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It can be quite hard to run a small business as you have to take care of several tasks. In fact, it requires multitasking that can leave people overwhelmed and result in delays and errors.

The best way to reduce the risk and ensure deadlines are met is to automate processes by turning to reliable business productivity apps. These apps can make it easy for businesses to stay focused, sane, and organized even through the most complex of challenges.

With the best business apps by your side, you will be able to create a centralized place to ensure you get things done in an efficient manner.

These apps for business productivity can do a variety of things including day-to-day tasks while offering you more time to focus on other duties such as taking care of your customers and growing your business.

How to Find Best Productivity Apps

This is an important topic since there are thousands of productivity apps out there and while they all claim to be the ‘best’, not all might be suitable for you.

Going through so many business apps can be tiring, especially if you do not know what to look for. You will never be able to find the right app if you do not know what you are looking for.

One app might not be able to do it all. Some excel at time management, some make collaboration easy, and some are designed to make invoices simpler. Most organizations will need all these tools, hence it isn’t uncommon for businesses to use multiple productivity apps at the same time.

To help you, we have covered some of the best apps for business productivity. Go through these and pick apps for business productivity that your small business needs:

#1 Billdu

Billdu small business productivity app

Invoicing is an integral part of any business. You need invoices to get paid, file taxes, and keep a record of your transactions. Billdu is also among the excellent invoicing apps for tradies tailored to their specific business needs.

The average small business takes around 25 days to process an invoice manually. The process is not only slow but also tiring as it can result in late payments, missed discounts, high processing costs, and many more issues.

You can solve this problem by using an invoice management tool like Billdu that doesn’t only improve productivity but also offers several other benefits including faster payments and improved cash flow.

Designed for small businesses, the software comes with a free 30-day trial that requires no credit card. The software comes with pre-built templates that help save time.

You can use it to not only create and send invoices but also to accept PayPal and card payments, send reminders, and organize expenses.

Increase your business
productivity with Billdu

Invoicing, expense tracking, quotes, automation. Learn why Billdu is one of the most popular small business productivity apps.

Free 30-day trialNo credit card requiredCancel anytime
Billdu invoice maker and invoicing app

#2 Asana

Asana business productivity app for project management

Asana is a project management app that makes it to the list of almost every best productivity apps list. Its aim is to help teams stay focused on projects, deadlines, and goals.

The tool comes with excellent integration tools with a deadline schedule that ensures you and your team are never late on projects.

Known to be easy to use, the project allows users to create projects, set individual or team goals, and then manage the process.

The program works on all devices and can be a great option for users looking to make task management easier. With this program, you will be able to create different boards and change progress status accordingly.

Asana is known to offer some tools that make it easy to visualize timelines so you can know exactly where you stand in your project.

Marketed as a project management tool, Asana provides business owners with the ability to manage goals and tasks in one place. It works with most other similar tools like G Suite, Slack, and Microsoft Teams.

In addition to exploring Asana as a project management solution, it is beneficial to consider alternative options that align with your specific requirements. Evaluating different tools can provide a broader perspective and help you find the most suitable alternative for your teams.

You can start with a free plan that comes with limited features. The paid plan starts as low as $10.99 per month billed annually.

#3 RingCentral

RingCentral cloud based communication app

A cloud-based all-in-one communication platform, RingCentral gives users the option to send messages, have phone calls, and enjoy video conferencing in one app.

Known to be secure, the tool can be a great pick for users interested in privacy and security. With this tool, you will have no difficulty connecting with your customers, team, and prospects over the internet.

The app works on both computers and smartphones and offers excellent voice quality. This allows businesses to reduce expenses by eliminating the need for expensive office equipment. Moreover, it can help improve loyalty and business image as the use of technology gives the impression that you are serious about work.

The company can make you more productive by reducing the need to switch between multiple apps. It unifies communication so that employees don’t have to keep toggling between different apps. This makes it one of the best apps for business productivity.

RingCentral also has a VoIP Service, known for its feature-rich communications solutions that streamline business operations and improve customer interactions. Discover the best VoIP phone services that can improve your communication capabilities while saving you money on traditional phone bills.

You can start with a demo or get your hands on one of the paid plans starting as low as $19.99 per month.

#4 Google Drive

Google business productivity suite

Google Drive needs no introduction since it’s associated with one of the most trustable names, Google. Known as the best free file sharing platform, Google Drive offers several other features including document collaboration and file storage.

The best thing about Google Drive is that it comes with 15 GB of free space, which is more than what competitors such as Dropbox offer for free. Those who want more can opt for a paid plan and buy more storage space, which can also serve as a means to deal with potential storage issues on your computer.

Don’t, however, stop at just space and take full advantage of what the platform has to offer including Sheets, Slides, and Docs. With this tool, you’ll be able to get rid of traditional Microsoft Office programs and get more features.

Google Drive makes it easy to collaborate as it gives users the option to share files with others and even leave comments or make changes as permitted.

It keeps a record of all changes, which makes it easy to keep tabs on projects. With this tool, you will not have to keep sending or attaching documents to your emails as one link will do it all.

The tool comes with some cool Sync and Backup features that ensure you never lose your files as they’re automatically stored. All these features come for free and you only need a Gmail account to access these.

#5 Evernote

Evernote keeps your productivity through notes and reminders

If you search for productivity apps, you will come across Evernote, a tool that lets you save pictures, links, articles, screenshots, write-ups, and even travel documents. Unlike most productivity apps on this list, Evernote isn’t solely designed for small businesses and can also be used by individuals.

The concept behind this program is simple, to ensure you don’t miss out on important ideas and have the tools necessary to note them. The program lets you take notes along the way and makes things easier with features like annotation, markup, email notifications, search options, audio recording, geo-location, and reminders.

With this tool, you will not have to worry about keeping an eye on things as reminders are timely and can be sent in the form of emails. We also liked the search feature as it lets you search for what you need in just a second.

The program works on both web and mobile and offers single storage for online resources. You can use the program by getting your hands on the free version; however, paid plans start as low as $7.99 per month per user.

While it’s a great productivity tool, we must mention that it might not be suitable for all kinds of businesses. Consider this one if your job involves a lot of note taking.

#6 Expensify

Expense tracker app for small business

Expensify is one of the best business apps for people looking to make it easy to track and note expenses. It works on both iOS and Android devices and comes with the ability to scan receipts and track mileage.

It can be a great pick for people with international clients as the tool can convert currencies, thus saving you time and trouble. There are plans for both companies and individuals starting as low as $4.99 per month.

Pricing depends on tracking and scanning capabilities. You can save money by signing up for the long-term.

Like Expensify? Why not try Billdu
– you can track expenses in the Billdu app, too!

Invoicing, expense tracking, quotes, automation. Learn why Billdu is one of the most popular apps for small businesses.

Free 30-day trialNo credit card requiredCancel anytime
Billdu invoice maker and invoicing app

#7 Tmetric

Work time free tracking business app Tmetric

Those looking for the best free business app can try Tmetric, a simple solution that makes it easy to log work hours. With this tool, you’ll be able to measure productivity.

While there is a free plan, we must mention that it comes with basic functionality for analyzing data, time tracking, and project management. The free plan lets users manage up to five users. You’ll need to upgrade to be able to handle bigger teams and enjoy more features such as payroll, time off management, and screenshot capturing.

The paid plan starts as low as $5 per month. You can use the web version of the tool or download it on your mobile device, computer. Moreover, there’s also a browser plugin.

The tool is available in multiple languages including English, Russian, and German. This makes it perfect for international users. Plus, it’s very intuitive and easy to use with the option to integrate with most project and task management systems for better activity and time tracking.

#8 Canva

Canva creative business productivity app

Canva isn’t found on most productivity apps lists as it is more of a visual communication tool; however, it deserves a mention due to how feature-rich it is.

Those who work in the graphics department can understand how beneficial this tool can be. Designing a simple logo or writing text over pictures can take a lot of time. This app makes such tasks easier by giving users the option to choose from multiple fonts, templates, and designs so you can create content in no time.

Despite all this, the tool is free to use for individual users. However, for business purposes, get ready to shell out at least $12.95 per month.

It’s simple, easy, yet highly beneficial with the ability to create compelling designs in no time.

Said to be suitable for beginners, the tool can be used by pros as well. Some of its defining features include design grids, charts, badges and stickers, and photo frames.

#9 Zapier

Zapier sync your business apps together

Few productivity apps are as fun and beneficial as this one. It has one purpose – to connect apps that you use for your business. While it supports a number of business apps, it appears more focused on online applications.

Some of the top names it supports include Gmail, Slack, and Dropbox. The tool can be a great time saver and is best for people who switch between a number of business apps. With this tool, you will be able to create workflows across several platforms.

Like most productivity apps discussed here, this one is free to use with some paid plans starting as low as $19.99 per month.

#10 Acuity Scheduling

Acuity Scheduling is a free scheduling app that makes it easy to schedule appointments. The tool can be a great pick for service providers such as dentists and lawyers. With this tool by your side, you will not have to rely on humans to schedule appointments and ensure slots are filled nearly.

It can reduce the need to send perpetual back and forth emails and send reminders or follow-ups via SMS or email to ensure your clients do not miss out on their appointments.

With this tool, you will be able to control your availability 24/7 as it works like a personal assistant and can even organize client information on your behalf.

While the basic tool is free to use, the company has some paid plans that come with advanced features. The cheapest plan starts as low as $14 per month.

#11 Focus@will

Focus@will is a focusing app that builds a sound profile based on your work. It is based on the theory that music can help you focus and stay productive.

The tool contains a collection of productive music that has been proven to be beneficial. The program chooses music based on your personality, work approach, and general work behavior.

Said to be one of the apps for business productivity, this service is suitable for people who work around a lot of distractions and find it difficult to focus on work. The paid app starts as low as $52.49 per year with the option to buy a lifetime license for $224.99.

#12 RescueTime

RescueTime is one of the best business apps designed to save time by allowing users to stay on track. Considered one of the top business apps, it comes with a central dashboard that can be set to yearly, weekly, or daily.

The best thing about this app is that it lets you track time spent offline as well as online. With this app, you will be able to create goals and see how close you are to achieving them and what needs to change to be more productive.

Those who want to remain productive can set notifications and alerts for goals reached. This trick can help people stay motivated. Moreover, there is also the option to block distracting websites to stay focused.

The tool comes with a free plan with the option to update for as low as $4.50 per month.

#13 Apploye

Apploye time tracking app is being used by numerous businesses to track their time, handle payroll, bill clients, document hours spent on various projects, monitor online timesheets, and run effective teams. You won’t have to worry about staff not reporting for work, wasting time, billing errors, chaotic project management, or improper payroll when you use Apploye TimeTrack Software.

Remote tracking feature of Apploye allows you to monitor screenshots, apps and URL usage of your employee.

Being one of the established market leaders in the time tracking app space, Apploye has excelled in a number of areas to win over business owners that value efficient processes, accurate timekeeping, and automatic worker monitoring.

Apploye provides four different pricing plans and you can always have trial free for 10 days before you grab a plan.

#14 Image To Text

Imagetotext

When we talk about productivity apps, Imagetotext.info plays a key role for small businesses in managing documents. However, a tool to copy text from image is actually quite helpful for productivity.

Those who have to work with documents on a daily basis can appreciate this tool. There are many documents in a workplace that exist only as hard copies such as reports, receipts, invoices, and ID documents. However, in the modern day, most records are digital.

By using this Image To Text tool, people can automate the task of extracting the text from the image of a hard-form document and converting it into a digital format. This allows them to edit and save the documents in digital record rooms. Without a tool to copy text from the image, people had to manually transcribe documents into a digital format.  

This online converter lets them extract text from the images and then can edit them to make necessary changes in the converted file without any hassle. That is a very time-taking task but it can be sped up by using an image-to-text converter. It is free to use and supports multiple image inputs for faster extraction. It is quite suitable for beginners and pros alike.

#15 ChatSonic

ChatGPT 4

ChatSonic chrome extension is the ultimate productivity tool for Chrome users. It is an advanced ChatGPT-like Chrome extension designed to save you time and effort, and increase your productivity. With real-time data, voice command integration, and AI art generator capabilities, ChatSonic is the perfect extension for professionals who want to streamline their workflow and improve their output. 

With ChatSonic, you can write from anywhere, get content suggestions without scouring the internet, generate summaries of long email threads, compose new LinkedIn posts, and generate ice-breakers to start a new conversation. The extension can also be used to boost productivity on social media and the web. 

ChatSonic is trusted by over a million marketing teams, agencies, and startups, and is the perfect productivity tool for anyone looking to get ahead. 

Apps for Business Productivity: Conclusion

These were some of the best business apps out there. Consider these if you are looking for apps for business productivity. While they all differ in terms of features, the aim of these best business apps is to help you save time and be more productive.

If you are looking for some extra productivity tools and apps we recommend taking a look at these 10:
1. Notion
2. Todoist
3. TickTick
4. Chanty
5. Harvest
6. Monitask
7. Loom
8. Twist
9. Cold Turkey Blocker
10. Hive

Billdu is one of the very best
business apps out there!

Do not take our word for it. Try Billdu for yourself! Invoicing, expense tracking, quotes, automation.

Free 30-day trialNo credit card requiredCancel anytime
Billdu invoice maker and invoicing app

One of the most important parts of running a successful business is knowing how much you make and how much you spend. In simple terms, you must know what your income and expenses are. When you do, it’s easier for you to stay organized and understand the financial health of your business at all times.

With that in mind, you’re probably wondering how you should go about tracking your income and expenses. Fortunately, you have a lot of options. You could, for example, use a simple spreadsheet or even do it with pen and paper. But wait, times have moved on and we’re way past using spreadsheets or paper. Besides, these can get complicated as you enter more and more information over time.

Another option is by using specifically designed accounting software. These software packages have everything you could ever wish for and offer far more than just the ability to track your income and expenses. But is all this functionality really necessary, considering the needs of a typical small business owner?

Looking for the best accounting software for your small business? Let’s dive deeper into this query in the following discussion.

Why It’s Important To Track Income and Expenses as a Small Business Owner?

Before looking at this question, though, let’s see why it’s important to track your income and expenses as a small business owner.

For one, it allows you to see how your business is doing financially at a glance. This means you don’t need to trawl through heaps of documents and complicated spreadsheets just to see how your business is performing.

It’s simple, when you’re able to see how your business is performing, you’ll also have access to a wealth of other information. For example, you’ll be able to see what products or services perform the best and those that are lagging behind. This will, in turn, enable you to make improvements where necessary.

You’ll also be able to see how your business is growing over time. So, when your business is not growing as you expect it to, you could introduce further products or services that ensure further growth. You could also, for example, rethink your marketing strategies to make them more effective.

Likewise, tracking your expenses can show where you spend your money and what expenses are necessary to keep your business running smoothly. With this information, you’ll be able to cut unnecessary expenses which, in turn, increases your profitability.

Here, you could, for example, see exactly what you’re spending on a specific marketing channel and what income it creates. So, when it’s not effective at all, you can then stop spending on it or consider another strategy or channel where your return on investment will be greater.

Finally, when you track your income and expenses, it helps you make better decisions. This is, partly, because you know exactly what you earn and what you spend but also because you’ll be basing your business decisions on concrete figures and not on hunches or emotions.

To sum up, tracking your income and expenses gives you all the information you need to run your business smoothly and efficiently and gives you an effective approach to managing your business’s finances.

Track your income
and expenses with Billdu

Invoicing, expense tracking, quotes, automation. Learn why Billdu is one of the most popular small business tools.

Free 14-day trialNo credit card requiredCancel anytime
Billdu invoice maker and invoicing app

Why Accounting Software?

With that in mind, let’s look at some of the reasons many small business owners turn to accounting software to track their income and expenses. Here, some of the typical reasons are:

  • Easy access. Traditionally, when you bought an accounting software package, you would install it on your office PC and use it there. Nowadays, with the implementation of cloud computing, you have access to all your business’s financial information instantly, no matter where you are. Also, most, if not all accounting software platforms offer mobile apps that you can use to conveniently send invoices, receive payments, or track your expenses on the go.
  • Secure. With all your business’s accounting data stored in the cloud, you don’t run the risk of losing data because of hardware failures, fire, or theft. Besides, most accounting platforms implement highly secure technologies so you can be sure your data is safe.
  • Saves time. By replacing manual accounting practices with accounting software, you’ll save a lot of time that you can then rather spend on running and growing your business. So, for example, with manual accounting, you would need to make several entries for every transaction. In contrast, accounting software allows you to enter the transaction once and the rest is done automatically.
  • Automation. Another feature of accounting software that saves you a lot of time is its ability to automate many mundane and repetitive tasks. For example, with accounting software, you’re typically able to automate your salary calculations, tax calculations, preparing paychecks, and others. Likewise, accounting software can also create financial reports and statements like income statements, balance sheets, and profit and loss reports automatically.
  • Fewer errors. When you track your income and expenses manually, you will inevitably make mistakes at one stage or another. Accounting software eliminates mistakes by reducing the number of entries you have to make and by automating most of the calculations you need to do. Many accounting software platforms will also identify mistakes when you enter the wrong data which, in turn, makes them easier to fix.
  • Integration. Most of the accounting software packages available today integrate seamlessly with a variety of other platforms and systems. They, for example, integrate with your online banking and can automatically allocate transactions to your books. This, ultimately, makes it easier to record transactions and saves you time.
  • Tax. Let’s face it, when the time comes to file your tax returns, it can be stressful. Accounting software eliminates this stress and helps you get your tax affairs in order without any hassles. As a result, you don’t have to worry about it, and you can focus on running your business instead.

Accounting software can be complicated for small businesses

The Problem With Accounting Software for Small Businesses

When you consider all the benefits mentioned above, accounting software sounds great. Why would you need to look any further, right? Well, not so fast. You see, like many other tools you use in your business, accounting software doesn’t only have benefits, but there are some serious drawbacks too.

Let’s look at some of these drawbacks in more detail.

Too Many Features

Remember, you basically want the ability to track your income and expenses. Accounting software, in contrast, offers far more than this functionality and typically offers many advanced features. This results in, mainly, two major drawbacks.

Firstly, because of the wealth of features they offer, accounting software packages can be challenging to use, especially if you don’t have the necessary accounting skills or knowledge. Also, many of the features you need to use are often overly complicated and require a steep learning curve to master.

Another drawback as a result of all these features is that these software packages will often cost you a lot of money. And remember, you’ll have to pay for the package whether you use all the features or not.

Most Small Businesses Have an Accountant

Most small businesses already have an accountant that prepares their financial reports and helps them to file their taxes. Those that don’t definitely need one. In fact, 89% of small businesses say that they are more successful when using an accountant compared to not using one.

These accountants typically have their own accounting software packages they use, and they understand all the ins and outs of the software. In simple terms, they’re the experts at using their specific platform. So, it makes little sense to invest heavily in a software package if your accountant has already done so, especially considering that you’re only looking for a solution to track your income and expenses.

Takes Time to Implement

We’ve already mentioned above that it could take some time for you to master the features accounting software offers, especially if you don’t have any accounting skills or knowledge of important accounting terms and concepts.

But it goes further than this. Accounting software is typically also more complicated to set up and get to the point where it fits perfectly with your needs and requirements. This, in turn, could take a lot of time and effort and, more often than not, requires the assistance of an accountant of the platform’s support team.

Price

Finally, another drawback of accounting software packages is they’re often expensive. Sure, some are reasonably priced, but, generally, the more features they have the more expensive they are.

In addition, while many include it in the price, many other accounting software packages also require that you purchase support for your package or pay for support on an ad-hoc basis. Ultimately, this all adds up to a hefty sum and is definitely something you should consider, especially when you want to limit your expenses.

So, do you need accounting software? Well, it all depends. You’ll have to consider whether the investment of time and effort you’ll need to make outweighs the benefits you’ll gain by tracking your income and expenses with an accounting software package. If it doesn’t, we have an alternative, and what we believe to be a better solution.

Instead of accounting software
try Billdu today

Invoicing, expense tracking, quotes, automation. Learn why Billdu is one of the most popular alternatives to accounting software for small businesses.

Free 14-day trialNo credit card requiredCancel anytime
Billdu invoice maker and invoicing app

A Better Alternative to Accounting Software for Small Businesses

So, you want the ease and convenience of tracking your income and expenses that accounting software offers, but you’re not too excited about the time and effort you’ll have to invest to get the most from the platform?

Well, Billdu is a great alternative to overly complicated accounting software packages for small businesses that simply need an easy and convenient way to issue invoices and track their expenses. In simple terms, it has all the features any small business owner could ever wish for.

With that in mind, let’s look at Billdu’s features in more detail.

Invoicing

Simply put, creating invoices has never been easier. With Billdu’s invoice maker you’ll be able to invoice your customers quickly and easily. To do this, you’ll start off by creating your own customized invoices or using one of the provided invoice templates, upload a logo and a signature. Once done, you’ll be able to send new invoices to your customers.

An added bonus is that you don’t even have to be in the office to send invoices. While Billdu’s cloud-based platform makes it easy to create and send invoices on your PC, the platform also offers iOS and Android apps that allow you to send invoices while on the go or outside your regular business hours.

It doesn’t stop there, though. Billdu also makes it easy for you to track your invoices. So, once you’ve invoiced a customer, you can see when the customer receives the invoice, when they open it, and who opens it. You’ll also get a notification when a customer pays an invoice. That’s mobile invoicing all in one app.

In this way, you’ll exactly know what you’ve earned, how much you’re still owed, and who still owes you. This, in turn, makes it easier for you to manage your cashflow and identify and follow up on late payments which ensures that your accounts are always in better order.

And speaking of payments, Billdu offers various features that make it easier for your customers to pay you. For example, the platform gives a wide range of currency options, so you can invoice your customers in the currency of their choice and you’re even able to invoice customers in their own language.

Lastly, you’re able to accept payments from customers directly from the invoice when they’re paying by debit card, credit card, or PayPal. Ultimately, by giving customers a convenient way to pay you, you ensure that you get paid faster. In fact, you’ll get paid up to two times faster compared to traditional payment methods.

Expense Tracking

Apart from its extensive invoicing functionality, Billdu also gives you everything you need to track your receipts and business expenses effortlessly. In this way, you know exactly how much you’re spending and what you’re spending your money on.

In addition, it also allows you to attach photos of your receipts to your expense records and you’re able to sort your expenses into categories. As a result, you’ll know that you’re always on top and in control of your expenses which makes them easier to manage.

Other Noteworthy Features

In addition to the extensive invoicing and expense tracking features mentioned above, Billdu also offers various other features that make running your small business easier. These features include:

  • Estimates. Billdu makes it easy to create professional quotes and estimates. And when a customer accepts your quote, you’ll be able to turn it into an invoice in one click. Being able to do this means you’ll win more work and generate more revenue.
  • Charts and reports. With its extensive range of charts and reports, it’s easy for you to see how your business is performing. By having this information available instantly, you’ll always know if you’re ahead of the curve or if you should rethink your strategy to generate more profit.
  • Collaboration. With Billdu, you’re able to add more users with different access rights and roles to your profile. As a result, you’ll be able to create a professional team that can take your business to the next level. Also, you’re able to invite your accountant and share your invoices and expenses in real-time which saves both you and your accountant a lot of time and money while, at the same time, cutting down on paperwork and errors.
  • Sales. Billdu comes with an impressive array of sales tools that allow you to sell your products to your customers quickly and easily no matter what the platform. You can, for example, choose Instant page to set up your online store in a matter of minutes and you can also sell through a website widget, custom link on your site, or, in the near future, social media.
  • Communication. With Billdu’s rich communication tools, your business emails and chats are always all in one place. This means you’ll always be sure that you’re up to date with your emails, documents, and products. Not only is Billdu’s Business Inbox easy to manage, but it’s also easy to scale, meaning that it grows as your business grows.

The Bottom Line

As a small business owner, it’s vital that you properly keep track of your income and expenses to be successful. Not only does it allow you to see how your business grows, but it also helps you manage your finances and make improvements to your business processes to make more profit.

So, now the question is whether you need accounting software for your small business. And here to need to consider whether you’re willing to take the time and effort to learn and implement software that could be complicated, impersonal, and more suited to large companies.

Another option is to consider Billdu. This platform has been specifically designed for small businesses and offers the tools you, as a small business owner, could ever wish for and more. To find out more about our platform and how it can help you, why not register for a free trial or visit our website for more details.

Say goodbye to complicated accounting SW
Start Billduing today

Invoicing, expense tracking, quotes, automation. See how easy yet powerful Billdu is.

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Billdu invoice maker and invoicing app

Are you looking for a powerful, easy to use Zoho alternative for invoicing? We have you covered. Read on to learn everything about 16 of the best Zoho alternatives available to date.

Before we continue, let’s address this question so many small business owners ask: ‘Do I really need to spend money on an invoicing management system?’ After all, there’s a tool out there for just about everything these days. And as a small business owner, you can’t afford to waste money on extra tools when you could just do the job yourself for free.

But an invoice management system is more than just another nice-to-have tool. Why?

It helps you get paid.

If you’re not getting paid or not getting paid on time, it will have severe consequences for your bottom line. Instead of spending precious hours chasing down customers to pay the bill, you should have a system that manages the process for you. This will only get more important as your business grows.

What is an invoice management system for?

 Simply put, to make things easier. For example, invoice management automates the process of invoicing so that you don’t have to manually create, send, track, or organize hundreds or thousands of invoices.

Invoice management systems can help you:

  • Save time
  • Save money
  • Improve cash flow
  • Get rid of human errors
  • Help you grow your business

What should you look for in an invoicing management system?

 There are lots of options out there, and each system has its own advantages and disadvantages. However, the best options should have the following characteristics:

  • Appropriate cost for your business size
  • User-friendliness
  • Cloud support
  • Customizable templates
  • Files and attachments
  • Security
  • Offline access
  • Customer support
  • Multiple currency support
  • Multiple payment methods
  • Customer communication
  • Taxes and discounts
  • Team cooperation

If you’d like to dive deeper into the features of a good invoicing system, then check out this guide.

Streamline your invoicing with
Billdu invoice management system

Invoicing, expense tracking, quotes, automation. Learn why Billdu is one of the most popular invoicing apps.

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Billdu invoice maker and invoicing app

What is Zoho?

Zoho is one of the most popular platforms out there. It offers an extensive suite of productivity products for freelancers or small to medium-sized businesses. One of these products is Zoho Invoice. It’s a well-designed platform with a range of features that make invoicing quick and easy.

Zoho invoice

Source: zoho.com

Best features

  • Highly customizable templates
  • Wide range of features
  • Integrates with the full suite of other Zoho products
  • Multilingual and multicurrency supported
  • Time tracking and simple project management
  • Client portal allows customers access to their records
  • Manage online payments, recurring payments, and run payment reports
  • Lots of automation options

Pricing

  • Offers a limited free plan
  • Subscriptions start at $9/month
  • Premium plan is $29/month

Do you already use Zoho’s platform for things like e-mail, accounting, or CRM? In that case, Zoho Invoice is a sensible choice for handling your invoicing needs. It offers extensive depth, flexibility, and the automation options allow you to customize the platform to suit your needs. In addition, it has a great user experience and reliable customer support. However, it offers so many different features that some users, especially freelancers or small businesses, may be overwhelmed by its functionality.

If you’re interested in exploring other invoice management systems that might be a better fit for your small business, then keep reading!

Best Zoho Alternatives

There are a lot of invoice management systems to choose from. However, since it can be time-consuming to compare each platform on your own, we’ve compiled this shortlist of some of the best Zoho alternatives on the market.

  1. Billdu
  2. Freshbooks
  3. QuickBooks
  4. Xero
  5. Invoice Simple
  6. Wave
  7. CO
  8. HoneyBook
  9. Invoicely
  10. BigTime
  11. SAP Concur
  12. Invoiced
  13. Sunrise
  14. Housecall Pro
  15. Invoice Ninja
  16. Square Invoices

1. Billdu

Billdu makes professional invoicing seem easy, and it was built specifically with freelancers and small businesses in mind. Instead of being a hassle, invoicing is turned into a fast, simple, and even enjoyable process that will impress customers.

Users praise its intuitive interface, and it has a wide range of features that go far beyond standard invoicing. Sales and communication tools are built into the platform for a seamless experience. For example, take bookings, send estimates, or even sell products online via a simple store. However, you don’t need to add extra features unless you need them, allowing you to keep your workflow as simple as you need it to be.

Billdu as popular Zoho invoice alternative

Source: billdu.com

Noteworthy features

Pricing

  • Free plan available
  • Subscriptions start at $3.99/month
  • Premium plan is $16.99/month

Why is Billdu a good Zoho alternative?

Besides building an invoicing system that is simple yet powerful, Billdu offers sales and communication tools all on the same platform. So whether you’re a creative or a craftsman, you’ll find a streamlined process that you can customize to suit your needs. As a result, you’ll save time, get paid faster, and enjoy doing it.

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2. Freshbooks

Freshbooks is an established player in the invoicing space. Their platform is geared towards freelancers or small-scale businesses and offers users a well-rounded experience. Even with all its extra features, Freshbooks’ interface is well designed and doesn’t require an accounting or tech background to use.

Zoho alternatives - FreshBooks

Source: freshbooks.com

Best features

  • Usability on any device – desktop, mobile, or tablet
  • Detailed records show when clients interact with invoices
  • Automatic payment reminders
  • Time tracking and team collaboration
  • Track your inventory
  • Many app integrations
  • Capable reports and analysis

Pricing

  • Subscriptions start at $6/month
  • Premium plan is $20/month

Why is Freshbooks a good Zoho alternative?

Freshbooks is a powerful tool that many users choose because of its extensive functionality. Besides invoicing, it offers a wide range of accounting, time tracking, project management tools, and more. For users that need all the extra features, Freshbooks is a great option.

3. Quickbooks

Quickbooks’ cloud accounting software is a popular choice for businesses of all sizes. The platform offers a complete range of accounting tools, including but not limited to invoicing. Chances are, you’ll find the feature you need on this platform, regardless of your industry.

QuickBooks - popular Zoho alternative

Source: quickbooks.intuit.com

Best features

  • Reports are detailed and comprehensive
  • Data is backed up to the cloud
  • Project profitability tracking
  • Flexible online payment options
  • Add-on payroll option
  • Track inventory
  • Access to accounting tools

Pricing

  • Basic plan starts at $12.50/month
  • Advanced subscription costs $90/month

Why is Quickbooks a good Zoho alternative?

Quickbooks has earned its reputation for a reason. It’s a robust platform with all the tools you’ll need to run accounts for a small business. However, freelancers or businesses with tighter budgets may not be able to afford all of the features available on the premium plans, and some users find its interface a challenge to navigate.

4. Xero

Xero is a powerful business solution that goes far beyond invoices. It offers small to medium-sized businesses all the tools they need to pay bills, track projects, accept payments, and more with a wealth of app integrations.

Alternatives to Zoho - Xero

Source: xero.com

Best features

  • A vast amount of app integrations
  • Bank reconciliation services
  • Accept payments instantly
  • Turn accepted quotes into invoices
  • Receive a notification when a customer opens your invoice
  • Bulk invoices

Pricing

  • Plans start at $20/month
  • Premium subscription is $40/month

Why is Xero a good Zoho alternative?

 Suppose you’re looking to customize your invoice management flow with any number of your favorite apps. In that case, you’ll be interested in the wide variety of integrations that Xero offers. It’s a very comprehensive platform, but one that may overwhelm a user looking for a simple solution.

FreshBooks, QuickBooks or Xero…
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Billdu invoice maker and invoicing app

5. Invoice Simple

Its defining feature is in the name. This invoice management system was designed to be, above all else, simple. As a result, it’s easy to create and send professional invoices right from your mobile device. Simple invoicing is at the heart of Invoice Simple.

Invoice Simple - Zoho alternative for small businesses

Source: invoicesimple.com

Best features

  • Quick to get started
  • User-friendly, mobile-first experience
  • Turn estimates into invoices
  • Simple, customizable templates
  • Notifications when invoices are read or due

Pricing

  • Free for the first 3 invoices
  • $5.99 for unlimited invoices

Why is Invoice Simple a good Zoho alternative?

If you do most of your invoicing on the go, then Invoice Simple is a solid option. While it can be used on any device, it is built with the mobile user in mind.  It may not offer the extensive functionality of some of the other platforms on this list, but it is a professional invoicing solution nonetheless.

6. Wave

Wave is an excellent option for freelancers or small businesses operating on a shoestring budget. Why? Because it’s absolutely free to create, customize, and send unlimited invoices. It includes simple accounting software as well to help users keep track of expenses and revenue.

Wave accounting software cash flow

Source: waveapps.com

Best features

  • Quick to get started, easy to use
  • Track payments and customer communication
  • Automatic cloud backups
  • Invoicing data syncs with the included accounting software to help you track your finances
  • Recurring payments can be set up to occur automatically

Pricing

  •  Free

Why is Wave a good Zoho alternative?

 Wave may not have as many features or integrations as some of the other options on this list. However, if you’re looking for a simple, free invoicing solution, then Wave is a good option to check out.

7. AND.CO

AND.CO was explicitly built for freelancers, so it does things a little bit differently than competing platforms. With only one customizable invoice template, it uses a step-by-step wizard to help you complete each invoice. This works well for freelancers billing different items at different prices for different clients.

And co Small business platform

Source: and.co

Best features

  • Interface built for freelancers
  • Good project management tool
  • Create contracts and proposals in the app
  • Time tracking
  • Good customer support

Pricing

  • Free plan available
  • Pro subscription is $18/month

Why is AND.CO a good Zoho alternative?

If you call yourself a freelancer, hustler, entrepreneur, or digital nomad, then AND.CO was built with you in mind. As long as you don’t need to bill the same items on every invoice, the platform’s novel, flexible approach to invoicing might suit your needs. Besides invoicing, it offers a bunch of great features and helpful customer support.

8. Honeybook

Honeybook is another platform that might attract freelancers or entrepreneurs. It features a friendly, personalized interface that is geared towards those in the creative industry.

HoneyBook client management software and invoicing

Source: honeybook.com

Best features

  • Friendly, not just user-friendly, interface
  • Appointment booking and scheduling
  • Attractive invoice templates
  • Easy payment system
  • Create contracts and proposals
  • Unique pipeline style project management

Pricing

  • Basic subscription starts at $9/month
  • Unlimited subscription is $39/month

Why is Honeybook a good Zoho alternative?

Creatives will like Honeybook’s personalized approach to CRM. While it does invoicing well, it is built around the entire customer management experience. Users rate its onboarding experience, though its extensive features come at a higher cost than other options.

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Billdu invoice maker and invoicing app

9. Invoicely

Invoicely is another good option for small businesses that want an easy-to-use invoicing system. Their dashboard contains a range of features, from reports to client management.

Invoicely invoice management dashboard

Source: invoicely.com

Best features

  • Extensive business and finance reports
  • Track time, expenses, and mileage
  • Create both estimates and invoices
  • Manage multiple businesses
  • Supports multiple countries and currencies

Pricing

  • Free plan available
  • Subscriptions start at $9.99/month
  • Premium subscription is $29.99/month

Why is Invoicely a good Zoho alternative?

Invoicely can do more than create invoices. It’s a good tool for gaining business insights through its reporting feature, and it helps you track different aspects of ongoing projects. It’s simple yet effective, especially for managing multiple businesses.

10. BigTime

BigTime is made for professional service providers. It’s a time-centric platform that helps automate different aspects of business management, including but not limited to invoicing. BigTime offers some of the best time and expense tracking tools for teams that need to get their billable hours right.

BigTime invoicing and expense tracking software

Source: bigtime.net

Best features

  • Highly capable time tracking and project management tools
  • Resource allocation and job assignments
  • Real-time reporting and analytics
  • Cloud-based, with powerful integrations
  • Flexible billing rates
  • Time and materials invoices

Pricing

  • Subscriptions start at $10/month per user, with a min. of 5 users
  • Premier subscription is $40/month per user, with a min. of 10 users

Why is BigTime a good Zoho alternative?

BigTime’s capabilities are probably too robust for the needs of freelancers, and their pricing model reflects that. However, if you’re a firm offering professional consulting, architectural, accounting, engineering, or IT-support services, then BigTime has all the features you need to budget, track, and bill your time.

 11. SAP Concur

SAP Concur is a different kind of platform than most of the others on this list. It is focused less on generalized invoice generation and management and more geared towards travel and expense reports. If your invoice needs are limited to travel and expense management, then SAP Concur may be the management system you’re looking for.

SAP Concur App Center

Source: concur.com.au

Best features

  • Two or three-way matching resolves invoice discrepancies
  • Invoice Capture technology sorts through submitted invoices and extracts data
  • Extensive app integration
  • Gamifies expenses to keep costs down
  • Travel planning feature

Pricing

  • $9/report
  • Individualized pricing plans

Why is SAP Concur a good Zoho alternative?

Suppose you’re a freelance consultant that regularly bills companies for expenses or a business that needs to automate the expense reporting of your employees. In that case, SAP Concur might be the perfect invoicing platform for you.

12. Invoiced

Like most invoicing management systems, Invoiced is built to save you time and get you paid faster. However, where it stands out is its processes for automating the entire accounts receivable process.

Invoiced invoice management system dashboard

Source: invoiced.com

Best features

  • Powerful automation for accounts receivable processes
  • Subscription billing
  • In-depth customer portal
  • Offer customers payment installment plans
  • Complex invoice generation
  • Automated collections and streamlined payments

Pricing

  • Subscriptions start at $500/month
  • Customized plans available

Why is Invoiced a good Zoho alternative?

 Sure, Invoiced might be out of reach for some small businesses because of its high cost. But as your business grows, you may end up looking for a platform that is capable of automating your billing and collections processes. If you can afford it, then Invoiced is a strong contender.

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Billdu invoice maker and invoicing app

13. Sunrise

Sunrise offers something a little different in that a premium subscription assigns you a professional bookkeeper to help you manage your accounting. Even if you stick to the free plan, the platform is attractively designed and intuitive to use.

Sunrise accounting software

Source: sunriseapp.com

Best features

  • Simplified process to create an invoice in a few clicks
  • Recurring invoices
  • Professional bookkeeper option to manage your accounting
  • Double-entry accounting
  • Cloud-based
  • Financial reporting

Pricing

  • Free for managing invoicing on your own
  • Premium subscription with professional bookkeeping services starts at $149/month

Why is Sunrise a good Zoho alternative?

If you want to combine the flexibility of a self-service platform with the option to connect to a professional bookkeeper, then Sunrise gives you that capability. While you may not get everything you want out of the free version, it’s easy-to-use and should suffice for basic invoicing needs.

14. Housecall Pro

If you’re a plumber, electrician, housekeeper, HVAC technician, or another service professional, then you’re in constant need of invoicing. Housecall Pro is an invoice management system built specifically for you.

Housecall Pro app for service professionals

Source: housecallpro.com

Best features

  • Scheduling and online booking
  • Easily create estimates and invoices
  • Communicate with customers via friendly “on-my-way” texts
  • Live map GPS for assigning employees to jobs
  • Automated invoice reminders and follow-up marketing
  • Property profiles and notes

Pricing

  •  Subscriptions start at $49/month
  • Premium subscription is $109/month
  • Customized pricing for larger enterprises

Why is Housecall Pro a good Zoho alternative?

Housecall Pro is a good Zoho alternative if you fit the user profile. It offers a range of complementary features for service professionals to go beyond invoice management. It’s definitely not a solution for the whole market, but it is a clear frontrunner for its niche.

15. Invoice Ninja

If you’re looking for a free option that can grow with your business, then take a look at Invoice Ninja. It offers one of the best free plans out there, allowing you to send unlimited invoices. But don’t be fooled by its low cost. It provides many great complementary features, and you can upgrade to a paid plan for even more capability.

Invoice Ninja invoicing software

Source: invoicenina.com

Best features

  • Customizable templates
  • Easily set up recurring or auto-billing
  • Over 40 different payment gateways supported
  • Create quotations and proposals
  • Project management workflows with Kanban boards
  • Time tracking and expense reporting

Pricing

  • Unlimited free plan available
  • Subscriptions start at $10/month
  • Enterprise subscription starts at $14/month

Why is Invoice Ninja a good Zoho alternative?

 Consider Invoice Ninja if you don’t have a big budget right now, but need a platform that can scale with your growth.

16. Square Invoices

Square Invoices is part of the larger Square ecosystem, built to handle digital payments and financial services. As such, it is a well-built platform for creating and managing professional invoices. Most importantly, it offers streamlined processes for getting paid.

Alternative to Zoho - Square Up

Source: squareup.com

Best features

  • Real-time invoice tracking
  • One-click payment
  • Save customer bank account information for auto-billing and custom contracts
  • Good reporting tools
  • Progress invoices

Pricing

  • Zero monthly fees
  • Square takes 2.9% + $0.30 each time an invoice is paid online by card
  • Square takes 1% per ACH transaction

Why is Square Invoices a good Zoho alternative?

 If you already use Square’s point-of-sale and payment processing solutions, then you may want to consider integrating Square Invoices into your workflow. It is a competent platform, but make sure to calculate how much the fees will cost you.

Finding the right fit is crucial

As a small business, sometimes you don’t need every advanced feature on the list. The platform you choose should be capable enough to improve your efficiency without slowing you down with unnecessary options.

Your budget is another big factor, but don’t only look for the best free option. Consider the amount of time you’ll be investing in these tools every day, and evaluate how much money a competent platform will save you in time and unpaid invoices.

With so many great options out there, it’s more important than ever to do a little extra research to make sure you choose the right invoicing software for your team.

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All small businesses could benefit from extra time and resources. The tedious parts of running a business – keeping track of your business expenses, issuing estimates, invoicing customers, and tracking down payments – all take up valuable hours of the day.

That’s why almost every modern business has turned to accounting software. Not only will it cut down on costly human errors and free up your staff, but it can also provide you with valuable insights about your business. In addition, it allows you to automate tasks like billing customers and chasing down unpaid invoices.

In short, accounting software exists to save you time and help you get paid.

There are so many different platforms out there that it can be challenging to choose the right one for your business. To help, we’ve created a breakdown of the eight critical questions you should ask yourself before settling on a suitable software.

Before you get started, remember that accounting software will not magically do your accounting for you. It’s just a tool to make the process easier. You still need to have a good grasp of your financial situation and the scope of small business accounting before you can use the software to its full potential. So choose software that makes your life easier, not the one packed to the brim with the most features.

If you want to choose the best accounting software for Australia, don’t forget to read our article.

8 essential questions to ask yourself when choosing the best small business accounting software

1. What’s my budget?

It’s a good idea to determine your budget before setting out on your decision-making journey. This extra bit of planning will help you narrow down a vast field to a few appropriate candidates.

Most companies provide a variety of pricing tiers to suit businesses of various sizes. For example, some pricing models are based on flat monthly fees, while others are based on the number of users. Smaller enterprises might benefit more from the monthly subscription model. This way, you don’t have to pay extra fees whenever you invite someone onto the platform to help you handle the bookkeeping.

Many basic plans are offered at irresistible price points, but take a close look at the features they include. Will you need to upgrade to the more costly plan with the full range of features at some point, and will you be able to afford it?

Don’t forget to factor in any extra support costs, and make sure that you aren’t paying for a bunch of features that you don’t need. For example, programmable automation capabilities might seem like a great thing to have but are built primarily for larger organizations handling large amounts of data. Does your small business need the most advanced features available, or will it benefit more from simplicity and ease of use?

Many platforms offer a free trial, so it might be wise to take advantage of that opportunity. It will waste a lot of time and effort if you end up having to switch to another platform in the future. Make sure you’re well-informed before you make your final decision.

2. Does this accounting software suit my small business or industry?

Many top digital transformation companies are now incorporating business accounting software into their operations to streamline financial management and improve overall efficiency. Not all accounting software is alike, and while certain platforms have a more general scope, others may be built to suit the needs of a specific industry. So don’t just go for the software with the highest reviews or most extensive user base. Instead, there might be a smaller platform tailor-made for businesses in your field.

For example, think about your industry-specific requirements. Do you offer consulting services that require proposals and contracts to be reviewed by both parties before proceeding? Do you need software that allows you to handle bookings or schedule appointments? Or perhaps you are primarily interested in tracking the time and travel expenses of your employees.

Here are some industry-specific features. If any of these apply to your business, note it down as it might not be included in every platform.

Look for the software that can handle your main requirements – it will save you the hassle of adopting a generalized platform to suit your particular needs.

Best small business accounting software - Financial management

3. Do I need a cloud-based or desktop-based accounting software?

Desktop accounting software was the industry standard for many years. It does not rely on internet access, is often purchased in a single payment for use on one computer, and can securely store a business’s financial data offline.

However, cloud-based platforms are becoming the norm for modern accounting systems. There are several benefits to a cloud-based platform. For one, it allows many users to access the same data so that you can bring in an accountant or other employees into the same workflow. Another benefit is the ability to directly sync with bank accounts or any number of helpful app integrations.

Data is regularly backed up via the cloud so that you don’t have to worry about a single computer getting broken or becoming corrupted. The only drawback to cloud-based platforms is that they only work via internet connection. So, if your business operates in an area where that is an issue, you might want to consider a desktop-based solution.

Additionally, storage optimization may be necessary to maintain optimal performance on your MacBook, especially if you’re dealing with large files or if your disk full.

Most cloud-based platforms have well-developed mobile apps as well. Suppose you travel frequently or are a service provider like a handyman who needs to generate quick invoices on the go. In that case, you might want to focus your attention on the mobile app versions to find your best fit.

4. Will it be easy for me to use?

Once you’ve made your choice, you’ll be spending a lot of time interacting with this software. Is it something that you find convenient or even a pleasure to use? Or does it seem complicated and frustrates you every time you open it.

Sometimes this aspect can be overlooked, but it’s not something to be taken lightly. Even if you don’t have an accounting background, a small business operator must have a good grasp of their finances. Many programs offer comprehensive financial reports, but they should be intuitive to generate and understand. The program also needs to be easy enough for your employees to use.

Many platform interfaces are loaded with features that you might not need. Opt for the platform that will save you time by streamlining tasks and showing you only the features most relevant to your core business activities. After all, this is supposed to be a way to increase efficiency, not slow you down.

Leave the complicated stuff to your accountants.
Invoice and track expenses with Billdu.

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Billdu invoice maker and invoicing app

5. How many users and clients can this software accommodate? Can user access be restricted?

Different software is built with different-sized businesses in mind. While some cater to a broad user base, many of the best platforms target one end of the spectrum.

If you are the sole user interacting with the software, look for the platforms that give you the most streamlined experience. If you need software that will accommodate several team members and an accountant at once, then look for a more comprehensive solution.

If restricted user access is something you require so that not everyone in your company has access to your finances, prioritize this feature. Some platforms offer role-based access for different team members. For example, you can allow employees to access the time tracking or expense reporting features without granting permission to create invoices.

Also, keep in mind that you may or may not need a client portal. Do you need to provide clients access to their payment records within the app? Only some platforms offer dedicated support for this feature, so plan accordingly.

6. What type of support does this software provide?

There’s a very good chance that you will need to contact customer support at some point. You should be sure that they’ll be able to help you answer your questions – before you run into problems.

Smaller software providers often put a lot of effort into self-service troubleshooting guides and community forums. Browse these resources and see if people are running into the same issues time and time again. Larger companies should have a team of dedicated support agents. Reach out to them for any questions you have about their platform, and gauge the quality of their responses.

Finally, make sure to read through positive and negative reviews of the software online. The last thing you want is to be surprised by a glaring weakness in the accounting software after you’ve already invested hours into getting it set up.

Best small business accounting software - Quality support

7. Will this accounting software scale with the growth of my small business?

Perhaps you’re a freelancer who needs to invoice customers for your side hustle. In that case, focus on an option that gives you all the features you need for the lowest price possible.

However, if you’re planning to scale your business and want your software to grow with you, then make sure the platform can accommodate your future needs as well. Do the premium price tiers include the advanced capabilities you’ll need? Many software providers also offer customized solutions for when you outgrow their basic subscription models. Do some digging into what these custom solutions are and if they will help you scale or hold you back.

Here’s another thing to keep in mind. Does your small business use cash-based or accrual-based accounting? Small businesses will often start by recording transactions based on cash flow. However, as you scale, you will likely be switching to an accrual-based system. You’ll need to handle more sophisticated data related to buying and selling on credit and recording payable and receivable accounts. Be aware that some of the more basic platforms are only geared towards cash-based accounting.

8. Do I have the knowledge required to use it?

Most software these days is built to provide a very intuitive user experience. However, some platforms cater more towards the professional accounting industry. Others direct their efforts to users with no accounting or tech backgrounds at all. You know which category you fall into, so make sure you consider this during your selection process.

Furthermore, don’t be distracted by deep functionality if you won’t be able to use it to your advantage. For example, if your software has the capability for a wide variety of automation processes, but you can’t program them, then it’s not going to do you much good.

Some other key features to look out for in a small business accounting software

  •  Customization

Does it offer customizable templates and other customization tools so that you can adjust documents like invoices or e-mails to fit your branding?

  • Multicurrency and multilanguage support

If your business operates across different countries or serves a multi-lingual community, then you need a platform with these features built in. That way, you can customize your invoices and payment preferences appropriately.

  • Security

Check to ensure that proper security measures are followed to protect both you and your clients’ data. Two-factor authentication and data encryption should be pre-requisites.

  • Taxes

Does the platform enable the correct type of tax customization on the invoices? Can it generate the relevant tax reports?

  • Reporting requirements

If your business is subject to any specific reporting requirements, then make sure you can easily create the appropriate documents. Otherwise, you’ll spend a lot of time generating them manually.

  • Bank and payment gateway support

Can you conveniently link your software to your bank and preferred payment processors? Are you able to reconcile accounts by fetching bank statements? If your bank doesn’t support the software, then you should look for something else.

  • Third-party integrations

Some accounting software platforms are integrated into a linked ecosystem of CRM software, e-mail management, inventory management apps, etc. Others offer the ability to connect to dozens or hundreds of third-party apps. If you already rely on a particular app to run your business, check if it integrates with your accounting software.

The integration of inventory management software with accounting software is crucial for real-time tracking of stock levels and financial data, ensuring accurate reporting and more efficient business operations.

  • Project management and time tracking

You may already be using a dedicated app for these tasks. If so, check if they can be integrated into your accounting software of choice. If not, consider looking for a platform that does both. After all, billing for project expenses and time is directly linked to your accounting workflow. Therefore, it makes sense to bring them into the same system.

Complex features of accounting software for small businesses

Get a second opinion

Talk to your accountant and staff

If your accountant or other staff members are going to be the primary users interacting with this software, then make sure you involve them in the selection process. Your accountant will likely have specific requirements in mind or is already accustomed to working with a particular program. Your IT support staff can help you evaluate the different tech capabilities and advise your data management strategy.

Reach out to your network

Ask around for other opinions from people in your network, especially from people in similar industries. Chances are, they’re using accounting software and can give you first-hand experience on its suitability for your needs.

Make a shortlist, and try out your options

 Now that you know what you want, you can narrow down the numerous options into three or four of the standout contenders. Then, compare them against each other, read positive and negative reviews online, and reach out to their support teams about any questions you might have.

As a final step, take advantage of their free trials or limited free plans. Create some invoices, play around with the reporting features, and input some expenses. If something doesn’t feel right, or it seems to be missing a key component, then move on.

After navigating the different user interfaces on your shortlist, you’ll understand what excites you or disappoints you about a platform, and you can make your decision accordingly.

A final question: do you need accounting software after all?

There’s a chance that you’ve gotten to the end of this guide and are thinking: maybe I don’t need accounting software after all.

 Perhaps you’ve realized that the extensive functionality of accounting software platforms is just going to overcomplicate things. What if you won’t be able to take advantage of all the features you’re paying for? Maybe you simply don’t have the budget at the moment because you’re just starting out and only have a couple of clients.

If that describes you, then consider an alternative that isn’t full-scale accounting software but still handles all your small business needs.

Billdu – your small business accounting software alternative

We built Billdu with people just like you in mind. It’s perfectly fine to hold off on advanced accounting software until further down the line. Most of our customers do. Partly, that’s because once they’ve tried our platform, they realize they didn’t need accounting software to begin with.

By now, it might have struck you that all you’re looking for is a simple, user-centric platform that ‘only’ makes the invoicing process easy and helps you get paid faster. As a bonus, it tracks expenses, manages customer communications, and facilitates online booking without cluttering the user interface.

This platform is Billdu, and while it isn’t accounting software per se, we know that most of our happy customers would rather keep it that way. After all, we built it specifically for freelancers and small businesses like you.

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You came here wanting to know why your business is not as efficient as you’d like to be and how to improve efficiency in business.

It’s quite understandable why anyone would worry about business efficiency. The longer you remain inefficient, the more you lose. Businesses need to ensure everyone works at their optimum level and no amount of money or time is wasted.

Most businesses don’t realize the need to change things until quarterly or yearly audits. If you are struggling to make your business more efficient then you have landed on the right page.

Below are some tips on how to improve efficiency in business.

#1 Give the Right Job to the Right Person

There are two things to take care of – hiring the right people and ensuring they do the right job. This, however, is easier said than done. It all boils down to productivity, which is a major concern for people these days.

Employee productivity has been falling and nobody knows the reason. Since most businesses involve teams and groups, it is the duty of the HR manager or the supervisor to ensure there are like minded people in every team as team conflict can impact efficiency.

About 81 percent of employees work in teams but less than 50 percent are happy with the experience due to differences in working style. Training sessions and internships can help prepare people to work in teams.

You can also improve the hiring process by using a hiring agency as they are more experienced in the job. It can take around 90 days to fill a position. The longer a position remains empty, the more losses it causes to a business.

You can also consider implementing recruitment CRM software specifically designed for hiring. This not only helps in organizing and tracking candidate information but also streamlines and automates various aspects of your business operations, ensuring a more efficient and cohesive recruitment process.

Many businesses choose to use LinkedIn for recruitment, a platform made specifically for the workforce to network and find jobs. LinkedIn is easy as it provides applicants to apply with just a click and for recruiters to see their resumes.

The key lies in preparing employees to take over. This can be done by providing on-job training, encouraging continued education, and providing employees a chance to prove their mettle and grow.

Companies that offer such perks are better at retaining employees and hence are more efficient. Also, using HR management tools can significantly increase operational efficiency and improve your workflow.

#2 Automate Whenever You Can

The importance of automation cannot be overestimated. Look at any industry, you will see automation and its perks in every corner.

While marketing automation is among the most popular fields, you will see automation in other fields as well including manufacturing.

Automation, if done right, can boost sales productivity by up to 14.5 percent and reduce marketing overheads by around 12.2 percent.

It helps in a lot of ways. Around 40 percent of productivity is lost to task-switching and multitasking and task-switching. Automation helps streamline data, optimize time by increasing centralizing work, and improve your facility’s efficiency and visibility.

For example, you can combine your project management tools with any of the best Mac time trackers available online to ensure that your employees don’t spend too much time on one task while forgetting others.

Automation can help improve several other departments including communication and collaboration. Automating data management and enhancing internal search capabilities are vital components of boosting a company’s efficiency. Integrating enterprise AI search software platforms into your businesses operations can centralize knowledge, thus streamlining processes significantly. About 97 percent of workers believe that poor team alignment impacts business efficiency and project outcome.

Another department that should be automated is sales where automation can help save time, improve the ROI, and win more clients. It can even be good for customer support.

We know that customers do not want to wait to get connected to an agent. They also want their problems to get solved quickly. A chatbot can be of great help in this situation. Moreover, CRMs and customer support softwares can help agents find data and save time.

Take for instance the field of nonprofit organizations where donor relations and communication play a pivotal role. A donor management software, such as Virtuous, serves as a highly effective CRM, automating and streamlining donor engagement processes. Not only does it aid in organizing and retrieving donor data efficiently, but also its automated tools make each donor feel uniquely valued – resulting in more successful fundraising efforts. It is more proof that when used smartly, automation can significantly enhance business or organization efficiency.

Reports suggest that professionals spend around 4 hours per day manually looking for files. CRMs and other such tools can make things easier while also boosting business efficiency. Don’t forget to automate aspects of security. For example, if you automate user access reviews, you’ll be informed when something suspicious happens to your system. This means you won’t have to manually check user access daily to ensure breeches don’t occur.

You also need to be cognizant of any industry-specific security regulations that might impact which automation tools you choose. So for example if your business operates in the healthcare sector, having a HIPAA compliant eFax service available to assist with sharing sensitive data is a must if you want to avoid regulatory scrutiny.

Another automation that is super easy to implement is invoice automation. By using an invoice maker such as Billdu, you can set up automatic invoice creation. In Billdu, these are called recurring invoices. You can create a new recurring invoice that will be created and sent out to your customers every week, month or year. This way, you will never forget to send an invoice again. In Billdu, you can also track expenses, create estimates, delivery notes and much more.

Try our free estimate generator, invoice generator, credit note maker or delivery note creator now to see how they work. And yes, there you can also automate expense creation. With recurring expenses, you can easily automate tracking of periodical expenses such as phone or internet bills. Signing up for Billdu and setting these simple rules will boost your business efficiency in no time.

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#3 Get Rid of Distractions and Interruptions

Let’s revisit some productivity stats as the two are interconnected. According to reports, the average employee is productive for less than 3 hours per day. This happens due to a variety of reasons including distractions.

Reports suggest that employees get interrupted around 7 times, resulting in a wastage of 35 minutes in total with each interruption lasting about 5 minutes. If this is shocking, you will be surprised to know that on average, there is an interruption at the workplace every 8 minutes, which causes the overall productivity or efficiency to suffer.

This can cause each employee to lose around 4 hours of working time per day. You must take steps to reduce this by identifying and reducing distractions.

Interruptions can be of many times including personal. Employees might be interrupted due to their thoughts; however, the most common culprit is a mobile phone that keeps people occupied both mentally and physically.

If you want to know how to improve efficiency in business then you must know how to stop distractions.

#4 Improve Communication

Communication is key, yet 80 percent of employees in the US feel stressed or anxious due to a lack of good company communication.

If you wish to know how to increase your business efficiency then you must be able to differentiate between different methods of communication, identify the best communication system, and work on both internal and external communication.

Tools like Slack and Trello can be helpful in keeping people on the same page. For communication with customers, you must come up with plans and train your customer service department.

If you offer phone, email, or ticket support then your team must be experienced to handle requests including grievances. In addition to this, marketing communication should be paid attention to as well.

Email is one of the most common and effective business communication tools for this purpose. Consider automating this process to increase efficiency. Those who get in touch with you can get an automated response, which may help solve some of the problems and allow your workers to concentrate on other tasks.

Email automation allows salespeople and marketers to save time and effort by setting up automated email sequences. This can help improve the overall customer experience and increase engagement and sales.

The benefits of automation are obvious but it can often be hard to implement. People are not always excited about using new technology and some are against the use of automation tools.

You will have to tell them the importance of automation and how it benefits them to ensure there are no issues.  In order to avoid email security issues, it will be a beneficial idea to set up DMARC to prevent phishing and spamming.

Improve business efficiency through communication

#5 Reduce Meetings and Go Online When You Can

There are two rules to follow:

  1. Reduce the number of meetings
  2. Make sure your meetings go well

As highlighted in this Harvard Business Review article, meetings can lead to business inefficiency. The average meeting lasts between 31 to 60 minutes. This is a lot of time considering we only spend around 7 hours working on an average day.

Back in the day, companies used to hold meetings to discuss everything. It was the norm to call people from every department to be a part of meetings but things are changing now. Therefore, to rapidly save important information, you may convert your Zoom and Skype recordings of meetings from mp4 to text.

Physical meetings are not necessary and decisions can be taken by going online thanks to tools like Zoom and Skype. This saves time because you do not have to prepare the meeting room and wait for everyone to arrive. However, in cases where physical meetings are important, make sure to take care of these points to ensure your business and meeting remain efficient:

  • Make sure to schedule at the right time so you do not have to reschedule. You can use different tools to ensure everyone’s available.
  • Have a clear goal or agenda and ensure it is clearly communicated to everyone involved. Also, determine how to send auto text and which communication tactics to implement to ensure effective collaboration.
  • A lack of accountability is another reason for meetings to be inefficient. Make sure to communicate with everyone after the meeting to ensure they understood things well.
  • Having too many people or not having everyone needed can cause meetings to fail.
  • Meetings that go too long end up being less productive and inefficient. It is best to divide a meeting into segments and ensure it runs according to the plan.

Holding meetings in an efficient manner can be tricky but once you follow these rules, you will find it easier to manage them.

#6 Establish and Follow Processes 

Businesses need to have clearly defined processes to ensure there are no delays and everything can be done in an efficient manner. A great way to make things easy is to create a manual and distribute it to all the concerned parties.

Training sessions can also be of help. It is common for some big and small companies to hold seminars to explain processes and train individuals before they get on the job so that they’re able to follow the guidelines and ensure work is completed in an efficient and timely manner.

In addition to this, one should also care about clarity in terms of responsibilities and roles. Duties must be assigned clearly and there should be no question about who’s supposed to do what.

An easy way to do this is to assign supervisors or managers to teams or floors. Make it their duty to ensure all procedures are followed. A major reason why businesses get inefficient is that decisions take too long to come.

There’s a hierarchy that one has to follow, which only slows the process down. By giving power in the hands of employees, you will be able to make things right. But, this isn’t as easy as it sounds.

You cannot let employees decide everything or you cannot let the wrong person make an important decision. This has to be done with a lot of care so that your business continues to run well without any issues.

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#7 Outsource When You Can

Outsourcing is now more popular than ever. About 300,000 jobs in the country are outsourced annually and most are performed in countries with cheaper labor. In fact, about 70 percent of businesses choose to outsource due to cost advantages; however, it isn’t the only benefit.

While it is more common among large businesses, small companies are now also outsourcing. The IT department is one of the most commonly outsourced departments; however, there are several other options including marketing and Human Resource Management (HRM).

Consider outsourcing departments that are too difficult to manage. But, make sure to choose a company that is reliable as working with an unreliable or unprofessional outsourcing firm will only lead to more difficulties. For example, if you need a website redesign, the best way to outsource this is through a website rfp guide.

#8 Reduce Red Tape As Much as You Can

While red tape is a problem commonly associated with government organizations, many public companies also suffer from this problem. It is surprisingly common for organizations to introduce complex processes or a large number of forms for simple tasks that can be completed in a few minutes.

To make your business efficient, get rid of excessive paperwork and make things quick. This will not only improve your internal working but also leave a positive impact on your clients since most buyers do not like to wait for things. They will happily move to another provider if it means better service.

Technology has made things easier. You can use mobile apps or online tools to get more done in less time. Applications or forms, for example, can be filled, submitted, and verified online. This helps save time and other resources.

Many big and small companies even have mobile apps that can be used by both internal members and consumers to make processes more efficient. While it’s usually a big investment, it can help improve business efficiency.

#9 Give Breaks to Your Employees

Your business is only as efficient as your employees are. According to the web, most employees are overworked and unhappy, hence it doesn’t come as a surprise that efficiency rates are constantly decreasing.

Science has proven that taking breaks is healthy not only for humans but for machines as well. Taking a break for a few seconds to stretch, move around, and relax your eyes can rejuvenate both your brain and body.

Most people take smoking, lunch, and loo breaks. You should allow your employees to take a stroll but ensure that they complete all their work on time and these breaks do not impact work in a negative manner.

Employees shouldn’t go to each other to chatter as that may cause disturbance to others.

You could even formalize this by taking advantage of personal trainer services, giving employees a scheduled and structured way to get in some exercise during their breaks, without this being a distraction or a disruption. A healthier, happier workforce can be put together in many ways, and fitness is key here.

#10 Get an Invoicing Tool

A great way to increase efficiency is to get an invoicing software. Almost all kinds of businesses issue invoices and most now use computers to generate them; however, tools like Excel may not be the best option as they’re not only complicated to use but they also lack specific features.

Invoicing can be a lengthy process as it involves adding names, prices, calculating taxes, taking care of discounts, etc. Manually doing all this work can take a lot of time. Plus, there’s always a risk of mistakes.

By using an invoicing tool like Billdu, you can automate the process and take the burden off you. Billdu can import data, help you work offline, calculate amounts for you, and even send reminders to ensure you get paid on time and your cash flow does not suffer.

How to Improve Efficiency in Business

We hope these tips on how to improve efficiency in business will help you achieve your desired result. Remember that there’s a time lag and you may have to wait a while for results to show.

Do not give up and continue to follow these business efficiency tips so that you can make your company more efficient.

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