Technology

6 Best Accounting Software for Multiple Businesses

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Ultimately, the best accounting software for multiple businesses must have consolidation features so that you can combine financial reports of different business units into a single, unified report. Our favorite pick for multibusiness management is Sage Intacct, with its robust reporting and easy visibility across business profiles.

Top accounting software for multi-business management comparison

Pricing and product details are accurate as of 2/12/2025.

Sage Intacct: Best overall for multibusiness accounting

Sage logo.
Image: Sage

Sage Intacct, one of our best enterprise accounting software, provides a customizable controller dashboard that lays out your businesses’ financials and essential information through reports, statements, and a wide range of visualizations. Moreover, the reporting dashboard allows real-time data analysis with a detailed general ledger and other custom reports. Sage Intacct also offers essential insights to compare the statistics and figures of numerous entities.

Pricing

Sage doesn’t provide transparent pricing on its website and encourages shoppers to call for a quote.

Features

  • Custom real-time reports.
  • Fixed asset management.
  • Specialized features for different industries.
  • Robust dashboards.
  • Collaboration tools.
  • Financial and resource analytics.

Pros and cons

Pros
Cons

  • Offers both a desktop and cloud-native version of the software
  • Has third-party connection solutions, such as Salesforce, and even more integrations through its web services API
  • Allows automations to optimize cash management processes

  • Doesn’t provide pricing information online
  • Has implementation and utilization that can come with a steep learning curve
  • Has technical support, but it can be expensive

Wave Accounting: Best low-cost option

Wave logo.
Image: Wave

Wave Accounting offers a free tier and an inexpensive paid subscription. You can do basic accounting tasks, such as creating invoices, reconciling bank accounts, and managing the chart of accounts. Its Pro plan adds more premium features such as automatic imports of bank transactions and additional user roles.

Pricing

  • Starter: Free
  • Pro: $16 per month

Features

  • Expense tracking
  • Accounting dashboard
  • Online payments
  • Income tracking
  • Bank and credit card connections
  • Overdue invoices and bills reporting
  • Profit and loss reporting
  • Sales and tax tracking
  • Receipt scanning

Pros and cons

Pros
Cons

  • Has employee self-service capabilities through the mobile money management Android and iOS apps
  • Provides automatic payment deadline reminders for clients
  • Features a user-friendly interface with easy software setup
  • Supports up to 15 business profiles within one account

  • Has no built-in integrations, so connecting data from third-party solutions can be difficult
  • May not be a great fit for businesses needing a more robust solution, as extra features are listed as add-ons
  • Accommodates only one user in the free tier
  • Lacks class and location tracking for income and expenses

QuickBooks Online: Best user experience

QuickBooks logo.
Image: QuickBooks

QuickBooks Online offers robust accounting solutions that allows multicompany file access for different sets of books. If ever you need a separate set of books for a business segment or branch, you can get another QuickBooks subscription and use one login for all accounts. This feature enables your accountants to switch easily between two accounts without having to remember different logins.

Pricing

  • QuickBooks Simple Start: $35 per month
  • QuickBooks Essentials: $65 per month
  • QuickBooks Plus: $99 per month
  • QuickBooks Advanced: $235 per month

Pros and cons

Pros
Cons

  • Has a bulk importing feature
  • Lets you send unlimited invoices to unlimited clients
  • Is intuitive and user-friendly software
  • Has a nationwide network of QuickBooks ProAdvisors

  • Doesn’t offer the option to add more users
  • Has high price jumps from one plan to the next, especially from Plus to Advanced
  • Cannot record sales orders from customers
  • Allows only one organization per subscription

Xero: Best for unlimited users

Xero logo.
Image: Xero

Xero provides core capabilities that facilitate and support fundamental accounting operations across each of its plans. All tiers are good for unlimited users, making it a flexible pick for small to large businesses. You can get all the essential functions, plus advanced features such as project tracking and analytics in the highest plan. Try any plan for 30 days free — or sign up right away and get 90% off for three months.

Pricing

  • Early: $20 per month
  • Growing: $47 per month
  • Established: $80 per month

Features

  • Time-tracking tool
  • Xero’s mobile app, Xero Expenses
  • Admin task automation
  • Workflow management
  • Document management
  • Financial reporting
  • Fixed asset tracking
  • Inventory and COGS tracking

Pros and cons

Pros
Cons

  • Accommodates unlimited users
  • Has a wide range of third-party integrations
  • Has comprehensive project accounting features
  • Offers sales tax calculation
  • Allows multiple currencies with Established plan

  • Offers payroll, but it’s an add-on through Gusto




    From $40 a month + $6 per person monthly
  • Allows only one organization per subscription 
  • Lacks discounted annual billing
  • Limits you to 20 invoices and five bills in the lowest tier

Zoho Books: Best for enterprises

Zoho Books logo.
Image: Zoho Books

Zoho Books is great for streamlining business processes in one platform. It offers a free plan with limited features so that you can experience its capabilities without breaking the bank. Though limited, upgrading to higher plans pays off since you get more impressive features such as bank feed connections, sales orders, and workflow management. You can sign up for a 14-day free trial of any paid plan to get the look and feel of the version.

Pricing

  • Free: $0 (for businesses with a yearly revenue below $50,000)
  • Standard: $20 per organization, per month
  • Professional: $50 per organization, per month
  • Premium: $70 per organization, per month
  • Elite: $150 per organization, per month
  • Ultimate: $275 per organization, per month

Features

  • Zoho Books mobile app
  • Scheduled reporting and real-time data analysis
  • Customized invoicing
  • Expense management
  • Customer portal and vendor portal

Pros and cons

Pros
Cons

  • Offers flexible plans
  • Has a vendor portal that allows vendors to access and manage their transactions
  • Features powerful built-in integrations with many popular third-party solutions, including Office 365, G Suite and Stripe
  • Is more affordable than similar software

  • Lacks cash flow forecasting and timesheet management capabilities in Free and Standard plans
  • Has a complicated initial deployment
  • Allows only one organization per subscription
  • Offers project accounting and inventory management only in higher tiers

Acumatica Cloud ERP: Best ERP

Acumatica logo.
Image: Acumatica

Automatica’s all-in-one cloud ERP solution can handle the unique requirements of various industries. It offers tools for construction management, field service, and inventory management and optimization.

It also features a warehouse management system for multiple warehouses in different locations and intercompany accounting support for accounting teams handling multiple businesses. Furthermore, its flexible licensing plans make scaling easy for organizations, as Automatica charges based on the functionality and data use, not the number of users.

Pricing

Pricing information is available by request on Acumatica’s website.

Features

  • Collaborative capabilities
  • Single data model
  • Real-time insights
  • Financial management
  • POS




    Point of Sale

    system
  • Project accounting
  • Multientity and intercompany accounting
  • Unlimited users
  • Automated and customizable workflows

Pros and cons

Pros
Cons

  • Has flexible pricing plans that charge only for the data used, not the number of seats
  • Offers mobile apps for accessing multibusiness accounting data on the go
  • Provides real-time visibility into financial data

  • Lacks a free trial
  • Is primarily a US-optimized solution
  • May be too limiting for global enterprises
  • Doesn’t provide pricing information online

How I evaluated bookkeeping software for multiple businesses

This is a technical review using compiled literature researched from relevant databases. The information provided in this article is gathered from vendor websites or based on an aggregate of user feedback to ensure a high-quality review. Learn more about TechRepublic’s review methodology for accounting software.

How do I choose the best accounting software for multibusiness management for my business?

✅ Assess the unique factors that determine a tool’s usefulness for your businesses, such as size, complexity of accounting processes, and any industry requirements. Your ideal solution should satisfy all the specific needs, so use a strategic approach when selecting the best bookkeeping software for multiple businesses.

✅ Consider how each solution would support your businesses’ needs. For instance, the advanced features offered by Zoho Books make it a good option for streamlined data consolidation. Meanwhile, Acumatica Cloud ERP is a helpful all-in-one system for managing growing entities with unique industry requirements.

Alternatively, QuickBooks Online could be your best bet if you seek a unified solution with built-in connections and automatic data integrations, whereas Sage Intacct is optimal if you want to access comprehensive financial visibility and data-driven insights across multiple businesses. And if you are looking for scalability and cost-effectiveness in your solution, one of Xero or Wave Accounting’s free or low-cost software plans may be the right choice.

Multicompany accounting software features

Multicompany accounting software allows you to manage the financial data of multiple, separate legal entities within a single system. This is particularly useful if you have subsidiaries, franchises, or multiple branches.

You’ll find many similar features within multicompany accounting software. These include the following:

  • Consolidated financial reporting: Generate consolidated financial statements that combine the financial data of all entities, providing a detailed view of the overall financial health of your companies.
  • Intercompany transactions: Track and manage transactions between different entities, which ensures accuracy and efficiency.
  • Individual entity management: Customize the chart of accounts, accounting policies, and reporting requirements for each entity, allowing for flexibility.
  • Scalability: Add new entities as needed.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What is the best accounting software for multiple entities?

While the best accounting software for multiple entities depends on the specific needs and size of your businesses, there are some that consistently rank high in terms of features, usability, and customer satisfaction. Sage Intacct is known for its strong reporting capabilities and is a great choice if you need deep financial insights across multiple entities. QuickBooks Online and Xero are also popular options.

Can I use QuickBooks Online for multiple businesses?

Yes, you can, but it’s important to understand how it works and what its limitations are. It allows you to have multiple companies under one account, meaning you can access them all using the same login credentials. However, each company file requires its own separate paid subscription.

Can you have multiple companies in FreshBooks?

Yes, you can. It allows you to manage multiple businesses all under the same FreshBooks account. Each business you add operates independently, meaning there’s no sharing of financial information or team members between your businesses. However, while you can manage everything from one account, each business requires its own separate paid subscription.



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