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Best Accounting Software For Mac (2024)
Reviewed
|Small Business WriterUpdated: Sep 10, 2024, 1:57pm
There are several reasons your small business may choose Mac devices over PCs. Macs are easy to set up and manage, even if you don’t have an information technology (IT) department. Plus, they offer a long battery life and operate at lightning-fast speed. Macs also work seamlessly with various business programs, including accounting software. If you’re on the lookout for the best accounting software for Mac, you should find a number of reliable options in this list.
Featured Partners
1
Xero
75% off for 6 months
Yes
30 days
2
Sage Intacct
Yes
Yes
Yes
The Best Accounting Software for Mac in 2024
- MarginEdge: Best for restaurants
- Zoho Books: Best for a robust mobile app
- FreshBooks: Best for freelancers and solopreneurs
- Xero: Best for multiple users
- QuickBooks: Best overall
- NetSuite: Best for scaling
- Sage: Best for businesses with international customers
- Neat: Best for organizing receipts and expenses
- Kashoo: Best for easy setup
- Wave Accounting: Best for free accounting software
Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Small Business
The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to bringing you unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content and guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.
We reviewed 13 accounting software services using a detailed methodology to help you find the ten best accounting software for Mac devices. Our ratings looked at 20 factors related to customer reviews, features, pricing and a final review by the Forbes Advisor team. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial staff.
Best for Restaurants
MarginEdge
$330 per month
(billed annually)
30 days
MarginEdge is a cloud-based accounting software that’s specifically designed for restaurants. Thanks to its daily food cost calculation feature, you can control costs and maximize profits. The software also lets you upload vendor invoices and get them paid from any iOS mobile device.
We can’t forget the full recipe management system to help you organize your recipes and ingredients. It’s a great way to buckle down on food waste and save.
Learn More: Read our full MarginEdge review.
Who should use it: If you’re an established restaurant looking for an easy way to manage your costs, MarginEdge can be a good fit.
- Easy to use
- Full restaurant management software
- Daily food cost calculations
- Food waste reports to help optimize ordering and portions
- Far more expensive than competitors
- Only one plan
- Can’t use previous data
Best for a Robust iPhone App
Zoho Books
Free; $15 per month
(billed annually)
14 days
Zoho Books is a cloud accounting software, complete with an invoice, inventory and project management system. It features a handy dashboard to give you an accurate picture of your highest expenses, total receivables, payables and sales.
There’s also a Zoho Books app you can download on any Mac device to take care of your accounting needs while you’re away from your desk. In addition to quick business insights, the app makes it easy to generate and send invoices and record expenses.
Learn More: Read our full Zoho Books review.
Who should use it: Zoho Books should be on your radar if you’re often on the go and looking for software with an intuitive mobile app for iOS.
- Free plan available
- Convenient mobile app for iOS
- Excellent support
- Many other free and affordably-priced tools for businesses
- Maximum of 15 users
- Advanced features require a paid plan
- Limited integration capabilities
Best for Freelancers and Solopreneurs
FreshBooks
Starting price
$19 per month
(up to five billable clients; available for 70% off for the first three months during the current promotion)
Free trial
30 days
$19 per month
(up to five billable clients; available for 70% off for the first three months during the current promotion)
30 days
FreshBooks can come in handy if you’re a freelancer or solopreneur looking for simple software that’s compatible with Macs. You can use it to quickly send invoices and accept payments via credit and debit cards, ACH transfers, Stripe and PayPal. The Lite plan will let you send unlimited invoices for up to five clients.
You’ll have to invest in a higher-level plan, such as the Plus or Premium, if you have more clients. Since FreshBooks charges $10 per month for additional users, it’s ideal if you’re doing business on your own.
Learn More: Read our full FreshBooks review.
Who should use it: FreshBooks is a solid choice if you work independently and have a smaller client base.
- Affordable plans start at $19 per month (70 percent off for the first three months)
- Very intuitive, making it a good choice for accounting beginners
- Easy invoicing
- Long 30-day free trial
- Not for larger businesses
- Costs extra to add more users
- Less customization than alternatives
Best for Multiple Users
Xero
Starting price
$15 per month
(95% off for the first three months during the current promotion)
Free trial
30 days
$15 per month
(95% off for the first three months during the current promotion)
30 days
While many Mac-friendly accounting programs charge you extra to add additional users, Xero does not. That’s why it’s worth considering if you’re a small to midsize business with greater accounting needs. No matter which plan you choose, you’ll be able to add as many users as you’d like without paying extra.
You may also set permission levels for each user and keep tabs on what they’re doing through a log. In addition, Xero offers a standard, Mac-compatible inventory management app plus customizable reports and dashboards.
Learn More: Read our full Xero review.
Who should use it: If you’re a small to medium-sized business with plans to scale, Xero can allow you to expand your accounting team and capabilities without overpaying.
- Competitive pricing
- Unlimited users with all plans
- Basic inventory management
- Ability to set varying permissions for users
- Basic plan limits invoices and bills
- No live support
- Requires a learning curve
Best Overall
QuickBooks
Starting price
$35 per month
(50% off for the first three months during the current promotion)
Free trial
30 days
$35 per month
(50% off for the first three months during the current promotion)
30 days
QuickBooks is a comprehensive accounting software that can help you with all your accounting, invoicing and expense-tracking needs. It also offers a payroll feature you can use to run payroll and benefits.
In addition, there’s a mobile app you may download on your Mac device, making it easy to complete various accounting tasks on the go. Since there are four plan options, you can choose the one that works best for your unique budget and business initiatives.
Learn More: Read our full QuickBooks for Mac review.
Who should use it: QuickBooks makes sense if you’d like customizable accounting software with all the bells and whistles as well as a mobile app.
- Easy to implement
- Tons of advanced features
- Intuitive mobile app
- Free 30-day trial
- Plans are fairly expensive compared to leading alternatives
- Limited support
NetSuite is a software-as-a-service product with five core offerings including accounting, inventory management, order management and tax management. But you can always add on Mac-compatible modules as you grow your small business and your needs change.
Several of the many modules you can choose from are payroll, HR, performance management, SuiteCommerce, demand planning, manufacturing, fixed assets management and contract renewals. Plus there are built-in reporting capabilities that make it easy to share your current status and progress with others.
Learn More: Read our full NetSuite review.
Who should use it: Since NetSuite operates on a software-as-a-service model and offers plenty of modules, it can help you scale your business with ease.
- Customizable, scalable features
- Easy integration
- All-in-one solution with performance and HR management
- Includes inventory management
- Requires a learning curve
- Lacks transparent pricing
- Limited basic support
Best for Businesses with International Customers
Sage
$58.92 per month
30 days
Sage’s multicurrency support can help you meet the needs of your international customers. It lets you create invoices and manage payments between multiple banks and currencies all in one spot. You can also view transactions in the countries you operate in, understand how currency exchange impacts your cash flow and reconcile foreign transactions.
Plus, Sage offers a handy mobile app you can use to manage your accounting and invoicing while you’re traveling. It works well on any iOS device.
Learn More: Read our full Sage review.
Who should use it: If you have customers in different countries, Sage can simplify your accounting needs.
- Multicurrency support
- Automatic bank reconciliation
- Integrations with third-party apps
- iPhone app
- Limited customization options
- Outdated interface
- No time tracking
Neat Accounting features NeatFiles, which lets you upload and match receipts through a Mac-compatible mobile app. You’ll be able to stay organized right off the bat and understand exactly where your money is going as the software makes it easy to categorize each receipt.
There’s also NeatInvoices designed to help you send customizable invoices. Once your clients receive them, they can pay via credit or debit cards or WePay bank transfers.
Learn More: Read our full Neat review.
Who should use it: If you have a lot of expenses and receipts to manage, Neat Accounting can be a real lifesaver.
- Easy receipt and expense matching
- Customizable invoices
- Guided workflows
- Real-time reporting
- More expensive than alternatives
- No CRM integration
- Lack of time-tracking and payroll features
You can use Kashoo on your Mac right away as the setup process will take no more than a few minutes. The software instantly learns your vendors, sorts your expenses and generates a contact list so you don’t have to manually import a lot of data.
While it’s fairly simple accounting software, it’s fully encrypted and allows for unlimited users without charging you extra. In addition, there’s a mobile app you can download on your iOS device to create invoices, track sales, process payments and view receipts from just about anywhere.
Learn More: Read our full Kashoo review.
Who should use it: Kashoo can be a smart option if you’d like basic accounting software with an easy, fast setup process.
- Very user-friendly and easy to set up
- Unlimited users
- Customizable chart of accounts
- iPhone app available
- Lacks document management
- Limited integrations
- No advanced features
Best for Free Accounting Software
Wave Accounting
Free; $20 per month for payroll
Not available
Thanks to Wave Accounting, you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for basic accounting software. Not only does Wave work well with Mac devices, but it also lets you manage your accounting, bookkeeping and invoicing in one place, without paying a penny.
You may download the Wave invoicing app on your iPhone or iPad and track, edit, send and pay invoices while you’re out and about. Its dashboard makes it a breeze to access and keep track of your purchases, accounting, banking, payroll and reports.
Learn More: Read our full Wave Accounting review.
Who should use it: If you’re a startup or newer business in search of a free way to manage your finances, Wave Accounting can be a solid choice.
- Free accounting software
- Easy to use
- Unlimited expenses, invoices and receipts
- Modern, user-friendly interface
- Minimal customer support
- Basic features
- Not for larger, more established businesses
Forbes Advisor Ratings
Company | Forbes Advisor Rating | Best For | Starting price | Free trial | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.5 | Best for Restaurants | $330 per month | 30 days | Read Forbes’ Review | |
4.5 | Best for a Robust iPhone App | Free; $15 per month (billed annually) | 14 days | On Zoho’s Website | |
4.4 | Best for Freelancers and Solopreneurs | $19 per month (up to five billable clients; available for 70% off for the first three months during the current promotion) | 30 days | On FreshBooks’ Website | |
4.4 | Best for Multiple Users | $15 per month (95% off for the first three months during the current promotion) | 30 days | On Xero’s Website | |
4.3 | Best Overall | $35 per month (50% off for the first three months during the current promotion) | 30 days | On QuickBooks’ Website | |
4.1 | Best for Scaling | Contact for a quote | None | Read Forbes’ Review | |
4.0 | Best for Businesses with International Customers | $58.92 per month | 30 days | On Sage’s Website | |
3.8 | Best for Organizing Receipts and Expenses | $200 per year | 14 days | Read Forbes’ Review | |
3.5 | Best for Easy Setup | $18 per month | 14 days | Read Forbes’ Review | |
3.3 | Best for Free Accounting Software | Free; $20 per month for payroll | Not available | Read Forbes’ Review |
Methodology
Our staff researched the top Mac-friendly accounting software and compiled 20 data points to home in on our top 10 picks. The data was sorted into five categories including pricing, key features, additional features, user reviews and a deep dive by our experts.
Here are the categories Forbes Advisor used to rank the providers that made the top of the list.
Pricing
With pricing, the starting price of a Mac-friendly accounting software program was the most important factor we looked at. Initial pricing that we considered to be cheap or moderate fared better in our rankings than those we considered to be expensive compared to competitors. From there, we looked at the pricing range between the different plan tiers a provider offered. In addition, we also considered whether a software provider offered a free trial or free version. Pricing accounted for 5% of our weighted scoring.
Features
While our reviews mention a variety of features attractive to small businesses, we focused on specific ones that we considered essential for small businesses to have access to, such as offering double-entry bookkeeping, time tracking and payroll services, access to a customer portal and providing a mobile app for users. Then, we looked at optional or unique features that we thought accountants and bookkeepers might find useful if included as part of any software plan or included as an add-on. The additional features included multicurrency support, document management, invoicing, bill payment and some form of training. Both levels of features combine for 55% of our total score.
Third-party Reviews
Taking a look at popular third-party review websites, we researched reviews from real users to gauge their opinion of each software provider. These sites included Trustpilot, G2 and Capterra and we based our ratings by looking at the number of highly rated reviews―those that were 3.5 or higher of 5―each provider received. These accounted for 5% of the total score.
Expert Analysis
Taking all of the above categories into consideration, our experts then considered additional criteria using customer reviews around factors that included value for the money, ease of use, stand-out features and popularity. This final category made up 35% of the total score.
Learn how we rate and review accounting software.
Featured Partners
1
Xero
75% off for 6 months
Yes
30 days
2
Sage Intacct
Yes
Yes
Yes
How To Choose an Accounting Software for Mac
To find the ideal Mac-compatible accounting software, consider the features that are most important to your business. The product you choose should include all of them at a price you can afford.
If you have plans to grow your business in the near future, it should also allow you to scale comfortably. If you’re a startup or newer venture, free or inexpensive accounting software is likely your best bet. However, if you’re a established business with more complex needs, it may be worthwhile to spend a bit more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does accounting software for Mac cost?
Pricing for Mac accounting software varies greatly. While some software offer free plans, others can run you anywhere from $10 to $30 per month. Highly specialized accounting software, such as MarginEdge, may be even more expensive and cost hundreds per month.
Does accounting software work on iOS devices?
Fortunately, many accounting software offer apps you can download on iPhone or iPad devices. This is great news if you appreciate the convenience of being able to manage your invoicing and accounting functions on the go.
Will I be able to use accounting software on PCs and Macs?
If you use both PCs and Macs in your business, rest assured that most software programs were designed to work well on both operating systems. In most cases, you won’t have to invest in two different software.
Is accounting software secure?
Today’s leading accounting platforms offer standard security features like data encryption, secure credential tokenization and more. While human error will always play some role in security breaches, you can be confident in your accounting platform when it comes to keeping your information safe.
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Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
Anna Baluch is a freelance writer from Cleveland, Ohio. She enjoys writing about a variety of health and personal finance topics. When she's away from her laptop, she can be found working out, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her family. Connect to her on LinkedIn.