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Accounting software

Accounting software for restaurants, compared

Every accounting software option here is scored with the same public rubric. Each number links to its source and shows when we last verified it.

9 accounting software options · Updated Oct 17, 2026Public methodology · updated Oct 17, 2026

We keep verifying each vendor's data, so some cells read "Unconfirmed" or "Not published" until we check them against the vendor's own pages.

Every accounting software option here is measured the same way. The table shows what the software costs for a restaurant with the owner and one office person in the books, whether bank transactions arrive on their own and can be reconciled, whether it handles supplier bills, how your accountant gets access, which POS systems connect and what data each connection brings in, how long the contract runs and what leaving costs. If a vendor doesn't publish something, you'll see "Not published" or "Quote only", never a zero.

A connection that imports your POS deposits is not the same as one that brings in sales, sales tax and tips apart. We show what each vendor says its connection does; we didn't test any of them with a real restaurant. How to book tips, sales tax or payroll is a question for your accountant, not for this table.

Highest RTC Scores

Ranked by RTC Score with our default weights. Rankings by type of business are below.

  1. RTC SCORE

    8.7

    #1 overall

    Xero

    Cloud accounting from Xero with unlimited users on every plan. The Growing plan, $59 a month, adds unlimited supplier bills to bank feeds, reconciliation and tracking by location; support is online only.

    Read the review
  2. RTC SCORE

    8.4

    #2 overall

    QuickBooks Online

    Intuit's cloud accounting. The Essentials plan, $85 a month month to month for 3 users plus 2 accountants, has bank feeds, reconciliation and supplier bills; results by class or location start on Plus ($140).

    Read the review
  3. RTC SCORE

    8.3

    #3 overall

    Zoho Books

    Cloud accounting from Zoho. Supplier bills start on the Professional plan, $50 a month month to month for 5 users, with bank feeds, reconciliation and a built-in Square connection that books daily sales, tips and fees.

    Read the review

See the full ranking

All accounting software options

Showing all 9 products

Check 2 to 4 products to compare them side by side.

9 accounting software options, ranked by RTC ScoreScroll sideways to see every column.
ProductRTC ScoreInitial termEarly terminationMonthly price
#1XeroXero
8.7out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$59/mo
#2QuickBooks OnlineIntuit
8.4out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$85/mo
#3Zoho BooksZoho
8.3out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$50/mo
#4Patriot AccountingPatriot Software
8.0out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$20/mo
#5WaveWave
7.3out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$19/mo
#6DigitsDigits
7.1out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$65/mo
#7FreshBooksFreshBooks
6.8out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$70/mo
#8Restaurant365 AccountingRestaurant365
6.8out of 10Quote only100% of the fees left in the termQuote only
#9Sage 50 AccountingSage
5.2out of 1012 monthsMinimum one-year commitment. Sage's pricing page says you may end the plan with 30 days' notice and receive a pro-rated refund, and offers a full refund within 30 days of the first purchase; it does not say what a monthly payer owes for the rest of the year.$260.50/mo