Sage vs QuickBooks: Which Accounting Software is Best in 2025?

Considering accounting software for your business?

You’re probably looking for a solution that makes managing your money easier, not harder.

Choosing between popular options like Sage and QuickBooks can feel like a big decision.

Both promise to help, but which one truly delivers for your specific situation?

In this guide, we’ll break down Sage vs QuickBooks.

Overview

We tested both Sage and QuickBooks.

We used them like real businesses would.

This helped us see how they work every day.

Now, we can show you how they stack up against each other.

What is Sage?

Let’s talk about Sage.

It’s been around for a while.

Lots of businesses use it.

It helps keep track of money.

Think of it like a digital notebook for your business stuff.

Also, explore our favorite Sage alternatives…

Key Benefits

Sage shines with its 3 main strengths:

• It offers over 50 different reports. These help you see how your business is doing.
• You can manage invoices and get paid up to 2x faster. This means less waiting for money.
• It has strong inventory management. Keep track of your products easily.

Pricing

Sage has different plans. The most basic one starts at $10 per month. With this, you can:

• Pro Accounting: $61.92/month
• Premium Accounting: $103.92/month
• Quantum Accounting: $177.17/month

What is QuickBooks?

QuickBooks is like a helpful friend for your business money stuff.

It helps you keep track of what money comes in and what money goes out.

Lots of small businesses like using it.

Also, explore our favorite Quickbooks alternatives…

Key Benefits

QuickBooks really shines with its broad set of tools for everyday tasks. It offers:

• Manages over $1 trillion in invoices annually for its users.
• Connects to over 700 different apps for smoother workflows.
• Helps businesses save up to 42% of their time on bookkeeping tasks.
• Provides over 50 standard reports to understand your business better.

Pricing

• Simple Start: $9.50
• Essential: $14
• Plus: $20
• Advanced: $38

Feature Comparison

Here’s a look at what both Sage and QuickBooks offer.

We’ll compare their main features.

This will help you see which one has what you need for your business.

1. Ease of Use

• QuickBooks: Many people find QuickBooks easy to start using. Its menus are clear. Tasks are often simple to find. It’s good for people new to accounting software.
• Sage: Sage can be a bit harder to learn at first. It has many advanced options. This means it might take more time to get used to it.

2. Invoicing

• QuickBooks: Creating invoices is quick and easy. You can send them fast. It lets you customize how your invoices look.
• Sage: Sage also lets you make invoices. It offers good ways to track who owes you money. Some might find the design options a bit less simple.

3. Reporting

• QuickBooks: QuickBooks has many ready-made reports. You can see how your business is doing easily. It’s good for a quick look at your numbers.
• Sage: Sage offers very detailed reports. You can change them a lot to see specific things. This is good for businesses that need deep financial insights.

4. Payroll

• QuickBooks: QuickBooks has strong payroll features. You can pay employees easily. It helps with taxes too. It’s often built right into the main software.
• Sage: Sage also has payroll options. Sometimes it’s an add-on. It handles different pay types well.

5. Inventory Management

• QuickBooks: QuickBooks can track products you buy and sell. It helps you know what you have in stock. This is good for small shops.
• Sage: Sage has stronger tools for inventory. It’s better for businesses with many products. It can track items across different places.

6. Integrations

• QuickBooks: QuickBooks connects with many other apps. This includes payment apps or online stores. It makes it easy to link your tools.
• Sage: Sage also connects with other software. It might have fewer direct links than QuickBooks. But it works well with many business systems.

7. Mobile App

• QuickBooks: QuickBooks has a good mobile app. You can do things like snap receipt photos and track mileage. It helps you manage money on the go.
• Sage: Sage also has a mobile app. It lets you create invoices and track expenses from your phone. You can also check your cash flow.

What to Look for When Choosing Accounting Software?

When picking expense software, consider these points:

• Your Business Size: Are you a small team or a large company? Some tools fit better for different sizes.
• Mobile App Quality: How good is the phone app? You’ll use it a lot for snapping receipts.
• Approval Workflow: Can you set up who needs to approve what? Make sure it matches how your business works.
• Customer Support: Is help easy to get if you have problems? Check their support options.
• Reporting Needs: What kind of reports do you need? Make sure the software can create them.
• Future Growth: Can the software grow with your business? You don’t want to switch again soon.

Final Verdict (Our Pick)

So, which one wins: Sage or QuickBooks?

For most small and growing businesses, we pick QuickBooks. 

It’s usually easier to learn and use.

It has strong features like invoicing and payroll that many businesses need.

Plus, it connects with lots of other apps.

We’ve spent time really testing both of these.

Our goal was to see what works best for everyday business tasks.

QuickBooks generally makes managing your money simpler, letting you focus on what you do best.

It’s a solid choice that can grow with you.

More of Sage

• Sage vs Puzzle IO: Puzzle IO focuses on project accounting, providing tools for detailed cost tracking and client billing.
• Sage vs Dext: Dext automates data capture from receipts and invoices, simplifying expense management and data entry.
• Sage vs Xero: Xero emphasizes a user-friendly cloud platform with a strong app ecosystem and streamlined bank reconciliation.
• Sage vs Synder: Synder specializes in e-commerce accounting, automating sales and payment synchronization across multiple platforms.
• Sage vs Docyt: Docyt uses AI to automate bookkeeping tasks, including document categorization and financial data organization.
• Sage vs Wave: Wave offers free accounting, invoicing, and payroll solutions tailored for freelancers and very small businesses.
• Sage vs Quicken: Quicken focuses on personal finance management, including budgeting, investment tracking, and bill payment.
• Sage vs Hubdoc: Hubdoc automates document collection and data entry, integrating with cloud accounting platforms to streamline bookkeeping.
• Sage vs Expensify: Expensify automates expense reporting with features like receipt scanning, approval workflows, and policy enforcement.
• Sage vs AutoEntry: AutoEntry automates data entry from scanned documents, streamlining accounts payable and receivable processes.
• Sage vs FreshBooks: FreshBooks is designed for service-based businesses, with a focus on invoicing, time tracking, and project collaboration.
• Sage vs NetSuite: NetSuite is a comprehensive ERP solution for enterprises, offering advanced financials, CRM, and supply chain management.

More of QuickBooks

• QuickBooks vs Puzzle IO: Puzzle IO offers strong AI automation for bookkeeping and predictive analytics.
• QuickBooks vs Dext: Dext is excellent for automated receipt and document data extraction.
• QuickBooks vs Xero: Xero provides unlimited users and robust multi-currency support, great for global teams.
• QuickBooks vs Synder: Synder specializes in e-commerce transaction syncing, ideal for online sales.
• QuickBooks vs Docyt: Docyt uses AI for real-time insights and automated back-office bookkeeping.
• QuickBooks vs RefreshMe: RefreshMe helps with personal finance, budgeting, and identity protection.
• QuickBooks vs Zoho Books: Zoho Books provides an all-in-one business software solution with integrated apps.
• QuickBooks vs Wave: Wave offers free bookkeeping, invoicing, and receipt tracking for freelancers.
• QuickBooks vs Quicken: Quicken is primarily a personal finance manager with basic business tracking.
• QuickBooks vs Hubdoc: Hubdoc automates document collection and data extraction for easier bookkeeping.
• QuickBooks vs Expensify: Expensify focuses on streamlined expense reporting and receipt scanning.
• QuickBooks vs AutoEntry: AutoEntry automates data entry from various financial documents for efficiency.
• QuickBooks vs FreshBooks: FreshBooks excels in invoicing and time tracking, popular with service-based clients.
• QuickBooks vs NetSuite: NetSuite is a comprehensive ERP system for large enterprises needing broad functionalities.

Frequently Asked Questions