Running a business isn’t just about selling stuff or growing your brand. At the end of the day, it all comes down to money — managing your cash flow, keeping track of expenses, and making sure you’re not overspending (or worse, bleeding money without even realizing it).
If you’re not great with spreadsheets or just tired of trying to “wing it” with your business finances, don’t worry — there are tons of apps out there that can seriously help. And no, you don’t have to be a finance expert to use them. Some of these are super beginner-friendly too.
Here’s a rundown of some of the best finance apps you can use to make your business life a little easier in 2025.
1. QuickBooks
Probably one of the most popular finance tools for small businesses. QuickBooks helps you with invoicing, expense tracking, payroll, and even taxes (which, let’s be honest, most of us hate dealing with).
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Easy to connect with your bank accounts
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Reports are clean and easy to understand
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Plans aren’t super cheap, but it’s worth it for what you get
If you don’t know where to start with managing your books, this is a solid first pick.
2. Wave Accounting
Wave is like the underdog hero — it’s free, easy to use, and perfect for small biz owners or freelancers who aren’t ready to drop cash on big software just yet.
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Free accounting & invoicing
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Handles recurring billing
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Payroll feature is paid though, just FYI
Honestly, for a free app, it does way more than you’d expect.
3. Xero
Xero is kinda like QuickBooks’ cooler cousin. Clean interface, cloud-based, and loved by a lot of startups.
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Bank syncing, invoicing, real-time reports
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Works great with other business tools (like Stripe, Shopify, etc.)
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A bit of a learning curve, but worth it if you want more control
Good pick if your business is growing and you need something a bit more robust.
4. FreshBooks
If you’re a freelancer, solopreneur, or run a service-based biz, FreshBooks might be a great fit.
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Awesome time-tracking features
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Project management + invoicing in one place
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Clean and simple UI (non-finance people will love this)
It’s especially useful if you bill clients by the hour.
5. Zoho Books
Part of the Zoho family, this one’s a powerful little tool — especially if you already use other Zoho apps.
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GST compliant (for Indian businesses)
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Tracks sales, purchases, inventory, and more
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Works well for small and medium businesses
Solid option if you’re already in the Zoho ecosystem, or if you want something affordable but reliable.
6. TallyPrime
This one’s mostly for Indian businesses, and honestly, it’s kind of a legend in accounting software. If you’re doing inventory + accounts + GST, Tally is super handy.
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Deep financial features (but not super pretty to look at)
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Works offline too
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Great for traditional retail setups or manufacturing
Not the most modern UI, but it gets the job done. Old school but still works.
7. Expensify
This one’s not a full accounting system, but great for managing expenses and receipts.
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Snap pics of receipts and categorize them
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Reimburse employees quickly
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Integrates with other accounting software
If your team is always on the go and has expenses to submit, this saves a LOT of time.
8. Khatabook / OKCredit (for Indian Small Biz)
If you run a local shop, do cash-based business, or just want to digitize your ledger, these apps are made for you.
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Track who owes you what
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Send payment reminders on WhatsApp
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Available in multiple Indian languages
These aren’t fancy, but super effective for small biz owners in India.
⚙️ 9. Microsoft Excel / Google Sheets (Yeah, really)
Okay, hear me out — if you’re just starting out or don’t want to commit to a paid app yet, good old spreadsheets can still do the trick.
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Tons of free templates online for budgeting, invoicing, etc.
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You control everything
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But you gotta know at least a little Excel formulas
Not the slickest option, but hey, it still works for a LOT of small biz folks.
Bonus Tip: Pick What You’ll Actually Use
Don’t just go for the “most powerful” tool. Choose the app you’ll actually open and use regularly. Even the best software won’t help if it just sits there unopened on your phone or laptop.
Also, many of these apps offer free trials — take advantage of those. Try a few out, and stick with the one that makes life easier, not harder.
Final Thoughts
Finance apps aren’t just for accountants or big companies. Whether you run a bakery, a freelance writing gig, an e-comm store, or a design studio — getting your money stuff sorted is crucial. The good news? You don’t need to be a math wizard or spend hours a day doing it.
Pick one tool, get into the habit of using it weekly (or daily if you’re really into it), and you’ll feel way more in control of your biz.
