AND CO Review
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- Date Established
- 2015
- Location
- New York
Pros
- Suited for freelancers
- Free plan available
- Easy to use
- Excellent customer service
- Excellent mobile apps
Cons
- No tax support
- Limited integrations
- Unsuited for product-based businesses
- Not full accounting software
Overview
The life of a freelancer is mostly just drinking coffee and working in your pajamas, right? Well, not always. While freelancing has its perks, freelancers are lone wolves who must survive in the business world all by themselves. That is, until AND CO.
AND CO is a freelancer management software created by Leif Abraham and Martin Strutz in 2015. Over the years, the software has grown to support over 200,000 users and has made significant improvements, catching the eyes of big players such as FastCompany and Entrepreneur. AND CO was recently acquired by Fiverr, one of the leading freelance marketplaces, and is now known as AND CO by Fiverr. One of Fiverr’s first moves was to make AND CO more affordable.
With strong freelancing features, quality customer service, and a free plan, AND CO is hard to beat. While AND CO isn’t full accounting software, you’ll find typical accounting features, such as invoicing, expense tracking, time tracking, and project management. You’ll also find some unique freelancing features, such as contracts and proposals.
However, AND CO is missing a few significant features. Unlike its competitor QuickBooks Self-Employed, AND CO offers no tax support and no mileage deductions. Self-employment taxes are one of the biggest hurdles that freelancers have to face, and with no built-in tax support, AND CO is missing a huge part of what it means to be a freelancer.
That said, don’t rule AND CO out completely. For freelancers looking for basic bookkeeping tools and expert business support, AND CO could still be a great choice. Continue reading to discover if AND CO is a good fit for you.
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Table of Contents
Pricing
When Fiverr first acquired AND CO, the company made the software completely free. Now, there is still a free plan available, but there is a paid plan as well. The free plan is limited to a single customer, which makes it quite limited, and the paid plan is a bit spendy, but the tradeoff is a good selection of freelance-specific features you won’t find elsewhere. Payments are made monthly, and you can cancel your account at any time. There is a discount for purchasing an annual subscription.
While many of the features are the same for both plans, the main difference is that the Free plan includes AND CO branding on your invoices, doesn’t offer fully editable contracts, and only supports one client. Here’s what to expect with each plan in more detail:
Free
The Free plan costs $0/month and includes these features:
- One client
- Invoicing (includes AND CO branding)
- Expense tracking
- Project management
- Time tracking
- Reports
- Proposals and basic contracts
- Connect up to two bank accounts
Pro
The Pro plan is priced at $18/month and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It includes all of the features of the Free plan, plus:
- Unlimited clients
- Invoicing (removes AND CO branding)
- Contact management
- Proposals and fully editable contracts
- Free training
- Connect six bank accounts
- Priority support
As AND CO is designed for freelancers, your subscription only supports a single user.
Compare with QuickBooks:
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A great choice for freelancers needing some extra help managing their business | ||
Cloud-Based Or Locally-Installed
AND CO is cloud-based software, so no downloads or installation is required.
Hardware & Software Requirements
As cloud-based software, AND CO is available on nearly all devices so long as you are using an up-to-date browser with a solid internet connection. AND CO also offers full-featured mobile apps for iOS (11.2+) and Androids (5.0+).
Specific Size Of Business
AND CO was created specifically with the freelancer in mind. It serves as a resource for freelancers that allows them to spend more time working and securing contracts and less time filing paperwork or creating tedious invoices. Although the app is ideal for freelancers, it could still work for some micro businesses and independent contractors looking for a simple invoicing and expense tracking solution that is quick, easy to use, and can be accessed on the go. The software is best for service-based businesses.
Try QuickBooks:
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|---|---|---|
A great choice for freelancers needing some extra help managing their business | ||
Ease Of Use
AND CO is incredibly easy to use across the board, and it has some of the best mobile apps on the market. The software takes very little time to set up and is well-organized. AND CO also has plenty of support resources to make learning the software even simpler.
Features
AND CO is focused on giving freelancers a way to manage their finances and projects easily. Features include:
- Dashboard: AND CO has a dashboard called “My Desk,” where you can quickly get an overview of your finances and create and manage tasks. To the left of the screen, there’s a menu with tabs for Clients, Proposals & Contracts, Projects, Invoices, Subscriptions, Time Tracking, Income & Expenses, Shoebox, and Support Chat.
- Invoicing: AND CO’s invoice feature is incredibly easy to use. There is only a single invoice template. You can create invoices directly from projects or proposals. You can also invoice for items, but you have to manually enter the items and their rates every time you want to charge a customer. You can also set payment terms and email messages; however, customizations are almost non-existent. AND CO does support recurring invoices, and you can see whether your invoices have been sent, viewed, or paid in real-time. There’s no estimate feature, but there is a recently updated proposal feature. AND CO branding will be included on all invoices unless you have the paid Pro plan.
- Client Portal: There is a client portal where customers can view and pay their invoices directly online.
- Contact Management: You can save client information on AND CO to make project creation and invoicing easier. You can record very basic details (such as a name, address, business name, and email). Once you click on a contact that you’ve created, AND CO will show you all of the tasks, contact information, projects, invoices, and expenses associated with that contact.
- Expense Tracking: You can either enter your income and expenses into AND CO manually, or you can connect live bank feeds to track your income and expenses automatically. You can then categorize your expenses accordingly; expense categories aren’t customizable, but they are pulled straight from the IRS’s expense categories to make filing easier. You can attach receipt images to your expenses as well, or you can email your receipt files directly to AND CO, and the company will take care of them for you. Through the AND CO app, you have the option to submit new expenses by either taking a picture of a receipt or uploading an existing photo. AND CO uses Plaid (a Yodlee alternative) for its live feeds.
- Projects: AND CO allows you to create projects. You can bill projects using a flat fee, or you can set a rate (you can charge per hour, week, month, word, or item). Easily attach documents, expenses, and time to projects. You can convert projects to invoices with the click of a button.
- Time Tracking: AND CO has a convenient built-in timer that tracks both billable and unbillable hours in real-time. You can easily add hours to timesheets, invoices, or running projects/activities. The AND CO desktop timer and app time sync automatically, so your records are always up to date.
- Reports: AND CO offers minimal reporting. There are four reports available, but you have to send them to your email and download them manually, rather than being able to view them within the software as with most programs.
- Proposals: One of AND CO’s newest features is the proposal feature. You can create a project proposal and send it directly to the customer for them to sign via email. You can also require a deposit.
- Contracts: One of the unique features in AND CO is the ability to create contracts. You can create legal contracts for your projects that are compliant with the Freelancers Union and ensure that you receive the money you are due. Under the contract feature, you can choose who retains rights to your work, specify the payment terms, and send the contract directly to customers for a signature of approval. Note: Contract customizability varies by pricing plan.
- Subscriptions: Another new addition to AND CO is the ability to set up subscriptions. You can create a recurring subscription expense and email it to your customer to have them authorize the payment. The client will then input their payment information, so you can recurringly bill that client without the invoice.
- Sales Tax: AND CO only allows you to add a single default sales tax rate, though you can manually adjust this rate on invoices.
- Multiple Currencies: AND CO offers multi-currency support for over 120 different currencies.
- Importing & Exporting: You can import and export income and expenses, but that’s about it.
Need more features? Consider QuickBooks:
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A great choice for freelancers needing some extra help managing their business | ||
Customer Service & Support
AND CO has always had incredible customer support. Representatives are kind and quick to respond. I experienced an issue that left my account completely unresponsive, and my AND CO chat support rep and the engineering team were able to get everything back up and running in just half an hour.
In addition to a great support team, AND CO also offers lots of great resources for freelancers. Support options include:
- Email: You can contact AND CO by email.
- Support Chat: This is the main form of customer service given to AND CO users. Chat reps are incredibly well-informed and helpful. They respond to questions quickly and are there to help with whatever you need.
- FAQ: AND CO’s FAQ section is set up like a full-fledged knowledgebase with helpful how-to articles pertaining to common questions.
- Blog: AND CO offers a blog with articles that provide helpful tips for freelancers. The style of writing is funny and worth a read, even if the topics aren’t always pertinent to the actual app. Now that AND CO is owned by Fiverr, freelancers should take a look at the Fiverr blog as well for helpful freelancing tips and tricks.
- Business Tools: AND CO offers an incredible number of business tools. These tools include such things as a quarterly tax calculator, a free invoice template, a how-to freelance guide, a self-employment calculator, a business name generator, and more. Scroll to the bottom of the AND CO website for a full list of business tools.
- Report A Bug: If you run into a bug in AND CO, you can report it to the company.
- Social Media: AND CO regularly maintains Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts. These accounts feature new blog posts, company updates, and a very small number of customer reviews, as well as incredibly funny gifs and articles. This can be a good source of information or laughter, whichever you are in the mood for.
User Reviews
Negative Reviews & Complaints
It used to be that there were very few reviews of AND CO, but with the company’s recent growth, there is a lot of customer feedback out there. The vast majority of this feedback is positive, but there are a few complaints:
- Bugs & Crashes: The most common complaint is of small bugs and crashes, particularly with the Android app.
- Needs More Customizations: A few users wish there were ways to customize the contracts and more invoice customization options.
- Lack Of Integrations: A couple of users want to see more integration offerings.
Note: It is worth mentioning that AND CO is very good at responding to customer complaints and making things right with disappointed users, which I see as another sign of good customer support.
Positive Reviews & Testimonials
AND CO is well-received by nearly all of its users, and most of its ratings have gone up even higher in the last year. The company receives 4.8/5 stars on Capterra (based on 311 reviews), 4.7/5 stars on iTunes (based on over 800 ratings), and 4.1/5 stars on Google Play Store (based on over 600 reviews).
Here is what users love most:
- Easy To Use: One of the most common praises of AND CO is that it is easy to use. Many freelancers report saving tons of time on managing their finances and projects, which frees them up to spend time on what they love.
- Strong Mobility: Users (almost unanimously) love the full-featured mobile apps AND CO offers.
- Makes Freelancing Easy: It’s not an easy task to simplify freelancing, but AND CO does it, and users value that. Quite a few users say they not only appreciate the business advice and support they get from AND CO but also the emotional support — freelancers usually don’t have anywhere to turn to with their questions. They also like the fact that the software makes them appear more professional.
- Great Customer Service: Again and again, users comment on the customer support that AND CO provides. They like the speedy responses and friendly staff.
- Great Design & Features: Several users comment positively on the software’s recently redesigned UI. Many also appreciate how well-organized the software is and all of the features they get with AND CO, especially the contract feature.
Don’t believe us? Here is what a few users are saying:
Being a freelancer for almost 6 years, I always found the administrative part to be really tedious, painful and kind of a waste of my (billable) time. And Co provides a set of tools suited for the independent worker that allows me to focus on my work and spend less time dealing with contracts, invoices, payments, etc. The software is neat and almost fun to use.
This is an amazing app and a must-have tool for every freelancer! Now I have more time and energy for my creative work instead of spending hours dealing with paperwork. I also love the interface, very clean and easy to use.
Amazing product, very easy to use and the customer support team is super friendly. If you prefer to spend your time doing real work instead of extra stuff, give them a try.
Just started using this and love the invoicing feature. Within minutes of signing up, I was able to send my first invoice. Everything was customized to look like my company and looked very professional.
Integrations & Add-Ons
AND CO has nearly ten integrations, with four of those being payment gateways. This number is pretty small in comparison to other software, but they cover the basics, such as Stripe and PayPal.
Are you interested in accepting online payments from your customers? Read our comprehensive merchant account reviews to learn the pros and cons of popular providers and see which payment processing option is best for your business.
Security
AND CO is not transparent about its security practices. The company says it has secure servers and data encryption, but that’s as far as the details go. I recommend contacting AND CO with any specific security questions.
Final Verdict
For freelancers who are looking to simplify their finances and gain more business support, AND CO is an incredibly good option. The updated web design eliminated some previous navigational issues and has made the software even more of a joy to use. AND CO’s mobile apps are some of the best on the market, and the software makes it easy to manage expenses, send invoices, create projects, and track time. The pricing is a bit steep for a freelancer budget, but the proposals and contract features are crucial to many freelancers, and you won’t find these with any competitors.
The software is still wanting in some areas. With no item management, the software is not fit for product-based freelancers. There are also limited tax support, limited invoice customizations, and a lack of integrations. The major drawback with AND CO is that it doesn’t offer any tax support for freelancers. Managing self-employment taxes and deductions is one of the biggest needs of freelancers, so in this area, the software falls far behind its competition — QuickBooks Self-Employed.
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A great choice for freelancers needing some extra help managing their business | ||
Despite these drawbacks, AND CO can still be a strong resource for service-based freelancers. The company offers wonderful customer support, provides freelancing resources, and has positive reviews across the board. And it is still young. AND CO has been making significant updates for the past three years, and with the recent Fiverr acquisition, we’ll hopefully see some great new features rolling out in the future. Create a free account and give the software a try to see if AND CO is right for you.
Check out these top accounting software:
Chelsea Krause
Content Strategist - Accounting & eCommerce
Chelsea Krause is a writer who has specialized in accounting for over three years and is a QuickBooks Certified User. She has a BA in English & Creative Writing from George Fox University and studied at the University of Oxford as well. She has been quoted in Forbes and her work appears in Startup Nation, Small Business Bonfire, and Women on Business.
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That’s a clever name it looks very useful!
I am new in the freelance world, I don’t have my administrator anymore. It’s the platform friendly enough for those like me, that don’t know anything about accounting-administrative tasks?
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Sean,
Yes! AND CO is incredibly user-friendly. The software takes very little time to learn, and if you have any questions, the customer service team is very helpful. One of the things I like best about AND CO is that they also provide tons of great freelancer resources like ebooks and blogs with tips and tricks to running a successful freelancing business.
Best of luck in your business endeavors and feel free to let me know if you have any other questions.
Best wishes,
– Chelsea Krause
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
No FAQ page, not intuitive, very few options, overall looks unfinished.Also, I don’t see support for PayPal and Payoneer, only stripe and stripe is not supported in my country.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: AND CO
Hi Pera! Thank you so much for taking the time to review us and send over this honest feedback! As the Lead Chief Operator at AND CO I wanted to offer my help in doing anything we can to help you get super-comfortable with the app! The good news is that we have a pretty nifty FAQ page that’s keyword searchable and can be found at http://www.faq.and.co. We actually do have an Integration with PayPal as one of our payment providers and you can always connect your account to AND CO by going to your Settings > Manage Online Payments. I hope that helps clarify a bit and your Chief Operators are standing by to help make sure you are comfortable using the app anytime! Also please feel free to reach out to me night and day at oliver@andco.nyc if you need anything at all and we really appreciate the feedback here! – Oliver
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.