The Best Accounting Software for Mac Users

While not all accounting software is Mac-compatible, there are far more options now than there were 10 or 15 years ago, since most accounting software can be accessed online through a desktop web browser, and some software platforms even have iOS apps.

We’ve put several top accounting software platforms to the test and, based on our findings, Zoho Books is the best option for Mac users. Not only is this cloud-based software easily accessible from most browsers, but Zoho Books also has one of the most comprehensive iOS mobile apps on the market, allowing you to access your financial data from anywhere.

Coming in at a close second is QuickBooks, which offers advanced reporting and financial forecasting tools, and also has an iOS mobile app. We’ve reviewed five accounting software platforms in total, highlighting each platform’s strengths and weaknesses.

Summary: The Best Accounting Software for Mac Users

Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of the best accounting software platforms for businesses that use Macs:

1. Zoho Books: Best Overall

Based on our research and testing, Zoho Books is the best overall accounting software for Mac users. It earned this title for several reasons, including the fact that it offers a free plan and cheap entry plans that range from $20–$60 per month. Other strong suits include the fact that it’s easy to use, comes with a great set of tools for accurately and efficiently tracking transactions and managing inventory, and even offers an Apple Watch app.

Why we recommend Zoho Books

Like most modern accounting software, Zoho Books can be easily accessed via a browser, making it accessible to Mac users. It also offers an iOS mobile app, which is one of the most comprehensive on the market. The app allows users to manage almost all aspects of accounting on the go, including invoice creation and payment processing. Most competitors’ mobile apps have restrictions on payments and actions such as sending quotes.

Zoho Books is also the only provider to offer an Apple Watch app, which allows users to view outstanding invoices, send payment reminders, and track time for projects.

There are other qualities to Zoho Books, besides its apps. For one, we found the platform easy to use, with the layout of Zoho Books’ quotes and invoices being especially intuitive. You can also set different tax rates and create tax groups for items or services in Zoho Books, reducing room for error.

Features such as a dedicated reminder button for late invoice payments, real-time inventory tracking, and mileage calculation for expenses also speed up day-to-day bookkeeping by reducing manual effort and ensure accurate records are kept.

For expenses, users can also upload them directly from receipts and set transaction rules, so that outgoings imported from bank integration are automatically classified. That said, competitors QuickBooks and Xero allow for even easier categorization because they don’t even require a rule set up, as they use smart sorting technology.

Zoho Books also has a great set of reporting tools. You can build custom reports, as well as access pre-built templates for key financial statements such as profit and loss reports, cashflow statements, and sales tax liability reports. It has more advanced reporting tools for financial planning and budgeting, such as a cashflow projection tool and a “what-if” scenario generator. This last feature isn’t offered by most competitors, besides QuickBooks and FreeAgent.

Our experience using Zoho Books

Zoho Books was the easiest-to-use accounting platform that we tested. It’s easy enough to work for small businesses that aren’t accounting experts, but comes with enough advanced features to also suit businesses with more complex financial needs.

When testing Zoho Books, we found the sidebar dropdown menus particularly well signposted, and the familiar email-inspired layout for quotes and invoice templates made it easy to edit them. We also liked that the platform issued prompts when an error was detected, such as missing fields.

That said, Zoho Books wasn’t perfect. We had a little trouble customising reminders for clients, since we couldn’t send out bulk reminders. The search function on Zoho Books also wasn’t great, since it required an exact match to come up with search results.

Where could Zoho Books improve?

Zoho Books mainly integrates with other Zoho software platforms and only around 12 third-party tools, unlike Xero or QuickBooks, which integrate with 1,000 and 750 third-party apps, respectively. For this reason, we don’t recommend Zoho Books if your business doesn’t want to use Zoho’s ecosystem of business software.

Additionally, Zoho Books doesn’t offer any live support outside of 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Competitors QuickBooks and FreshBooks offer weekend support, so they’re better options for businesses that operate outside typical working hours.

Finally, Zoho Books places limits on the number of invoices you can send per year, with limits ranging from 1,000 to 100,000 depending on the plan. If you want a restriction-free platform, we recommend QuickBooks.

2. QuickBooks: Best for Financial Reporting and Analysis

QuickBooks is suitable for Mac users, since it offers cloud-based software and an iOS-compatible app. It’s a great choice for businesses that want to leverage accounting software to gain deeper insights into their finances through advanced forecasting and reporting tools.

Why we recommend QuickBooks

QuickBooks has great reporting tools. It offers the basic, pre-built report templates for key financial statements, such as cashflow statements, balance sheets, and electronic 1099 forms. Plus, unlike its competitors, FreeAgent or FreshBooks, QuickBooks also allows users to modify existing report templates and create custom reports from scratch. This makes it easy to isolate key metrics, such as assets or income.

We were also very impressed with QuickBooks’ cashflow projection tool. It issues alerts on potential cash shortfalls or surpluses, something Xero’s cashflow projector doesn’t do. QuickBooks also has a “what-if” scenario creator to evaluate potential financial outcomes, such as what would happen if the business lost a major client.

QuickBooks also offers a high level of automation, which reduces manual effort and errors when working with large amounts of data. For example, expenses can be automatically categorized thanks to direct bank feed integration, and users can also set up rules for categorizing recurring transactions.

QuickBooks is also one of the rare accounting platforms to offer native payroll software. This makes it easy to account for payroll-related deductions when logging incomings and outgoings and filing taxes. It also makes a network of tax experts available to all QuickBooks users through a partnership with TurboTax, although this incurs an extra cost.

Our experience using QuickBooks

QuickBooks wasn’t as easy to use as Zoho Books, but we were able to complete most basic tasks without too much trouble. For example, we found QuickBooks’ invoicing tool particularly easy to use. It had a clear, uncluttered layout, and we liked the fact that we could view previews before sending off an invoice to a client.

We also found the overall layout of QuickBooks’ menu quite clear, and we liked the fact that we could customize the menu by adding tabs that linked to the most-used tools.

However, certain tasks were a struggle. For example, the process of adding sales tax was very complicated since there was no obvious way to do this from the invoice we were working on. We had to go into a separate settings page and the help center didn’t offer instructions to help us along. We had the same issue when it came to setting up payment reminders for clients.

Where could QuickBooks improve?

As we’ve noted above, QuickBooks could improve the usability of its platform. Core processes, like expenses and tax rates, require unnecessarily lengthy manual setup prior to launching into using the platform, and it generally comes with a steep learning curve. Novice users might prefer a simpler platform, such as Zoho Books or FreshBooks.

Additionally, QuickBooks is one of the few accounting platforms we tested that doesn’t offer a time-tracking tool as a standard feature, although there is a paid add-on that includes this tool. Professionals looking to track time spent on accounting and charge billable hours might prefer any of the alternatives on this page, which include this feature at no extra cost.

Finally, QuickBooks is the most expensive option on this page, with plans starting at $35 per month, $10–$15 more than most competitors’ starting prices. More budget-friendly options include Zoho Books and FreeAgent.

3. Xero: Best for Businesses With Complex Financial Needs

Xero is a cloud-based software that works on Macs and is great for established businesses with complex financial needs. It offers extensive invoice and expense management tools, advanced reporting capabilities, and integrates with a large number of third-party software tools.

Why we recommend Xero

Part of what makes Xero a good option for Mac users with complex financial needs is that it allows users to input a high level of detail. Users can assign unique IDs and a wide variety of tax codes to invoices and clients, making Xero great accounting software for businesses with a large portfolio of clients and goods to keep track of.

Xero also allows for a high level of detail and automation with its expense management tools. It’s the only platform we tested with an automatic mileage calculator, making logging trips easy. Like QuickBooks, Xero can also automatically categorize expenses based on receipt scans or bank feed integration, reducing time spent recording outgoings.

Like QuickBooks, Xero also has strong reporting and financial forecasting tools. Users get access to pre-built templates needed for common financial statements, and can generate custom reports to perfectly match their business’s needs.

Xero’s cashflow projection tool is a close second to QuickBooks’, although it can’t issue alerts for shortfalls and surpluses. What it can do is track fixed assets and their depreciation and/or amortization over time, a feature QuickBooks lacks, and which is useful for businesses with a physical inventory. Plus, Xero offers AI-powered predictions on future financial health, based on past cash transactions, such as invoices, bills, and expenses.

Finally, Xero integrates with 1,000 third-party software tools, the most of any provider on this list. This makes it the perfect tool for established businesses that already use a range of business software and want to avoid data discrepancies between programs. One software Xero integrates with is Gusto, a popular payroll software for small businesses. However, unlike QuickBooks, Xero doesn’t offer its own native payroll software in the US, although it does in other markets, such as the UK.

Our experience using Xero

Xero was the most challenging to use of all the accounting software platforms we tested. Some usability is sacrificed in favor of advanced features, so it’s not the best option for novice users.

Additionally, we found the Xero dashboard quite cluttered and a lot of the menu headings vague, which made finding tools difficult when first using the platform.

However, there were some tasks we were able to complete without a hitch. For example, we found it easy to create bills and expenses, and we were impressed by the level of detail we could include, making Xero great for businesses with complex portfolios.

That said, the overall layout of the platform made it frustrating to use. Core features, such as quotes and invoices, are housed in different tabs; there were a lot of unnecessary fields interrupting the workflow, and we received poor visual feedback when actions were incomplete.

Where could Xero improve?

As we’ve noted in both sections above, the main area Xero could improve on is usability, since it was one of the least intuitive platforms we tested. The Xero platform also looks quite dated compared with its competitors, which doesn’t help with the overall experience of using it. A more modern-looking and easier-to-use platform is Zoho Books.

Xero also doesn’t have great customer support tools. Although it’s possible to get over-the-phone support, you can’t call Xero yourself, you have to put in a request for a call, which means support won’t be at your convenience. QuickBooks has the same policy.

4. FreeAgent: Most Budget-friendly Option

You might not have heard of FreeAgent, but this UK-founded accounting platform is compatible with Macs, offers an iOS app, and only has one plan, which costs $27 per month. Despite not charging much, FreeAgent still has advanced tools for helping businesses manage tax and effectively plan for the future with financial forecasting tools.

Why we recommend FreeAgent

FreeAgent’s only plan costs just $27 per month. While that’s not the cheapest starting price on this list, that would be Zoho Books at $20 per month, FreeAgent is still the overall cheapest option since it doesn’t require users to upgrade to an expensive plan to get access to unlimited users, invoices, expenses, or advanced reporting tools.

Part of what makes FreeAgent great value for money is the fact that it’s the only software we tested to include tools for tax forecasting, and users get access to “tax timeline”, reminders of upcoming deadlines, and sales tax reports. This makes FreeAgent a great choice for businesses that want to avoid an end of the fiscal year panic.

It’s also easy to keep accurate records with FreeAgent, since it integrates with bank feeds and imports all transactions, including expenses and invoice payments. These can be automatically categorized as FreeAgent learns from your previous categorizations.

Another FreeAgent strong suit is the fact that it has powerful reporting tools, despite not costing much. It doesn’t offer custom reporting, unlike Xero or QuickBooks, but it has a cashflow projection tool, which includes alerts about potential cash shortfalls or surpluses. It also has a “what-if” scenario generator to better plan for the future. Competitor Xero doesn’t offer this last tool, and it’s a paid add-on with QuickBooks, making FreeAgent great value.

Our experience using FreeAgent

FreeAgent was easy to use overall, although we did have trouble finding certain features owing to vague signposting.

Tasks we found particularly easy included creating invoices and estimates, thanks to FreeAgent’s clear, pre-built invoice templates. The invoicing tool includes a timeline feature, which updates you on the invoice’s progress, a great tool for businesses that rely on relatively quick turnover and need to stay on top of their incoming invoices.

FreeAgent’s comprehensive end-of-year reports and tax reminders were also particularly suited to accounting beginners, since they were clear and simple.

That said, we had difficulty locating features like payment reminders, customization options for invoice reminders, and currency settings, and the search bar didn’t produce any results to help us find these features when we tested it.

Where could FreeAgent improve?

FreeAgent doesn’t suggest pre-filled options for frequently entered data fields, which can slow down data entry and efficiency in the long term. One platform that does automation very well is competitor QuickBooks.

It’s also not possible to assign multiple shipping addresses to the same clients in FreeAgent, unlike with QuickBooks. This means it’s not the best option for businesses with clients that are spread across multiple locations.

Finally, FreeAgent doesn’t let users import invoices directly from a computer, whether that’s a Mac or PC. This is something all other competitors offer, and a useful feature when switching accounting software.

5. FreshBooks: Best for Freelancers and New Businesses

FreshBooks is the best accounting software for Mac users who are self-employed, such as freelancers or startup founders. It was the second easiest-to-use accounting platform after Zoho Books in our testing, offers 24/7 customer support, and its plans are affordable, costing between $21–$65 per month.

Why we recommend FreshBooks

FreshBooks is a user-friendly, simple accounting software platform that’s perfect for novice users.

Core tools include FreshBooks’ straightforward invoicing tool. Users can send invoices directly to clients, set up recurring invoices and quotes, and automate payment reminders. Expenses can be logged manually via receipt data capture, made easy with the FreshBooks mobile app (available on iOS), or bank feed integrations. Additionally, all expenses can be assigned to employees or clients, so records stay accurate.

Besides being easy to use, FreshBooks offers great customer support. It has a phone line, a support email, and an agent-operated live chat, and, as a bonus, the support team operates from 1pm to 12am, seven days a week. Competitor Zoho Books doesn’t offer live support on the weekend, making FreshBooks a great option for freelancers who don’t work a typical nine-to-five.

FreshBooks also comes with a variety of useful pre-built reports, including key financial statements such as sales tax reports, cashflow statements, and balance sheets. That said, FreshBooks doesn’t offer custom reporting or forecasting tools such as cashflow projections, unlike competitors QuickBooks and Xero.

Lastly, after FreeAgent, FreshBooks is one of the most affordable accounting systems. It has one of the lowest starting prices, at $21 per month, just a little over Zoho Books’ $20 starting price, and a maximum price of $65 (excluding the custom Select plan), which is less than most competitors’ top plans.

Our experience using FreshBooks

As we’ve noted, FreshBooks was the second easiest-to-use accounting platform we tested, after Zoho Books.

Its main menu was well organized, with key features highlighted by clear terms. FreshBooks’ invoicing and quote tools were also very intuitive to use since they had a clear layout, and we could edit settings directly from the invoice we were working on, saving us from having to go to a separate settings page.

However, we struggled to use some of FreshBooks’ messaging features. We couldn’t figure out how to send tailored messages to clients, and instead had to resort to resending them an invoice. FreshBooks also doesn’t generate sales receipts, which makes confirming a payment with a client tricky.

Where could FreshBooks improve?

FreshBooks doesn’t have advanced reporting and forecasting tools, so it’s not the best option for businesses looking to budget and plan for the future. For businesses looking for an accounting platform that can provide them with more financial insights, we recommend Xero or QuickBooks.

Like QuickBooks, FreshBooks is also missing a solid mobile app through which all aspects of accounting can be managed, so if that’s what you need, we recommend Zoho Books.

Finally, users can’t create multi-currency invoices on FreshBooks, which makes it unsuitable for businesses or freelancers who deal with international clients. Better options include QuickBooks and Zoho Books.

How We Test Accounting Software Platforms