- MarginEdge: Best for restaurants
- Zoho Books: Best for a robust mobile app
- FreshBooks: Best for freelancers and solopreneurs
- Xero: Best for multiple users
- QuickBooks: Best overall
- NetSuite: Best for scaling
- Sage: Best for businesses with international customers
- Neat: Best for organizing receipts and expenses
- Kashoo: Best for easy setup
- Wave Accounting: Best for free accounting software
Updated: Sep 10, 2024, 1:57pm
There are several reasons your small business may choose Mac devices over PCs. Macs are easy to set up and manage, even if you don’t have an information technology (IT) department. Plus, they offer a long battery life and operate at lightning-fast speed. Macs also work seamlessly with various business programs, including accounting software. If you’re on the lookout for the best accounting software for Mac, you should find a number of reliable options in this list.
The Best Accounting Software for Mac in 2024
Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Small Business
The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to bringing you unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content and guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.
We reviewed 13 accounting software services using a detailed methodology to help you find the ten best accounting software for Mac devices. Our ratings looked at 20 factors related to customer reviews, features, pricing and a final review by the Forbes Advisor team. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial staff.
Forbes Advisor Ratings
Methodology
Our staff researched the top Mac-friendly accounting software and compiled 20 data points to home in on our top 10 picks. The data was sorted into five categories including pricing, key features, additional features, user reviews and a deep dive by our experts.
Here are the categories Forbes Advisor used to rank the providers that made the top of the list.
Pricing
With pricing, the starting price of a Mac-friendly accounting software program was the most important factor we looked at. Initial pricing that we considered to be cheap or moderate fared better in our rankings than those we considered to be expensive compared to competitors. From there, we looked at the pricing range between the different plan tiers a provider offered. In addition, we also considered whether a software provider offered a free trial or free version. Pricing accounted for 5% of our weighted scoring.
Features
While our reviews mention a variety of features attractive to small businesses, we focused on specific ones that we considered essential for small businesses to have access to, such as offering double-entry bookkeeping, time tracking and payroll services, access to a customer portal and providing a mobile app for users. Then, we looked at optional or unique features that we thought accountants and bookkeepers might find useful if included as part of any software plan or included as an add-on. The additional features included multicurrency support, document management, invoicing, bill payment and some form of training. Both levels of features combine for 55% of our total score.
Third-party Reviews
Taking a look at popular third-party review websites, we researched reviews from real users to gauge their opinion of each software provider. These sites included Trustpilot, G2 and Capterra and we based our ratings by looking at the number of highly rated reviews―those that were 3.5 or higher of 5―each provider received. These accounted for 5% of the total score.
Expert Analysis
Taking all of the above categories into consideration, our experts then considered additional criteria using customer reviews around factors that included value for the money, ease of use, stand-out features and popularity. This final category made up 35% of the total score.
Learn how we rate and review accounting software.
How To Choose an Accounting Software for Mac
To find the ideal Mac-compatible accounting software, consider the features that are most important to your business. The product you choose should include all of them at a price you can afford.
If you have plans to grow your business in the near future, it should also allow you to scale comfortably. If you’re a startup or newer venture, free or inexpensive accounting software is likely your best bet. However, if you’re a established business with more complex needs, it may be worthwhile to spend a bit more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does accounting software for Mac cost?
Pricing for Mac accounting software varies greatly. While some software offer free plans, others can run you anywhere from $10 to $30 per month. Highly specialized accounting software, such as MarginEdge, may be even more expensive and cost hundreds per month.
Does accounting software work on iOS devices?
Fortunately, many accounting software offer apps you can download on iPhone or iPad devices. This is great news if you appreciate the convenience of being able to manage your invoicing and accounting functions on the go.
Will I be able to use accounting software on PCs and Macs?
If you use both PCs and Macs in your business, rest assured that most software programs were designed to work well on both operating systems. In most cases, you won’t have to invest in two different software.
Is accounting software secure?
Today’s leading accounting platforms offer standard security features like data encryption, secure credential tokenization and more. While human error will always play some role in security breaches, you can be confident in your accounting platform when it comes to keeping your information safe.