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.
Zoho Books and Stripe takes three of the four lenses to QuickBooks and PayPal's one. The difference that decides it is Price to start to Zoho Books and Stripe.
| If you care most about | QuickBooks and PayPal | Zoho Books and Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Best all-rounderZoho Books and Stripe by 3 | 78 | 81 |
| Best on a budgetZoho Books and Stripe by 19 | 72 | 91 |
| Easiest to startQuickBooks and PayPal by 9 | 86 | 77 |
| Best as you growZoho Books and Stripe by 6 | 78 | 84 |
QuickBooks and PayPal splits the work across QuickBooks Online and PayPal. Zoho Books and Stripe splits the work across Zoho Books and Stripe.
| Category | QuickBooks and PayPal | Zoho Books and Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | ||
| Accounting |  QuickBooks Online |  Zoho Books |
| Invoicing | ||
| Invoicing | QuickBooks Online | Zoho Books |
| 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 cheapest way to run proper books: Zoho Books is free until your revenue passes about US$50,000, and Stripe charges only per payment.
Fewer connections to other tools than Xero or QuickBooks.
Starting out, or a side business that has to cost almost nothing.