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Accounting & Finance · head to head

Zoho Books vs Zoho CRM

Zoho Books logo

Zoho Books

Accounting & Finance

Simple, smart accounting software for growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

All industries

The world's favorite CRM

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Zoho Books payroll only available in Texas and California, limiting US usefulness; Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only
  • They diverge on capability: Zoho Books covers Invoicing, Zoho CRM covers Lead management.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Zoho Books and Zoho CRM differ
AttributeZoho BooksZoho CRM
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryAccounting & FinanceAll industries

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (1996).

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 Zoho Books

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

Only in Zoho CRM

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

Both cover

  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Zoho Books

  • Invoicingnot Zoho CRM
  • Expense managementnot Zoho CRM
  • Tax preparationnot Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM

  • Sales automationnot Zoho Books
  • Lead managementnot Zoho Books
  • Customer supportnot Zoho Books
  • Marketing automationnot Zoho Books
  • Analytics & reportingnot Zoho Books

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

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

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 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

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 Zoho Books or Zoho CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Zoho Books starts at Free and Zoho CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Zoho Books or Zoho CRM?
Zoho Books starts at Free and Zoho CRM at Free.
Does Zoho Books or Zoho CRM run on more platforms?
Zoho Books runs on Web, iOS, Android. Zoho CRM runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Zoho Books for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Zoho Books best used for?
Zoho Books is most often used for invoicing, expense management, tax preparation. Of those, invoicing and expense management are not what Zoho CRM is typically brought in for.
What can Zoho Books do that Zoho CRM cannot?
Zoho Books covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Bank reconciliation, Financial reports. Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Deal tracking, Contact management, Sales automation. Both handle GDPR.

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 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 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 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 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
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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