Is Zoho Books free for small businesses?
Yes, for very small businesses. At the time of writing, Zoho Books has a Free plan for one user plus one accountant, capped at 1,000 invoices and 1,000 expenses a year. In editions such as the US, India and UAE it only stays free while yearly revenue is under a set limit.
Zoho CRM setup from USD 500Fixed price in writing. Every service has a published price.
- Registered Zoho partner
- Calls in your business hours
- 30 days of free fixes
Zoho Books offers a Free plan aimed at solopreneurs and micro businesses. At the time of writing, Zoho's pricing pages list the same core limits in most country editions: one user plus one accountant login, up to 1,000 invoices a year, up to 1,000 expenses or bills a year, email support, 50 receipt autoscans a month and up to 5 scheduled reports. Add-ons are not supported on the Free plan, apart from document autoscans.
Eligibility depends on revenue, and the cap differs by country. The US and global pricing pages say the plan stays free while revenue for the financial year does not exceed USD 50,000. The India page sets the cap at 25 lakh rupees, and the UAE page at AED 200,000. The UK page, when we checked, showed the Free plan without stating a revenue cap. Zoho changes these terms, so confirm on the pricing page for your country before you rely on it.
Tax features also vary by edition. The India Free plan lists GST reports and filing, and the UK Free plan lists MTD VAT returns. The UAE Free plan does not include VAT tracking or filing; those start on the Standard plan. In the US edition, sales tax tracking, bank feeds, custom fields and API access are listed on Standard and above, not on Free.
In practice the Free plan suits a freelancer or a one-person business with simple invoicing. Once you need a second staff user, automatic bank feeds, sales tax or VAT tracking, inventory, or more than 1,000 invoices a year, you will need a paid plan. Moving up keeps your data in the same organisation, so starting free is a low-risk way to test the software.
Key points
- Free plan: 1 user plus 1 accountant, at the time of writing
- Up to 1,000 invoices and 1,000 expenses a year
- Revenue cap varies: USD 50,000 (US), 25 lakh rupees (India), AED 200,000 (UAE)
- Tax features on Free differ by country edition
- No add-ons on Free except document autoscans
- Check Zoho's pricing page for your country, as terms change
Common questions
Which countries have a free Zoho Books plan?
Zoho publishes a Free plan on most of its country pricing pages, including the US, UK, India, UAE and Australia editions, but the revenue cap and included tax features differ. Check the pricing page for your country edition before signing up.
What happens if my revenue goes over the Free plan limit?
Zoho's pricing pages say the Free plan is available while revenue for the financial year stays under the threshold. If you pass it, expect to move to a paid plan; your data stays in the same organisation.
Can my accountant use the Free plan with me?
Yes. The Free plan includes one user plus one accountant login, so your bookkeeper or accountant can work in the same books.
Does the Free plan include bank feeds?
Not in the US edition at the time of writing. Bank feeds are listed on the Standard plan and above, although bank reconciliation is listed on Free.
Sources and further reading
Get a free Zoho audit
30 minutes with a senior Zoho consultant. No obligation.
- Fixed price in writing
- Paid by milestone
- 30 days of free fixes after go-live
- Registered Zoho partner
Related
Written by Flowpeak, a Zoho implementation partner. Zoho pricing and features change, so confirm current details on the official Zoho site. Free checklists | Ask us a question