Accounting
Best Accounting Software for Contractors & Trades (2026)
Your accounting software is where your books live — and what your field-service tool syncs to. We compare the options trades actually use, organized by how much accounting you really need. Real pricing, honest trade-offs, affiliate-transparent.
The headline filter: how much accounting do you need?
Full double-entry accounting (QuickBooks Online, Xero) is the standard once you have employees, inventory, or an accountant — and it's what nearly every FSM integrates with. Invoicing-first (FreshBooks) is ideal for solo and small service businesses that prioritize billing over deep books. Free (Wave) fits brand-new or very small operations watching every dollar. The biggest practical factor for trades: QuickBooks has the deepest field-service integration, so check what your scheduling tool syncs to before you choose.
Complete accounting — bank reconciliation, A/R and A/P, reporting — that scales with the business. The standard once you have employees, inventory, or an accountant. Every major FSM integrates with these.
QuickBooks Online
The default small-business accounting platform — and what your FSM syncs to
From $20/mo
- G2 / Capterra
- — / 4.4
- Founded
- 1983
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Best team size
- 1-500
Best for: Most trades businesses that want the safe default — universal FSM integration, accountant familiarity, and room to scale — and can absorb Intuit's pricing
Xero
Full-featured accounting with unlimited users and predictable pricing
From $25/mo
- G2 / Capterra
- 4.3 / 4.5
- Founded
- 2006
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Best team size
- 1-500
Best for: Growing trades businesses that want full accounting with unlimited users, predictable pricing, and a cleaner interface than QuickBooks — and whose FSM integrates well with Xero
Built around invoicing, time tracking, and getting paid, with lighter bookkeeping. Great for solo and small service businesses that prioritize billing over deep accounting.
FreshBooks
Invoicing-first accounting for solo and small service businesses
From $21/mo
- G2 / Capterra
- 4.5 / 4.5
- Founded
- 2003
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Best team size
- 1-15
Best for: Solo and small service contractors (handymen, cleaners, painters, small crews) who prioritize easy professional invoicing and getting paid over deep double-entry accounting
Core accounting and invoicing at no monthly cost, monetized through payments and payroll add-ons. Best for very small or new businesses watching every dollar.
Wave
Free accounting and invoicing for very small and new businesses
Free
- G2 / Capterra
- 4.4 / 4.4
- Founded
- 2009
- Free trial
- Free plan
- Best team size
- 1-5
Best for: Brand-new, solo, or very small trades businesses that want free, simple accounting and unlimited invoicing while watching every dollar
Where to start
Most trades shops default to QuickBooks Online because their FSM and accountant both speak it. Want unlimited users and cleaner pricing? Xero. Solo operator who mainly needs great invoicing? FreshBooks. Brand-new and watching every dollar? Wave (free). Before deciding, confirm what your field-service software actually syncs to — that integration matters more than a few dollars of monthly price.