Best Bookkeeping Software for Remote Workers

1. Expensify 
2. Concur  
3. Rydoo 
4. Pleo 
5. Revolut 

Expensify

Consistently ranked among the best expense management software, Expensify seamlessly tracks expenses, generates invoices, settles bills, collects payments, and manages company credit cards. Users can also use their Expensify account to track their business travel expenses for reimbursement at a later date.  

Expensify is notable for its array of time-saving automations: the auto-approve feature, for example, allows minor, compliant requests to be processed without managerial approval. Users can also scan unlimited receipts using the app’s SmartScan feature. Users simply snap a photo of their receipt and SmartScan automatically captures all the details for expense reporting.  

Expensify also integrates with Uber and Lyft, making rideshare expenses easy to track and submit for reimbursement. Other practical integrations include direct links with small business accounting software (e.g. QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Sage) as well as bill payment systems.  

Key features

• Different versions are available for SMBs and enterprises. All versions offer a free trial (starts at seven days but can be extended to 28 days).
• IRS-compliant (saves financial information for seven years). 
• Rapid reimbursement feature ensures that approved expenses are processed within 24 hours. 
• Easy synchronization with your current accounting software, simplifying audits and taxes. 
• Integrates readily with various HR, accounting, and travel software. 
• Snap a photo of your receipt and SmartScan automatically captures all the details for expense reporting. Upgrade to the Expensify card to avoid receipts altogether.

Concur

Concur Expense simplifies the expense management process by allowing organizations to capture spending from multiple sources, reimburse employees more quickly, and plan spending decisions based on accurate data. 

Using the SAP concur mobile app (available on Android and iOS), users can submit their expense reports for review and approval on the go. The app uses ExpenseIt to turn receipts into reports with just one click. The user simply snaps a photo of their receipt and ExpenseIt will automatically create, itemize, and categorize expense entries. 

Aside from making tracking receipts a breeze, ExpenseIt reduces the errors that come with manual encoding. Concur Expense also readily integrates travel, expense, and invoice data with your existing ERP, CRM, HR, and accounting systems, giving your organization an accurate and comprehensive financial picture. These financial connectors enable your organization to create up-to-date reports and boost policy and regulation compliance. 

Key features

• Automates the expense reporting process: easily capture receipts with your smartphone and allow optical character recognition (OCR) technology to read, extract, and convey key information to your expense reports.  
• The app automatically calculates currency exchange rates and value-added tax (VAT) for international trips. 
• Harnesses AI and machine learning to ensure the faster and safer reimbursement of expenses to employees. 
• Creates expense line items using photos of receipts (via ExpenseIt). 

Rydoo

The Rydoo app allows users to automate the entire expense management process, from capturing and submitting claims to reimbursement. Instead of manually approving expenses one by one, administrators can create approval workflows based on their own criteria. Administrators can also set expense policies, and users will be automatically sent warnings in case of non-compliance. 

Meanwhile, the Insights feature allows organizations to understand where they’re overspending and identify partnership opportunities. And similar to Concur and Expensify, Rydoo allows users to scan their receipts using the mobile app. All key data from the receipts will be extracted (including the date, merchant, amount, and currency) using OCR technology.  

Key features

• Automate expense approvals and create expense policies.
• Use the Rydoo app’s OCR technology to scan multiple pages for a single expense.
• Multiple accounts can be linked, enabling personal assistants to scan and submit receipts on behalf of managers.
• OCR scans both physical and electronic receipts. Simply forward your electronic receipt to your email and expenses are seamlessly uploaded to the app. 

Pleo

Pleo's smart company cards (available in both virtual and plastic format) allow employees to cover their business expenses. When employees use their Pleo cards to make a purchase, they’ll get an instant notification on their smartphones. Employees can then snap a picture of their receipts and add any important details to the Pleo app—doing away completely with the need for reimbursements and expense reports.  

Administrators can set individual spending limits and oversee expenses in real-time. Pleo also integrates seamlessly with your accounting systems, simplifying audits and taxes.  

Key features

• Furnish your team with Pleo cards for stress-free expense tracking, reporting, and reimbursements. Set spending limits for each user. 
• Use Pleo Pocket to keep track of employees’ out-of-pocket expenses not covered by Pleo cards, including petty cash and mileage claims. All users can see the pocket balance owed and expenses can be easily approved.

Revolut

Touting itself as the world’s first global financial superapp, Revolut is among the group of companies that are disrupting the personal finance and expense management space. Unlike conventional banks, Revolut allows users to set up a current account without paperwork using their phones.  

While the most basic current account is free, the other plans (Plus, Premium, and Metal) charge reasonable monthly fees. Next, users have to top up their accounts with funds from a verified existing bank, as well as scan proof of identification through the app. Customers can order either a virtual or physical debit card, with the latter being a prepaid contactless Mastercard which can be used for retail payments around the world.  

Some of Revolut’s most practical features include spending analytics (which give users weekly insights on their spending), capped monthly spending budgets (which allow users to better manage their spending by setting a monthly budget), and instant spending notifications (for monitoring transactions in and out of their accounts).  

Key features

• Connect your Revolut account to your other bank accounts and manage your finances in one place. 
• Manage your money more efficiently and avoid overspending with smart budgeting and analytics tools. 
• Sync your Revolut card with your Apple or Google Pay account, enabling you to settle transactions with your preferred device (including your phone or smartwatch). 
• Transfer money and receive payment in over 30 currencies, split and settle bills, and send money to local bank accounts for free. 

5 Best Bookkeeping & Accounting Software for Remote Workers  

1. QuickBooks Online 
2. FreshBooks  
3. Wave 
4. Xero 
5. NetSuite  

QuickBooks Online 

QuickBooks Online offers accounting tools for small and growing businesses, freelancers, as well as professional accountants and bookkeepers. Suitable for a variety of industries (including restaurants, retail, construction, non-profits, and professional services), QuickBooks also lessens the learning curve for all users via tutorials and free live webinars.  

Features for Small Business Owners 

Depending on their plan, small business owners can: 

• Track sales, expenses, and profits
• Run reports
• Customize and send invoices, quotes, and sales receipts
• Track and manage their sales tax
• Manage and pay bills 

• Centralized location where clients’ income and expenses can be tracked.
• Easily import your clients’ bank and credit card transactions (QuickBooks Online will then categorize them). 
• Real-time receipt capture via smartphone. 
• Easily share books with your clients. 
• Assess your clients’ financial health with an array of built-in reports. 
• Expand your workflow processes with Intuit-approved third-party apps. These integrate with QuickBooks Online. 

FreshBooks

Aside from its invoicing and billing features for small business owners, FreshBooks also offers an array of easy-to-use double-entry accounting tools. These make it easy to identify revenue items and their corresponding expenses, giving users an accurate estimate of profits and losses.  

Meanwhile, automatic checks and balances ensure that debit and credit card amounts are equal, greatly reducing potential errors when taxes are filed. Freshbooks’ Double-Entry Accounting Tools make it easier to calculate the cost of running your business and forecast your earnings. 

Key Features 

• Customize access to your FreshBooks account and let your accountant update your Journal Entries and your Chart of Accounts.
• Access to a wide array of double-entry accounting reports—including profit and loss income statements, balance sheets, general ledgers, and cash flow statements.  
• Freshbook Bank Reconciliation makes it easy for you to organize your transactions and receipts. 
• Auto-import transactions by connecting bank and credit cards, thus avoiding manual entry errors.  
• Pay your bills easily with Accounts Payable in FreshBooks. 
• Track prepayments, overpayments, and credit notes with the Credits feature.

Wave

Wave’s accounting software is specifically designed for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses. The various built-in features help them better understand their income and expenses, as well as efficiently manage payroll, invoicing, and payments.  

Wave can also connect users to their bank accounts, sync all expenses, balance their books, and get their financial records ready for taxes. Financial information is neatly organized in Wave’s dashboard using the double-entry system, making all records easier for accountants to understand. Other useful features include credit card processing and receipt scanning.   

Using the software’s bank reconciliation tools, users can manage all of their bank account and credit card information in real-time. This helps them improve the accuracy and efficiency of their bookkeeping processes. Businesses can also readily generate reports that integrate crucial data points, such as cash flow, profit/loss, and sales tax. 

Key Features 

• Ranked among the best free accounting software, Wave is completely free, with no trials or limitations. 
• Data is kept completely safe physically and electronically using 256-bit SSL encryption. 
• Different account privileges are customizable for different entities (e.g. accountants, employees, tax preparers).  
• Readily import data from other accounting software, such as FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online. Just follow this guide.  

Xero

Xero Accounting Software’s array of features allow SMBs, accountants, and bookkeepers to perform various tasks. These include paying bills, claiming expenses, and generating accurate accounting reports. 

The Bills Payment feature lets businesses keep track of and settle their bills on time, as well as get a clear overview of accounts payable and cash flow. Businesses can simplify employee expense claims—including capturing, submitting, and approving expenses, as well as reimbursing claims. Invoice payments can be easily processed by connecting to Stripe and other payment solutions. 

Key Features 

• Easily connect your bank to Xero and set up bank feeds. This helps you keep track of the money going in and out of your account.  
• Quote, invoice, and receive payments for various projects. Users can also keep track of time rendered, costs incurred, and project profitability. 
• Pay employees and keep secure basic payroll records within Xero. 
• Use Xero to log customer or supplier history, including emails, invoices, history of sales, and contact details. 
• Create accurate, up-to-date, and customized accounting reports; collaborate with advisors online in real-time. 
• Track items in stock using the inventory feature. 

NetSuit

NetSuite cloud financials and accounting software seamlessly integrates core financial and accounting functions with strong financial management. This results in stronger business performance and significant reductions in back-office costs.  

Organizations are given real-time access to live financial data, helping them generate statements and disclosures that comply with multiple regulatory financial compliance requirements, including GAAP and SOX.  

Key Features 

• Transform your general ledger into a dynamic asset that aligns with your organization’s changing business needs and unique challenges. Users get richer reporting functionalities, greater flexibility and visibility, and enhanced audit trails. 
• Use the Accounts Receivable solution to acquire added liquidity to fund growth, shorten the credit-to-cash cycle, and take advantage of new investment opportunities.  
• Use the Accounts Payable solution to mitigate fund gaps, realize higher profits, and ensure compliance, among other objectives. 
• Use the configurable tax engine to facilitate end-to-end domestic and global tax management.
• Take advantage of other features, such as cash management, payment management, and fixed assets management.  

Keep Your Remote or Hybrid Team Focused on their Core Objectives by Outsourcing Secondary Tasks to a Sigrid.AI Virtual Assistant 

Whatever your work set-up, your team’s main goals are to crush their targets and deliver projects on time. To keep everyone focused on their main tasks, consider outsourcing recurring and secondary tasks to a Sigrid.AI personal assistant.  

We’re a subscription-based remote managed virtual assistant service that combines the top 1% of virtual assistants and specialists with purpose-built delegation tools. This allows us to deliver a premium service to our clients. 

Sign up for a free 14-day trial and you’ll get five free tasks, plus support from a team of shared assistants and specialists. When your trial period is over, you can buy more tasks or upgrade to one of our dedicated VA plans. 

Once you’ve picked a plan, just pay for your first month and download our free To-Do-List mobile app (available on iOS, soon to be available on Android). This app is custom-built for delegating tasks to our remote team.  

Not sure if a virtual assistant is right for your team? Check out our blog post 'Delegating tasks: The complete guide'.—and how we've addressed each concern. 

To learn more about our services and determine if we have what it takes to help your team reach new levels of productivity, book a consultation.