Which is better for freelancers and consultants? It depends on what you care about, so here are both answers and the arithmetic under them.
QuickBooks and Stripe and Zoho Books and PayPal each take one of the four lenses, and two are too close to call. The difference that decides it is Works with the rest to QuickBooks and Stripe.
| If you care most about | QuickBooks and Stripe | Zoho Books and PayPal |
|---|---|---|
| Best all-rounderToo close to call, 1 apart (QuickBooks and Stripe is nominally ahead) | 74 | 73 |
| Best on a budgetToo close to call, 2 apart (Zoho Books and PayPal is nominally ahead) | 71 | 73 |
| Easiest to startZoho Books and PayPal by 3 | 77 | 80 |
| Best as you growQuickBooks and Stripe by 3 | 79 | 76 |
QuickBooks and Stripe splits the work across QuickBooks Online and Stripe. Zoho Books and PayPal splits the work across Zoho Books and PayPal.
| Category | QuickBooks and Stripe | Zoho Books and PayPal |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | ||
| Accounting |  QuickBooks Online |  Zoho Books |
| Invoicing | ||
| Invoicing | QuickBooks Online | Zoho Books |
| Taking payments | ||
| Taking payments |  Stripe |  PayPal |
Greyed-out rows use the same tool on both sides. A category is one job a stack has to do; a tool is one product you sign up for.
The price to actually launch, the catches that come with it, and what you give up by picking one over the other.
The books most accountants know, with low card fees. QuickBooks handles the accounts and invoices; Stripe takes the payments.
Anyone whose accountant asked for QuickBooks.
Free books and a payment method every client knows. The lowest fixed cost of any stack here, with the fees paid only when you get paid.
PayPal takes the biggest cut of the payment tools, especially in the US and New Zealand.
A new freelancer who wants no monthly bill at all to begin with.