Best Patriot Software Alternatives(2026)

Patriot Software is great for simple, affordable accounting and payroll for us small businesses, but it's not the only option. We compared 12 accounting tools to find the best alternatives.

Top Alternatives at a Glance

Tool

Rating

Price

Free Plan

FreshBooks

★ 4.5

$21/mo

✗

Zoho Books

★ 4.5

$20/mo

✓

Bench

★ 4.5

$299/mo

✗

Harvest

★ 4.3

$10.8/mo

✓

Wave

★ 4.4

$16/mo

✓

Bonsai

★ 4.3

$25/mo

✗

Xero

★ 4.3

$25/mo

✗

FreeAgent

★ 4.2

$19/mo

✗

Akaunting

★ 4.2

$15/mo

✓

Manager.io

★ 4.3

$100/mo

✓

Kashoo

★ 4.1

$27/mo

✗

Hurdlr

★ 4.1

$10/mo

✓

Detailed Reviews

1. FreshBooks

★ 4.5/5

Accounting software built for freelancers and small service businesses

Similar to Patriot Software

Invoicing, Expense Tracking, Financial Reports

Unique Features

Time Tracking, Project Management, Estimates & Proposals, Online Payments

From: $21/moFull comparison →Try FreshBooks →

2. Zoho Books

★ 4.5/5

Smart accounting software for growing businesses in the Zoho ecosystem

Similar to Patriot Software

Invoicing, Expense Tracking

Unique Features

Bank Reconciliation, Project Accounting, Inventory, Purchase Orders

From: $20/moFull comparison →Try Zoho Books →

3. Bench

★ 4.5/5

Online bookkeeping service with dedicated bookkeepers and software

Similar to Patriot Software

1099 Filing

Unique Features

Dedicated Bookkeeper, Monthly Financial Statements, Year-end Tax Package, Tax Filing

From: $299/moFull comparison →Try Bench →

4. Harvest

★ 4.3/5

Time tracking and invoicing software for teams and freelancers

Similar to Patriot Software

Invoicing, Expense Tracking

Unique Features

Time Tracking, Project Budgets, Team Scheduling, Reporting

From: $10.8/moFull comparison →Try Harvest →

5. Wave

★ 4.4/5

Free accounting, invoicing, and receipt scanning for small businesses

Similar to Patriot Software

Accounting, Invoicing, Financial Reports, Payroll

Unique Features

Receipt Scanning, Bank Connections, Online Payments, Multi-currency

From: $16/moFull comparison →Try Wave →

6. Bonsai

★ 4.3/5

All-in-one product for freelancers: invoicing, contracts, accounting, and tax

Similar to Patriot Software

Invoicing, Expense Tracking

Unique Features

Contracts & Proposals, Accounting & Tax, Time Tracking, Client Portal

From: $25/moFull comparison →Try Bonsai →

7. Xero

★ 4.3/5

Cloud-based accounting software for small businesses and accountants

Similar to Patriot Software

Invoicing, Financial Reports, Payroll

Unique Features

Bank Reconciliation, Expense Claims, Inventory, Purchase Orders

From: $25/moFull comparison →Try Xero →

8. FreeAgent

★ 4.2/5

Accounting software designed for freelancers, contractors, and small businesses

Similar to Patriot Software

Invoicing, Expense Tracking, Payroll

Unique Features

Time Tracking, Bank Feeds, Self-Assessment Tax, VAT

From: $19/moFull comparison →Try FreeAgent →

9. Akaunting

★ 4.2/5

Free open-source online accounting software for small businesses

Similar to Patriot Software

Invoicing

Unique Features

Expenses, Bank Connections, Multi-currency, Reporting

From: $15/moFull comparison →Try Akaunting →

10. Manager.io

★ 4.3/5

Free accounting software for small business with desktop and cloud versions

Similar to Patriot Software

Invoicing, Payroll, Financial Reports

Unique Features

General Ledger, Expense Claims, Bank Reconciliation, Fixed Assets

From: $100/moFull comparison →Try Manager.io →

11. Kashoo

★ 4.1/5

Simple cloud accounting with AI-powered transaction categorization

Similar to Patriot Software

Invoicing, Expense Tracking, Financial Reports

Unique Features

Bank Connections, Auto-categorization (AI), Sales Tax, Multi-currency

From: $27/moFull comparison →Try Kashoo →

12. Hurdlr

★ 4.1/5

Real-time financial tracking and tax estimation for freelancers and gig workers

Similar to Patriot Software

Expense Tracking, Invoicing, Financial Reports

Unique Features

Income Tracking, Mileage Tracking, Tax Deduction Finder, Real-time Tax Estimates

From: $10/moFull comparison →Try Hurdlr →

❓ FAQ

What is the best alternative to Patriot Software?

The top alternative to Patriot Software in 2026 is FreshBooks. It offers accounting software built for freelancers and small service businesses with plans from $21/mo. Other strong options: Zoho Books, Bench.

Is there a free alternative to Patriot Software?

Yes! Zoho Books, Harvest, Wave all offer free plans.

How much does Patriot Software cost?

Patriot Software has paid plans starting at $20/mo.

What are the main limitations of Patriot Software?

While Patriot Software excels at simple, affordable accounting and payroll for us small businesses, users often seek alternatives for pricing, specific features, or workflow preferences.