Which is better for freelancers and consultants in the UK? It depends on what you care about, so here are both answers and the arithmetic under them.
QuickBooks and Stripe takes two of the four lenses to QuickBooks and PayPal's one, and one is too close to call. They rate within a point of each other on every measure, so the choice comes down to cost and to how each one feels to work in.
| If you care most about | QuickBooks and PayPal | QuickBooks and Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Best all-rounderToo close to call, 2 apart (QuickBooks and Stripe is nominally ahead) | 78 | 80 |
| Best on a budgetQuickBooks and Stripe by 8 | 72 | 80 |
| Easiest to startQuickBooks and PayPal by 6 | 86 | 80 |
| Best as you growQuickBooks and Stripe by 5 | 78 | 83 |
QuickBooks and PayPal splits the work across QuickBooks Online and PayPal. QuickBooks and Stripe splits the work across QuickBooks Online and Stripe.
| Category | QuickBooks and PayPal | QuickBooks and Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | ||
| Accounting |  QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Online |
| Invoicing | ||
| Invoicing | QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Online |
| Taking payments | ||
| Taking payments |  PayPal |  Stripe |
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.
Familiar books and the payment button clients recognise. Little to set up on either side, and support you can phone.
The dearest way to get paid of the pairs here, and dearer still in the US and New Zealand.
Getting going this afternoon with tools your clients already use.
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.