Keeping your finances in order is critical to the success of your business. Deciding which accounting software is best can be daunting, with dozens of options available. Do you choose QuickBooks or Sage? In this Sage vs. QuickBooks guide, we’ll compare these two popular accounting software options to help you determine which is best for your business.
Sage vs. QuickBooks: At a Glance
Sage Intacct is cloud-based accounting software designed for small businesses. It offers features such as expense tracking, cash flow management, invoicing, automation, Mac compatibility and reporting. Sage does not offer transparent pricing on its website. You must fill out a form to get a quote.
Intuit QuickBooks offers both Desktop and Online versions, with a variety of plans under each option. It provides features such as a mobile app, invoicing, income tracking, cash flow management, management of 1099 contractors, mileage tracking and app integrations. Chances are, whether you outsource your accounting or keep it in-house, your accountant or bookkeeper knows how to use it. This is because it’s one of the most popular accounting platforms available.
QuickBooks plans start at $30 per month for its Self-Employed version and its Enterprise Desktop plans go up to $4,668 per year. None of its Desktop plans can be paid annually and to pay annually with its Online plans, you make the switch in the settings after signing up for a monthly plan.
How the Products Stack Up
Sage | QuickBooks | |
---|---|---|
Prices Start At | Pricing by request | $30 per month |
Maximum Users | Yes | No |
Payroll | For a fee | For a fee |
Mileage Tracking | No | Yes |
Invoicing | Yes | Yes |
Forecasting | Yes | Yes |
Sage Intacct is intended for small to mid-sized businesses with 20 or more employees. QuickBooks has a plan called Self-Employed and starts at $15 per month. QuickBooks’ other plans start at $25 per month and go up to $1,340 per year, depending on if you need Enterprise solutions or something simple.
QuickBooks limits the number of users who can access an account, and with some plans, even requires those additional users to pay for their own account. Meanwhile, Sage includes unlimited users, making it ideal for small and medium offices.
Both providers charge a fee for payroll services. Bundle your payroll and bookkeeping plans with QuickBooks to save money, otherwise, payroll-only plans start at $45 per month. Sage HRMS Payroll is available as a stand-alone or bundled with your plan, but you need to contact Sage for a custom quote for this.
While Sage has an option to reimburse employees for gas purchases, there’s no real mileage-tracking feature such as what QuickBooks has with its plans. Depending on which plan you choose with QuickBooks and Sage, you can forecast your cash flow. Invoicing is also a standard feature with both providers.
Bottom Line
Sage and QuickBooks are strong contenders. Both of these solutions include mobile apps, an easy-to-use interface, reports, invoicing and payroll options. Depending on which plan you choose, they can also be comparable in price. However, a few things set these products apart.
Choose Sage if you need unlimited users and automated tasks. QuickBooks is ideal for small businesses that need advanced features, such as 1099 contractor management and mileage tracking. It’s also best for more complex Enterprise needs, provided you don’t need more than 40 users.