Categories   >   Budgeting And Forecasting Software
Last Reviewed: November 21st, 2024

Best Budgeting And Forecasting Software Of 2024

What is Budgeting And Forecasting Software?

Budgeting and forecasting software is like a crystal ball for your business finances. It tackles the challenge of limited financial foresight by creating budgets, predicting future revenue and expenses, and identifying potential cash flow issues. This proactive approach allows businesses to make informed decisions based on what's likely to happen, not just what has happened. The benefits are compelling: improved financial planning and control, proactive identification of financial risks, and the ability to course-correct before problems arise. Key functionalities include scenario modeling for different business conditions, real-time data integration, and variance analysis to track budget vs. actuals. Emerging features focus on artificial intelligence for predictive analytics and data visualization tools for clear communication of financial plans. This software is a win for businesses of all sizes, but especially benefits fast-growing companies and those navigating volatile markets. While some solutions can be complex to set up, budgeting and forecasting software offers a powerful value proposition: increased financial agility, improved decision-making, and a clear roadmap for future success.

What Are The Key Benefits of Budgeting And Forecasting Software?

  • Improved Visibility
  • Better Planning
  • Proactive Risk Management
  • Informed Decisions
  • Increased Agility
  • Streamlined Budgeting
  • Accurate Forecasting
  • Scenario Modeling
  • Data-Driven Insights
Read more

Overall

Based on the latest available data collected by SelectHub for 135 solutions, we determined the following solutions are the best Budgeting And Forecasting Software overall:

QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online
Start Price
$25
Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online remains a popular choice for many users, praised for its user-friendly interface and automated features. "It feels like Intuit took the complexity out of accounting and made it accessible even for someone like me with limited accounting experience," shared a small business owner. However, user reviews also highlight limitations, particularly around customization and cost. "I love the ease of use," stated a freelancer, "but the reporting options feel restrictive. I often have to export data and work with it in Excel to get the insights I need." This sentiment, coupled with complaints about the cost of add-ons like payroll, leads some users to compare QuickBooks Online to competitors. "Xero seems to offer more flexibility and advanced features," mentioned an accountant, "but the learning curve is steeper, and the monthly subscription is higher." Ultimately, the decision comes down to individual needs and priorities. For those seeking a balance of ease of use, automation, and affordability, QuickBooks Online continues to be a strong contender. However, users with more complex accounting needs or a desire for greater customization might find themselves looking towards competitors offering more robust features, even if it comes at a higher cost or with a steeper learning curve.

Pros & Cons

  • Easy to use: Intuitive interface and clear navigation make it accessible for users of various accounting experience levels.
  • Automated tasks: Streamlines workflows by automatically importing bank transactions, categorizing expenses, creating invoices, and sending reminders.
  • Real-time insights: Provides up-to-date financial information through customizable dashboards and reports, enabling informed decision-making.
  • Mobile accessibility: Access and manage finances anytime, anywhere with the mobile app.
  • Scalability: Grows with your business, offering different plans with varying features to accommodate evolving needs.
  • Integrations: Connects seamlessly with various business tools, such as bank accounts, payment gateways, and e-commerce platforms.
  • Payroll: Simplifies payroll processing, including tax calculations and direct deposits.
  • Limited customization: Lacks flexibility in customizing certain features, such as reports and chart of accounts, compared to some alternatives.
  • Costly add-ons: Essential features like payroll and advanced reporting often require additional fees, increasing the overall cost of ownership.
  • Customer support: Mixed reviews on the quality and availability of customer support, with some users reporting delays or difficulty reaching knowledgeable representatives.
  • Reporting restrictions: Certain financial reports and data exports have limitations, potentially requiring workarounds or manual adjustments.
  • Learning curve: While generally user-friendly, some features and functionalities may have a learning curve for those new to accounting software.
  • Occasional glitches: Users have reported occasional bugs or glitches that can disrupt workflows, requiring troubleshooting or waiting for fixes.

Key Features

  • Income and Expense Tracking: Import bank, credit card, PayPal, Square and other transactions as well as promptly sort them into the right tax categories with the income and expense tracking module. Users may also take pictures of receipts with their smartphones and link them directly to expenses. 
  • Invoicing: Trace invoice statuses, deliver payment reminders to patrons, immediately match payments to invoices, accept credit cards and complete free bank transfers directly from an invoice with the invoicing attribute. 
  • Estimations: Transform estimates into invoices, validate mobile signatures, review estimate statuses and modify estimates to align with business requirements via the estimations appliance. 
  • Reporting: Create a variety of reports, including product profit and loss, expense, balance sheet, inventory, enhanced sales, profitability and other reports, through this attribute. Users may also oversee crucial financial metrics including cash flow and revenue on one dashboard. 
  • Organize Receipts: Expeditiously arrange and associate expense receipts with transactions, keeping them all in one place. 
  • Inventory Tracking: Receive alerts when inventory is running low as well as monitor products and the cost of goods with the inventory tracking system. Users may even evaluate popular items, draft purchase orders and superintend vendors.  
Freshbooks
Freshbooks
Start Price
$4.50
Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked Freshbooks

Freshbooks emerges from user reviews as a reliable and user-friendly accounting solution for solopreneurs and small businesses. Its intuitive interface, mobile app access, and automated features like invoicing and online payments are consistently praised for saving time and streamlining workflows. Compared to competitors like QuickBooks, users appreciate Freshbooks' ease of use for non-accountants, while acknowledging its limitations in advanced functionalities like double-entry bookkeeping or inventory management. This makes it ideal for those starting out or needing a lightweight accounting solution, but potentially less suitable for complex financial needs as businesses grow. Another key differentiator for Freshbooks is its affordability, with tiered plans starting at an attractive price point. However, user reviews also highlight a potential drawback: as client bases expand, so does the cost, which can become a concern for some users. Additionally, while basic reporting and analytics are included, users seeking in-depth data analysis may find Freshbooks' capabilities limited compared to more robust competitors. Overall, user reviews paint a picture of Freshbooks as a user-friendly and affordable accounting solution for solopreneurs and small businesses seeking to simplify their financial management. Its strengths lie in ease of use, automation, and mobile access, while its limitations emerge in advanced features and scalability for larger businesses. Ultimately, the decision to choose Freshbooks hinges on individual needs and priorities, with users emphasizing the importance of weighing its strengths against its limitations to ensure a perfect fit.

Pros & Cons

  • Customer Support: Approximately 89% of users that mentioned it in their review said customer support is supportive, helpful and quick to respond to issues.
  • Appliances: Precisely 58% of users that discussed the system functionalities enjoyed this program's appliances because they can create clean reports, set up repeating invoices, and add and manage credit cards.
  • Simple and intuitive interface: Freshbooks' clean layout and straightforward navigation make it easy for even non-accountants to manage their finances.
  • Time-saving features: Automated invoicing, expense categorization, and online payments let users save time and effort on routine accounting tasks.
  • Mobile app for on-the-go management: Access invoices, track expenses, and manage clients from smartphones or tablets, ensuring flexibility and productivity.
  • Affordable plans for growing businesses: Choose a plan that scales with your needs and budget, with options starting at an accessible price point.
  • Seamless integrations with popular tools: Streamline workflows by connecting Freshbooks with tools like Stripe, PayPal, and Google Workspace, centralizing financial data.
  • Limited features for complex accounting: Freshbooks may not handle advanced accounting needs like inventory management, double-entry bookkeeping, or fixed assets.
  • Not ideal for large businesses: As businesses grow, Freshbooks' scalability and feature set might become insufficient for complex financial operations.
  • Price increases with client base: The cost of Freshbooks can rise significantly as you add more clients, potentially exceeding initial budget expectations.
  • Basic reporting and analytics: Freshbooks' reporting capabilities may be insufficient for businesses requiring in-depth financial analysis and data insights.
  • Limited customer support for free plans: Free trial and Lite plan users might have limited access to customer support, potentially hindering troubleshooting and issue resolution.

Key Features

  • Invoicing: Personalize invoices and thank-you emails with company logos via the invoicing apparatus. Users may request deposits on invoices at the start of a project so they'll have the right amount of funds to financially sponsor a project in its preliminary stages. 
  • Expense Management: Link bank accounts and credit cards to FreshBooks instead of manually inputting data with the expense module. It displays data in real time so users will instantly know where their money is going. 
  • Time Tracking: Manage project and task durations through the time tracking feature. It's equipped with a timer that accurately records a time log of tasks that easily appears on invoices. Users may also see how their employees spend their time from completed responsibilities to arising issues to address before they become major problems. 
  • Project Management: Store files and vital attachments in the centralized project management accessory, enabling teams to efficiently find what they need so they can get right back to high-caliber tasks. Users may also allocate project deadlines, share images and files through FreshBooks and even designate rates or hours to particular projects.  
  • Estimates: Produce adjustable proposals in addition to outlining a project's extent, timeline and necessary deliverables. Users may quickly transform estimates into invoices and permit their clientele to validate estimates online. This tool also allows users to send invoices in different currencies and add discounts. 
  • Accounting: Receive precise profit and loss calculations and effortlessly share valuable financial data and reporting information with accountants. This module streamlines bank reconciliations by importing and arranging financial transactions, validating or revising automated matching recommendations and drafting and exporting Excel-friendly summary reports.  
  • Reports: Color-code spending breakdowns and obtain profit and loss reports with the reporting attribute. Users may save, export and even print financial reports for their accountants. This tool also enables users to have a headache-free tax season because it stores valuable data such as money earned to taxes that have already been paid off.  
  • Payments: Initiate various payment options such as VISA, MasterCard, AMEX and Apple Pay with the payment feature. This tool also instantly creates payments, collects reports, activates quick and painless bank deposits, requests deposits and provides payment schedules and partial payments for client flexibility. It also automatically sends receipts to patrons. 
Xero
Xero
Start Price
$15
Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked Xero

Xero’s users say it’s easy to use and has good accounting and bookkeeping capabilities. Most found the price to be acceptable, with some complaints about issues they ran into while trying to switch to a lower pricing tier. More than 70% loved the customer service and felt their representatives were extremely helpful. It has a range of features including band feeds, invoice creation, integrations and reconciliation processes. The reconciliation was particularly popular with over 80% of reviewers who mentioned it describing positive experiences.
One issue with the system came in making updates to invoices after they’d been saved. Some users said they were sent prematurely to clients or claimed to have difficulties changing the data at a later date. Many also felt that the implementation process for the new platform was difficult, but that once they learned where things were they felt comfortable. This may be a good choice for small and medium businesses. Larger companies should consider a system that’s able to handle a higher volume.

Pros & Cons

  • Affordable: Of all the reviews that mentioned price, over 70% felt it was well within their price range and felt satisfied.
  • Good Customer Service: Over 70% of reviews that mentioned the customer support said they received excellent service, especially from their reps.
  • Excellent Functionality: In more than 50% of all reviews that mentioned features, users were happy with its capabilities. They especially like the integrations, reconciliation process, invoices and accounting functions.
  • Simple and intuitive interface: Xero's clean layout and straightforward navigation make it easy for users of all skill levels to manage their finances. In over 80% of reviews that mentioned the UI, users said it was easy to navigate.
  • Automated tasks: Xero automates repetitive tasks like invoicing, expense tracking, and bank reconciliation, saving users valuable time and reducing errors.
  • Mobile app for on-the-go access: Manage your finances and stay up-to-date on your business performance anytime, anywhere with Xero's mobile app.
  • Customizable reports and dashboards: Gain valuable insights into your cash flow, profitability, and other key financial metrics with Xero's customizable reports and dashboards.
  • Multi-user access and permissions: Collaborate with team members and advisors seamlessly with Xero's secure multi-user access and permission controls.
  • Limited inventory management: Xero lacks advanced inventory tracking features, making it less suitable for businesses with complex inventory needs.
  • Learning curve for complex features: While basic tasks are easy, some advanced features like multi-currency accounting can be challenging for non-accountants to navigate. Though the system was widely popular after implementation, users said it was old-fashioned and had a steep learning curve in 20% of reviews that mentioned the UI.
  • Higher cost for advanced features: Access to advanced features like payroll processing and multi-currency comes at a higher price point, potentially exceeding budgets for smaller businesses.
  • Limited phone support: Xero primarily relies on email and live chat for support, which may not be ideal for users seeking immediate assistance with critical issues.
  • Integration limitations: While offering many integrations, some key business tools may not have seamless integration with Xero, requiring workarounds or data duplication.
  • Invoices: While around 60% of users felt that the invoicing system worked well, around 40% said they had trouble making changes to them once they were saved.
  • Downgrading Issues: Around 20% of reviews that mentioned price said they had issues while trying to go to a lower pricing tier and often ended up paying a month or more at a higher rate.

Key Features

  • Payroll Processing: Provide payroll across 50 states. See when payments are due, track them and ensure on time payment. Analyze accounts payable with a quick view, schedule advanced payments and make batch payments.
  • Banking: Connect to the right bank to track and facilitate transactions daily. Keep an eye on the flow of money through a secure connection that goes directly into the solution.
  • Expense Management: Seamlessly track and manage expense claims. Access real-time data and reports that provide insight into patterns and trends. Record costs, see and approve claims, view overall spending and dole out reimbursements. Capture receipts to monitor employee spending and verify costs.
  • Project Management: Integrate with other workflows to facilitate financial project management. Provide a quote for client work before you begin to track time, costs, profitability and other variables for an accurate invoice.
  • Customer History: Use smart lists and contacts to contact details, emails, past sales, emails, invoices, past payments and more when working with a partner or client.
  • Mobile App: Let users track bank transactions, send invoices, access supplier details and more, from any mobile device.
  • Inventory Management: Undertake basic inventory management, including taking inventory, seeing what was bought or sold, look at reports on how well items are doing and get invoices and orders.
  • Gusto Integration: Calculate and pay taxes, deductions and employees through an integration with the accounting software Gusto. Simplify compliance and keep on top of industry updates.
  • Other Capabilities: Processes payment in multiple currencies, calculates sales taxes, tracks purchase orders, manages files and does several other administrative tasks.
Wave Accounting
Wave Accounting
Start Price
$20
Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Why We Picked Wave Accounting

Wave Accounting users appreciate its simplicity and affordability, making it a popular choice for freelancers and solopreneurs. The free plan covers essential features like invoicing, expense tracking, and basic reporting, catering to those with straightforward accounting needs. Users praise its intuitive interface and mobile app for on-the-go tracking, highlighting its convenience compared to clunky desktop software. However, Wave's limitations become apparent as businesses grow. Users cite frustrating reconciliation issues, limited reporting options, and the lack of advanced features like inventory management or payroll integrations. Compared to competitors like Quickbooks or Xero, Wave feels less capable of handling complex accounting workflows. While its automatic bank imports save time, the absence of phone support can be a dealbreaker for some users who need immediate help troubleshooting issues. Ultimately, Wave shines for its ease of use and zero-cost entry point, but its lack of scalability and robust features might necessitate switching to more powerful alternatives as businesses evolve. Choosing Wave comes down to prioritizing convenience and affordability over comprehensive functionality and expert support.

Pros & Cons

  • System Performance: Of the users who mentioned this solution's performance, precisely 65% said it's easy to use, documents all tasks performed and provides accurate information.
  • Modules: Approximately 57% of users who discussed this program's functionality said it has a variety of capabilities such as an assortment of reports, bank account synching and invoice reminders.
  • Cost: Of the users who mentioned this application's pricing, approximately 87% of users said they like the free version because it comes with plenty of appliances.
  • Frustrating reconciliation process: Users often describe matching transactions as difficult and time-consuming, leading to delayed reconciliation and potential errors.
  • Limited reporting options: Users express a desire for more robust and flexible reporting features, including better sorting, exporting, and preset date options for generating customized reports.
  • Lack of phone support: Wave relies primarily on email and online resources for support, which can be frustrating for users who prefer immediate assistance or have complex issues to resolve.
  • Occasional glitches and errors: Users have reported occasional software glitches, such as duplicated transactions or difficulties with bank syncing, which can disrupt workflows and create data inconsistencies.
  • No inventory management: Wave lacks full-fledged inventory tracking and management capabilities, making it unsuitable for businesses with complex inventory needs or those who sell directly through eCommerce platforms.

Key Features

  • Link Accounts and Credit Cards: Connect an unlimited amount of bank accounts and credit cards. Users may supervise multiple businesses with one account. 
  • Smooth Integrations: Integrate Shopify transactions and link with PayPal, Shoeboxed and Etsy accounts. 
  • Intricate Dashboards: Elaborate dashboards that display cash balances, invoice statuses, incomes, expenses and payments. This accessory also provides bill and invoice reminders. 
  • Export Various Reports: Export a variety of accounting reports such as profit and loss, sales tax, cash flow, comparative and others. 
  • Automatic Updates: Receive prompt updates and reminders on invoices, payments and payroll details. 
  • Evaluate High Volumes of Transactions: Process a bulk amount of transactions to ensure rapid bookkeeping practices. Users can also perform and accept transactions in foreign currencies and search for transactions based on descriptions. 
  • Double-Entry Accounting: Operate with double-entry accounting—a method that chronicles transactions in two or more accounts — that performs prompt exchange rate calculations and has a flexible sales tax module. 
  • Adaptable Expense and Income Categories: Use account IDs to create adjustable expense and income categories, sometimes called chart of accounts. There's also an unlimited income and expense tracking accessory. 
NetSuite Accounting
NetSuite Accounting
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked NetSuite Accounting

Netsuite Accounting is a thorough accounting ERP that superintends all bookkeeping tasks. Users are most fond of its performance with automatic updates, potent workflows and precise data collection as well as its string of features-including, tax management, general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, CRM, multicurrency and more-to boost productivity. It's also adjustable, so users may tailor it to meet their company needs. Although some users were disappointed with the system's sluggishness, occasional crashes and lack of budget estimating, fixed assets and support for .xlsx and .xls files, the majority find it an adequate bookkeeping software.

Pros & Cons

  • Overall Performance: Of the users who discussed the performance of this solution, 58% said it was outstanding because it has automatic updates, simplifies accounting tasks and provides accurate data.
  • Customizable: Precisely 68% of users who addressed this program's customization said it is easy to configure to their business needs.
  • Accessories: Of the users who mentioned this application's accessories, 52% said they are effective, praising specifically the customizable dashboard, search engine that saves searches and customizable accounting reports.
  • System Performance: Approximately 41% of the users who mentioned this program's overall performance said it was slow and experienced crashes.
  • Functionality: Of the users who discussed this solution's functionality, roughly 47% said it was lacking features including budget forecasting, fixed assets and support for .xlsx and .xls files.

Key Features

  • Manageable Ledger: Add custom impact lines to transactions like invoices and vendor bills throughout single or numerous bookkeeping journals, reducing time in bank reconciliation, period closes and audit processes. 
  • Arrange Accounts Receivable: Perform accurate tax calculations on invoices and promptly post order transactions to general and accounts receivable ledgers for immediate tax processing and billing. 
  • Spot Account Peculiarities: Adjust dashboards, reports and KPIs for current views on customer aging, invoice analyses, repeatable invoices, deferred revenues and exception reports that catch account anomalies. 
  • Supervise Taxes: Work with the exact tax rate every time with the tax management accessory. It automatically applies the correct tax rate to purchases and is equipped with tax calculations for more than 50 countries and currencies. 
  • Insightful Cash Management: Receive immediate understandings of global transactions throughout numerous bank accounts and credit cards. Users may also review and predict cash requirements, conduct automatic bank reconciliations, swiftly deposit payments and safely develop accounting entries. 
  • Control Payments: Review and manage payment types to boost payment control with the payment management module. This module accepts several credit and debit card types and other forms of electronic payment. 
Mint
Mint
Start Price
$0
Freemium, Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Why We Picked Mint

How much mulla can Mint really help you hold onto? User reviews from the past year paint a picture of a once-lauded budgeting app facing its final curtain call. Mint, known for its comprehensive financial tools, allowed users to aggregate their financial accounts, track budgets, receive bill reminders, and monitor credit scores, all for free. Users consistently praised Mint's user-friendly interface and lauded its ability to provide a holistic view of their finances, making it a breeze to track spending and identify areas for improvement, like curbing those impulse Amazon purchases. However, the app's once-sparkling reputation has been tarnished by an uptick in negative reviews, with users reporting frequent syncing issues and an onslaught of intrusive ads. While Mint's strengths, like its intuitive design and robust feature set, initially positioned it as a frontrunner in the budgeting app arena, these advantages are increasingly overshadowed by its shortcomings. The frequent syncing issues, in particular, are a major pain point for users, as they hinder the app's ability to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information. Imagine diligently tracking your spending, only to be thrown off by inaccurate account balances due to syncing errors - not exactly a recipe for financial peace of mind! Moreover, the influx of ads, while understandable for a free app, has reached a point where many users find them disruptive and excessive. Ultimately, while Mint might still hold some appeal for casual budgeters, its waning reliability and aggressive advertising strategy make it difficult to recommend wholeheartedly. The announcement of its shutdown in March 2024 further solidifies this stance. For those seeking a reliable and feature-rich budgeting companion, alternatives like YNAB (You Need A Budget) or Personal Budget might be a better fit. These apps, while not without their quirks, offer a more polished and reliable experience, ensuring your budgeting journey is smooth sailing rather than a bumpy ride.

Pros & Cons

  • Free and Feature-Rich: Mint offers a robust set of budgeting tools at no cost, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
  • User-Friendly Design: The app is designed with an intuitive interface that's easy to navigate, even for those new to budgeting apps.
  • Real-Time Updates: Mint provides real-time updates on transactions and budget limits, helping users stay on top of their finances.
  • Customization Options: Users can customize budget categories and goals to align with their specific financial needs and priorities.
  • Intrusive Advertisements: The inclusion of ads in the free version can be distracting and disruptive for business users who require a focused environment.
  • Synchronization Issues: Occasional problems syncing with financial institutions can lead to inaccurate data and disrupt workflow, impacting financial analysis and decision-making.
  • Limited Customer Support: The lack of comprehensive customer support options can be problematic for businesses that require timely assistance with technical issues or have specific questions related to their business needs.

Key Features

  • Easy Setup: Sign up and connect financial accounts. Track bank, credit card loans and other investments. 
  • Secure Linking: Connect all financial accounts securely. 
  • Budget: Create a budget based on the historical patterns of average expenses. Spend cautiously and save more. Get a unique budget for each category and calculate funds for as many categories as they need. 
  • Tracking: Track all bills from one place, including credit cards to utility bills. Ensure bills get time with monthly reminders. Get alerts for low funds or unusual spending. 
  • Alerts: Get notified via email or text alerts for any unusual activity on the account, bills and low balances. Check for any suspicious spending. 
  • Free Credit Score: Get a free credit score minutes after identity verification without the need of a credit card. Verify the identity and check for credit scores and accounts at one place. Monitor credit daily and improve the score. 
  • Automatic Subscription Tracking: Check subscriptions in-app by connecting any bank or credit card. Get automatic notifications on price change and stay at the top of the spending. 
  • Categorization: Categorize and customize transactions with tags to keep track of the spending and proceed with insights. Check total spending across all the accounts at one place. 
  • Report: Get simple, customizable reports with the Trends feature. Generate different types of reports such as spending, income, net income, debts and net worth. Get investment information for performance, value, asset allocation and more. 
Zoho Books
Zoho Books
Start Price
$9
Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Request Pricing Request Demo

Why We Picked Zoho Books

Zoho Books lands a punch with its user-friendly interface and automation superpowers, even for accounting newbies. Invoicing, bank reconciliation, and reports become automatic allies, saving users precious time. Integration with the Zoho ecosystem and other popular tools keeps workflows in harmony. Plus, the mobile app lets you manage finances on the go, a big win for busy entrepreneurs. However, Zoho Books stumbles with transaction limits, potentially tripping up high-volume businesses. Inventory management feels like a lightweight sidekick compared to some competitors, lacking the muscle for complex needs. Unlocking automation's full potential requires coding know-how, leaving some users stranded. And while reports are generally reliable, occasional glitches necessitate a closer look. Managing multiple businesses under separate subscriptions can also add up cost-wise. So, how does Zoho Books stack up? Users often compare it to Quickbooks Online. Zoho shines with its intuitive interface and affordability, especially for solopreneurs and small teams. But Quickbooks packs a heavier punch in its inventory management and advanced reporting features, catering to larger businesses with complex needs. Zoho's seamless integrations and user-friendliness win hearts, while Quickbooks offers a more robust toolset for seasoned accountants. Ultimately, Zoho Books is a capable accounting sidekick for businesses starting their financial journey. Its ease of use, automation muscle, and affordable price tag make it a tempting choice. But for high-volume businesses or those with intricate inventory needs, other contenders might offer a more powerful punch.

Pros & Cons

  • Intuitive interface: Users consistently praise Zoho Books for its simple and easy-to-navigate interface, even for those without prior accounting experience.
  • Automation superpowers: Tasks like invoicing, payment reminders, bank reconciliation, and financial reporting become effortless with Zoho Books' automation features, saving users significant time and effort.
  • Seamless integrations: Zoho Books smoothly integrates with other Zoho apps, like CRM and Projects, as well as popular third-party tools, streamlining workflows and eliminating data silos.
  • Mobile accessibility: The user-friendly mobile app allows for on-the-go accounting, ensuring users can manage finances anytime, anywhere.
  • Value for money: Zoho Books is consistently praised for its affordable pricing plans, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes.
  • Customer service responsiveness: Users frequently highlight the prompt and helpful support provided by Zoho Books' customer service team.
  • Transaction limits: Users express frustration with the capped number of monthly transactions (5,000 on the highest plan), potentially hindering high-volume businesses.
  • Inventory management constraints: While Zoho Books offers inventory tracking, it lacks advanced features like sales analytics and in-depth item breakdowns, making it less suitable for businesses with complex inventory needs.
  • Coding requirements for automation: Unlocking the full potential of automation features often requires knowledge of coding (Deluge script), posing a challenge for non-technical users.
  • Occasional reporting issues: Some users report occasional glitches or inconsistencies in financial reports, necessitating careful review and potential manual adjustments.
  • Multiple subscriptions for multiple businesses: Managing multiple businesses requires separate subscriptions, which can become cost-prohibitive for users with several entities.

Key Features

  • Sales Order: Tailor sales orders with company logos, fonts and colors with the sales order idiosyncrasy. Users may transform approved estimates into sales orders and invoices in just a few clicks. Users may also pinpoint their best clients and merchandise with real-time reports from their transaction histories. 
  • Purchase Orders: Trace all items purchased and mutual prices set by vendors with the purchase order management appliance. Print, copy and share purchase orders through emails to work together with clients, partners, internal stakeholders and more to swiftly complete tasks. 
  • Online Payments: Pick the best payment portal —including Stripe, PayPal, Worldpay and more — to collect payments from customers promptly. Users may also enable recurring transactions to receive payments at weekly, monthly or yearly intervals automatically.  
  • Reporting: Evaluate total receivables, sales, top expenses and more KPIs with the reporting module's dashboard. Obtain reports like profit and loss, balance sheets, cash flow statements and more to dive into data and make wiser decisions. 
  • Automation: Deliver instant payment reminders, save client information for future automatic billing and recurring invoices and immediately send out transactions with Zoho Books' automation tools. 
  • Documents: Chronicle document details and shift them into invoices, expenses, bills, sales orders or purchase orders with the document management accessory. Users may match documents to bank feeds or previously-made transactions for proof of commerce for their archives.  
  • Mobile-Friendly: Deliver invoices, estimates and account statements to patrons and track miles traveled with the iOS app. The Android app enables users to take pictures of receipts and attach them to recorded expenses in addition to overseeing earned revenue and gathered fees. 
Deltek Vision
Deltek Vision
Start Price
$1,000
Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Why We Picked Deltek Vision

Deltek Vision provides a robust suite of enterprise planning tools that most users find intuitive and accessible. Its features support critical management tasks like timesheets and reporting that help users create reports and streamline their processes. It can be customized easily to suit business needs. However, support falls short of expectations as turnaround time is high, and support isn’t included as a part of the package.

Pros & Cons

  • User Friendly: The system is easy-to-use and intuitive, as noted by approximately 73% of users who mention the system’s usability.
  • Customizations: About 100% of users noted that this system is customizable according to their business requirements.
  • Timesheets: Nearly 94% of the users who mentioned its timesheets feature were impressed by it and said that it was easy to use.
  • Reporting: About 83% of the users who mentioned its reporting feature said that it greatly enhanced their productivity.
  • Learning Curve: Almost 90% of users who mentioned learning how to use the product claimed that the software was not easy to learn and they needed more training and documentation to become power users.
  • User Interface: The user interface misses the mark and can be difficult to navigate, according to 78% of reviewers who mentioned the interface.

Key Features

  • Project and Financial Accounting: Helps professional services firms manage financial performance by integrating project control. Its general ledger tracks profitability and identifies issues for corrective action.  
    • Integrates seamlessly and ensures effortless cost-sharing.  
    • Includes a suite of financial tools like accounts receivable and payable, overhead allocation, multi-currency and multi-company support, revenue recognition and financial and project reporting.  
    •  Enables users to maintain a comprehensive audit trail and internal control.  
  • Project and Resource Management: Ensure that people with the right skills are assigned to the right projects.  
    • Lets users make better decisions and ensures projects are on time and within budget.  
    •  Allows users to automate scheduling, budgeting, resource allocation and forecasting.
    •  Provides expense reports and timesheet entries that enter actual costs into the project tracking sheet to produce a rolling forecast.  
  • Client Relationships Management: Provides the tools required to win new contracts and strengthen existing partnerships by automating the entire project life cycle.  
    •  Automates contact and client management, marketing campaigns, business development, opportunity and activity tracking.  
    •  Facilitates collaboration by integrating with MS Outlook.  
    •  Makes a central source of information available to everyone in the firm to leverage collective knowledge.  
  • Business Intelligence: Turns key business data into actionable information and provides a comprehensive understanding of operational and strategic indicators.  
    •  Identifies and analyzes trends in specific markets, geographies and disciplines to identify future risks and opportunities.  
    •  Create filters by pointing and clicking. Filtering features include side-by-side comparison, dashboard metrics and interactive drill down into single transactions.  
    •  Supports a drag-and-drop dashboard tool that can be configured easily.  
  • Project Reports: Supports interactive reports allowing users to analyze and access data. Manages aspects like opportunity tracking, resource utilization, project analysis and important financial metrics.  
    •  Reports tailored according to users’ needs can be generated.  
    •  Supports 200 standard reports.  
    •  Supports a flexible reporting framework that configures, previews, prints and shares reports.  
Sage Intacct
Sage Intacct
Start Price
$10,000
Annually
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Why We Picked Sage Intacct

Sage Intacct user reviews paint a picture of a powerful, customizable accounting software ideal for mid-sized, growing businesses. Users praise its real-time reporting, cloud-based accessibility, and ability to handle complex financial structures. Compared to competitors, Intacct shines in scalability and customization, effortlessly adapting to multi-entity operations and unique accounting needs. This agility is crucial for dynamic businesses operating in diverse markets. However, its strengths come with caveats. Intacct's feature-rich nature can be daunting for beginners, requiring dedicated training and technical know-how. Additionally, its subscription-based pricing can be prohibitive for smaller companies or those with simpler accounting requirements. The limited mobile functionality and lack of built-in payroll are also shortcomings some users find frustrating. Overall, Sage Intacct earns its positive reviews by empowering businesses with robust functionalities and seamless scalability. However, its complexity and premium cost may leave smaller players or those needing basic accounting solutions searching for a more accessible, budget-friendly alternative.

Pros & Cons

  • Intuitive User Interface: Precisely 65% of users stated it has an intuitive and user-friendly interface with a manageable learning curve.
  • Configurable: Approximately 90% of users conveyed that the product is customizable to fit their organization's needs.
  • Competent Performance: The quality, scalability and overall performance are favorable to 94% of users.
  • An Assortment of Features: According to 54% of users, the product has a wide range of features including accounts payable and receivable, bank reconciliation, time tracking, 1099 forms and more.
  • Ideal Integrations: Merges with various third-party systems such as Salesforce, Nexonia, Expensify, Bill.com and more, as stated by 94% of users.
  • Dawdling Customer Support: Of the users who discussed customer support, roughly 64% said it was lagging in resources and took a long time to get in touch with them.
  • Lagging Search Tool: Approximately 45% of users said the search and reporting tools aren't as effective as some of the software's other idiosyncrasies.
  • High Cost: Subscription-based pricing, often exceeding the budgets of smaller businesses or those with simpler accounting needs.
  • Steep Learning Curve: Feature-rich interface can feel overwhelming for beginners, requiring initial training and time investment.
  • Limited Mobile Functionality: Mobile app lacks access to many core features, hindering on-the-go workflow for some users.
  • Customization Complexity: Advanced customization options often require technical expertise or paid consultations.
  • Integration Gaps: While offering major integrations, it may lack connections to specific niche software used by some businesses.
  • No Built-in Payroll: Requires integrating a separate payroll solution, adding complexity and additional costs.

Key Features

  • General Ledger: Contains pre-built dimensions such as customer, location, department, warehouse and class. It also allows users to add their own dimensions. Required dimension values can be inputted so that certain values are mandatory for entries to post to designated accounts. 
  • Accounts Payable: This feature lets users set spending limits and define workflows and approvals. Users can easily view AP liabilities as well as check and bill register reports in real time. Users can automate ACH, check and credit card payments through the Vendor Payment Services function, which is built on the American Express Global Commercial Services infrastructure. 
  • Accounts Receivable: The program enables customers to generate recurring invoices and to attach customer information to transactions. It integrates with other business processes to centralize sales orders, quotes and invoices. Configurable dashboards and other visualizations are included in this function and allow users to look at data points such as deferred revenue and customer aging. 
  • Purchasing: Allows users to analyze costs and monitor budget vs. actual information through dashboards and reporting tools. These dashboards are role-based for security and ease of access and also contain budget performance information, price break monitoring and purchase quote functionality. The feature gives users more control over the entirety of the procure-to-pay process. 
  • Order Management: Users can leverage point-and-click functionality to set up individualized workflows and pricing requirements in the order management system. The program can be easily connected to Salesforce CRM, which allows users to share order status and pricing data across a business and reduce duplicate data entry. The solution includes sales tax and regulatory compliance through integration with Avalara. Order fulfillment rates, inventory quantities and sales data can be viewed in real time through this feature. 
  • Cash Management: Includes a live view of funds and cash flows through all associated credit cards, savings accounts and checking accounts. The management of cash across multiple locations is also supported. The system enables the application of payments to accounts that aren’t associated with an invoice and the recording of POS payments that aren’t connected to a specific customer. 
  • Reporting and Dashboards: This program can track both financial and operational data such as SaaS metrics, machine availability, etc. The system also has the ability to discover trends, drill down to source transactions and look at roll-up figures for multiple locations or entities. The solution includes more than 150 financial reports along with the ability to develop customized reports based on business needs. 
  • Digital Board Book: Produces metrics such as Annual or Monthly Recurring Revenue (ARR or MRR), churn, Committed Monthly Recurring Revenue (CMRR), Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV). This analysis is conducted in real time using transactional data obtained from Sage Intacct and Salesforce. 
SAP S/4 HANA Finance
SAP S/4 HANA Finance
Start Price
$25,000
Per User, Annually
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Why We Picked SAP S/4 HANA Finance

User reviews of SAP S/4 HANA Finance paint a contrasting picture, highlighting both its game-changing potential and the challenges companies face during implementation. On the one hand, users rave about its real-time data access, enabling instant financial insights and faster, data-driven decisions. Imagine analyzing cash flow trends within seconds instead of waiting hours for reports to process. Automation features like auto-generated journal entries and invoice approvals liberate accountants from tedious tasks, freeing them for strategic analysis and collaboration. However, the transition to S/4 HANA can be a bumpy ride. The initial investment, encompassing licensing, consulting, and infrastructure upgrades, can be daunting, especially for smaller businesses. Additionally, the new interface and functionalities require user training and adaptation, potentially disrupting workflows during implementation. Unlike some competitors offering highly customizable solutions, S/4 HANA's pre-configured modules may not perfectly suit every specific accounting need, necessitating workarounds or third-party add-ons, further inflating costs. Integration challenges add to the complexity. Connecting S/4 HANA with legacy systems or specialized applications can be a technical hurdle, requiring expertise and potentially delaying implementation. Data migration can be another headache, as moving large datasets to the new system can be time-consuming and error-prone, demanding careful planning and data validation. So, how does S/4 HANA stack up against the competition? While solutions like Oracle NetSuite or Microsoft Dynamics 365 may be more affordable and customizable for smaller businesses, they lack the real-time data capabilities and industry-specific depth of S/4 HANA. For larger enterprises with complex financial needs and a long-term vision, S/4 HANA's advanced functionalities, scalability, and potential for long-term ROI outweigh the initial challenges. Ultimately, the decision boils down to a company's specific needs, budget, and risk tolerance.

Pros & Cons

  • Real-time insights: Gain instant access to financial data for faster, data-driven decisions. Imagine drilling down into account details or cash flow trends within seconds, no more waiting for reports to process.
  • Simplified processes: Automate routine tasks like reconciliations and journal entries, freeing up valuable time for more strategic work. Think automated invoice approvals or system-generated closing checklists.
  • Improved reporting: Generate granular, customizable reports with deeper financial insights. Easily create ad-hoc reports or visualize trends to proactively identify and address issues.
  • Enhanced collaboration: Share real-time financial data and collaborate seamlessly with colleagues across departments. Picture a single, unified platform for finance, sales, and operations to work together.
  • Mobile accessibility: Access financial information and perform key tasks from anywhere, anytime. Approve invoices while on the go or monitor key metrics remotely.
  • High implementation cost: Initial investment, including licensing, consulting, and infrastructure upgrades, can be significant, especially for smaller businesses.
  • Steeper learning curve: New interface and functionalities require user training and adaptation, potentially disrupting workflows in the short term.
  • Limited customization options: Pre-configured solutions may not fully address every specific accounting need, requiring workarounds or third-party add-ons.
  • Integration challenges: Connecting with legacy systems or specialized applications can be complex, requiring technical expertise and potentially delaying implementation.
  • Potential data migration issues: Moving large datasets to the new system can be time-consuming and prone to errors, requiring careful planning and data validation.

Key Features

  • Research & Development:  SAP S/4HANA Finance enables multidiscipline product definition, what-if analysis and iterative design processes. 
  • Real-Time Financing:  Users get real-time oversight into finance processes and finance/management accounting results. This feature makes business and financial planning a breeze with prediction, simulation and what-if analysis.  
  • Marketing Analysis:  This feature allows planning and execution of personalized email campaigns and campaign performance analysis. Users can also consolidate customer information into one enriched view and leverage advanced analytics to gain insights.  
  • Snapshot Manufacturing: This system gives users enterprise-wide visibility across supply, production, inventory and demand. This feature also provides faster execution of more current and accurate views of material quantities. 
  • Supply Chain Management: Real-time and adaptive freight planning, truck visibility, and warehouse automation are provided within the system. Users can sense short-term demand and respond quickly with fast planning, replanning and simulation. 
  • Accessible Sales Data: Users have access to product catalogs, inventory and pricing to create sales quotes and fulfill sales orders in real-time. This feature also manages accounts, opportunities and other activities while leveraging advanced analytics to gain insights.

COMPARE THE BEST Budgeting And Forecasting Software

Select up to 2 Products from the list below to compare

 
Product
Score
i
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Budgeting And Forecasting Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
Start Price
Free Trial
Company Size
Deployment
Platform
Logo
QuickBooks Online
$25
Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
QuickBooks Online
Freshbooks
$4.50
Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Freshbooks
Xero
$15
Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Xero
Wave Accounting
$20
Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Wave Accounting
NetSuite Accounting
Undisclosed
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
NetSuite Accounting
Mint
$0
Freemium, Monthly
No
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Mint
Zoho Books
$9
Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Zoho Books
Deltek Vision
$1,000
Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Deltek Vision
Sage Intacct
$10,000
Annually
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Sage Intacct
SAP S/4 HANA Finance
$25,000
Per User, Annually
No
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
SAP S/4 HANA Finance

All Budgeting And Forecasting Software (135 found)

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Infor CloudSuite Financials

by Infor, Inc.
Infor CloudSuite Financials
Infor CloudSuite Financials is a cloud accounting ERP that works with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Infor OS, enabling businesses to experience the latest advancements in enterprise functionality such as artificial intelligence (AI). AI enables users to keep up with updates, diminish the total cost ownership and capital investment and equalize analytics to make better business decisions.Global general ledger, close management, receivables and billing, cash management, reconciliation management and asset accounting are some of its idiosyncrasies.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: good
Cost Breakdown
$100 - $500
Company Size
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Platform
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Epicor Accounting

by Epicor Software Corporation
Epicor Accounting
Epicor Accounting aids users in scaling their business as well as meeting all of their accounting needs and staying true to driving growth for its clients. It practices teamwork, passion, excellence, innovation, service and integrity values. Although it's not a standalone solution, it's available as a module within Kinetic, Prophet 21 and Eclipse.Core financial management (i.e., general ledger, accounts payable and accounts receivable), reporting, global business management and payment processing are some of its quintessential attributes.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: good
Cost Breakdown
$100 - $500
Company Size
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Deployment
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Platform
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Costpoint

by Deltek
Costpoint
Deltek’s Costpoint management suite is designed to serve government contractors of all sizes. It includes support for the entire life cycle of a project and includes accounting, manufacturing, business intelligence and materials management inclusions. It maintains high levels of compliance to ensure government contractors are within successful operational parameters. It is available with both cloud-based and on-premise deployment options and adheres to the ever-growing list of government regulations required of contractors. It helps users streamline daily tasks and complex accounting processes and provides users with valuable visibility into company metrics.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: good
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
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Deployment
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Platform
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Concur

by Concur
Concur
SAP Concur is a Software-as-a-Service company that provides travel and expense management solutions. Created by a merger of the two companies in 2014, it effortlessly guides employees through every trip by populating charges into expense reports and automating invoice reports.It automates data capture and accounts payable, uses real-time data and AI to audit transactions. It helps businesses keep an eye on what they are spending and there are no blind spots in the budget.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
Company Size
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Deployment
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Platform
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Accountmate

by Accountmate Software Corporation
Accountmate
AccountMate, owned by the AccountMate Software Corporation, helps medium and small-scale businesses by providing them with flexible and robust business accounting management. It can be locally installed or used as a SaaS. It handles modular, financial, ERP and business management functions to help SMEs grow their traditional accounting methods.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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QuickBooks Enterprise

by Intuit
QuickBooks Enterprise
QuickBooks Enterprise is an accounting ERP that enables users to hold one million patrons, vendors and inventory items, 100,000 classes, 45 custom fields and no more than 40 users. Users can manage bookkeeping, inventory, reporting, pricing rules, job costing,time tracking and more.Its noteworthy features include pricing, job costing, hosting, field service management, order management and more.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$1,000 or more
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Acumatica

by Acumatica
Acumatica
Acumatica is cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. It handles core business processes like financials, manufacturing, payroll, service management, order management and customer relationship management (CRM) for medium-sized companies and large enterprises.A standout feature is its open architecture, making it easy to customize and connect to existing apps. Data security functions include multi-factor authorization (MFA) and IP access restrictions.Recent reviews are positive about its user-friendly interface, scalability and functionality. While costing more than some basic ERP software, Acumatica offers robust features like project management, advanced reporting and inventory control, making it a good choice for growing businesses seeking to centralize and automate operations.Compared to its competitors, users appreciate its flexibility and accessibility. However, its extensive customization options is a double-edged sword, requiring developer knowledge for complex modifications and integrations. While Acumatica's breadth of functionality is impressive, it can present a steeper learning curve for users new to the platform.Acumatica offers a subscription-based model based on depth of functionality. This pricing structure allows unlimited user access to the system. The final price depends on added modules, consumption levels (including storage and transaction volumes) and licensing costs.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$1,000 or more
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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GnuCash

by GnuCash Project
GnuCash
GnuCash is a free accounting software licensed under the GNU GPL. It’s open-source and provides personal financial management as well. Start-ups and micro-businesses find this free option helpful, especially for those on a limited budget. Developed as an alternative to Quicken, it’s been translated into 21 languages and works well for small- and medium-scale companies who want to conduct business globally.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Bill.com

by Bill.com
Bill.com
Bill.com is a cloud-based software solution provider that automates financial processes for small and medium-scale businesses. It streamlines accounts payable and receivable management and uses AI and machine learning to reduce tedious data entry and manual errors. As an end-to-end option, it connects businesses with suppliers and clients to assist them in managing cash inflows and outflows.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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AvidXchange

by AvidXchange
AvidXchange
AvidXchange is an accounts payable software company that helps mid-market-sized companies automate invoice and payment processing. Instead of replacing the existing system, it digitizes and transforms all systems electronically without letting the business lose control over the process. It automates all the payable processes and allows the accounting team to electronically review and direct the invoices based on rules and alerts set by the company.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$100 - $500
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Brokermint

by Brokermint
Brokermint
Brokermint is a real estate back office management software that automates and optimizes processes replacing paper-based workflows. It comes with transaction management that simplifies delegating tasks, requesting documents, keeping track of work and ensuring agents meet deadlines. Users can automatically calculate commission splits and create statements and reports with automated tracking and management. The team management tool auto-calculates commission. It seamlessly integrates and synchronizes data across multiple platforms.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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ZipBooks

by ZipBooks
ZipBooks
ZipBooks is a cloud-based accounting and invoicing platform designed for entrepreneurs and small businesses. It works independently or with certified accountants who will prepare monthly financial statements for a user's business.It's also available as an iOS app with credit card processing, chart of accounts, business listings, machine learning, time tracking, team management and other capabilities that are specifically designed for the app.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Chargebee

by Chargebee
Chargebee
Chargebee is an accounting solution that automates recurring bills, subscription management and revenue analytics. In this way, it enables subscription-based businesses to capture, retain and maximize potential revenues. It combines billing automation and revenue operations to ensure that the processes run smoothly and optimize sales and financial operations efficiencies.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$100 - $500
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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TimeSolv

by TimeSolv
TimeSolv
TimeSolv is a cloud-based solution that provides law firms with time and billing capabilities and helps ensure compliance with industry standards. Lawyers can track expenses, generate invoices and process payments quickly and accurately. It offers project management modules to manage deadlines, assign tasks and collaborate with colleagues. Its reporting capabilities provide insights into the firm's financial health and performance to make informed decisions and improve practice.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Nexonia

by Nexonia
Nexonia
Nexonia is a suite of programs that includes expenses, timesheets, travel, time off, purchase orders and accounts payable.Mileage tracking, credit card integrations, task tracking, unused inventory tracking, live itineraries and time-off requests are just some of its top modules.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Adaptive Insights

by Adaptive Insights
Adaptive Insights
Adaptive Insights (acquired by Workday) is an enterprise planning SaaS solution that enables companies to effectively manage their finances, more accurately prepare for the future and make better decisions. It can pull source data from multiple sources to ensure that insights are accurate and remain up-to-date. It can visualize KPIs and create reports for easy sharing and distribution. It empowers collaborative financial, workforce and sales planning with business agility throughout any enterprise. Following its acquisition by Workday in 2018, it has rebranded to Workday Adaptive Planning. The vendor offers flexible pricing options for organizations of various sizes, with three types of role-based licenses or “seats” available: Full, Contributor and View.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$1,000 or more
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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BlackLine

by BlackLine
BlackLine
BlackLine is an accounting software designed to streamline and automate accounting processes. It is ideal for mid-to-large organizations with complex accounting needs. Key benefits include improved accuracy, reduced manual labor, and enhanced visibility into financial data. Popular features include automated reconciliations, real-time reporting, and customizable dashboards. Compared to other accounting software, BlackLine is known for its comprehensive functionality and ease of use. Users appreciate its ability to handle high volumes of transactions and its intuitive interface. However, it is important to note that BlackLine comes with a higher price tag than some competing solutions.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$1,000 or more
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Solver

by Solver
Solver
Solver BI360 is a corporate performance management suite that assists organizations in reporting, data warehousing, dashboarding and analysis, and budgeting and forecasting. Deployable either on-premise or in the cloud, it integrates with many data sources, including accounting, ERP and CRM. It pulls data from a multitude of data sources and enables report designing from within Excel itself, boosting productivity and accelerating decision-making processes. It caters to growth-focused organizations, from small businesses to large enterprises, and serves customers across the globe with its teams located in North America, Latin America, Africa, the Asia Pacific and Europe.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$100 - $500
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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ProLaw

by Thomson Reuters
ProLaw
ProLaw is an end-to-end solution designed for law firms to streamline and manage different aspects of their businesses. It provides inclusions to coordinate and support the processes of various facets of the firm, including executive, legal, IT and finance. It provides a cover-all integration with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Westlaw court rules and other popular applications to help lawyers build and maintain a productive, profitable practice. It provides real-time business intelligence on the health of the firm, enabling access to and management of all important processes on the go with the mobile app and online portal. It offers additional modules, such as card processing, e-billing, legal calendar and researching to address the entire matter lifecycle to service clients more efficiently and effectively. It also provides personalized training options to promote firm-wide literacy.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: good
Cost Breakdown
$1,000 or more
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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NetSuite

by NetSuite, Inc.
NetSuite
NetSuite ERP is a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution designed to automate and streamline core business processes. It manages all aspects of a company's operations, including financials, accounting, inventory, supply chain, and customer relationship management (CRM). NetSuite is best suited for mid-sized and large businesses with complex needs who require a comprehensive solution to manage their growth. Key benefits include improved visibility, real-time data access, increased efficiency, and enhanced collaboration. Popular features include order management, project management, financial reporting, and business intelligence. User reviews praise NetSuite's scalability, flexibility, and ease of use. However, some users mention the initial implementation cost and learning curve as drawbacks. Pricing is tiered based on the number of users and modules required. Monthly subscription fees can range from $999 to $4,999 per month. Additionally, one-time implementation fees may apply. Pros Scalable Flexible Easy to use Real-time data Improved visibility Cons High cost Steep learning curve Limited customization Integration issues Vendor lock-in
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$500 - $1,000
Company Size
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Deployment
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Buyer's Guide

Budgeting and Forecasting Software Is All About Better Financial Insights

By Peter Lalush, Content Writer at SelectHub

Budgeting and Forecasting Software BG Intro

A lot goes into tracking your business’s finances. What’s left in the monthly budget? What will you have to work with in the near and far future? How do you keep all this information organized and up to date? Fortunately, EPM budgeting and forecasting software exists to serve these needs, ensuring that your business’s finances remain in order.

In this article, we’ll go over the uses and benefits of budgeting and forecasting software, and recommend some of the most popular software solutions on the market right now.

Executive Summary

  • Budgeting and forecasting software helps you keep track of expenses and generate reports.
  • Key features include expense tracking, reporting and visualization.
  • Be sure to ask vendors any questions you might have before committing to a purchase.
What This Guide Covers:

What Is Budgeting and Forecasting Software?

Budgeting and forecasting software, a subset of EPM software, is a technological solution that helps businesses keep track of their finances both in the moment and over time. It can work on its own to trace expenses and create reports, or can be integrated with accounting software to increase its capabilities and bring your workflow in line with the best practices in your industry.

Primary Benefits

Primary Benefits of Budgeting and Forecasting

Better Visibility

Tracking expenses and plotting out payments with the software not only helps you better understand your finances with visualizations and reports, but also keeps your stakeholders and other employees in the loop, ensuring they are all up to date and informed on the company’s status.

Reduced Errors

By integrating with other accounting and financial reporting software, budgeting and forecasting software can help you automatically copy and distribute data between your most important databases, eliminating the need for human data entry operators and keeping your data free of typographical errors.

Increased Efficiency

In conjunction with the previously mentioned benefits, budgeting and forecasting software keeps you from having to waste time searching for financial information. Databases are organized and easy to access, ensuring that you can get the data you need in a timely manner.

Related Categories

Key Features & Functionality

Expense Tracking

Budgeting and forecasting software allows you to automatically log and trace your business expenses, from employee purchases to materials acquisition and everything in between, in order to optimize for a changing business environment.
Reporting

Automatically generate official reports using your budgeting and forecasting software’s databases, and format them to share with stakeholders, employees and official government entities for any purpose.
Visualization

Plot your finances on easy-to-read graphs and charts using budgeting and forecasting software’s visualization function, aiding in future predictions and comprehension for employees and stakeholders.
Alerts

Budgeting and forecasting software can be configured to alert you and your stakeholders when your company is coming up on any expense limits or other important financial milestones, making sure your finances are always in order.
Machine Learning

Some budgeting and forecasting software can utilize artificial intelligence to predict future financial trends and suggest adjustments to your business’s financial plans for the best results in coming months.

Software Comparison Strategy

With so many software options available, deciding on the best budgeting and forecasting software for your business can be an overwhelming process.

To make things easier, start by making a list of the features your business absolutely needs. Where does your current accounting process fall short? What do you hope the software will help you achieve?

From there, select three to five software options that meet your requirements before reaching out to vendors and starting conversations.

If you need more help with this process, try our comparison reporting tool to compare leading software options side by side.

Cost & Pricing Considerations

While considering your budget for budgeting and forecasting software, be sure to keep the following factors in mind.

Company Size

Budgeting and forecasting software can vary greatly in price depending on how many users will need access. If you have a dedicated EPM department, they’ll likely be the only ones you need to onboard. If not, you may need to onboard your entire organization, resulting in a higher cost.

Current Software

A less robust budgeting and forecasting software option can sometimes be a smart financial decision if your business already makes use of software that covers some financial needs. However, it can also be useful to replace your current software with a completely new system, though this is usually more expensive.

Deployment

Using cloud-based software usually means you can expect a lower cost of entry, but you’ll need to pay a subscription fee each month rather than a single upfront payment as you would with an on-premise software option.

The Most Popular Budgeting and Forecasting Software

Now that you know how budgeting and forecasting software can benefit your business, how do you decide which option best fits your needs? We’ve identified the following three software options as some of the best on the market right now. Check out our picks below!

Oracle EPM

As with the vast majority of business software nowadays, Oracle’s EPM solution is built on a cloud platform, allowing for a lower cost of entry and platform access from any connected device. This powerful solution covers your budgeting and forecasting needs, as well as any other EPM tasks you need handled.

Oracle EPM

Oracle EPM’s interface makes it simple to understand your financial standing. Source

Tagetik

Using an ERP software framework that your business can leverage for EPM, budgeting and forecasting software needs, Italy’s Tagetik software has a number of deployment options to suit whatever your business may require. Allowing for cloud and on-premise options, it unifies all your financial processes to make it easier than ever to monitor funds.

Tagetik

Tagetik uses powerful visualizations to help you understand the meanings of your forecasts.

Anaplan

With a lower cost of entry and special attention to budgets, Anaplan makes a strong case for itself as your first budgeting and forecasting software solution. It offers multiple module configurations to ensure your business is receiving the software support it needs, and helps assess your decisions in real time for instant feedback.

Anaplan

Anaplan features a customizable dashboard to keep all your important information organized.

 

 

Questions To Ask

To get a better understanding of your company’s requirements, ask yourself these guiding questions:

  • What’s our budget?
  • How many employees will use the software?
  • Will our employees need training to use the software?
  • What features do we need the most?
  • Is this compatible with our existing software?

Budgeting and Forecasting Key Questions

Here are a few questions to ask potential vendors to help you learn more about the software and vendor:

  • How many years of expertise do you have in the industry?
  • What customer support and training do you offer?
  • Is the software customizable to specific business needs?
  • Do you have experience working with businesses in our industry?
  • What data security features does the software offer?

Next Steps

Budgeting and forecasting software can be incredibly useful for any business in need of help tracking their finances. We hope our guide has helped you identify the software options that will best suit your needs.

If you need more information, take a look at our comparison report to gain further insight into the top software options on the market.

Product Comparisons

Additional Resources

About The Contributors

The following expert team members are responsible for creating, reviewing, and fact checking the accuracy of this content.

Khaleel
By Khaleel Hayes
Technical Content Writer
Khaleel Hayes is a Technical Content Writer for SelectHub, with over 4 years of experience crafting content for manufacturing, PLM, ERP and technology selection audiences. He's also a freelance writer in his spare time. His body of work includes poetry, short plays, feature articles and film reviews either self-published or in Denver publications. He graduated with a B.A. in Journalism and an English minor from Metropolitan State University of Denver in May 2018. When not writing, he enjoys classic movies and music, tasty burgers, tasteful bookstores, and breathtaking art and photography.
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Rohit Dutta
Technical Research By Rohit Dutta Mazumder
Senior Analyst
Hailing from the serene landscapes of Assam, India, Rohit is a seasoned professional with diverse expertise in several software categories. Armed with a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA in Operations Management, he brings a unique blend of technical acumen and strategic thinking to the table. His proficiency extends across dynamic fields such as Product Lifecycle Management, Hotel Management, Ecommerce, Accounting and Finance.
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Shashank
Technical Review By Shashank K K
Principal Analyst
After graduating with a Masters in Finance from Trinity College Dublin, K K Shashank's research and detail-oriented skills led them to SelectHub. He has diverse knowledge across various software categories like Accounting, Financial Planning and Analysis, Ecommerce, Risk Management, PLM, Insurance and more since 2020.
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Hunter
Edited By Hunter Lowe
Content Editor
Hunter Lowe is a Content Editor, Writer and Market Analyst at SelectHub. His team covers categories that range from ERP and business intelligence to transportation and supply chain management. Hunter is an avid reader and Dungeons and Dragons addict who studied English and Creative Writing through college. In his free time, you'll likely find him devising new dungeons for his players to explore, checking out the latest video games, writing his next horror story or running around with his daughter.
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