Best accounting software for solopreneurs
QuickBooks Solopreneur, Wave, FreshBooks and Xero compared for one-person businesses: invoicing, receipts, mileage, Schedule C readiness and price.
Solo accounting software should do four things: pull in bank transactions, sort business from personal spending, send invoices, and give you a clean profit and loss for Schedule C.
| Software | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Solopreneur | US sole proprietors filing Schedule C | Free plan with limits; Lite $10/mo and Simple Start $19/mo listed on Intuit's solopreneur page (checked 21 Oct 2026) |
| Wave | Free invoicing and basic bookkeeping | Free core accounting; paid add-ons |
| FreshBooks | Service businesses that invoice a lot | Strong invoicing and time tracking |
| Xero | Growing businesses that work with an accountant | Full double-entry accounting |
QuickBooks Solopreneur: best for US sole proprietors
Built for single-owner businesses: transaction sorting, receipt capture, mileage tracking and Schedule C-ready reports.
- Price: Free plan; Lite $10/mo; Simple Start $19/mo (Intuit, checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Watch out: The free plan limits invoices (2 a month), receipts and mileage trips.
Wave: best for spending nothing
Free invoicing and accounting for small businesses.
- Price: See current pricing
- Watch out: Payments and some features cost extra.
FreshBooks: best for invoice-heavy service work
Invoicing, time tracking and proposals in one place.
- Price: See current pricing
- Watch out: Client limits by plan.
QuickBooks comparisons: Self-Employed vs Solopreneur · Solopreneur vs Simple Start.
Based on vendor documentation and public pricing (checked 21 Oct 2026), not hands-on testing. See how we research tools. Prices change: confirm on the vendor's site.
Update history
- : first published; figures checked against the sources listed.