Freelance photography is a growing industry that offers a flexible lifestyle. One of the key aspects of being self-employed is monitoring your finances, and that’s where accounting software can come in handy. It will keep track of your projects and expenses and help you to organize your finances. There are many accounting software for freelance photographers to choose from, but what is the best? Below there’s a list of the best software on the market with its pros and cons.
Our Top 5 Best Accounting Software For Freelance Photographers
Best Accounting Software For Freelance Photographers Reviews
1. Best Overall: QuickBooks Self-Employed
QuickBooks Self-Employed is a product designed exclusively for people who have their businesses. It comes with features specifically tailored to the needs of solo entrepreneurs, but also has all the tools you need to help your business grow.
QuickBooks Self-Employed Features
- Starting and stopping an accounting business with QuickBooks Self-Employed is quick and easy. Using this accounting software, you can create a company with just a few clicks; then, when your business is up and running, you can get to work on expenses and make tax statements whenever you want.
- This accounting software also gives you all the tools you need to manage your business. QuickBooks Self-Employed lets you track income and expenses for the record, so that getting paid for your work will be easier than it has ever been before.
2. Best for Professional-Looking Invoices: FreshBooks
Freshbooks is a cloud accounting app with intuitive features designed specifically for freelancers and small businesses. It has smart tools that help simplify invoices, project management, time tracking, and much more – all in one place.
The application is very simple to use: you can choose from four main invoice types (one or all) and will have access to a predefined list of services that you can bill your clients for. Invoices are created using a standard template, or you can insert your own.
Projects are defined by their tasks, and time spent on each task is recorded with the option of attaching images, notes, and comments. You also have the option of keeping track of time spent on specific projects over multiple billing cycles.
3. Best Customer Support: AND CO
If you’re a freelance photographer and finding it challenging to manage your accounting, AND CO is an app for iOS and Android that you might want to try. It’s designed for people who work in the creative industry and is not charging by the hour, nor does it require a set number of hours per month. Instead, users pay one monthly fee for access to full features of the accounting software, including invoicing, time tracking, expense management, and reporting.
Another bonus is that the setup for AND CO takes only a few minutes. In addition, it supports all major directories, so if you already have set up some payment services, then AND CO will automatically integrate with those too. The interface is also quite clean and easy to use.
4. Best Complete Accounting Solution: Wave
Freelance photographers with dozens or even hundreds of photos need to keep meticulous records, but doing so manually is tedious and time-consuming. Wave is intuitive accounting software for freelance photographers that automatically tracks your expenses and income, which will help you avoid any tax problems.
Wave has many features that make accounting manageable for freelancers. Here are just a few:
- Able to track time spent on each job.
- Allows you to set up multiple rates per project type.
- A built-in calendar of upcoming jobs.
- An expense tracker where you can log receipts with their corresponding job numbers.
Moreover, Wave is easy to set up and user-friendly. The latest update even included a tutorial for startup and tax filing.
5. Best Easy-to-Use Software: FreeAgent
As a freelancer, the most important thing you need to do is account for your income and expenses. FreeAgent simplifies this, in some sense, by managing your bank accounts and invoices so that you don’t have to. It also allows you to track how much money you’re owed from customers or owed to other services.
This software is much more than your standard accounting package, sure, and you can even password-protect the report to prevent unauthorized access. Nevertheless, it’s a fairly versatile tool for any photographer.
FreeAgent Main Features
- Stores up to ten accounts. Can handle multiple users and hotkeys for quick access to all your accounts instantly.
- Includes an expense tracker and database to keep track of all the money you spend on stuff like insurance, postage, etc.
- It is excellent for keeping track of income and expenses without writing out bank statements or other paperwork.
- The live graph shows what’s going on with every account in real-time.
Buyer’s Guide
Now that you know what kind of accounting software you need, it’s time to choose the best package for you. Of course, this is a personal choice, so I’ll put together some of the characteristics I looked for in my purchase:
- Easy to Learn – this is software that should be easy to learn and get started with.
- Supported Features – some accounting packages support specific features such as online access and mobile apps. These are features that are helpful but not necessarily essential. Ensure that the program supports all essential features; if not, it may make more sense to choose an alternative.
How To Choose Accounting Software For Freelance Photographers
There are many different types of accounting software out there, so you’ll need to think about what kind you’re going to use as a freelancer. It’s a good idea to get an accountant or financial expert to help you choose the right software for your needs. Here are some of the main things to consider:
Budgeting
A good accounting package should allow you to keep track of your income and expenses to see how much profit is made every month. You’ll need to know how much money you have coming in so that you can plan and predict your expenses. Make sure that the accounting package works with your budget.
Reporting Options
The reporting options available should cater to whatever reports you need to fill in for tax purposes. Tax forms are a lot more complicated than you might think! Make sure you can fill them in quickly and easily.
Online Access
It’s best to choose accounting software that you can access online to check your finances from anywhere. Online access allows freelancers to work from home while being able to check the reports whenever needed. At the end of the month, when tax deadlines are approaching, you’ll want to be able to process your income and expenses quickly.
FAQ
What Is Accounting Software For Freelance Photographers
Accounting software for freelance photographers is designed to help them manage and track their finances to avoid financial mistakes. It also helps them save time by automating work. Accounting software is easy to use and has a step-by-step guide on how to set it up.
What Is The Best Accounting Software For Freelance Photographers?
One of the best accounting software for freelance photographers is Xero because it allows freelancers to handle invoicing, expenses, payroll, and inventory management with an easy bookkeeping process.
Do Freelancers Need Accounting Software?
Accounting software is an excellent idea for freelancers, as it will help them keep track of their finances in an organized and professional manner. Freelance professionals need to stay on top of their finances – not only because it’s a necessary responsibility for running your own business but also because you’re not very competitive in the marketplace when you don’t know your numbers.
