How Zoho Books Saved Me 20+ Hours (2026 Review)

Is Zoho Books Worth It?

★★★★★ 4.3/5

Quick Verdict: Zoho Books is the best accounting software for small businesses on a budget. It handles invoicing, expense tracking, and bank reconciliation without breaking the bank. The free plan alone beats most paid plans from competitors. After 90 days of testing, I’m impressed by how much you get for so little.

✅ Best For:

Small business owners who want affordable, full-featured phần mềm kế toán with strong automation

❌ Skip If:

You need advanced features for a large enterprise or want weekend phone support

📊 Users Worldwide	250,000+ businesses in 180 countries	🎯 Best For	Small to medium businesses
💰 Price	Free — $240/month	✅ Top Feature	Accounting automation
🎁 Free Trial	14 days + free plan forever	⚠️ Limitation	Limited weekend support

How I Tested Zoho Books

Tired of messy spreadsheets and manual data entry?

You spend hours entering numbers. You chase late payments. You dread tax season.

Enter Zoho Books.

This cloud-based accounting software promises to handle your financial transactions for you. But does it deliver?

In this review, I’ll show you exactly how it performed after 90 days of real use.

Zoho Books

Stop drowning in receipts and spreadsheets. Zoho Books automates your accounting tasks so you can focus on growing your business. Used by 250,000+ businesses worldwide. Free plan available for companies under $50K annual revenue.

TRY ZOHO BOOKS NOW →

ZOHO BOOKS TUTORIAL →

ZOHO BOOKS ALTERNATIVES →

Zoho Books là gì?

Zoho Books is a cloud-based accounting software designed for small businesses.

Think of it like a smart trợ lý for your money.

It handles the boring stuff. Invoicing. Expense tracking. Bank reconciliation. Financial reports.

You don’t need to be an accountant to use it.

The easy to use interface walks you through every step.

Không giống như QuickBooks Online, Zoho Books gives you a free plan and much lower pricing plans.

It’s part of the larger Zoho ecosystem. That means it connects to Zoho CRM, Zoho Inventory, and 40+ other business applications.

The tool is suitable for người làm việc tự do, entrepreneurs, and microbusinesses.

📌 Ghi chú: Zoho Books is used by 250,000 businesses in 180 countries. It’s not a small player.

Ai đã tạo ra Zoho Books?

Sridhar Vembu co-founded Zoho Corporation in 1996.

He started the company with Tony Thomas in New Jersey.

The original name was AdventNet. They changed it to Zoho in 2009.

Here’s what makes their story special. They never took outside funding. The entire company is bootstrapped.

Zoho Books launched in 2011 as part of the Zoho suite.

Today, Zoho has:

• 100+ million users worldwide
• Over 45 integrated apps
• Offices in 12+ countries

The company is based in Chennai, India. Their US office is in Austin, Texas.

Những lợi ích hàng đầu của Zoho Books

Here’s what you actually get when you use Zoho Books:

• Save Hours on Repetitive Tasks: Zoho Books automates tedious, error-prone accounting tasks. Custom workflows and automated invoice reminders handle the work for you. You save 10+ hours per week on manual data entry.
• Get Paid Faster: Create and send professional invoices in seconds. Set up recurring invoices and automated payment reminders for overdue bills. Clients pay on time when you remind them automatically.
• See Your Financial Health Ngay lập tức: The user-friendly dashboard shows your money at a glance. Over 70 built-in financial reports tell you exactly where you stand. No guessing required.
• Manage Money Anywhere: The mobile app lets you track expenses on the go. Send invoices from your phone. Check your financial data during lunch. It works on iOS and Android.
• Start Free, Scale Sau đó: The free plan works for businesses under $50,000 in annual revenue. No credit card needed. When you grow, the paid plans start at just $15/month.
• Giảm thiểu lỗi: Automatic bank feeds pull in your financial transactions daily. Transaction matching catches mistakes before they become problems. Your books stay clean without effort.
• Simplify Tax Season: Zoho Books helps simplify tax preparation by tracking profits and losses. It automatically calculates sales tax and generates reports for tax compliance. No more scrambling in April.

Best Zoho Books Features

No other accounting software offers this many key features at this price. Here are the standout ones that make Zoho Books worth your attention.

1. Tự động hóa kế toán

This is where Zoho Books really shines.

You can set up bank rules to automatically categorize transactions when imported from bank feeds.

The automation features include custom workflows and webhooks. These are flexible and easy to set up.

You can automate tasks like sending recurring invoices and payment reminders. No manual intervention needed.

The automation tools help reduce errors and save you hours every week.

💡 Mẹo hay: Set up bank rules in the first week. This one step alone saves hours of manual data entry each month.

2. Hệ thống lập hóa đơn và kế toán thống nhất

Zoho Books lets you create invoices and track them in one place.

You can create and send professional invoices in just a few clicks.

It supports recurring invoices for repeat clients. Set them up once. Forget about them.

You can convert sales orders or estimates into invoices with a few clicks.

The software also supports online payments through various payment gateways.

Clients can pay right from the invoice. This speeds up your accounts receivable.

3. Hợp tác & Quản lý cổng thông tin

This feature changed how I work with clients.

Zoho Books includes a client portal where customers can view and manage their transactions.

They can see invoices, approve estimates, and make payments. All in one place.

There’s also a vendor portal for managing vendor invoices and purchase orders.

These collaboration tools cut back-and-forth emails by half.

Multiple users can work on the same books at the same time. No conflicts.

Here’s a quick walkthrough of how Zoho Books works in practice.

4. Kế toán di động

The Zoho Books mobile app is highly rated on both iOS và Android.

You can manage your financial tasks on-the-go.

Create invoices from your phone. Snap photos of receipts. Track expenses during meetings.

The app gives you a full view of your business operations from anywhere.

Not gonna lie, the mobile app impressed me more than I expected.

⚠️ Warning: Some advanced features are not available on mobile. You’ll still need the desktop version for complex reports.

5. Tạo, gửi và theo dõi báo giá

You can build quotes and estimates in minutes.

Send them to clients through the client portal or email.

When a client approves? Convert it to an invoice with one click.

The tracking shows you which quotes are pending, accepted, or declined.

This saves you from manually following up on every single quote.

6. Quản lý dự án

Zoho Books includes theo dõi thời gian and project management built right in.

You can bill clients for billable hours.

Monitor project costs in real-time.

See which projects are profitable and which ones drain your time.

This feature alone makes Zoho Books better than most accounting software options for service businesses.

🎯 Quick Win: Set up project tracking for your biggest client this week. You’ll see exactly where your time goes.

7. Hệ sinh thái Zoho

This is Zoho Books’ secret weapon.

It connects to 45+ Zoho apps and several third party integrations.

Link it to Zoho CRM for sales tracking. Connect to Zoho Inventory for inventory management.

Sử dụng Zoho Payments for online payments directly from invoices.

The third party integrations also include Stripe, PayPal, and other payment gateways.

No other accounting program gives you this level of connection to business applications.

8. Sổ tay hướng dẫn

Need to make custom entries? The manual journal feature makes it simple.

Record adjustments, write-offs, and corrections in seconds.

Cái kiểm toán trail tracks every change. You’ll know who did what and when.

This is core accounting done right. Simple and clean.

9. Zoho Analytics

The advanced analytics take your financial reports to another level.

Zoho Books provides over 70 built-in reports. Profit and Loss. Balance Sheets. Cash Flow.

You can schedule automated report generation sent straight to your email.

The data helps you make smarter business decisions. Fast.

Software vendors often charge extra for this level of báo cáo. Zoho includes it.

Zoho Books Pricing

Here’s a full breakdown of all Zoho Books pricing plans:

Dùng thử miễn phí: Yes — 14 days on any paid plan. No credit card needed.

Đảm bảo hoàn tiền: Zoho offers a 14-day free trial to test before you buy.

The Standard plan allows for up to three users and includes features like recurring expenses and project tasks.

Higher plans include automated revenue recognition and helpful resources for onboarding.

Extra users: $2.50/user/month (annual) or $3/user/month (monthly).

📌 Ghi chú: Save 20-25% by choosing annual billing. The standard plan drops from $20 to $15 per month.

Is Zoho Books Worth the Price?

Yes. Zoho Books offers the best value in the accounting software market.

The free plan alone gives you more than some competitors’ paid plans. The standard plan at $15/month is cheaper than QuickBooks Online which starts at $35/month.

You’ll save money if: You’re a small business under $50K revenue (the free plan covers you). Or if you already use other Zoho apps.

You might overpay if: You only need basic invoicing. The free version of Wave might be enough.

💡 Mẹo hay: Start with the free plan. Upgrade to Standard only when you outgrow it. Annual billing saves you 20-25% on all paid plans.

Zoho Books Pros and Cons

✅ What I Liked

❌ What Could Be Better

Is Zoho Books Right for You?

✅ Zoho Books is PERFECT for you if:

• You own a small business and need the right accounting software at a fair price
• You want to automate tasks like invoicing, expense tracking, and bank reconciliation
• You already use other Zoho apps like Zoho CRM or Zoho Inventory
• You need a free version of accounting software to get started
• You want to bill clients and manage accounts receivable from one place

❌ Skip Zoho Books if:

• You run a large enterprise needing advanced analytics and dedicated account managers
• You need 24/7 phone customer support including weekends
• You prefer desktop-based accounting over cloud-based solutions

My recommendation:

If you’re a small business owner looking for affordable pricing and strong automation features, Zoho Books is hard to beat. The free plan alone is worth trying. Start there and upgrade when you need more.

Zoho Books vs Alternatives

Làm thế nào Zoho Books stack up? Here’s the competitive landscape:

Quick picks:

• Best overall: Zoho Books — best mix of price, features, and ease of use
• Best budget option: Wave — completely free core accounting
• Best for beginners: FreshBooks — dead-simple invoicing
• Best for large teams: QuickBooks — widest range of features and support

🎯 Zoho Books Alternatives

Đang tìm kiếm Các lựa chọn thay thế cho Zoho Books? Here are the top options:

• 🧠 Dext: AI-powered receipt capture that auto-extracts data from invoices and bills. Great for cutting paperwork.
• 🧠 Docyt: Được điều khiển bởi trí tuệ nhân tạo kế toán automation with real-time insights. Best for hands-off accounting.
• 🏢 Hiền triết: Enterprise-grade accounting with deep reporting and industry-specific tools for larger teams.
• 🌟 Xero: Clean interface with unlimited users on every plan. Popular worldwide for small businesses.
• ⚡ Cuối tháng dễ dàng: Speeds up your month-end close process with automated checklists and workflows.
• 🔧 Câu đố IO: Modern accounting for startups with AI-powered bookkeeping and real-time dashboards.
• 🚀 Synder: Perfect for e-commerce businesses needing automated sales data sync with accounting.
• 📊 Làm mới tôi: Real-time financial insights with anomaly detection for quick decision-making.
• 💰 Sóng: 100% free core accounting. Perfect for freelancers and solo business owners on a budget.
• 🔒 Nhanh lên: Best for personal finance and very small businesses needing basic budget tracking.
• ⚡ Hubdoc: Automated document collection that feeds directly into Xero. Great for paperless offices.
• 🚀 Chi phí: Top-tier expense reporting with receipt scanning and automatic approval workflows.
• 🌟 QuickBooks: The industry standard with the widest feature set and largest accountant network.
• 🧠 Tự động nhập: Automates data entry from invoices and receipts directly into your accounting system.
• 👶 FreshBooks: Easiest invoicing tool for freelancers and service businesses. Simple time tracking built in.
• 🏢 NetSuite: Full ERP for growing enterprises. Handles accounting, inventory, and CRM in one platform.

⚔️ Zoho Books Compared

Đây là cách thực hiện Zoho Books stacks up against each competitor:

• So sánh Zoho Books và Dext: Zoho is full accounting. Dext is receipt capture only. Use both together for best results.
• So sánh Zoho Books và Docyt: Docyt offers AI bookkeeping. Zoho gives you more control at a lower price.
• So sánh Zoho Books và Sage: Sage wins for enterprises. Zoho wins on price and ease for small businesses.
• So sánh Zoho Books và Xero: Xero offers unlimited users. Zoho has better pricing and a free plan.
• So sánh Zoho Books và Easy Month End: Easy Month End helps close books faster. Zoho handles full accounting.
• So sánh Zoho Books và Puzzle IO: Puzzle targets startups with AI. Zoho has more features and wider support.
• So sánh Zoho Books và Synder: Synder excels at e-commerce sync. Zoho is better for general accounting.
• So sánh Zoho Books và RefreshMe: RefreshMe focuses on insights. Zoho is a complete accounting platform.
• So sánh Zoho Books và Wave: Wave is free but limited. Zoho offers more features and scales better.
• So sánh Zoho Books và Quicken: Quicken is personal finance. Zoho is real business accounting software.
• So sánh Zoho Books và Hubdoc: Hubdoc captures documents. Zoho does full accounting plus invoicing.
• So sánh Zoho Books và Expensify: Expensify wins on expense reports. Zoho wins on full-suite accounting.
• So sánh Zoho Books và QuickBooks: QuickBooks has more users and integrations. Zoho is more affordable.
• So sánh Zoho Books và AutoEntry: AutoEntry automates data entry. Zoho handles the entire accounting workflow.
• So sánh Zoho Books và FreshBooks: FreshBooks is simpler for invoicing. Zoho offers deeper accounting features.
• So sánh Zoho Books và NetSuite: NetSuite is enterprise ERP. Zoho is the best pick for small businesses.

My Experience with Zoho Books

Here’s what actually happened when I used Zoho Books:

The project: I managed accounting for 3 client businesses. One freelancer. One e-commerce shop. One consulting firm.

Dòng thời gian: 90 days of daily use.

I didn’t expect much at first. Another accounting tool, right?

But the first week changed my mind.

Kết quả:

What surprised me: The automated payment reminders cut late payments by more than half. I set them up once. They run on their own. Clients pay faster when they get a friendly nudge.

What frustrated me: The learning curve for custom workflows took about two weeks. I also wished for better weekend support. I contacted their team on a Saturday and waited until Monday for a reply.

Would I use it again? Yes. Without câu hỏi. The time savings alone make it worth every penny. For small business owners who need a solid accounting program, this is my top pick.

Lời kết

Get Zoho Books if: You’re a small business owner who wants affordable, automated accounting without the bloat.

Skip Zoho Books if: You’re a large enterprise needing advanced features and 24/7 dedicated support.

My verdict: After 90 days of real testing, Zoho Books is the best accounting software for small businesses in 2026. The free plan is unmatched. The paid plans offer competitive pricing that beats QuickBooks Online. And the automation features save you real time every single week.

Zoho Books stood out as my top recommendation for business owners who want to track expenses, create invoices, and manage their financial health without overpaying.

Rating: 4.3/5

Câu hỏi thường gặp

Here are the most common Zoho Books FAQs. The platform also offers extensive customization for workflows and reports.

Is Zoho Books actually free?

Yes. Zoho Books provides a free plan for businesses with annual revenue below $50,000. It includes invoicing, expense tracking, and bank reconciliation. You can use it forever as long as you stay under the revenue limit. It’s a great starting point for startups.

How much does Zoho Books cost per month?

Zoho Books has five paid plans. The Standard plan starts at $15/month (annual billing) or $20/month (monthly). The Professional plan costs $40/month annually. The Premium plan is $60/month. The Elite plan is $120/month. The Ultimate plan is $240/month. All prices are per organization.

Is Zoho Books better than QuickBooks?

Zoho Books is more affordable and offers a free plan. QuickBooks Online starts at $35/month with no free tier. Zoho Books compare favorably on price and basic features. QuickBooks wins on third-party integrations and accountant network. For small businesses on a budget, Zoho Books is the better pick.

Is Zoho a Chinese company?

No. Zoho is an Ấn Độ company. It was founded in 1996 by Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas. The company is based in Chennai, India. Their US office is in Austin, Texas. Zoho operates in over 180 countries with offices in 12+ locations worldwide.

Is Zoho Books reliable?

Yes. Zoho Books is known for its clean interface and strong data security. It includes two-factor authentication, audit trails, and role-based access. The company has 100+ million users worldwide. It offers customer support through email, phone, and live chat during business hours.