SMB Guide content and reviews are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

QuickBooks Live Alternatives & Competitors

Learn about the best QuickBooks Live alternatives and competitors if you are looking for the right virtual bookkeeping service for your small business.

Best Overall
Best for Freelancers
Small Businesses
Primary Rating:
4.8
Primary Rating:
4.5
Primary Rating:
4.2
Description:

Bookkeeper360 is a technology driven accounting solution for startups and established businesses.

Description:

1-800Accountant is virtual accounting services provider, helping freelancers, entrepreneurs, and business owners along their business journey.

Description:

Bench helps small business owners like you save time and money doing your bookkeeping and income taxes.

Best Overall
Primary Rating:
4.8
Description:

Bookkeeper360 is a technology driven accounting solution for startups and established businesses.

Best for Freelancers
Primary Rating:
4.5
Description:

1-800Accountant is virtual accounting services provider, helping freelancers, entrepreneurs, and business owners along their business journey.

Small Businesses
Primary Rating:
4.2
Description:

Bench helps small business owners like you save time and money doing your bookkeeping and income taxes.

While QuickBooks is a widely used accounting software and has many great use cases, you must consider its potential drawbacks as well.

For example, its monthly pricing starts at $30, limited to one user, and lacks a billable hours tracking feature.

To access the bill management feature and accommodate multiple users, you’ll have to upgrade to another plan at $60/month.

Plus, while QuickBooks Online offers useful features to simplify your work and automate tasks, it can be a bit complex.

Having a basic understanding of accounting concepts will help you make the most of its benefits.

In this article, I talk about 7 QuickBooks Live alternatives that will help you efficiently handle your financial management and accounting needs.

1. Bookkeeper360

Bookkeeper360 homepage

Best suited for: small to medium-sized businesses

Pricing: $125/hr to $549/mo

Pros

Free consultation

24/7 support

Dedicated CPA

Offers accrual-based accounting

Cons

No mobile app

No inventory management features

Bookkeeper360 is a cloud-based accounting and bookkeeping service for small and medium-sized businesses.

Features

  • Accounts receivable management
  • Virtual CFO
  • Profitability analysis
  • Pricing and cost analysis
  • Financial reporting
  • Cash flow optimization
  • PTO and time tracking

Bookkeeper360 Vs QuickBooks Live

CriteriaBookkeeper360QuickBooks Live
Best ForSmall to medium-sized businessesSmall businesses and self-employed individuals
Standout FeatureAccounting software with professional bookkeeping servicesPowerful financial reporting with at-a-glance visuals
Pricing$125/hr to $549/mo$249/mo – $349/mo

Conclusion

Sign up for Bookkeeper360 for comprehensive bookkeeping services and advanced features like accounts receivable management, virtual CFO services, and payroll and tax management.

Schedule your call with Bookkeeper360!

Schedule a call with Bookkeeper360

2. 1-800Accountant

1-800Accountant homepage

Best suited for: startups, businesses, and enterprises needing full-service tax support

Pricing: $139/mo – $399/mo

Pros

Flat rate pricing

30-day satisfaction guarantee

Unlimited tax advice

Powered by CPAs

Cons

Annual billing

Bookkeeping is only in top tier plan

1-800Accountant is a company that provides accounting, business advisory, and tax services to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Features

  • Dedicated accountant
  • EIN acquisition
  • Bookkeeping
  • Payroll management
  • Tax planning
  • Financial reporting
  • Verified name availability search

1-800Accountant Vs QuickBooks Live

Criteria1-800AccountantQuickBooks Live
Best ForStartups, businesses in growth phase, and enterprises with complex needsSmall businesses and self-employed individuals
Standout FeatureBookkeeping and payroll managementPowerful financial reporting with at-a-glance visuals
Pricing$139/mo – $399/mo$249/mo – $349/mo

Conclusion

1-800Accountant helps businesses by providing tax preparation, bookkeeping services, access to qualified accountants, and strategic tax planning to simplify financial management.

Schedule your free call with 1-800Accountant

Schedule a call with 1-800Accountant

3. Bench

Bench Accounting homepage

Best suited for: small business owners wanting to outsource bookkeeping tasks

Pricing: $249/mo – $349/mo

Pros

1-month free

One-on-one expert support

Powerful reporting

Catch-up bookkeeping available

Cons

Pricey accrual adjustments

Doesn’t offer CFO consultancy

Bench Accounting is a company that provides online bookkeeping services for small businesses and independent professionals.

Bench offers a combination of real human bookkeepers and specialized software to help clients manage their financial records and stay organized.

Features

  • Financial reporting
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Tax preparation support
  • Year-end financial package
  • Expense management
  • Transaction categorization

Bench Vs QuickBooks Live

CriteriaBenchQuickBooks Live
Best ForSmall business owners and early-stage businessesSmall businesses and self-employed individuals
Standout FeatureDedicated bookkeeping teamPowerful financial reporting with at-a-glance visuals
Pricing$249/mo – $349/mo$249/mo – $349/mo

Conclusion

Try Bench Accounting if all you need is a dedicated team of real human bookkeepers, accurate transaction categorization, and reliable bank reconciliation for your small business financial management.

4. LessAccounting

LessAccounting homepage

Best suited for: consultants, small business owners, and solopreneurs

Pricing: $24/mo – $350/mo

Pros

Easy-to-navigate interface

CPA services

Unlimited invoicing

Simplifies the accounting process

Cons

No mobile app

Lacks scalability

LessAccounting is a web-based accounting software designed to simplify the accounting and bookkeeping processes for small businesses.

The platform provides a user-friendly experience for users who don’t have extensive accounting expertise.

Features

  • Expense tracking
  • Accounting reports
  • Year-end financial package
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Tax preparation
  • Unlimited banking integrations
  • Mileage tracking

LessAccounting Vs QuickBooks Live

CriteriaLessAccountingQuickBooks Live
Best ForSmall business owners and solopreneursSmall businesses and self-employed individuals
Standout FeatureMileage trackingPowerful financial reporting with at-a-glance visuals
Pricing$24/mo – $350/mo$249/mo – $349/mo

Conclusion

If you need a web-based accounting application with features such as expense tracking, accounting reports, and a comprehensive year-end financial package, you should try LessAccounting.

5. Pilot

Pilot homepage

Best suited for: startups and growing businesses.

Pricing: $499/mo – $699/mo

Pros

Dedicated bookkeeper

Supports accrual basis accounting

Offers CFO advisory

Discount for pre-revenue companies

Cons

No free trial

Limited email support

Pilot is a bookkeeping and financial management service that assists businesses with their bookkeeping and tax planning needs.

They offer a combination of software automation and human expertise to help businesses maintain accurate and up-to-date financial records.

Features

  • udget forecasting
  • Federal corporate income tax filing
  • Vendor contract review & negotiations
  • Monthly balance sheet & statement of cash flow reports
  • Full R&D tax claim process

Pilot Vs QuickBooks Live

CriteriaPilotQuickBooks Live
Best ForStartups and growing businessesSmall businesses and self-employed individuals
Standout FeatureCFO servicesPowerful financial reporting with at-a-glance visuals
Pricing$499/mo – $699/mo$249/mo – $349/mo

Conclusion

 If you’re a growing startup that needs help with bookkeeping, tax preparation, and financial management along with real-time financial insights, you should try Pilot.

6. Merritt Bookkeeping

Merritt Bookkeeping homepage

Best suited for: small businesses and startups

Pricing: $190/month (no pricing tiers)

Pros

Monthly flat fee

Integration with online QuickBooks

24/7 phone and email support

Each client gets a dedicated bookkeeper

Cons

No payroll management

No free demo or trial

Merritt Bookkeeping is a bookkeeping service that provides affordable financial support to small businesses and startups.

Features

  • Dedicated bookkeeper
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Financial reporting
  • Invoice recording
  • Customizable reports

Merritt Bookkeeping Vs QuickBooks Live

CriteriaMerritt BookkeepingQuickBooks Live
Best ForSmall businesses and startupsSmall businesses and self-employed individuals
Standout FeatureDedicated bookkeeperPowerful financial reporting with at-a-glance visuals
Pricing$190/mo$249/mo – $349/mo

Conclusion

Merritt Bookkeeping is ideal for small business owners needing straightforward bookkeeping solutions, including features like financial reporting and invoice recording at a fixed monthly rate.

7. Fincent

fincent homepage

Best suited for: startups and small business owners

Pricing: $199/mo – $1,049/mo

Pros

Monthly billing available

Integrates with QuickBooks

Catchup services available

Monthly books closing guarantee

Cons

No payroll features

No free demo or trial

Fincent is a bookkeeping, tax filing, and payments platform that helps small businesses manage their financial operations — all within one intuitive interface.

One interesting feature of Fincent is its ability to provide a complete view and management of expenses related to subscription services.

Features

  • Dedicated bookkeeping team
  • Subscriptions management
  • Cash flow statement
  • Banking integrations
  • Accounts receivables & payables
  • Bill tracking
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Financial reporting

Fincent Vs QuickBooks Live

CriteriaFincentQuickBooks Live
Best ForStartups and small business ownersSmall businesses and self-employed individuals
Standout FeatureSubscriptions managementPowerful financial reporting with at-a-glance visuals
Pricing$199/mo – $1,049/mo$249/mo – $349/mo

Conclusion

Try Fincent if you need a platform that comes with a dedicated bookkeeping team, accounts receivable and payable features, invoicing and collection, bill tracking, and online financial statements.

Which QuickBooks Live Alternative Should I Use?

I took you through the 7 best alternatives to QuickBooks Live, breaking down their pros and cons, highlighting key features, and discussing pricing details.

Now, carefully review the nitty-gritty and choose the QuickBooks Live alternative that aligns precisely with your budget and specific requirements.

Recap of the QuickBooks alternatives

Bookkeeper360

Bookkeeper360 is a Quickbooks and Xero bookkeeping, accounting, and advisory solution for small to medium-sized businesses.

Schedule a call
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.