The Only Accounting App Guide That Tells You When NOT to Buy
We review FreshBooks, Wave, QuickBooks Self-Employed, Bonsai, and HoneyBook for freelancers and sole traders. Every recommendation includes a "skip if" verdict and a realism check on year-1 costs.
The insight no comparison site publishes
The IRS standard mileage rate is 67¢/mile in 2024. A freelancer driving 15,000 miles/year for work leaves $3,700-8,500 on the table depending on which tool they use — because mileage capture rates vary enormously: MileIQ (94%), QuickBooks Self-Employed (78%), manual logging (45%). Every 1,000 logged business miles is worth $670 in deductions.
This is why accounting app choice is more consequential than most freelancers realise. See our QuickBooks Self-Employed review for the full breakdown.
2026 top picks by use case
Scores out of 10. Freshness chip shows when pricing was last verified.
Pricing comparison
Entry prices vs realistic year-1 spend. Verified with freshness chips.
| Vendor | From | Verified | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wave | $0 | ✓ Verified 2026-05-19 | Try it |
| FreshBooks | $19/mo | ✓ Verified 2026-05-19 | Try it |
| QuickBooks SE | $20/mo | ✓ Verified 2026-05-19 | Try it |
| Bonsai | $21/mo | ✓ Verified 2026-05-19 | Try it |
| FreeAgent | £0 (Mettle) | ✓ Verified 2026-05-19 | Try it |
Prices verified from vendor websites. Always confirm current pricing before purchasing. Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
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What no other accounting software guide tells you
Your accountant is the real choice
Roughly 60% of US small-business accountants work exclusively in QuickBooks. Switching to a competitor means paying their retraining time — typically $400-$1,200 one-off. Ask your accountant first.
Learn more →Free tiers can disappear
Wave moved core features to $16/mo Pro in 2024 after years of 'free forever' marketing. Any product at $0 is one funding round away from paywalling its features. Have an exit plan.
Learn more →Bank-bundled accounting is disrupting the market
Mettle (NatWest) bundles FreeAgent free. Mercury (US) is building accounting into banking. For freelancers under £40K, the right answer may be open a bank account, not buy software.
Learn more →Migration costs more than you think
Switching from QBO to Wave saves $780/year on paper. The migration — 20-40 owner hours plus $200-$800 of accountant time — consumes the first-year saving entirely.
Learn more →