Puzzle IO vs Refreshme: Best Accounting Software in 2025?

Are you trying to figure out which accounting software is best for your needs? 

It can feel like a tough puzzle to solve, right?

Many small businesses and individuals are looking for easy-to-use and effective ways to manage their money.

Two names you might have come across are Puzzle IO vs Refreshme.

Let’s take a closer look and see which of these could be the right fit for you this year.

Overview

We’ve spent time exploring and using both Puzzle IO and Refreshme to see how they stack up.

Our hands-on testing focused on ease of use, key features, and overall value to bring you a clear comparison.

What is Puzzle IO?

So, what’s the deal with Puzzle IO?

It’s accounting software designed to make things easier for you.

Think of it as a helpful tool to keep your business finances organized without a lot of fuss.

Also, explore our favorite Puzzle IO alternatives…

What is Refreshme?

Okay, let’s chat about Refreshme.

It’s another accounting software option out there.

This one aims to give you a clear view of your financial health.

It focuses on keeping things simple and manageable.

Also, explore our favorite Refreshme alternatives…

Feature Comparison

Let’s get down to the details.

Here we compare the key features of Puzzle IO and Refreshme, giving you a clear sense of how each platform handles important accounting tasks.

1. Manual Data Entry & Automation

• Puzzle IO: This software is a game-changer for automation. It drastically reduces manual data entry by automatically pulling transactions from your bank accounts and categorizing them. This helps you save time and avoid tedious tasks.
• Refreshme: While it also automates some processes, its focus is more on providing tools to manage finances. You’ll still find yourself needing to do some manual data entry, though it does help with managing and organizing your financial information.

2. Financial Insights

• Puzzle IO: Offers real-time insights into your finances. It provides startup founders with an accurate picture of their current state and important key metrics like burn rate and cash runway. This helps them make better decisions for the future.
• Refreshme: Provides a good overview of your financial management but may not offer the same level of granular, real-time insights as Puzzle IO, especially for startup-specific metrics.

3. Revenue Recognition

• Puzzle IO: This software excels at revenue recognition. It automatically handles complex calculations for things like deferred revenue, helping to provide a more accurate financial picture for your investors.
• Refreshme: Revenue recognition is a more manual process within Refreshme. You may have to rely on spreadsheets to handle this tedious task.

4. Fixed Assets & Depreciation

• Puzzle IO: It has specific features to manage fixed assets. It can automatically track and depreciate assets like computers or machinery, saving you from complex calculations and ensuring tax compliance.
• Refreshme: Handling fixed assets is typically a manual process in Refreshme. You might need a finance expert or separate other tools to manage this.

5. Prepaid Expenses

• Puzzle IO: It automates the tracking and amortization of prepaid expenses, ensuring a more accurate view of your books without you having to manually adjust for these items.
• Refreshme: You will likely have to manually track and adjust for prepaid expenses, which can lead to errors and take up valuable time.

6. Transaction Categorization

• Puzzle IO: Its AI-powered engine is a game-changer for transaction categorization. It learns from your habits to automatically categorize transactions, becoming more accurate over time.
• Refreshme: Provides some automated transaction categorization, but it might require more manual review to ensure accuracy.

7. General Ledger

• Puzzle IO: It is built on a smart general ledger that provides an up-to-date and accurate picture of your finances.¹² This is a core part of its design.
• Refreshme: While it has a general ledger, it may not offer the same real-time functionality or level of detail without additional manual input.

8. Ease of Use for Non-Accountants

• Puzzle IO: It’s designed for startup founders and non-accountants to use. The easy setup and intuitive interface let you get started and see financial insights quickly.
• Refreshme: It is also user-friendly for non-accountants, but its focus is more on personal finance, which may not provide the deeper financial management tools an early-stage business needs.

9. Tax Compliance

• Puzzle IO: It helps with tax compliance by ensuring your books are always up to date and in order. This helps you prepare for tax time without stress.
• Refreshme: It has tools that can help, but it may require more input from you or your accountant to ensure full tax compliance.

10. Cash Runway

• Puzzle IO: Provides clear insights into your cash runway and burn rate, which are critical key metrics for startup founders to share with investors.
• Refreshme: You would likely need to manually calculate your cash runway using its reporting features, as this is not a built-in metric.

What to Look for When Choosing Accounting Software?

• Check out reviews from other co founder and clients to see what they found.
• Analyze what you need to manage your finances, so you don’t wait to get the right treatment for your business.
• The software should make a difference in how much time you less time on bookkeeping.
• Your accountant should be able to get access easily to your financial records and reports.
• Make sure you understand the pricing plan and any potential upgrades before you start.
• Consider your business’s age and whether the software will grow with your company quickly.
• Think about how the art of your financial management will change and plan for that.
• See how well it helps you collect payments and manage your expenses.

Final Verdict

Okay, so which one should you choose?

It’s a close call, but we lean towards Puzzle IO. Why?

It really shines, especially if you’re in e-commerce.

It enables easy accounting for e-commerce businesses with strong automation. 

Refreshme is good, but Puzzle IO’s focus on automation and e-commerce makes it a bit more helpful for many.

You might want to start your free trial today to see for yourself!

We’ve done the digging so that you can make a smart choice.

More of Puzzle IO

More of Refreshme

• Refresh me vs Puzzle IO: This software focuses on AI-powered financial planning for startups. Its counterpart is for personal finance.
• Refresh me vs Dext: This is a business tool for capturing receipts and invoices. The other tool tracks personal expenses.
• Refresh me vs Xero: This is popular online accounting software for small businesses. Its competitor is for personal use.
• Refresh me vs Synder: This tool syncs e-commerce data with accounting software. Its alternative focuses on personal finance.
• Refresh me vs Easy Month End: This is a business tool to streamline month-end tasks. Its competitor is for managing personal finances.
• Refresh me vs Docyt: This uses AI for business bookkeeping and automation. The other uses AI as a personal finance assistant.
• Refresh me vs Sage: This is a comprehensive business accounting suite. Its competitor is an easier-to-use tool for personal finance.
• Refresh me vs Zoho Books: This is an online accounting tool for small businesses. Its competitor is for personal use.
• Refresh me vs Wave: This provides free accounting software for small businesses. Its counterpart is designed for individuals.
• Refresh me vs Quicken: Both are personal finance tools, but this one offers more in-depth investment tracking. The other is simpler.
• Refresh me vs Hubdoc: This specializes in document capture for bookkeeping. Its competitor is a personal finance tool.
• Refresh me vs Expensify: This is a business expense management tool. The other is for personal expense tracking and budgeting.
• Refresh me vs QuickBooks: This is well-known accounting software for businesses. Its alternative is built for personal finance.
• Refresh me vs AutoEntry: This is designed to automate data entry for business accounting. Its alternative is a personal finance tool.
• Refresh me vs FreshBooks: This is accounting software for freelancers and small businesses. Its alternative is for personal finance.
• Refresh me vs NetSuite: This is a powerful business management suite for large companies. Its competitor is a simple personal finance app.

Frequently Asked Questions