ZipBooks vs Planful

Last Updated:

Our analysts compared ZipBooks vs Planful based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Accounting Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Planful Software Tool

Product Basics

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.
read more...
Formerly Host Analytics, Planful is a financial planning and analysis cloud platform. It accelerates end-to-end FP&A. Suitable for midsize to large-scale businesses, it helps by centralizing data and managing financial and operational processes.

It helps users plan and manage reviews, approvals and submissions and generates workflow status reports to check the performance of every department. It helps analyze asset performance by using financial budgeting and forecasting techniques with its capital planning feature. It is a scalable solution that allows companies to check the effect of projects on the overall bottom line.
read more...
$15 Monthly, Freemium
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
$1,250 Monthly
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • User-Friendly Interface: Users don't require a master's degree in accounting to operate ZipBooks because its features and interface are intuitive, making it easy to use no matter the level of experience.  
  • Affordable: ZipBooks offers four payment options with distinct features such as free, smarter, sophisticated and the accountant plan offers adjustable pricing. This makes it a viable option for anyone with a small budget, such as small businesses or freelancers trying to get their careers off the ground. 
  • Knowledgeable Experts: ZipBooks' certified bookkeepers can provide users with financial advice and recommendations when assisting with accounting practices. 
  • Record and Document Tasks: Keeping track of every task, project and file can be cumbersome. Thanks to ZipBooks, users can create and allocate responsibilities to specific projects so everything is chronicled and accessible in one place.  
read more...
  • Conduct Ad hoc Analysis: Simplify complex ad hoc analysis by quickly creating financial and operational models while simultaneously checking the impact of these models on the bottom line. 
  • Close Books Faster: Decrease the time it takes to close books by automating data collection, aggregation and validation. Make data secure and compliant with standards and protocols.  
  • Improve Collaboration: Collaborate in a more efficient manner with current data and real-time insights. Get the power to make quick and accurate decisions with more confidence.  
  • Get Insights: Make well-informed decisions by gaining insights from across an organization to drive long-term value and growth. Automate manual processes to gain more time for strategic planning processes, analyzing and collaborating rather than worrying about spreadsheets.  
  • Automate Manual Processes: Save time and reduce errors by automating manual financial processes. Ensure that all financial processes are done with minimum manual effort and run more efficiently.  
read more...
  • Accountant Access: Users can easily share information with accountants and financial experts with ZipBooks' accounting accessory. This tool enables users to effortlessly track routine transactions and extend completely accurate data for filing taxes, preparing financial reports and asking for sound financial advice to their accountants. The accounts receivable feature enables users to monitor invoices and payments so the money they make and amounts they owe will promptly update in their accounts receivable reports. Users can also review what their clients have already paid, outstanding amounts and the normal amount of time it takes them to pay. Transactions made outside of ZipBooks can be added manually for full accuracy. 
  • Oversee Accounts Receivable: The accounts receivable tool enables users to review their accounts receivable history while also providing smart insights on which particular accounts are paying in a rational timeline. This module also extends an elaborate list of customers who make late payments so users can establish more payment reminders. Users can also create a snapshot of general payment trends in a given year for proper budgeting.  
  • Perform Accurate Bank Reconciliations: Users can employ the bank reconciliation extension in the accounting tool to automatically transfer transaction information into their ZipBooks account so they can always see the most current account balance. This function also allows users to sort and study transactions by placing a checkmark on each transaction that appears on users' bank statements. ZipBooks will even monitor transactions that aren't verified so users will always stay in the know about their finances. Other extensions included within the accounting tool include bank connecting, auto-categorization, chart of accounts, project accounting and tagging. This tool is also supplied with several reports such as aging, balance sheet, general ledger, income statement, taxes invoiced and trial balance. 
  • Regulate Billing Processes: ZipBooks' billing management accessory allows users to choose regular or subscription-based invoicing for constant billing to fit their needs. Users can personalize their invoices with logos, particular colors and contact information. This tool can also trace customer payments, invoice history, overdue balances and collected taxes and alert users when an invoice has been paid. The credit card processing extension enables users to accept payments from every major credit company from approximately 22 various countries. Users can also take digital payments from Square and PayPal.  
  • Initiate Concurrent Bills: Thanks to the recurring billing function, users can set up future payments and never worry about them getting to the right customer again. There are dynamic features users can adjust to instantly autofill invoices with precise customer information. This function can immediately bill customer credit cards on a monthly basis and securely store credit card information. Other functions that come with the billing module include estimates, invoices, customer management, mobile access, multi-currency, reminders, saved items, team management and time tracking.  
  • Machine Learning Insights: ZipBooks' machine learning function of the intelligence module is similar to adding a supercomputer to a user's team because it blends work with research to immediately pick a category for each transaction. The more users work with the machine learning tool, the more it can learn about the way they chronicle and sort their transactions until it can auto-categorize. If there's a classifying error, users can make the correction and the extension will learn from its mistakes. The machine learning function will also categorize every bank transaction that a user imports and provide a confidence score based on their accounting knowledge and history.  
  • Thorough Business Wellness Check: Users can implement the business health score extension to check and finetune the health of their business that will aid in making better business decisions. This function can search for concurrent clients, punctual payments, sales growth and repeating revenue. Other helpful functions within the intelligence accessory include invoice quality score, recommendations and smart search.  
  • Manage Billable Expenses: To get reimbursed for expenses users' business accrue for customers such as paint supplies needed to paint a house or parts to fix a car, users can develop a transaction, mark it as billable and add the name of the client to be billed with the billable expenses function in the expense management tool. The expense will be added to the customer's invoice. The vendor management extension enables users to view expense histories, keep vendor contact information updated, and review payments owed. When users attach a bill or expense to a vendor's name, ZipBooks will instantly pinpoint general contacts as vendors. If users no longer use someone as a vendor but want to keep their contact information handy, they can easily change the name back to contact. Other functions included in the expense management module include receipt saving and split categories. 
  • Deliver Review Invitations: ZipBooks' growth accessory's reviews extension enables users to automatically or manually send invitations via email or text message to clients to review their business online. Users can employ ZipBooks' widget component to share customer reviews onto their website. This extension also allows users to reply to customer reviews on Google, Facebook, Yelp and other platforms. 
  • Locate and Manage Search Ranks: The ranking function in the growth module permits users to see where their business ranks in search results based on specific keywords customers may use when searching for a business, service or product on maps, computers or mobile search apps. Users can accordingly add keywords for more insight and install parameters to identify searches within particular target areas. This function also allows users to track the progress of their rankings such as rising, falling or consistencies. Other extensions within the growth accessory include widgets and business listings.  
read more...
  • Modern Tools: Combine the need for structured and dynamic planning to empower organizations to make well-informed decisions in a quick and strategic manner.  
  • Financial Consolidation: Accelerate month-end closing cycles with financial consolidation. Enhance financial planning and reporting by leveraging data from a single source of truth. Get pre-built consolidation functionality for currency conversion and reporting, currency translation adjustment calculations and posting. Implement functional, administrative and setup changes without the need for IT experts. Boost teams’ agility when reacting to changes in organization, strategy, regulation and accounting protocol. Ensure trusted and consistent global reporting by automatically mapping financial data. Keep tabs from start to end on balances, and analyze financial data across consolidation activities.  
  • Structured Planning: Save time and reduce errors by automating labor-intensive financial planning activities. Avoid costly and disruptive customization fees, save time and reduce risk of error with predefined planning and reporting templates. Automate integration from any ERP, CRM or HCM. Create a single source of financial truth by automatically collecting, aggregating and validating financial data. Ensure consistency and accuracy by creating and modifying structured financial reports and elevating financial conversations. 
  • Dynamic Planning: Analyze, plan and make confident decisions with dynamic planning. Build custom-tailored financial models. Leverage customization across processes, functions and use cases. Configure planning experiences and give users the flexibility to plan for anything. Connect data sources from separate systems in one unified, cloud-based platform. Boost financial decision making with a single source of truth. Get insights and make course corrections with real-time data refreshing. Inculcate companywide collaboration culture by providing the right data at the right level to the right person.  
  • Integration: Automate data integration to reduce manual intervention and easily transform data with over 200 pre-built connectors. Adjust to automatic data processing with a growing integration platform. Check status and activity of deployed integrations from a centralized place. Ensure data integration process flows are repeatable, automated and secure, and provide audit trails required by internal and external auditors. Understand changes in data with multiple validation points across integration workflows. 
  • Reporting: Leverage reporting formats and delivery options to meet financial, management and ad hoc needs. Ensure data accuracy and transparency with self-service reporting and automated report distribution. Automate collection and aggregation of financial and business data into a single cloud-based platform. Ensure everyone is working with current and accurate information derived from a single source of truth. Boost financial IQ with self-service reporting capabilities. Create a more agile environment with impactful financial decision making. 
  • Annual Operating Plan: Build collaborative financial plans that align with business objectives. Turn annual plans into quarterly or monthly rolling forecasts, and check models for different scenarios to determine how to realign and adjust strategies.  
  • Workforce Planning: Plan accordingly for workforces by connecting HR, finance and operational data together. Create a headcount plan that can be adjusted to changing marketing requirements. Gain insight to build winning strategies and utilize employees as strategic assets. Boost financial IQ to understand and influence impacts on the financial health of workforce costs.  
  • Cash Flow Forecasting: Assess the impact of decisions by gaining complete control and visibility over finances. Reallocate cash by identifying trends and understanding levers. Mitigate cash flow risk by adjusting investment opportunities.  
  • Scenario Analysis: Analyze every option by planning across multiple case scenarios and assessing key drivers. Bring agility by optimizing current period results. Gain the flexibility to discover deeper insights across a broad range of models. Align executives and business partners with data-driven decisions. Check the impact of plan changes from every level with immediate results. 
  • Rolling Forecasts: Adjust to sudden changes, keep forecasts current and business agile with continually rolling planning periods. Automatically keep tabs on the impact of actuals on forecasted trends. Improve risk analysis by quickly identifying opportunities and risks as business landscapes evolve. Align rolling forecasts by collaborating across different departments. Gain real-time insights to redirect resources and priorities and align them with business objectives.  
read more...

Product Ranking

#33

among all
Accounting Software

#116

among all
Accounting Software

Find out who the leaders are

User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 300 reviews
Great User Sentiment 82 reviews
92%
of users recommend this product

ZipBooks has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 92% when considering 300 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

86%
of users recommend this product

Planful has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 86% when considering 82 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (15)
n/a
4.8 (78)
n/a
4.5 (93)
4.29 (41)
4.5 (99)
4.3 (41)
4.1 (15)
n/a

Awards

ZipBooks stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

we're gathering data

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Free Plan: ZipBooks offers a free plan that includes unlimited invoices, the ability to accept digital payments, and basic reporting features, making it a cost-effective solution for freelancers and small businesses with basic accounting needs.
User-Friendly Interface: The platform is known for its intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, allowing users to quickly create professional invoices, track expenses, and manage their finances without extensive accounting knowledge.
Time Tracking: ZipBooks includes time-tracking tools that enable users to accurately record billable hours for projects and clients, simplifying the process of generating invoices based on actual time spent.
Integrations: ZipBooks integrates with popular payment gateways like PayPal and Square, as well as other business tools such as Slack and Google Calendar, streamlining workflows and reducing manual data entry.
Show more
Streamlined Financial Close: Planful helps automate routine tasks like data consolidation and report generation, which can significantly reduce the time it takes to close the books each month. This efficiency is often praised by users in fast-paced environments.
Improved Forecasting Accuracy: The platform's forecasting tools leverage historical data and predictive analytics to generate more accurate forecasts. Users appreciate this feature as it allows for better-informed decision-making and resource allocation.
Enhanced Collaboration: Planful provides a centralized platform for finance teams to collaborate on budgeting, forecasting, and reporting. This feature improves communication and transparency within the department, leading to more cohesive financial strategies.
Customizable Reporting: Users frequently highlight the ability to create custom reports tailored to their specific needs. This flexibility allows finance teams to analyze data from multiple angles and gain deeper insights into their financial performance.
Show more
Limited Integrations: ZipBooks may not integrate with all the applications a business uses, potentially leading to manual data entry and reduced efficiency.
Scalability Concerns: Some users have expressed concerns about ZipBooks' ability to handle the needs of larger businesses or those with more complex accounting requirements as they grow.
Customer Support: While ZipBooks offers support, some users have reported challenges in obtaining timely or comprehensive assistance for their inquiries.
Show more
Steep Learning Curve: Many users find Planful's interface to be complex and unintuitive, requiring significant time investment to learn the system's intricacies. The abundance of features can be overwhelming for new users, leading to frustration and a slow adoption rate within organizations.
Customization Challenges: While Planful offers customization options, implementing them often requires advanced technical skills or reliance on the vendor's professional services, which can be costly. This limitation can hinder organizations with unique workflows or reporting needs from fully tailoring the software to their specific requirements.
Reporting Limitations: Some users report that generating specific or ad-hoc reports can be cumbersome in Planful. The system's pre-built reports may not always cater to every organization's needs, and creating custom reports may require technical expertise or additional support.
Performance Issues: A segment of users has mentioned experiencing slow loading times and occasional system lags, particularly when working with large datasets or complex reports. This can impact productivity and user satisfaction, especially for organizations with high data volumes or demanding reporting requirements.
Show more

ZipBooks: Accounting made easy. ZipBooks is a cloud-based accounting software that helps small businesses manage their finances, but how does it stack up against the competition? Users appreciate its ease of use and affordability, making it a great choice for those who are new to accounting software or have a limited budget. The platform offers features like invoicing, expense tracking, and basic reporting, which are essential for many small businesses. However, some users have noted that ZipBooks lacks more advanced features found in other accounting software, such as inventory management and in-depth financial reporting. Additionally, customer support has received mixed reviews, with some users finding it helpful while others have experienced challenges. One of ZipBooks' unique features is its integration with popular business apps like QuickBooks, Google Drive, and Salesforce, allowing for seamless data transfer and increased efficiency. The software also includes project management tools, which can be beneficial for businesses that need to track time and tasks. ZipBooks offers a free starter plan, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious businesses. Paid plans provide additional features, such as payroll integration and reputation management. Overall, ZipBooks is a solid choice for freelancers and small businesses that prioritize ease of use and affordability. However, businesses with more complex accounting needs or those requiring extensive customer support may want to explore other options like QuickBooks Online or Xero.

Show more

Planful has garnered a reputation for its robust financial reporting and analysis capabilities, particularly excelling in budgeting, forecasting, and consolidation. Users appreciate the software's ability to handle complex financial models and its flexibility in generating custom reports. The platform's intuitive interface and user-friendly design have also been praised, making it accessible to both finance professionals and non-financial users. However, some users have noted that the initial setup and implementation process can be time-consuming and may require significant support from Planful's team. Additionally, while Planful offers a wide range of features, some users have expressed a desire for more advanced functionality in areas such as workforce planning and project accounting. Compared to competitors like Adaptive Insights and Vena Solutions, Planful stands out for its comprehensive financial consolidation capabilities and its ability to handle large volumes of data. Its reporting and analytics tools are also considered to be more user-friendly and customizable. However, Adaptive Insights may be a better choice for organizations seeking a more cloud-based solution with stronger integrations with other business applications. Vena Solutions, on the other hand, may be more suitable for companies with complex financial modeling needs due to its Excel-based interface. Overall, Planful is best suited for mid-sized to large enterprises with complex financial reporting and analysis requirements. Its strengths lie in its budgeting, forecasting, consolidation, and reporting capabilities, making it an ideal choice for organizations looking to streamline their financial processes and gain deeper insights into their financial performance. However, companies with limited IT resources or those seeking a more cloud-based solution may want to consider alternative options.

Show more

Screenshots

Top Alternatives in Accounting Software


Accounting Seed

Acumatica

BQE Core

Dynamics 365 Finance

FreeAgent

Freshbooks

Manager

Odoo Accounting

Oracle Financials Cloud

Patriot Accounting

QuickBooks Online

Sage 50cloud Accounting

Sage Intacct

SAP Business One

SAP S/4 HANA Finance

TallyPrime

Wave Accounting

Workday Financial Management

Xero

ZarMoney

Related Categories

WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more...

Compare products
Comparison Report
Just drag this link to the bookmark bar.
?
Table settings