Best cloud accounting software?

[Young Recruit]

Hi all,

I'm currently trialing Quickbooks, mainly because they were top of google! Can anyone recommend any alternatives?

Thanks in advance.

 

[rob513]

i like clear books a lot. Its really easy to use!

 

[David Griffiths]

There is no "best." It's all down to personal preference and all that you will get with such a question is people voting for their favourite, in many cases not having tried more than one or two.

If you are more specific about your needs, then people can point out programs that will meet them, and more importantly programs that don't have a feature that you do need.

Xero, FreeAgent, KashFlow, Accounts Portal, Liberty, Sage One will probably all appear leaving you none the wiser. Personally I use Xero, and I did trial half a dozen others but those comparisons are not really valid after almost four years. Xero has moved on and no doubt so have all the others.

 

[Backrubber]

MyBookkeepingManager - very basic, very cheap, very easy-to-use. I've been using for years - it works for me, but that doesn't mean it's right for you.

 

[Young Recruit]

Thank you both.

I need to:

• Quickly create estimates for mostly new customers.
• Have the ability to add costs of goods, outsourced services and markup per individual estimate but have the actual cost of these costs/markup hidden or different from what the customer sees.
• Have the ability to track and account for the above so as to automatically maintain balance and PL statements.

We do not keep inventory and we employ outside help on an adhoc basis.

The Quick books trial seems to make it difficult to add one off purchases to the estimates.

Thanks in advance.
JA

 

[Tin]

We tried shed loads of software for accounting (we're not accountants) and after a few years of disappointment we tried KashFlow, my opinion... it's streets above anything else out there, is a UK product designed and developed in the UK and is (in my opinion) the easiest accounting software (cloud based) to get to grips with. Type into Google 'accounting software' and you should see them at number 1 in the natural results.

 

[Young Recruit]

Thanks for that Tin,

kashflow looks pretty good, love their marketing communication too!
The only thing that puts me off is the 'no accounting speak' mantra, I would actually prefer if they stuck to accounting terms. I've signed up for a free trial and can't wait to see what they are all about.

JA

 

[Tin]

You're welcome

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Hi all,

I'm currently trialing Quickbooks, mainly because they were top of google! Can anyone recommend any alternatives?

Thanks in advance.

Accounts Portal.

I think it's a super package which certainly works very well for a large number of my firms clients.

Its very reliable, works well, has excellent levels of support (although its VERY rarely needed) many features and is very competitively priced.

It very much depends on your requirements but I'd certainly recommend taking up a free trial.

 

[Young Recruit]

Accounts Portal.

I think it's a super package which certainly works very well for a large number of my firms clients.

Its very reliable, works well, has excellent levels of support (although its VERY rarely needed) many features and is very competitively priced.

It very much depends on your requirements but I'd certainly recommend taking up a free trial.

Will do... thanks.
Quickbooks is actually got a nicer interface than Kashflow, but im trying to figure out a way to log cost of sales for each job without showing it to customers, but be able to show customers a different itemised amount for individual costs of sales for each job.

 

[GlennDrake]

Take a look a QuickFile.co.uk. It will cover all your requirements, very easy to use and it's absolutely free.

Disclosure: I am one of the founders.

 

[broadex]

im using quickfile as well and it seems to work well.

 

[paulrenda]

How can QuickFile be completely free? What is the catch? I'm always weary of things that seem to be free, but than there are hidden costs.

 

[GlennDrake]

The core software is free, without limitations or time restrictions. QuickFile also offer a number of consultancy based services to help people with their year-end accounts and tax returns. These services are chargeable but entirely optional.

We also use a centralised support system at community.quickfile.co.uk where users can discuss any aspect of the software. Being free it's not possible for us to give one-to-one support over email or phone, but we do fully support users on the forum with the idea that the open exchange is beneficial to everyone.

 

[Bane]

I'm a chartered accountant by profession (although my business isn't an accounting firm) so I was quite keen to explore this area and find something good

And, to be fair, I am really pleased with Quick File. I've not searched extensively so I cannot say it's the best out there. But for me, for a free package, it ticks all the boxes I was looking for. I'd suggest at the very least checking it out.

 

[Young Recruit]

How can QuickFile be completely free? What is the catch? I'm always weary of things that seem to be free, but than there are hidden costs.

This type of software can provide a goldmine of information and insight. The hidden costs could be your privacy. I need to look into whether the data from the software usage is usable by the provider.

 

[GlennDrake]

QuickFile never pass on information to any third-party, unless this is required in order to setup some type of integration (e.g. PayPal, GoCardless, Stripe etc) and only with your explicit consent.

On the Quick File homepage there is a link in the footer "Keeping your data secure". Here you will find a link to the privacy policy which covers this subject in more detail.

 

[garyk]

Accounts Portal.

I think it's a super package which certainly works very well for a large number of my firms clients.

Its very reliable, works well, has excellent levels of support (although its VERY rarely needed) many features and is very competitively priced.

It very much depends on your requirements but I'd certainly recommend taking up a free trial.

Another vote for accounts portal, been using it for 3 years and it used to be flash based so no good on mobile devices but now it's been re-engineered to use standard HTML so works on any device.

Has a great feature set for the price.

Gary

 

[Lentinus]

Another vote for Quickfile. As I have said before don't let the fact that it is free put you off!

 

[paulrenda]

I'm convinced. I've now set up my QuickFile!

 

[Young Recruit]

QuickFile never pass on information to any third-party, unless this is required in order to setup some type of integration (e.g. PayPal, GoCardless, Stripe etc) and only with your explicit consent.

On the Quick File homepage there is a link in the footer "Keeping your data secure". Here you will find a link to the privacy policy which covers this subject in more detail.

So you must sell advertising space on the site?

 

[Alan]

So you must sell advertising space on the site?

Why don't you try it and see?

I don't think it does from what I recall (I evaluated QuickFile when deciding to move from spreadsheets to an 'accounting system', in the end I went for KashFlow).

What I THINK the QuickFile business model is a 'lead gen' for additional account services. i.e. once you have spent all that time getting your data straight on QuickFile and then you decide that you need a real accountant to make sure you are not over paying tax man of breaking his rules, then an obvious choice of accountant would seem to be a 'QuickFile' accountant.

 

[GlennDrake]

@llocally is correct, our business model is built on lead-generation. We deliver these add-on services internally at the moment but are looking towards opening this up for other accountants and bookkeepers to promote their own consultancy based services. We want to make QuickFile more of a marketplace to connect business owners with the accounting profession.

 

[Young Recruit]

Hi I actually ended up using quickbooks online, but still have not worked out how to do loads of things but I like the dashboard and the email invoices!

 

[Nathan Hill-Haimes]

Xero and Quickbooks are good, I found the online version of Sage not as good.

 

[ADAS_CAL]

Just set up my own Quick File account. Tried Quickbooks but found it a pain to navigate.

I'm just about to start trading and Quick File looks to do everything I need.
Fingers crossed it stays up and even better if it stays free.

 

[NDT Level 3]

Take a look a QuickFile.co.uk. It will cover all your requirements, very easy to use and it's absolutely free.

Disclosure: I am one of the founders.

Thanks for the heads up. Have just signed up to quickfile.

 

[RedKamo]

Hello,

Ive tried bookkeeperapp.net bookkeeper and they were the best pick for us, cheap, simple and can be used for different devices (phone use was important for us). But nothing to convert into UK tax forms and legal documents if thats what people are after.

 

[NDT Level 3]

After spending a few hours setting my my QuickFile and having a play around with it. I would highly recommend it!

It's very easy to use and seems to be professionally put together. It's a joy to use and I can see this saving me hours of work over the course of a year. Emailing your receipts in is a great idea too and works really well. 10/10