Zoho Books
Accounting software from the Zoho suite, with a genuine free tier for very small businesses.
Zoho Books Referral Code & Link
No referral code or link is currently available for Zoho Books.
Quick Summary
Zoho Books is online accounting software covering invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, basic inventory, and project time tracking — part of the same Zoho ecosystem as Zoho CRM, Zoho Campaigns, and dozens of other Zoho products. It's commonly chosen by small businesses already using other Zoho products who want accounting that integrates natively without manual data export/import between systems, and by very small or new businesses drawn to its genuinely usable free tier rather than just a time-limited trial.
Zoho Books at a Glance
| Category | Accounting Software |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium |
| Starting price | $0 /month (free plan available) |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android |
| Editorial rating | ★ 4 / 5 |
| Best for | Accounting software from the Zoho suite, with a genuine free tier for very small businesses. |
| Community votes | 18 |
Pros
- Genuinely free tier for very small businesses under $50K annual revenue, not just a time-limited trial
- Integrates natively with the rest of the Zoho suite (CRM, Inventory, Projects), letting data flow without manual export/import
- Covers core accounting workflows well — invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation — at meaningfully lower cost than QuickBooks at comparable tiers
- Project time tracking and billing on higher tiers serve service-based businesses billing clients by the hour
- Multi-currency support is solid for small businesses with some international client or vendor activity
Cons
- Smaller third-party app ecosystem than QuickBooks or Xero, both of which have much larger, more established integration marketplaces
- Customer support is more limited on lower-priced plans, with faster, more dedicated support generally reserved for higher tiers
- Free tier's revenue cap means growing businesses will need to transition to a paid plan relatively quickly
- Less widely used by accountants and bookkeepers than QuickBooks, which can matter if working with an external accounting professional who has tool preferences
Zoho Books Pricing Plans
Official pricing as published by Zoho Books. Verify current rates before purchasing.
Zoho Books follows the same playbook as Zoho CRM: deliver core accounting functionality at meaningfully lower cost than the established category leaders, with the added pull of native integration for businesses already using other Zoho products.
A Genuinely Free Tier
Unlike most accounting software, where “free” usually means a time-limited trial, Zoho Books offers an ongoing free tier for businesses under $50,000 in annual revenue — covering real invoicing, expense tracking, and bank reconciliation functionality rather than a crippled preview. For very small or pre-revenue businesses, this removes the immediate cost barrier to adopting structured bookkeeping from the start, rather than managing finances in a spreadsheet until revenue justifies paying for software.
Native Zoho Ecosystem Integration
For businesses already using Zoho CRM, Zoho Inventory, or Zoho Projects, Zoho Books’ native integration means sales data, inventory movements, and project billing can flow directly into accounting records without manual export and re-entry between disconnected systems — a meaningful practical advantage for businesses that have already standardized on the Zoho suite for other functions.
Project Time Tracking and Billing
On the Professional tier, Zoho Books includes project time tracking tied directly to client billing, useful for service-based businesses (consultants, agencies, freelancers) that need to track billable hours and translate them into invoices within the same system used for broader accounting, rather than maintaining a separate time-tracking tool.
Where QuickBooks Still Has the Edge
Zoho Books’ clearest competitive gaps are ecosystem-related rather than core-functionality-related: QuickBooks has a much larger third-party app marketplace, and critically, is far more widely used and recognized among professional accountants and bookkeepers. For businesses working closely with an external accounting professional, this matters in practice — not every accountant will be equally comfortable working within Zoho Books compared to the near-universal familiarity with QuickBooks.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | For businesses under $50K revenue/year |
| Standard | $15/month | Unlimited invoices, bank reconciliation |
| Professional | $40/month | Inventory tracking, project time billing |
Who Should Use Zoho Books
Very small or new businesses under $50K annual revenue get genuine value from the real free tier. Businesses already using other Zoho products benefit most from native cross-product integration. Businesses working closely with an external accountant or bookkeeper should confirm their professional’s familiarity with Zoho Books, since QuickBooks remains the more universally recognized standard among accounting professionals.
Verdict
Zoho Books delivers genuinely solid core accounting functionality at a meaningfully lower cost than QuickBooks, with a real (not trial-only) free tier that’s particularly valuable for very small or new businesses. Its smaller integration ecosystem and lower familiarity among professional accountants are the clearest tradeoffs against the more established, more expensive category leader.
Overall rating: 4.0 / 5
Best Alternatives to Zoho Books
2 alternatives listed. Looking for a Zoho Books alternative? Here are the top options our community recommends, ranked by popularity and editorial score.
Quick comparison: Zoho Books vs QuickBooks
| Feature | Zoho Books | QuickBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Freemium | Paid |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Editorial rating | ★ 4 / 5 | ★ 4 / 5 |
| Community votes | 18 | 456 |
The default small business accounting software for bookkeeping, invoicing, and payroll.
Cloud-native accounting software popular with small businesses outside the US.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Zoho Books, answered by our editorial team.
- Is Zoho Books free?
- Yes, genuinely — the free tier covers businesses under $50,000 in annual revenue with real accounting functionality, not just a trial. Paid plans start at $15/month for Standard, scaling to $40/month for Professional with inventory and project billing.
- Is Zoho Books good for small businesses?
- Yes, particularly very small or new businesses drawn to its real free tier, and businesses already using other Zoho products wanting native integration rather than a separate, disconnected accounting tool.
- How does Zoho Books compare to QuickBooks?
- Zoho Books is generally more affordable at comparable feature tiers and integrates more deeply with the broader Zoho ecosystem, while QuickBooks has a much larger third-party integration marketplace and is more widely used and recognized by professional accountants and bookkeepers.
- Does Zoho Books integrate with Zoho CRM?
- Yes, this is one of its core advantages — native integration with Zoho CRM and other Zoho products lets sales and accounting data flow together without manual re-entry, useful for businesses running their full operation on the Zoho suite.
- Does Zoho Books support multiple currencies?
- Yes, multi-currency support is solid, making Zoho Books a reasonable choice for small businesses with some international clients or vendors, without needing a specialized international accounting tool.
- Will my accountant know how to use Zoho Books?
- It's less universally used by professional accountants and bookkeepers than QuickBooks, so if you work with an external accounting professional, it's worth checking their familiarity or willingness to work within Zoho Books specifically before committing.
- What happens when my business outgrows the Zoho Books free tier?
- Once annual revenue exceeds the free tier's $50,000 threshold, you'll need to transition to a paid plan (Standard at $15/month or higher), which is a natural and expected progression as a small business grows.
- What is a referral bonus on Kreemhunt?
- A referral bonus is an incentive — like bonus credit, a discount, or extra features — that a software vendor offers when someone signs up through a referral link or code instead of going to the product directly. Kreemhunt tracks which of the tools we cover currently have an active referral arrangement, like Zoho Books, so you don't have to hunt for one yourself.
- Does Zoho Books currently have a referral code or link?
- Not at the moment. Kreemhunt doesn't have a tracked referral code or link for Zoho Books right now — this page will update automatically if one becomes available, so it's worth checking back before you sign up.
- Does using a referral link cost me anything extra?
- No. Using a referral link or code to sign up for Zoho Books costs the same as signing up directly — in most cases referral programs are designed so the new user gets a bonus and the referrer gets a reward, with no markup passed on to you.
- How do I claim Zoho Books's referral bonus?
- There's no active referral bonus for Zoho Books tracked on Kreemhunt right now. Once one becomes available, it'll appear in the referral box on this page along with instructions for claiming it.
More Accounting Software Tools
Explore other top-rated tools in the Accounting Software category.
The default small business accounting software for bookkeeping, invoicing, and payroll.
Cloud-native accounting software popular with small businesses outside the US.
Long-established accounting software for small and growing businesses, backed by decades of heritage.
Trending Right Now
Popular with readers checking out Zoho Books — across every category, not just Accounting Software.
Figma The collaborative interface design platform used by the world's best product teams. 
Notion The all-in-one workspace for notes, docs, databases, and team collaboration. 
Canva Design anything — presentations, social posts, and marketing materials — without design skills. Disclosure: Some links on this page are referral or affiliate links. When you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This does not influence our editorial ratings or recommendations. All tools are evaluated independently by our team.
Discussion & User Ratings
Used Zoho Books? Rate it and share your experience — be specific and helpful.
No user ratings yet — be the first to rate Zoho Books.
Log in to join the discussion.