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Proposals · head to head

Moxie vs Zoho Books

Moxie logo

Moxie

Proposals

Freelance business management with proposals, contracts, time tracking and invoicing in one subscription

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: Moxie each module is weaker than the specialist product it replaces, so a freelancer with a demanding requirement in any one area will find the bundled version limiting.; Zoho Books payroll only available in Texas and California, limiting US usefulness
  • They diverge on capability: Moxie covers Proposals with e signature, Zoho Books covers Invoicing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Moxie and Zoho Books actually diverge.

Attributes where Moxie and Zoho Books differ
AttributeMoxieZoho 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 Moxie

  • Proposals with e signature
  • Contracts
  • Time tracking
  • Invoicing and payments
  • Client portal
  • Project and task management
  • Scheduling link

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.

Moxie

  • A solo consultant replacing four separate subscriptions for proposals, contracts, time and invoicingnot Zoho Books
  • A freelancer who needs a signed contract and a deposit invoice to follow proposal acceptance automaticallynot Zoho Books
  • Retainer work where tracked hours must reconcile against a fixed monthly fee on the same invoicenot Zoho Books
  • A designer who wants one client portal for files, approvals and payment rather than email threadsnot Zoho Books

Zoho Books

  • Invoicingnot Moxie
  • Expense managementnot Moxie
  • Tax preparationnot Moxie

Where each one falls short

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

Moxie

  • Each module is weaker than the specialist product it replaces, so a freelancer with a demanding requirement in any one area will find the bundled version limiting.
  • The shared data model that makes the bundle convenient also makes leaving expensive, because proposals, time entries and invoices come out as one tangled export rather than as separable tools.
  • It is designed around a solo operator, so adding subcontractors, splitting revenue or managing a small team runs into limits quickly.
  • Client payments are processed through a third party gateway, so the card processing fee applies on top of the subscription and should be modelled into the true cost per invoice.
  • A large amount of published review material still refers to the product as Hectic, which makes independent research harder and dates much of what is written about it.

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

Moxie

On request
  • Moxie$undefined/year
    • Proposals, contracts and electronic signature
    • Time tracking and invoicing
    • Client portal

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 Moxie if

  • You need proposals with e signature.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want contracts.
Moxie 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 Moxie or Zoho Books better?
Neither clearly leads. Moxie 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, Moxie or Zoho Books?
Zoho Books has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Moxie and Free for Zoho Books.
Does Moxie 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. Moxie starts at On request.
What is Moxie best used for?
Moxie is most often used for a solo consultant replacing four separate subscriptions for proposals, contracts, time and invoicing, a freelancer who needs a signed contract and a deposit invoice to follow proposal acceptance automatically, retainer work where tracked hours must reconcile against a fixed monthly fee on the same invoice, a designer who wants one client portal for files, approvals and payment rather than email threads. Of those, a solo consultant replacing four separate subscriptions for proposals, contracts, time and invoicing and a freelancer who needs a signed contract and a deposit invoice to follow proposal acceptance automatically are not what Zoho Books is typically brought in for.
What can Moxie do that Zoho Books cannot?
Moxie covers Proposals with e signature, Contracts, Time tracking, Invoicing and payments. Zoho Books covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Bank reconciliation, Financial reports.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Moxie: Is Moxie the same product as Hectic?

Yes. It was renamed in 2022. Older reviews under the Hectic name describe the same software at an earlier stage.

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
Moxie: Does it take a percentage of my invoices?

The payment processor takes its standard card fee. Model that separately from the subscription when comparing total cost.

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
Moxie: Can I use it with a team?

It is built for a solo operator. Subcontractors and multi person billing are handled awkwardly.

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
Moxie: Can I keep my accountant in the loop?

Yes, through the accounting integration, though most freelancers still reconcile manually at year end.

Moxie: What is the exit path?

Exports exist, but the linked proposal, time and invoice data does not map cleanly onto separate replacement tools.

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