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QuickBooks vs Zoho CRM

QuickBooks logo

QuickBooks

Software

Smart, simple online accounting software for small business

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

Software

The world's favorite CRM

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoho CRM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: QuickBooks chart of Accounts is capped on every QuickBooks Online tier except Advanced; Simple Start, Essentials and Plus all have a limited entry count; Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only
  • They diverge on capability: QuickBooks covers Income & expense tracking, Zoho CRM covers Lead management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which QuickBooks and Zoho CRM actually diverge.

Attributes where QuickBooks and Zoho CRM differ
AttributeQuickBooksZoho CRM
Starting price$30/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
Founded19831996

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Ios, Android, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 QuickBooks

  • Income & expense tracking
  • Invoicing
  • Payment processing
  • Financial reporting
  • Tax preparation
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Bill management
  • Mobile apps

Only in Zoho CRM

  • Lead management
  • Deal tracking
  • Contact management
  • Sales automation
  • Analytics
  • Mobile CRM
  • Email marketing
  • AI assistant (Zia)

Both cover

  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

QuickBooks

  • Bookkeepingnot Zoho CRM
  • Invoicingnot Zoho CRM
  • Expense trackingnot Zoho CRM
  • Financial reportingnot Zoho CRM
  • Tax preparationnot Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM

  • Sales automationnot QuickBooks
  • Lead managementnot QuickBooks
  • Customer supportnot QuickBooks
  • Marketing automationnot QuickBooks
  • Analytics & reportingnot QuickBooks

Where each one falls short

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

QuickBooks

  • Chart of Accounts is capped on every QuickBooks Online tier except Advanced; Simple Start, Essentials and Plus all have a limited entry count
  • Even the top Advanced tier caps bulk invoice uploads at 1,000 transaction lines per batch
  • Payroll is a separate paid add-on billed per employee per month (USD 6 to 10 depending on plan) on top of the base subscription

Zoho CRM

  • Free tier limited to 3 users only
  • Steep pricing when scaling beyond 10 users
  • Limited offline capabilities compared to some competitors
  • Setup and configuration can require significant customization

Pricing, plan by plan

QuickBooks

$30/month
  • Simple Start$30/month
    • Income & expense tracking
    • Invoice & payments
    • Tax deductions
  • Essentials$60/month
    • Everything in Simple Start
    • Bill management
    • Time tracking
  • Plus$90/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Inventory tracking
    • Project profitability
  • Advanced$200/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Dedicated account team
    • 25 users

Zoho CRM

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 users
    • Basic modules
    • Standard dashboards
  • Standard$14/month
    • Sales forecasting
    • Custom dashboards
    • Workflow automation
  • Professional$23/month
    • Inventory management
    • AI predictions
    • Advanced customization
  • Enterprise$40/month
    • Zia AI assistant
    • Multi-currency
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose QuickBooks if

  • You need income & expense tracking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want invoicing.
QuickBooks review

Choose Zoho CRM if

  • You need lead management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want deal tracking.
Zoho CRM review

Questions people ask

Is QuickBooks or Zoho CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. QuickBooks starts at $30/month and Zoho CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, QuickBooks or Zoho CRM?
Zoho CRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $30/month for QuickBooks and Free for Zoho CRM.
Does QuickBooks or Zoho CRM run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Zoho CRM for free?
Yes. Zoho CRM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. QuickBooks starts at $30/month.
What is QuickBooks best used for?
QuickBooks is most often used for bookkeeping, invoicing, expense tracking, financial reporting. Of those, bookkeeping and invoicing are not what Zoho CRM is typically brought in for.
What can QuickBooks do that Zoho CRM cannot?
QuickBooks covers Income & expense tracking, Invoicing, Payment processing, Financial reporting. Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Deal tracking, Contact management, Sales automation. Both handle SOC2.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Zoho CRM: Does Zoho CRM have a free tier?

Yes. Zoho CRM offers a free plan for up to 3 users that includes core CRM functionality like lead, contact, and account management, basic workflow automation, and customizable dashboards.

Source
Zoho CRM: What does Zoho CRM cost for a paid plan?

Zoho CRM pricing ranges from $14 per user per month for the Standard plan up to $52 per user per month for the Ultimate plan when billed annually. Most sales teams use the Professional plan around $23/user/month or Enterprise at $40/user/month.

Source
Zoho CRM: Is Zoho CRM independent or owned by another company?

Zoho CRM is part of Zoho Corporation, which is independent and bootstrapped. The parent company was founded in 1996 as AdventNet, rebranded to Zoho in 2009, and has never accepted external venture funding.

Source
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