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Setmore vs Zoho Books

Setmore logo

Setmore

Software

Free appointment scheduling and customer management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho Books logo

Zoho Books

Software

Simple, smart accounting software for growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Setmore free plan limited to 4 users maximum; Zoho Books payroll only available in Texas and California, limiting US usefulness
  • They diverge on capability: Setmore covers Unlimited appointments, Zoho Books covers Invoicing.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Setmore and Zoho Books differ
AttributeSetmoreZoho Books
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Founded20081996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Setmore

  • Unlimited appointments
  • Online booking
  • Calendar synchronization
  • Customer database
  • Email reminders
  • SMS reminders
  • Mobile app
  • Custom branding

Only in Zoho Books

  • Invoicing
  • Expense tracking
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Financial reports
  • Tax compliance
  • Zoho CRM
  • PayPal
  • SOC 2

Both cover

  • Stripe
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Setmore

  • Online appointment and booking managementnot Zoho Books
  • Service provider scheduling platformnot Zoho Books
  • Customer communication via email and SMS remindersnot Zoho Books

Zoho Books

  • Invoicingnot Setmore
  • Expense managementnot Setmore
  • Tax preparationnot Setmore

Where each one falls short

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

Setmore

  • Free plan limited to 4 users maximum
  • Free plan limited to 200 appointments per month
  • Live receptionist add-on limited to US only
  • Custom enterprise pricing not published

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

Setmore

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Setmore review.

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 Setmore if

  • You need unlimited appointments.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want online booking.
Setmore 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 Setmore or Zoho Books better?
Neither clearly leads. Setmore starts at Free and Zoho Books at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Setmore or Zoho Books?
Setmore starts at Free and Zoho Books at Free.
Does Setmore 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 Setmore for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Setmore best used for?
Setmore is most often used for online appointment and booking management, service provider scheduling platform, customer communication via email and sms reminders. Of those, online appointment and booking management and service provider scheduling platform are not what Zoho Books is typically brought in for.
What can Setmore do that Zoho Books cannot?
Setmore covers Unlimited appointments, Online booking, Calendar synchronization, Customer database. Zoho Books covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Bank reconciliation, Financial reports. Both handle Stripe, Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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Related pages

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