ZipBooks

ZipBooks is a small-business accounting platform for owners who want invoicing and bookkeeping connected to their bank activity, with time tracking for service work. It is a stronger fit for straightforward billing and books than for buyers who need transparent plan costs before choosing.

Overview

ZipBooks brings invoicing, estimates, payment acceptance, expense categorization, and financial reporting into one service. Automatic imports from thousands of financial institutions, including many major banks in the U.S. and Canada, can reduce routine transaction entry. That breadth is useful, but the Starter plan supports only one bank connection, so businesses with multiple accounts would need to move up.

Square and PayPal handle digital payments, while Gusto can sync time entries for payroll and record payroll transaction details in ZipBooks. Those connections make the product relevant to service businesses coordinating client billing and payroll activity. ZipBooks says processors handle sensitive card data; it uses 256-bit TLS in transit and AES256 or AES128 encryption for stored data. Two-factor authentication is available by contacting support to enable it, an extra step for owners who expect to switch it on themselves.

Key features

Invoicing and books

Users can send invoices and estimates, accept card payments, set recurring auto-billing, and automate payment reminders. These tools address common billing tasks without requiring a separate invoicing product. On the accounting side, bank connections, reconciliation, transaction categorization, and financial reports support ongoing bookkeeping. Expense tracking and receipts are also part of its mobile offering, making it practical to handle basic financial work away from a desktop.

Time and team controls

Time can be tracked by project or task in a browser or iOS app, then imported into invoices. This is particularly useful for consultants and other businesses billing for time. Team permissions can limit access across invoicing, accounting, reporting, and time tracking, which gives growing teams some control over responsibilities. Gusto integration adds a payroll link, though ZipBooks’ usefulness for any particular payroll workflow depends on whether that connection matches the business’s needs.

Mobile use and support

ZipBooks offers an optimized mobile web experience and a native app for invoicing, payments, receipts, and expense categorization; its listed platforms include Android, iOS, and web, with time tracking specifically available on iOS and in a browser. Live chat and email support run Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Mountain Time. That schedule provides weekday help but may not suit businesses that need evening or weekend support.

Pricing

ZipBooks has a freemium model, a free plan, and a free trial. Plan prices are custom, so buyers should establish the cost before committing or relying on a feature associated with a higher tier.

• Starter: Unlimited invoices and vendors or customers, Square or PayPal payments, basic reports, and one bank connection. It is the natural starting point for a small operation with a single account, but it gives up multiple bank connections, time tracking, and recurring invoicing with auto-bill.
• Smarter: Recurring invoices with auto-bill, automated reminders, multiple bank accounts, time tracking, and five team members. This is the relevant tier for billable-time businesses and small teams; the five-member cap may constrain larger groups.
• Sophisticated: Smart tagging, account reconciliation, secure document sharing, financial reports, and unlimited users. It suits teams needing broader reporting and user access, though it does not remove the need to confirm custom pricing.
• Accountant: Client account management, financial package exports, bulk transaction editing, and data migration. These capabilities target accountants handling multiple client accounts rather than a business seeking only its own bookkeeping tools.

Platforms

ZipBooks supports Android, iOS, and web. Its native mobile app covers invoicing, payments, receipts, and expense categorization; browser access also supports time tracking.

Who it's for

ZipBooks is best suited to small businesses that want billing, bank-connected bookkeeping, and reporting together, especially service firms that track time and use Gusto. It is less compelling for buyers who need upfront plan prices, more than five team members on the time-tracking tier, or two-factor authentication without contacting support.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Automatic imports from thousands of financial institutions can cut manual transaction entry, and Starter includes one bank connection.
• Pro: Time entries can flow into invoices and sync with Gusto, linking billable work with payroll records.
• Pro: Mobile tools cover invoicing, payments, receipts, and expense categorization.
• Con: Plan prices are custom, making it difficult to compare the cost of features and team growth in advance.
• Con: Starter is limited to one bank connection, while Smarter caps the team at five members.
• Con: Enabling two-factor authentication requires a support request, and support hours are limited to weekday business hours in Mountain Time.

Alternatives

Clear Books is worth considering for sole traders who prioritize a forever-free, MTD-ready bookkeeping plan with no transaction limits. FreeAgent offers monthly-priced plans for sole traders and partnerships or LLPs, making it an option for buyers who prefer published plan prices. Giddh may suit buyers looking for a free option or a broader range of platform support, including desktop operating systems and API access. Zoho Books is an alternative for solopreneurs and micro businesses that meet its free plan’s annual-revenue condition. Wave is another free-plan option, with online card payments priced at 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction. BUSY offers a free web-based billing and accounting plan with multiple-company support. Express Accounts is an option for small businesses with fewer than five employees seeking a free version that does not expire. GnuCash is a free desktop accounting choice for personal and small-business use.

For more category-specific options, browse Salon Accounting Software, Freelance Invoicing Software, Gym Accounting Software, or Bookkeeping Software.

Verdict

Choose ZipBooks if your small business wants invoicing, bank-connected bookkeeping, mobile expense tasks, and time tracking that can feed invoices and payroll. Its integrated workflow is the main reason to consider it; custom pricing, tier limits, and the support-dependent two-factor setup are reasons to compare alternatives before settling on a plan.