Best Accounting Software May Surprise You

Sometimes spending more money gets you a better product, but sometimes what's best for some users isn't necessarily best for you. The best accounting software may be a really simple package and it may even be free...

If your needs for home accounting software are quite complex, you likely need some fairly complex software. The very popular Quicken software from Intuit likely fills the bill to solve your problems. Several versions offer different capability, right up to accounting for your small business and managing rental property.

Then for even more complex needs, like running a small business with employees, you likely step up to QuickBooks or Peachtree Accounting software. As your accounting needs grow more complicated, so does the software. To the point that learning the software becomes a major investment, more than the purchase price for sure.

That's why Quicken has fans, but some people hate Quicken products. And the hate seems to be mostly related to the learning curve you must climb to use the products. Sadly the more powerful products by nature will be more difficult to learn and use and maintain too.

Here's one obvious solution. For personal finances consider the web based accounting software. That could be the Mint system which is now the Intuit Quickbooks online offering. Why online?

For one, it's free to use. For another it's easy and user friendly and for another it works for many people with fairly simple needs. Manage all your bank accounts, loans, credits cards and tie all that to a budget and all at one place. One place because you view all your accounts at one site. But you aren't tied to one computer, you can access your account anywhere you have Internet access including using it with mobile devices.

Quicken isn't the online free online option either. Yodlee and Wesabe both offer online banking access like Mint and both offer it at the same price. Plus with Wesabe users form a virtual community with emphasis on getting out of debt and in control of finances at last.

Don't like the online idea?

Another way to go is the You Need A Budget Pro product. This product puts the emphasis on the budget part of the finances and teaches a somewhat unique way of looking at savings and spending. Like Wesabe, you also can become part of a user community committed to debt elimination and financial freedom. Where Quicken gets lots of user complaints about complexity, You Need A Budget Pro gets praise for easy use. But don't expect the same power as you get with the more sophisticated accounting software.

The best accounting software will do the job you need done. But choose a system that isn't overly complex for what you want to do. That way the system likely will be easier to learn and easier to use. Simple as possible makes it much more pleasant and less stressful on all concerned. The initial cost of software is only part of the cost. The other bigger part often is the learning to use it and keeping it going.