biggest strengths is how its ecosystem works together.



🔹 What is Zoho Books?

Zoho Books is an online accounting software designed primarily for small businesses, freelancers, and entrepreneurs. Think of it as a cloud-based alternative to traditional accounting tools that helps you manage finances, automate business workflows, and stay on top of compliance requirements without hiring a full-time accountant.

Some of the key features include:

  • Automated invoicing with Zoho Invoice

  • Expense tracking through Zoho Expense

  • Bank reconciliation and real-time reports

  • Multi-currency support for international businesses

  • Seamless integration with Zoho CRM, Zoho Projects, and even third-party tools like Zapier

What makes Zoho Books stand out is its affordability and integration within the wider Zoho ecosystem, also known as Zoho One.

👉 Explore Zoho Books here.

🔹 Zoho Books Pricing – Is It Really Affordable?

When evaluating any accounting software, cost plays a huge role for small business owners.

Zoho Books pricing starts at:

  • Free Plan – Best for businesses with revenue under $50,000/year.

  • Standard ($20/month) – Invoicing, bank reconciliation, and standard reports.

  • Professional ($50/month) – Project tracking, purchase orders, and advanced features.

  • Premium ($70/month) – Multiple users, budgeting, advanced automation.

👉 Full details are available on Zoho Books Pricing.

Compared to QuickBooks Online or Xero Accounting, Zoho Books is definitely one of the most affordable options for small businesses.

💡 For those already using Zoho One, you automatically get Zoho Books included. Zoho One pricing starts at just $45/user/month, giving you access to 40+ apps like Zoho CRM, Zoho People, Zoho Recruit, Zoho Projects, Zoho Campaigns, and more.

🔹 My Personal Experience with Zoho Books

When I first tried Zoho Books, I had already been using Zoho Mail and Zoho CRM for my small consulting business. Integrating accounting into the same platform was a huge time saver.

Here are some of the pros and cons I experienced:

✅ Pros:

  1. Clean and intuitive dashboard – I didn’t need an accounting degree to navigate it.

  2. Zoho Invoice integration – Sending invoices directly from the platform made me look more professional.

  3. Expense management – Using Zoho Expense, I could track receipts by snapping photos with my phone.

  4. Seamless ecosystem – I already used Zoho CRM for client management and Zoho Projects for task tracking, so everything synced smoothly.

  5. Affordable pricing – Unlike QuickBooks, I wasn’t paying extra for features I didn’t use.

❌ Cons:

  1. Limited payroll support – If you need advanced payroll (like Xero Payroll), Zoho Books alone might not be enough.

  2. Learning curve – Some advanced features like Zoho Creator automations or Zoho API integrations required time to set up.

  3. Fewer third-party integrations compared to QuickBooks. While Zapier helps, some niche apps don’t integrate natively.

Overall, the positives far outweighed the negatives.

🔹 Zoho Books Features in Detail

📌 Invoicing with Zoho Invoice

You can create branded invoices, send recurring invoices, and even accept online payments via Stripe, PayPal, or Square. If you’re already using Zoho Invoice, it seamlessly integrates into Zoho Books.

📌 Expense Management with Zoho Expense

I loved how Zoho Expense automatically categorized expenses. It also integrates with Zoho People for employee reimbursements.

📌 Projects and Time Tracking

Using Zoho Projects, I could link billable hours directly into Zoho Books. For freelancers or agencies, this is a huge win.

📌 Zoho CRM + Zoho Books

One of the biggest reasons I chose Zoho is its CRM integration. I could view client invoices directly in Zoho CRM, making client management seamless.

📌 Zoho People + Payroll

Although payroll isn’t Zoho Books’ strongest feature, Zoho People helps with HR management, attendance, and basic payroll processing.

🔹 Zoho Books vs Competitors

  • Zoho Books vs QuickBooks Online: Zoho is cheaper and better integrated into other business tools. QuickBooks has more advanced reporting.

  • Zoho Books vs Xero Accounting: Xero is better for larger businesses with complex needs, but Zoho wins in affordability.

  • Zoho Books vs FreshBooks: FreshBooks is freelancer-friendly, but Zoho Books is more scalable.

  • Zoho One alternatives: If you want an all-in-one business suite, Zoho beats almost all competitors like Salesforce or HubSpot in terms of pricing.

🔹 Zoho Ecosystem Worth Mentioning

One of Zoho’s biggest strengths is its product ecosystem. Here are some highlights:

  • Zoho CRM – Best for managing leads and customers.

  • Zoho Recruit – Applicant tracking system (ATS) with affordable Zoho Recruit pricing.

  • Zoho People – HR software with Zoho People pricing starting affordably.

  • Zoho Campaigns – Email marketing automation.

  • Zoho Social – Manage multiple social media accounts.

  • Zoho Desk (Zoho Ticketing System) – Great for customer service.

  • Zoho Projects – Project management tool.

  • Zoho Workplace – Includes Zoho Mail, Zoho Docs, Zoho Writer, Zoho Show, and Zoho Sheet.

  • Zoho Assist & Zoho Meeting – Remote support and video conferencing.

  • Zoho Vault – Password management.

  • Zoho Subscriptions – For businesses running a subscription model.

This interconnectedness is what makes Zoho Corporation unique compared to Zoho competitors like QuickBooks, Xero, or FreshBooks.

🔹 Who Should Use Zoho Books?

Zoho Books is best for:

  • Freelancers who need invoicing and expense tracking.

  • Small businesses looking for an affordable accounting tool.

  • Businesses already using Zoho CRM or Zoho One.

  • Startups that need scalability without breaking the bank.

It might not be the best fit if you run a large enterprise with complex payroll and ERP needs. In that case, consider NetSuite or SAP.

🔹 Final Verdict: Is Zoho Books an Affordable Solution?

Based on my personal experience, the answer is YES.

Zoho Books is one of the most affordable, easy-to-use, and scalable accounting software solutions for small businesses. Its integration with Zoho CRM, Zoho Projects, and Zoho People makes it even more valuable. While it may not beat QuickBooks or Xero in every single category, the Zoho ecosystem is a game-changer if you want all-in-one business management.

👉 Try Zoho Books for free and see if it works for your business.

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