The Best Accounting Programs For International Businesses

¡Hola! Bonjour! Guten tag! Bon giorno! Ni hao! Shalom!

However you say hello to your customers, you need an accounting solution that keeps up with your international business. In a world where the distance between continents seems to be shrinking (metaphorically speaking) and the ability to sell products globally is booming, a program that offers strong international business support is a necessity.

After reviewing dozens of accounting programs, I was surprised by how few companies truly optimize their software for real international business. It can be pretty difficult for the average business person to find an accounting solution that operates well on a global scale. That’s why we’ve done the hard work of scouting out the best of the best for you.

Here are the top accounting options to help you run your global business. We’ve given you multiple solutions for US business selling internationally as well as accounting solutions for UK, Canadian, and Australian-based businesses, so everyone can find something to suit their international business needs.

1. Zoho Books

Best For…

Small businesses looking for affordable, full-featured accounting software with amazing invoices and international invoicing.

If you’re looking for basic accounting and beautiful invoicing, look no further. Zoho Books has been providing small businesses with attractive, automated invoices since 2011. The software is easy to use and chock full of features. The company offers excellent customer support, 30+ integrations, positive customer reviews, and tons of time-saving automations. To top it off, there are several international business features like being able to send invoices in over 10 different languages and multiple currency support.

The drawback of Zoho Books is that it doesn’t offer payroll or any payroll integrations. The software is still a good choice for small businesses who need international invoicing software and who don’t need payroll (or are willing to use a third-party payroll solution).

Pricing

Zoho Books offers three pricing plans ranging from $9 – $29/month. Plans are paid monthly. Each plan comes with unlimited invoices. The larger the plan, the more clients and features you have access to.

International Support

• Multi-currency support
• Send invoices in multiple languages
• Assign default languages to contacts

With Zoho Books, you can send invoices in 12 different languages, including Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, Croatian, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish. You can also invoice and receive payments in over 150 currencies that are updated every hour.

Features

In addition to its international offerings, Zoho Books boasts strong accounting and a good number of features. In terms of features, Zoho Books is almost on par with QuickBooks Online but is much easier on the wallet.  Here are some of the features you’ll find with Zoho Books:

• Invoices
• Estimates
• Contact management
• Expense tracking
• Accounts payable
• Inventory
• Time tracking
• Project management
• Reports

There are also time-saving automations, like the ability to schedule invoices to be sent out at a later time. Customers receive invoices in an attractive client portal and can pay them directly online, which is a huge plus for business owners. Read our full Zoho Books review for a complete feature overview.

Takeaway

Ultimately, Zoho Books is a great choice for US businesses selling internationally. Zoho is an affordable, robust international business accounting solution that is ideal for international invoicing. Read our comprehensive Zoho Books review for more details about this international accounting software option.

2. FreeAgent

Best For…

Small to medium businesses in need of unlimited users. Ideal for UK businesses in need of VAT support.

Founded in 2007, FreeAgent is a cloud-based accounting software used by over 70,000 businesses. The software is specifically designed for UK users and offers unlimited users and VAT support for an affordable, flat monthly fee. The software also has great international business features including multiple currency support and the ability to send invoices in over 25 different languages.

While some of FreeAgents features are underdeveloped, like the lack of invoice customizations, FreeAgent is still a good choice for small, UK-based businesses looking for accounting, tax support, or international invoicing.

Pricing

FreeAgent has a single, flat pricing plan which costs $24/month. Payments are made monthly and there is a generous referral program as well. (Prices are in US currency; contact FreeAgent directly for UK pricing.)

International Support

• Multi-currency support
• Send invoices in multiple languages
• International bank support

With FreeAgent, you can send invoices in 28 different languages, including Brazilian Portuguese, Bulgarian, Catalan, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Latvian, Norwegian, Polish, Spanish, and more. You can also add international bank accounts to your software to get a full view of your business’s finances. FreeAgent supports 115+ different currencies which are updated automatically, and the software has a nice feature where you can easily see your currency gains/losses directly on your invoices.

Features

In addition to its international offerings, FreeAgent has a good selection of other features. These features are easy to use and are well-organized. Here’s what you’ll find with FreeAgent:

• Invoicing
• Estimates
• Contact management
• Expense tracking
• Accounts payable
• Basic inventory
• Project management
• Time tracking
• Reports

The software only has a small selection of reports and limited invoice customizations. However, it does offer VAT support for UK businesses.

Takeaway

FreeAgent is one of the best cloud accounting choices for UK-based businesses, especially those looking for good features, strong customer support, and an easy to use interface. Add international invoicing and banking to the mix and it’s easy to see why FreeAgent is our second choice for international businesses. Read our full FreeAgent review for more information.

3. QuickBooks Online Canada

Best For…

Small businesses in need of strong accounting and GST & HST support. Ideal for Canadian businesses.

QuickBooks Online Canada is similar to its US cousin QBO in that is offers strong accounting and great features but in a package specifically designed for Canadian businesses. However, unlike the US version of QBO, QuickBooks Online Canada actually has good customer support and bilingual invoicing (according to some articles QBO Canada is the QuickBooks guinea pig for testing international invoicing and the feature was released for Canadian users in early 2019). The software also has over 500 integrations, GST & HST support, and mobile apps.

The software is not suited for companies in need of more than five users (time tracking-only employees don’t count toward the limit). QuickBooks Online Canada is ideal for small Canadian businesses in need of numerous features, advanced accounting, and the ability to send invoices to both English and French speaking customers.

Pricing

QuickBooks Online Canada offers three pricing plans ranging from $13 – $40/month. Payments and made monthly and certain additions like payroll and payment processing cost extra. The larger the plan, the more features and users you have access to.

International Support

• Multi-currency support
• Send invoices in multiple languages

With QuickBooks Online Canada, you can send your customers invoices in either French or English so you can successfully run your business in North America. The software itself also comes in either French or English. Additionally, QuickBooks Online Canada supports over 150 currencies that are updated regularly.

Features

In addition to the new bilingual invoicing feature, QuickBooks Online Canada has a lot more features to offer. The features are well-developed and the software is generally easy to use (albeit a bit difficult to navigate while learning). Here are some of the most notable QuickBooks Online Canada features:

• Invoicing
• Estimates
• Contact management
• Expense tracking
• Accounts payable
• Inventory
• Project management
• Time tracking
• 100 reports
• Budgeting

For Canadian users, QBO Canada also offers GST & HST support and strong accounting, including a customizable chart of accounts, fixed asset management, and more.

Takeaway

QuickBooks Online Canada is a comprehensive small business accounting solution complete with GST & HST support and bilingual invoicing, making it a great option for Canadian-based businesses. Good customer support and over 500 integrations are icing on the cake. Read our complete QuickBooks Online Canada review for more details.

4. NetSuite ERP

Best For…

Enterprise businesses that have outgrown their accounting software and need a full ERP solution with global business support.

NetSuite brings in the big guns as far as accounting software and international support are concerned. Unlike Zoho Books and FreeAgent, NetSuite ERP goes beyond typical accounting software and is instead a complete business solution designed for large enterprises (as you’ll see from the price tag). NetSuite ERP offers tons of features and advertises itself as “the world’s #1 global cloud ERP.”

Given its complex feature set (and steep pricing), it’s easy to see how this software works best in an enterprise context. While NetSuite is not a realistic solution for small businesses, this enterprise solution offers an impressive number of features and international capabilities for larger businesses ready to make the leap to an ERP system.

Pricing

NetSuite doesn’t readily advertise their pricing, as the price varies on a business to business basis. One representative I spoke with said their clients could pay anywhere from $10,000 – $1,000,000/year on NetSuite.

While this number might seem jaw-dropping to small businesses, the software is customized to each individual company and serves as a complete software solution — meaning enterprises won’t need to purchase a bunch of add-ons or switch back and forth between multiple programs. Instead, they’ll have all of their accounting, HR, production, and CRM modules in one place.

International Support

• Multi-currency support
• Send invoices in multiple languages
• Tax compliant in multiple countries

NetSuite has some of the best multi-language support available, allowing you to send invoices in 19 different languages, including Chinese, Czech, Dutch, Danish, English, French,  German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil),  Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and more. You can also invoice and receive payments in 190 different currencies. Currencies are updated nightly and exchange rates are automatically calculated for you in real time.

NetSuite OneWorld’s tax and compliance management solution meets the accounting regulations of countries all over the globe, and the software is currently used in over 110 different countries.

Features

In addition to these features, NetSuite ERP offers:

• Estimates
• Contact management
• Vendor management
• Expense tracking
• Accounts payable
• Payroll
• HR
• Budgeting
• Reports and KPIs

As an ERP software, NetSuite ERP combines accounting with business planning, complex inventory, and human resources. Basically, you ask NetSuite to jump, and it’ll answer, how high? Granted, there is a bit of a learning curve with this one, but the organization of the software and UI is actually pretty simple.

Takeaway

For enterprises in the market for an ERP solution, NetSuite ERP offers incredible features and some of the best international business support money can buy. With NetSuite ERP, you can be certain your company meets the necessary tax regulations of the countries you do business with. Read our full NetSuite review to see if this ERP system is right for your business.

5. Saasu

Best For…

Small businesses looking for scalable pricing and strong features including cash flow management. Ideal for Australian-based businesses.

We’ve covered the US, UK, Canada — now it’s Australia’s turn. Saasu is a cloud-based accounting software created in Australia back in 2000. The software offers unlimited users, scalable pricing, numerous integrations, and an impressive number of features. The software is ideal for Australian businesses, and while its international offerings aren’t quite as extensive as Zoho Books and the other, Saasu does have multi-currency support.

The downsides of Saasu are that the software is sometimes unintuitive and has poor mobile apps. The software is ideal for small Australian businesses looking for accounting software, basic international business support, and a unique cash flow management feature.

Pricing

Saasu offers three pricing plans ranging from $15 – $70/month AUD. Payments are made monthly, although price plans are based on the number of transactions processed each year (read our Saasu review for more details on how this works).  Each plan comes with unlimited users. The larger the plan, the more features, transactions, and bank feeds you have available to you. (Prices include GST.)

International Support

• Multi-currency support
• Invoice language add-on

Saasu supports over 50 different languages. While the software doesn’t have the built-in ability to send invoices in multiple languages, you can use the Saasu + Translate Zapier integration to translate your invoice’s text into another language.

Features

Saasu offers an incredible number of features. The software covers the basics you’d expect with an accounting software as well as a few unique bonuses. Here are some of Saasu’s features:

• Invoicing
• Estimates
• Contact management
• Expense tracking
• Advanced inventory
• Time tracking
• 30+ reports
• Budgeting
• Cash flow forecasting

Saasu offers payroll and GST support for its Australian users (as of July 2019, Saasu will only be available to Australian users).

Takeaway

Saasu is a fully-featured accounting solution that is ideal for Australian businesses looking for basic multi-currency support. The software offers unique features like cash flow management and inventory serialization, as well as unlimited users. Read our full Saasu review to see if this software is a good choice for your small business.

6. Debitoor

Best For…

Small businesses looking for an easy to use, international invoicing solution.

Debitoor is an easy-to-use invoicing software with a few light bookkeeping tools tossed in the mix. The software is made in the UK and used in over 40 other countries. With prices starting at £5/month, Debitoor is an incredibly affordable option for small business owners in need of good international invoicing.

Debitoor is ideal for freelancers, independent contractors, and micro businesses located in the UK (US users can make the software work, but there are better options out there — like Zoho Books). Debitoor does not have all of the accounting features needed to be considered a true accounting software, but it can be a good invoicing solution for small businesses wanting to keep things simple.

Pricing

Debitoor offers four scalable pricing plans ranging from £4 – £20/month, depending on how many invoices you want to send. Plans are paid monthly, although you can receive a discount for paying annually. The larger the plan, the more features, invoices, and users you have access to.

International Support

• Multi-currency support
• Send invoices in multiple languages

Debitoor also allows you to send invoices in 11 different languages, including Catalan, Danish, English, Faroese, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish. You can invoice and receive payments in 165 different currencies. Currencies are updated constantly and exchange rates are automatically calculated for you in real time.

Features

In addition to these features, Debitoor offers a good number of features (especially considering its just an invoicing software). Here are some of the features you can expect with Debitoor:

• Estimates
• Contact management
• Expense tracking
• Bank reconciliation
• Item management
• Reports
• VAT taxes

Debitoor offers some of the best invoice automations and customizations. You can change the font, colors, and logo on your invoice to create personal and professional template designs. The company also offers multiple payment gateway options so your customer can pay their invoices directly online.

Takeaway

In the end, Debitoor is a great option for UK businesses looking for an invoicing software (instead of the full accounting software like FreeAgent). Invoicing is where this company shines, and the ease of use and nice UI never hurts either. Read our comprehensive Debitoor review to see if this software meets your business needs.

The Best International Accounting Software Compared

We’ve given you six international accounting software choices for various types of businesses. Here’s how each accounting software compares:

Choosing The Right Accounting Software For Your International Business

Ultimately, the necessity of international support is one that many businesses can no longer afford to ignore (quite literally). Each program discussed above offers ample currencies and the ability to send invoices in multiple languages and will allow your business to thrive in the global (and domestic) scene.

The best choice for your company will depend on your business’s size, needs, and location. To find the perfect accounting software for your business, ask yourself:

• What country-specific features do I need (VAT, GST, etc.)?
• How big is my business?
• How big is my budget for accounting software?
• What international support features do I need to run a successful business?

The answers to these questions will help point you in the right direction and give you a clearer idea of your business’s needs and which software can best meet them.

If you are a medium to large-sized business that has too many complex accounting needs for Zoho Books or Debitoor but can’t afford NetSuite ERP, there’s another option. Many invoicing-specific programs offer at least some form of international support and are relatively cheap. Most can be used with a more full-featured accounting solution and some even integrate directly with popular programs like Xero and QuickBooks. If an invoicing tool sounds like a good alternative for your business, check out our article The Best Software for International Invoicing.

For more help with your international business check out our posts on International Shipping: Global eCommerce Rates And Shipping Carriers, Best Shopping Carts For Global eCommerce, and The Most Important Questions To Ask Before Shipping Internationally.

There is a great big world out there waiting for your business and plenty of software options to help you set sail and navigate those murky international waters. We hope one of these programs fits the bill for your international business, but whatever you decide, we wish you good luck in all your business endeavors. As always let us know if you have any questions, and please share your favorite programs for international business and your international business tips in the comments below.