The best small-business apps can help you run your company, startup or side hustle more efficiently, saving you time and money. Using the same app for multiple business functions — think accounting and invoicing — will offer the simplest setup. But if you’re looking for standalone options, here are NerdWallet's top picks in five main categories:
- Best POS app: Square POS.
- Best accounting app: QuickBooks Online.
- Best payroll app: Gusto.
- Best invoicing app: Square Invoices.
- Best expense tracking app: Xero.
Our pick for
Best POS app
Square’s POS system is known for its simple user interface and can accommodate businesses in a range of industries, including retail stores, restaurants and appointment-based operations. Its free POS app and card reader help you track data and complete sales on the go while keeping costs low.
Square POS
Learn more
on Square POS's secure website
Payment processing fees
2.6% + 10¢
in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.
Monthly fee
$0.00
and up.
Square is easy to use, and the company offers transparent pricing and live support. It’s also mobile-friendly and works on iPhones, iPads and Androids. For small businesses that don’t need advanced functionality, there’s also a free plan.
Pros
- Free plan option available.
- Offers helpful related services, like payroll, that integrate closely with its POS system.
- No long-term contracts or termination fees.
- All plans include a free online store.
Cons
- Can’t run on Windows devices.
- Complex industries might prefer a more specialized system.
Our pick for
Best accounting app
With income and expense tracking, invoicing, reporting and a longstanding reputation in the industry, QuickBooks Online hits the mark for most small businesses’ accounting software needs. Its streamlined mobile app lets you enter transactions from anywhere so you don’t have to remember later. You can also use it to run key reports, like a profit and loss statement.
QuickBooks Online
Learn more
on QuickBooks Online's secure website
Starting at
$30/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $60, $90, $200.
Promotion
50% off
for first three months or free 30-day trial.
QuickBooks is the industry leader for small-business accounting software, so it’s easy to find an accountant or bookkeeper who will support it. Its multiple tiers of service can easily scale with your company, too. QuickBooks Online, the cloud-based version, can also be accessed anywhere.
Pros
- Easy to share information with your accountant and to find QuickBooks experts and online resources if needed.
- More than 750 app integrations, including live, in-house bookkeeping.
- Robust feature set includes thorough record-keeping, comprehensive reporting, excellent invoicing and inventory management, plus a capable mobile app.
- Daily phone support and 24/7 chat support in all plans.
Cons
- Expensive compared with the competition.
- Limited account users with each plan.
Our pick for
Best payroll app
Gusto receives high marks for its core payroll services and range of HR tools for hiring employees and providing benefits. And unlike some of its competitors, the company built an app specifically for employees. Gusto Wallet lets your staff view paychecks and set up custom saving goals from their smartphone.
Gusto Payroll
Learn more
on Gusto Payroll's secure website
Starting at
$40/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $80, $180. Fee per employee varies by tier.
Promotion
6 months free
for contractor-only businesses.
Gusto gives employees access to a self-service portal for payroll- and benefit-related information that’s accessible even after they leave a company. It also administers full-service payroll across 50 states and offers online and phone support.
Pros
- Benefits administration (health benefits are available in 38 states and Washington, D.C.; 401(k) plans are available in all 50 states).
- Time-tracking features at higher-price tiers (limited at Simple level).
- Certified HR experts available (at the Premium level).
- Free account setup.
- Next-day direct deposit (at Plus and Premium levels).
Cons
- More expensive than some options.
- Limited hours for live support.
Our pick for
Best invoicing app
Square Invoices is a standalone, free invoicing app that lets you add your business logo to invoices, run reports, store customer info and send unlimited invoices, estimates and contracts. You can upgrade to the paid plan to access lower payment processing rates and more customization options.
Square Invoices
Learn more
on Square Invoices' secure website
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.
Promotion
30-day free trial
of the Plus plan.
Square Invoices’ simple user interface makes it easy to create and send invoices on the go. In addition to accepting credit card payments, you can also offer your customers other payment options, like Afterpay and Cash App Pay.
Pros
- Free plan supports unlimited invoicing and unlimited users.
- Create digital contracts for clients to e-sign.
- Send invoices via SMS.
- Integrates with various third-party products, including QuickBooks Online and Xero. You can accept online payments through Square, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Cons
- Must subscribe to paid plan to auto-convert estimates to invoices.
- No in-house time tracking or expense receipt scanning.
Our pick for
Best expense tracking app
At its core, Xero is an accounting software program, but it stands out for its Xero Me employee app and the expense tracking features in its Established plan. Business owners can use Xero to claim mileage expenses, approve employee expenses and snap photos of receipts, while employees use the Xero Me app to submit expenses directly from their smartphones.
Xero
Learn more
on Xero's secure website
Starting at
$15/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $42, $78.
Promotion
30-day free trial
or monthly discount (terms vary).
Xero allows unlimited users at every subscription tier, a valuable feature for businesses where several users may need at least limited access to the system to run reports or analyze performance. Xero also has a customizable analytics dashboard that lets each user rearrange or hide panels.Read full review
Pros
- Unlimited users in all pricing plans.
- Integrates with more than 1,000 third-party apps.
- Feature set includes an excellent mobile app and suite of reports, capable invoicing features, plus automated bill and receipt capture through Hubdoc.
- Simple layout and easy to use.
Cons
- No phone number for customer support listed.
- Entry-level plan limits bills and invoices to five and 20 per month, respectively.
The top small-business apps listed are the best overall in their category, but that doesn’t mean they’re the perfect fit for every business. If you’re looking for more industry-specific alternatives or have particular must-have features in mind, you might weigh these options, too.
Keep in mind that some apps — like QuickBooks Online and FreshBooks — can serve multiple functions. Be sure to check the feature list of your existing software to avoid adding a potentially redundant subscription to your expenses.
- Shopify Retail POS: 4.5 stars. Shopify’s variety of sleek website templates make it a solid choice for retail businesses that do most of their sales online.
- Clover POS: 4 stars. Unlike competitors that require you to use their in-house payment processing services, Clover POS stands out for its ability to work with third-party payment processors that offer individual merchant accounts as opposed to aggregated ones.
- Toast POS: 4 stars. Since Toast was built specifically for restaurants, it’s packed with industry-specific features, like an add-on that lets customers order and pay from their smartphones, the ability to collect guest feedback and handheld terminals for taking orders tableside.
- Lightspeed Retail POS: 3.5 stars. Lightspeed Retail’s inventory management system gets granular when it comes to assigning product variants, sizes and colors to items so that you can keep your stock organized.
- Xero: 5 stars. Xero’s accounting software, which also offers invoicing and expense tracking capabilities, has a simple layout that makes it easy to keep track of your business’s finances.
- Zoho Books: 4.5 stars. Zoho Books has a free accounting software plan; however, it's its variety of plans and other in-house software products for inventory, expenses and recruiting make it more scalable than other free options.
- FreshBooks: 4.5 stars. FreshBooks’ mobile invoicing and time tracking tools make it a simple solution for freelancers who just need the basics and want to keep costs low.
- Wave: 3.5 stars. If you’re looking for a free accounting software option, Wave is a solid choice. However, you’ll need to upgrade to its paid plan to automatically import bank transactions.
- QuickBooks Payroll: 5 stars. If you already use QuickBooks Online for accounting, QuickBooks Payroll is a convenient, built-in option for making sure your employees get paid on time.
- OnPay: 4.5 stars. Payroll pricing plans can get convoluted, but that isn’t the case with OnPay. It offers a single plan that’s $40 per month plus $6 per month per employee.
- RUN Powered by ADP: 4.5 stars. ADP is a well-known name in the payroll industry and offers a range of plans, including ones with live HR support, that can scale as your business hires more employees.
- Patriot: 4 stars. Patriot’s basic plan offers a lot for $17 per month, including the ability to add unlimited users, integrate with accounting software, manage multiple locations and pay both contractors and employees.
- Harvest: 5 stars. Product-based businesses, like architecture and consulting firms, will appreciate Harvest’s focus on project profitability and time tracking.
- Zoho Invoice: 4.5 stars. Zoho Invoice is a free invoicing software product that integrates seamlessly with Zoho Books for accounting.
- Expensify: Not rated by NerdWallet. If you’re looking for a scalable expense tracking app primarily for your employees, Expensify is worth considering. In addition to letting employees quickly submit expense reports to their managers, it includes popular accounting and payroll integrations.
- Zoho Expense: Not rated by NerdWallet. Zoho Expense is a convenient option for businesses that already use Zoho Books for accounting. Plus, its mobile app has a built-in GPS tracker for recording mileage and supports receipt scanning in 15 different languages.
Here’s a rundown of each type of business app’s key function and which factors to consider to find the best fit.
POS apps
The best POS systems reach far beyond simply handling customer payments. Some systems are designed for specific industries, such as retail, online stores and restaurants. In addition to the cost of hardware and software fees, a processing fee for each customer transaction will typically be assessed. When comparing systems, pay attention to the following:
- Hardware options, including card readers, terminals, cash drawers and receipt printers.
- Inventory tracking features.
- Monthly software fees and payment processing fees.
- Card payment methods accepted (e.g., swiped, tapped or keyed).
- Offline and mobile payment processing options.
- Live support availability.
Accounting apps
Accounting software, at a minimum, tracks your business’s income and expenditures. The best accounting software has additional features that can make it easier to determine the financial health of your business. Look for the following features:
- Ease of use.
- Robust accounting reports.
- Invoicing capabilities.
- Integrations with third-party apps including payroll and POS systems.
- Daily customer support.
- Scalability.
Payroll apps
The best payroll software does more than help you pay your employees on time. Transparent pricing is a timesaver when comparing products and you’ll want to look for the following features:
- Unlimited payroll runs.
- The ability to calculate, file and pay federal, state and local payroll taxes.
- Employee portal or mobile app.
- Benefits administration.
- Next-day or same-day direct deposit options.
- Accounting software integrations.
Invoicing apps
The best invoicing software helps you bill clients for your services, create quotes, track time and communicate with your customers. Before comparing products, consider the following:
- Monthly software fee.
- Processing fees.
- Invoice customization options.
- Accounting software integrations.
Expense tracking apps
The best expense trackers give you insight into where your business’s money is going and how efficiently it’s being spent. Above all, these apps should make it easy to record money out transactions, whether you’re at your desk or on the go. Here are some other points to take into account:
- Mileage tracking.
- Employee app for submitting business-related expenses.
- Ability to snap photos of receipts with a mobile app.
- Accounting software integrations.
Here is more information on how NerdWallet evaluates different business software products and their apps:
Last updated on June 24, 2024
