A Practical Software Directory for Solo Builders
Keeping clear records of business income and spending
Bookkeeping and accounting tools help you organise financial records and understand the money moving through your business.
Record transactions, organise receipts, match payments with bank records and prepare financial reports. Some focus on automating routine bookkeeping, while others also handle invoicing, bills and wider accounting tasks. Check that a service supports your country, business structure and bank, along with any sales platforms you use. If you work with an accountant, consider which systems they can access.
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FreeAgent brings bookkeeping, invoicing, expenses and financial reports together for UK freelancers and small businesses. Connect supported bank accounts, explain incoming and outgoing transactions, and keep receipts alongside your records. Project and time-tracking features can help connect client work with billing, while accountant access lets you share the same information. A 30-day free trial is available. Continued use normally requires a subscription, but qualifying NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank and Mettle business accounts provide free access while their conditions are met. Optional add-ons, including higher receipt-capture allowances, can cost extra.
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Kick is bookkeeping software for US-based businesses, using automation to categorise transactions, match receipts and organise financial records. Connect supported financial accounts, review suggested categories and create rules for recurring transactions. Reports include profit and loss statements, balance sheets and spending breakdowns that you can share with an accountant. A limited free plan covers one business entity, with a cap on transaction categorisation. Paid plans increase allowances and add accounting features, with billing commitments varying by plan. Kick currently supports US-based businesses only, so it is not an option for businesses registered elsewhere.
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Link My Books connects online selling platforms, including Amazon, Shopify, eBay and Etsy, with Xero or QuickBooks Online. It breaks payouts into sales, refunds, fees and taxes, then creates summary entries that help match those figures with bank deposits. This can reduce repeated data entry when selling through several channels. Account mapping and tax settings are configured during setup. It works alongside your accounting software, whose subscription is separate. Link My Books uses paid plans based on order volume and connected sales channels. A 14-day free trial requires no card details.
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Xero is online accounting software for managing business income, spending, invoices and bills. Connect supported bank feeds, match transactions with your records and capture receipts to keep supporting information together. Reports help you review financial performance, while accountant access allows you to work from the same records. Its app integrations can connect accounting with online shops and other business services. Xero uses paid subscriptions, with invoice and bill allowances, forecasting and other features varying by UK plan. Check the included allowances for payroll, expenses, projects and multiple currencies, along with any charges for connected services.
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Zoho Books combines transaction records, invoicing, expenses and financial reports in an online accounting system. Create quotes and invoices, record spending, reconcile transactions and give your accountant access to your books. Its UK free plan includes one user and an accountant, with up to 1,000 invoices annually. Automatic bank feeds require a paid plan, while higher subscriptions add capabilities such as multiple currencies, inventory and more detailed automation. A 14-day trial lets you explore paid features before choosing a plan. Features, allowances and prices differ between country editions, so select the version appropriate to your business.
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