Zoho Books vs Sage 50cloud Accounting

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Our analysts compared Zoho Books vs Sage 50cloud Accounting based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Accounting Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Zoho Books is a cloud-based accounting software offering streamlined bookkeeping tools for small businesses and freelancers. Its core functionality revolves around managing expenses, invoices, payments, and payroll. Users can track income and outgoings, generate financial reports, and collaborate with their accountant. Zoho Books caters best to solopreneurs and small teams seeking an affordable, user-friendly accounting solution. Its intuitive interface and mobile app make it accessible for individuals with limited accounting expertise. Key benefits include automatic data entry, bank reconciliation, and inventory management. Popular features encompass purchase orders, recurring invoices, and project profitability tracking. User reviews within the accounting context praise its ease of use, affordability, and helpful customer support. Zoho Books offers tiered pricing based on the number of users and required features. Plans range from a free version with basic functionality to more comprehensive options for growing businesses, making it a scalable solution as accounting needs evolve.

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Affordable pricing
  • Mobile app access
  • Good customer support
  • Solid basic features
Cons
  • Limited advanced features
  • Reporting customization
  • Inventory management depth
  • Integrations with third-party apps
  • Scalability for larger businesses
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Sage 50cloud Accounting is a cloud-based accounting software designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It helps manage essential financial tasks like bookkeeping, invoicing, payroll, and tax filing. Its user-friendly interface and range of features cater to businesses with varying accounting needs, from basic bookkeeping to complex financial management. Sage 50cloud boasts strong inventory management, allowing for real-time stock tracking and purchase order creation. Additionally, its reporting capabilities offer valuable insights into business performance, aiding in informed decision-making. Users appreciate its mobile accessibility and integration with popular third-party applications. Compared to similar products, Sage 50cloud shines in its ease of use and scalability. However, its pricing structure, which scales with business size and complexity, might be a consideration for startups or solopreneurs. Overall, Sage 50cloud is a well-rounded accounting solution ideal for SMBs seeking a user-friendly and scalable platform to manage their finances.

Pros
  • User-friendly interface
  • Strong inventory management
  • Comprehensive reporting
  • Mobile accessibility
  • Integration with third-party apps
Cons
  • Limited customization options
  • Potentially complex setup
  • Scalable pricing structure
  • Limited integrations
  • Occasional performance issues
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Product Assistance

Documentation
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Videos
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Email
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24/7 Live Support
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Product Insights

  • Efficient Invoicing: Personalize and send invoices to patrons and receive payments in various currencies with the invoicing tool. Users may add their company logo and fonts to reflect their company values and even establish invoice reminders for clients. 
  • Accurate Estimates: Add contact information, item details and prices saved within the platform with the estimation tool. Users may also send estimates and receive approvals from customers in real time. 
  • Communicate with Clients: Enable patrons to sign estimates with the client portal apparatus digitally. Consumers may also make bulk payments in one click, paying users fasters.  
  • Upkeep Expenses: Keep track of expenses such as office supplies and monthly employee allowances with the expense module. Manage, organize, and charge consumers with expenditures as needed and even attach bills, receipts and credit notes to the related transactions. 
  • Maintain Bills: Initiate recurring bills for expenses and purchases at normal intervals through the billing apparatus. Users may also attach landed costs to statements so they can properly cipher the full value of items. 
  • Perform Bank Reconciliations: Obtain accurate cash flow estimates and balance mismatches, replicated payments and past reconciliations with the banking dashboard on the bank reconciliation module. Utilize various bank rules to pinpoint and sort transactions automatically. 
  • Monitor Projects: Control several projects by creating new ones, adding new duties to each project and allocating responsibilities to particular workers with the project management function. Users may also grant certain permissions and restrictions to employees, such as the timesheet appliance to log time or employ the timer. 
  • Oversee Inventory: Arrange inventory according to its valuable information such as stock-keeping unit (SKU), product image, vendor details, cost and available stock with the inventory module. The inventory tracking feature allows users to stay in the loop of their inventory levels constantly. 
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  • Cost-Effective: A minimal monthly rental fee replaces upfront, installation and maintenance costs. It is cloud-based and doesn’t need dedicated personnel for support as there is a team of available experts hired by the cloud hosting providers.  
  • Easy Access: Clients and employees can work on a single system simultaneously, irrespective of location. Centralized access to data is helpful for companies that have multiple locations or employees working remotely. 
  • Automatic Backup:  Users get automatic data backups without any additional changes. Data is backed up into different paths, which ensures security and maximum data redundancy. If a disaster happens, users can rest assured that their financial data will be secure, without the requirement of any additional backup system.  
  • Paperless Processing: Creates a paperless work culture by eliminating any paperwork with a centralized database that takes care of all documentation needs.  
  • Round the Clock Support: Provides a dedicated support team that is available 24/7 
  • Boost Efficiency and Productivity: Users can view or edit their files and seamlessly perform other functions. Export data through Excel or PDF files without any loss of functionality or efficiency. Download required files or data from any place using any device.  
  • Less Downtime: Unlike traditional systems, users can access all data and files within a system with an internet connection, with reduced or no downtime. 
  • Easy Collaboration: Seamlessly share information with clients, even when they are working on the system. Eliminates the need to sync or copy files while simplifying collaboration with outsourced employees. 
  • Security: Security measures are the responsibility of the cloud hosting provider. They use data encryption technologies, third-party audits, backup power supplies and firewalls to ensure stringent security. Furthermore, since the data is saved in multiple servers and is regularly backed up, there is no risk of data loss.  
  • Free Trial: Experience a 30-day free trial without having to enter any credit card details or install the software. 
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  • Sales Order: Tailor sales orders with company logos, fonts and colors with the sales order idiosyncrasy. Users may transform approved estimates into sales orders and invoices in just a few clicks. Users may also pinpoint their best clients and merchandise with real-time reports from their transaction histories. 
  • Purchase Orders: Trace all items purchased and mutual prices set by vendors with the purchase order management appliance. Print, copy and share purchase orders through emails to work together with clients, partners, internal stakeholders and more to swiftly complete tasks. 
  • Online Payments: Pick the best payment portal —including Stripe, PayPal, Worldpay and more — to collect payments from customers promptly. Users may also enable recurring transactions to receive payments at weekly, monthly or yearly intervals automatically.  
  • Reporting: Evaluate total receivables, sales, top expenses and more KPIs with the reporting module's dashboard. Obtain reports like profit and loss, balance sheets, cash flow statements and more to dive into data and make wiser decisions. 
  • Automation: Deliver instant payment reminders, save client information for future automatic billing and recurring invoices and immediately send out transactions with Zoho Books' automation tools. 
  • Documents: Chronicle document details and shift them into invoices, expenses, bills, sales orders or purchase orders with the document management accessory. Users may match documents to bank feeds or previously-made transactions for proof of commerce for their archives.  
  • Mobile-Friendly: Deliver invoices, estimates and account statements to patrons and track miles traveled with the iOS app. The Android app enables users to take pictures of receipts and attach them to recorded expenses in addition to overseeing earned revenue and gathered fees. 
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  • Cash Flow and Invoicing: Provides a clear picture of finances where cash flow settings can be customized as per the business’s requirements.  
  • Payment and Banking: Automates accounts payable, purchase orders, invoices, payments, invoices, bank feeds and reconciliation. Automatic reconciliation eliminates manual data entry and simplifies payment acceptances.  
  • Advanced Inventory Management: Tracks cost and quantity and stays ahead of purchase orders by keeping everything in stock.  
  • Job Costing: Provides an estimate into how much time projects take and how much money is being made on each job.  
  • Payroll: Tracks employee tips, vacations and hours spent. It also makes payroll processing easy with direct deposit and pay cards.  
  • Reporting: Supports one-click reports for payables, sales tax, expenses, receivables, inventory, payroll and more. Design and customize reports to fit business requirements. 
  • Security Shield: Provides Security Shield for customers to ensure financial security through their partnership with Sontiq 
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Product Ranking

#7

among all
Accounting Software

#212

among all
Accounting Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

88
88
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95
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94
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Accounts Payable
Banking and Cash Management
Inventory Management
Platform Capabilities
Platform Security
Accounts Payable
General Ledger and Chart of Accounts
Journal Entries
Platform Security
Tax Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Zoho Books
Sage 50cloud Accounting
+ Add Product + Add Product
Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Banking And Cash Management Budget And Expense Management Financial Statements And Revenue Management General Ledger And Chart Of Accounts Integration And Extensibility Inventory Management Journal Entries Mobile Support Multi-company Accounting And Asset Management Platform Capabilities Project Accounting Reporting And Analytics Tax Management 100 95 100 90 90 75 82 100 85 80 60 100 92 92 96 100 92 94 86 98 100 88 99 100 51 73 84 60 86 100 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

33%
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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 546 reviews
we're gathering data
88%
of users recommend this product

Zoho Books has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 546 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

we're gathering data
5.0 (14)
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4.6 (60)
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4.4 (412)
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4.1 (60)
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Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Zoho Books and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Accounts Payable, Inventory Management and Platform Capabilities.

Accounts Payable Award
Inventory Management Award
Platform Capabilities Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Sage 50cloud Accounting and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Accounts Payable.

Accounts Payable Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Intuitive interface: Users consistently praise Zoho Books for its simple and easy-to-navigate interface, even for those without prior accounting experience.
Automation superpowers: Tasks like invoicing, payment reminders, bank reconciliation, and financial reporting become effortless with Zoho Books' automation features, saving users significant time and effort.
Seamless integrations: Zoho Books smoothly integrates with other Zoho apps, like CRM and Projects, as well as popular third-party tools, streamlining workflows and eliminating data silos.
Mobile accessibility: The user-friendly mobile app allows for on-the-go accounting, ensuring users can manage finances anytime, anywhere.
Value for money: Zoho Books is consistently praised for its affordable pricing plans, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes.
Customer service responsiveness: Users frequently highlight the prompt and helpful support provided by Zoho Books' customer service team.
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Ease of use: Intuitive interface and simple navigation for everyday accounting tasks.
Cloud-based: Access your data from anywhere with an internet connection, simplifying remote work and collaboration.
Mobile app: Manage your finances on the go with the Sage 50cloud mobile app.
Automation: Automate repetitive tasks like bank reconciliations and invoicing to save time and reduce errors.
Reporting and analytics: Gain insights into your business performance with customizable reports and dashboards.
Integrations: Connect Sage 50cloud with other business applications you use, like CRM and e-commerce platforms, for a streamlined workflow.
Scalability: Grows with your business, accommodating increasing data volumes and user needs.
Security: Robust security features to protect your financial data.
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Transaction limits: Users express frustration with the capped number of monthly transactions (5,000 on the highest plan), potentially hindering high-volume businesses.
Inventory management constraints: While Zoho Books offers inventory tracking, it lacks advanced features like sales analytics and in-depth item breakdowns, making it less suitable for businesses with complex inventory needs.
Coding requirements for automation: Unlocking the full potential of automation features often requires knowledge of coding (Deluge script), posing a challenge for non-technical users.
Occasional reporting issues: Some users report occasional glitches or inconsistencies in financial reports, necessitating careful review and potential manual adjustments.
Multiple subscriptions for multiple businesses: Managing multiple businesses requires separate subscriptions, which can become cost-prohibitive for users with several entities.
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Pricing: Can be expensive for small businesses compared to some competitors.
Limited features: May lack some advanced features needed by larger businesses.
Learning curve: Interface can be complex for new users, requiring training or investment in onboarding.
Integrations: Not all third-party applications integrate seamlessly, requiring workarounds or additional costs.
Performance: Some users report occasional lag or slowness, especially on older hardware or with large datasets.
Customer support: Mixed reviews on customer support responsiveness and helpfulness.
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Zoho Books lands a punch with its user-friendly interface and automation superpowers, even for accounting newbies. Invoicing, bank reconciliation, and reports become automatic allies, saving users precious time. Integration with the Zoho ecosystem and other popular tools keeps workflows in harmony. Plus, the mobile app lets you manage finances on the go, a big win for busy entrepreneurs. However, Zoho Books stumbles with transaction limits, potentially tripping up high-volume businesses. Inventory management feels like a lightweight sidekick compared to some competitors, lacking the muscle for complex needs. Unlocking automation's full potential requires coding know-how, leaving some users stranded. And while reports are generally reliable, occasional glitches necessitate a closer look. Managing multiple businesses under separate subscriptions can also add up cost-wise. So, how does Zoho Books stack up? Users often compare it to Quickbooks Online. Zoho shines with its intuitive interface and affordability, especially for solopreneurs and small teams. But Quickbooks packs a heavier punch in its inventory management and advanced reporting features, catering to larger businesses with complex needs. Zoho's seamless integrations and user-friendliness win hearts, while Quickbooks offers a more robust toolset for seasoned accountants. Ultimately, Zoho Books is a capable accounting sidekick for businesses starting their financial journey. Its ease of use, automation muscle, and affordable price tag make it a tempting choice. But for high-volume businesses or those with intricate inventory needs, other contenders might offer a more powerful punch.

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Sage 50cloud Accounting receives praise for its ease of use, cloud accessibility, and automation features. Users with typical accounting needs appreciate the intuitive interface and simple navigation, making it a breeze to handle everyday tasks like invoicing and bank reconciliations. The cloud-based nature allows for remote work and collaboration, a major plus in today's world. Automation takes repetitive tasks off their plate, saving time and minimizing errors. However, some users find the pricing to be on the steeper side compared to competitors like QuickBooks. While Sage 50cloud boasts strong core accounting functionalities, it may lack the advanced features needed by larger businesses, prompting them to consider alternatives like Xero or NetSuite. Additionally, the interface can feel complex for new users, requiring dedicated training or onboarding resources. Differentiating factors like robust security features and seamless integrations with CRM and e-commerce platforms appeal to businesses looking for a secure and streamlined workflow. Sage 50cloud's scalability further attracts users planning for future growth, as it can accommodate increasing data volumes and user needs. Overall, user reviews suggest Sage 50cloud shines for its user-friendliness, cloud accessibility, and automation tools. However, its pricing strategy and potential lack of advanced features might nudge some users towards competitors. Businesses that prioritize security, integrations, and scalability will find Sage 50cloud a compelling option, especially considering its potential to grow alongside their company's needs.

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