Accounting Software for small businesses

The Best Small Business Software Considerations: Work Simply, Manage Efficiently

Are you looking for the best small business software? Look no further! This guide details some of the top-rated software options available for various tasks and how they can help you work more efficiently. From email management to time tracking, these programs are perfect for small businesses.

Best Bookkeeping and Accounting Software Options

Protea Financial Small Business Accounting and Bookkeeping Software

QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based accounting software developed by Intuit. It offers invoicing, tracking sales and expenses, managing bills and payments, and preparing tax returns. QuickBooks Online allows users to connect with their bank accounts to import transactions automatically.

QuickBooks Online offers four pricing plans: Simple Start ($25/month), Essentials ($40/month), Plus ($70/month), and Advanced ($150/month). The Simple Start plan is best suited for businesses with basic accounting needs, while the Essentials and Plus plans are designed for companies with more complex accounting needs. The Advanced plan is best suited for businesses that need advanced features such as inventory management and time tracking.

QuickBooks Enterprise

Beyond QuickBooks Online, there is also QuickBooks Enterprise. This sector of QuickBooks is aimed at providing the resources big enterprises need. The features are more robust and there is more support offered for this upgrade because the way it works and the reports it offers are geared specifically to the industry the business is in. However, it is primarily on desktop which can be a problem for some businesses.

Xero

Xero is an online accounting software that allows you to manage your business finances and bookkeeping in an easy-to-use platform. It’s free to use so there’s no risk associated with signing up, and it comes with a number of useful features such as recurring invoicing, multi-currency capability, and more. In addition to being easy to use, Xero also offers a wide range of other benefits such as reporting tools and reports, multiple currency support, and much more. Xero is ideal for small businesses that need an accounting solution without the hassle of having to deal with complicated software.

NetSuite

NetSuite, a product from Oracle, is more than just bookkeeping and accounting software. It goes so far as to be a step above the others on this list in that it is an ERP, or enterprise resource planning system. It tracks finances, human hours, provides reporting, payroll, and more for nearly any industry. It is also a great option for anyone from a solopreneur to a massive enterprise, and any size business in between. It is one of the more expensive options, but it comes with so many ways of customizing what it provides that many companies find the software worth the investment.

Best Time Tracking Software Options

Protea Financial Small Business Time Tracking Software

QuickBooks Time

One of the easiest time-tracking software options most businesses have is QuickBooks Time. Many know the software by its old name of TSheets. QuickBooks Time aims to make payroll easy, provide quotes easily while maintain a high-level of accuracy, and keep accurate records of timesheets for each employee.

It easily integrates with many other software titles, keeps schedules, and provides full reporting for every member of your team. QuickBooks Time offers a 30-day free trial and has plans that start at just $30 per month.

Gusto Time Tracking

The ideal time-tracking software would be able to track both time spent on a task and how long it takes to complete a task. It should also be easy to setup and use, even if you’re not a tech expert. Gusto Time Tracking is a popular choice for people who are trying to improve their time management skills.

It can track the time spent on tasks as well as the time it takes to complete tasks, including the amount of time spent waiting or being interrupted. It’s available for both Windows and Mac, and it’s easy to set up and use. This makes it an excellent choice for people who aren’t tech experts.

Even if you’re not interested in tracking time spent on tasks, you may still find value in this software because it’s overall very user-friendly. Plans start at $40 per month plus just a few dollars per person you add into the software.

TimeAttend

TimeAttend is a cloud-based time tracking software that offers businesses a lot of flexibility with minimal investment. It lets employees log in with their phone, or even a fob that matches with a device in the workplace. All details can be accessed from anywhere, allowing for remote or hybrid time tracking situations with ease. The software offers a 14-day free trial and pricing starts at just $9 per person that you want to add into the system.

Best Marketing Software Options

Protea Financial Small Business Marketing Software

Constant Contact

Constant Contact is an email marketing software that helps businesses stay in touch with their customers, including a contact management system, email templates, autoresponders, and more.

Constant Contact offers three different pricing plans for its email marketing software, starting at $20 per month for up to 500 contacts.

MailChimp

MailChimp is an online marketing platform that allows businesses to create and send newsletters, emails, and other automated messages. MailChimp offers a variety of features, including templates, design tools, list management, automation, reporting, and integrations.

MailChimp’s pricing depends on the number of subscribers you have and how much control you want over your email designs. The service offers a free plan for up to 2,000 subscribers with basic features, as well as paid plans starting at $10/month for up to 500 subscribers with an increased number of features.

Best CRM Options

Protea Financial Small Business CRM Software

Method

Method is a CRM, or customer relationship management, software specifically for those who use QuickBooks. It automates many of the steps that would otherwise take human time to perform, and it boosts the type of customer support companies can offer. Method easily integrates with many other software titles through Zapier, and it allows for automated lead generation through its workflows. Businesses get all these features and more starting at just $25/month.

HubSpot

HubSpot is a CRM software that helps businesses manage and grow customer relationships. HubSpot offers many features, including contact management, email marketing, lead capture forms, and reporting. HubSpot offers three pricing plans starting at $50 per month.

Best Project Management Software Options

Protea Financial Small Business Project Management Software

Trello

Trello is a project management software that enables users to create boards to organize and track their projects. The software is based on the Kanban system, which helps users visualize their work and progress.

Some common Trello features include:

  • Trello enables users to create boards and lists to organize their projects.
  • Users can add cards to each list, which can contain details about the task, due date, attachments, and more.
  • Cards can be assigned to specific users, and users can leave comments on cards.
  • The software also offers a calendar view, which helps users track deadlines and progress.
  • Trello integrates with several other productivity tools, such as Google Drive and Dropbox.

Monday

Monday is a tool that helps you plan, track, and execute projects. You can use it for anything from small tasks to large-scale initiatives.

Some features commonly found in project management software include task lists, Gantt charts, resource management, and collaboration tools.

Prices for Monday vary depending on the features you choose. Their pricing starts at just $8 per month and go up from there, depending on your specific needs.

ClickUp

ClickUp is a project management software that helps teams to collaborate and get work done more efficiently. It offers a variety of features, such as task management, team collaboration, real-time communication, and more. ClickUp pricing is based on the number of users and starts at $5/month for the Basic plan.

Some of the key features offered by ClickUp include:

  • Task Management: Helps users to organize and track tasks using various methods such as lists, kanban boards, calendars, Gantt charts, etc.
  • Team Collaboration: Enables team members to collaborate on projects by sharing files, comments, @mentions, etc.
  • Real-Time Communication: Allows users to communicate with each other in real-time using chat or video call features.
  • Integrations: ClickUp integrates with various popular applications such as Google Drive, Slack, Zapier, etc.

Protea Financial Can Help You Narrow Down the Best Small Business Software Titles for Your Needs

There are a lot of great options out there when it comes to small business software. The most important thing is finding a program that fits your needs. Don’t be afraid to try out a few different options until you find the perfect fit. If you need help, Protea Financial is always here to lend a hand. Give us a call today!

Finding the best small business software solutions for your business can be complicated. Let Protea Financial help make it easier. Contact us today and learn why we recommend these titles over the rest!