sUP Blog

Xero is a solid bookkeeping platform with many of the features small businesses need—like bank transaction imports, invoicing, and financial reports. In my experience, it’s a little less user-friendly than QuickBooks, especially for folks who aren’t familiar with accounting terms or systems. But Xero shines in one key area: affordability. For many startups, that lower monthly cost makes it a great starting point. If you’re looking for solid functionality at a lower price point and don’t mind a bit of a learning curve, Xero could be the right fit.

QuickBooks is widely known for its user-friendly design and intuitive tools for tracking income and expenses. It’s great for small business owners who want an easy setup and a platform that “just makes sense” when it comes to daily bookkeeping tasks.

One of QuickBooks' strengths is its wide range of integrations. It can connect with tools for:

• Payroll

• HR management

• Project costing

• and other services that help streamline your business operations
  
  

These features can be incredibly helpful as your business grows and your needs expand—but they also come at a price. QuickBooks is one of the more expensive bookkeeping options, and adding on services can push your monthly cost up quickly.

I've also noticed occasional service interruptions during the day, which can be frustrating. That said, this might just be part of using cloud-based platforms—factors like your browser, internet speed, and system updates can all affect performance.

If ease of use and expandability are your top priorities (and you're okay with the investment), QuickBooks can be a great long-term option.

Airtable is one of my favorite platforms for creating lightweight, functional tools like CRMs and financial trackers. It’s flexible, visually clean, and can be customized to meet the specific needs of your business. I’ve used Airtable to build insightful dashboards and organize client data in a way that’s easy to maintain and understand. It’s free for basic use, though the price can climb if you scale up your features or users. 

If you’re forming an LLC or setting up a small business, I recommend checking out Bizzee.com. It’s an easy-to-use platform that provides some peace of mind when you're handling important formation paperwork. I’ve liked using it for startups because it ensures your setup is done correctly—and they offer a free registered agent service for the first year. Just a heads-up: that service does start charging after the first year. It’s totally normal, but I’ve seen some clients get surprised by that renewal charge. As long as you’re aware, it’s a great option for getting started right.