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Proposals · head to head

17hats vs Zoho Books

17hats logo

17hats

Proposals

Small business client workflow with quotes, contracts, invoices and automated follow up sequences

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho Books logo

Zoho Books

Accounting

Simple, smart accounting software for growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoho Books has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 17hats the interface is visibly older than newer competitors, which matters because the client facing documents are part of how a small business presents itself.; Zoho Books payroll only available in Texas and California, limiting US usefulness
  • They diverge on capability: 17hats covers Workflow automation, Zoho Books covers Invoicing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 17hats and Zoho Books actually diverge.

Attributes where 17hats and Zoho Books differ
Attribute17hatsZoho Books
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
CategoryProposalsAccounting
FoundedUnknown1996

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 17hats

  • Workflow automation
  • Quotes and contracts
  • Invoicing and payments
  • Lead capture forms
  • Questionnaires
  • Bookkeeping basics
  • Calendar and time tracking

Only in Zoho Books

  • Invoicing
  • Expense tracking
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Financial reports
  • Tax compliance
  • Zoho CRM
  • PayPal
  • Stripe

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

17hats

  • A photographer or event professional running the same booking sequence dozens of times a yearnot Zoho Books
  • Automating deposit invoices and reminders so that chasing payment stops being a weekly tasknot Zoho Books
  • Capturing enquiries through a public form that starts a quote and contract workflow without manual entrynot Zoho Books
  • A sole trader who wants client records, contracts and basic bookkeeping in one place rather than threenot Zoho Books

Zoho Books

  • Invoicingnot 17hats
  • Expense managementnot 17hats
  • Tax preparationnot 17hats

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

17hats

  • The interface is visibly older than newer competitors, which matters because the client facing documents are part of how a small business presents itself.
  • The workflow builder takes real time to learn and configure, so the automation benefit arrives weeks after purchase rather than on the first day.
  • A consultancy where no two engagements are alike gets little from the workflow engine, which is most of what the price pays for.
  • It is built around a single operator, so a business adding staff or subcontractors runs into structural limits rather than a higher tier.
  • Payments run through third party gateways, so card processing fees apply in addition to the subscription and should be included when comparing cost per booking.

Zoho Books

  • Payroll only available in Texas and California, limiting US usefulness
  • Limited access to historical financial data compared to competitors
  • Customer support is slow with long response times and frustrating workarounds
  • Fewer integrations than QuickBooks Online and Xero
  • User limit restrictions (1-15 depending on plan) compared to Xero's unlimited users
  • Occasional inaccuracies in automatic exchange rate updates for international transactions

Pricing, plan by plan

17hats

On request
  • 17hats$undefined/year
    • Quotes, contracts and electronic signature
    • Invoicing and online payment
    • Workflow automation sequences

Zoho Books

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 user + accountant
    • Unlimited invoices
  • Standard$20/month
    • 3 users
    • Core accounting
  • Professional$60/month
    • 5 users
    • Advanced reporting
  • Premium$120/month
    • 10 users
    • Inventory management

Which should you pick?

Choose 17hats if

  • You need workflow automation.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want quotes and contracts.
17hats review

Choose Zoho Books if

  • You need invoicing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want expense tracking.
Zoho Books review

Questions people ask

Is 17hats or Zoho Books better?
Neither clearly leads. 17hats starts at On request and Zoho Books at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 17hats or Zoho Books?
Zoho Books has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for 17hats and Free for Zoho Books.
Does 17hats or Zoho Books run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Zoho Books for free?
Yes. Zoho Books has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 17hats starts at On request.
What is 17hats best used for?
17hats is most often used for a photographer or event professional running the same booking sequence dozens of times a year, automating deposit invoices and reminders so that chasing payment stops being a weekly task, capturing enquiries through a public form that starts a quote and contract workflow without manual entry, a sole trader who wants client records, contracts and basic bookkeeping in one place rather than three. Of those, a photographer or event professional running the same booking sequence dozens of times a year and automating deposit invoices and reminders so that chasing payment stops being a weekly task are not what Zoho Books is typically brought in for.
What can 17hats do that Zoho Books cannot?
17hats covers Workflow automation, Quotes and contracts, Invoicing and payments, Lead capture forms. Zoho Books covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Bank reconciliation, Financial reports.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

17hats: What is the main reason to choose it?

The workflow engine. If your bookings follow the same sequence every time, that sequence can be automated once and reused.

Zoho Books: Does Zoho Books support payroll?

Zoho Books offers limited payroll integration available only in Texas and California currently. Outside these states, users must use separate payroll software.

Source
17hats: Is it worth it for bespoke consulting work?

Rarely. Without repeatable engagements the automation, which is the main value, has nothing to automate.

Zoho Books: How many users can access one account?

User limits vary by plan: Free tier (1 user + accountant), Standard (3 users), Professional (5 users), Premium (10 users), Elite (15 users). Each business requires separate subscription.

Source
17hats: Does it handle bookkeeping?

At sole trader level. It is not a replacement for accounting software once complexity grows.

Zoho Books: What integrations does Zoho Books support?

Zoho Books integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, Razorpay, PayPal, Stripe, Salesforce, Google Sheets, and 500+ apps via Zapier. It integrates with other Zoho products like Zoho Inventory and Zoho Projects.

Source
17hats: Can I add team members?

It is designed for a single operator, and multi person use is awkward rather than supported properly.

17hats: How long before it saves time?

Not immediately. Budget for a configuration period before the workflow automation starts paying back.

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