Quicken has been around for ages, with budget management roots that date all the way back to 1983 and, thankfully, that means it continues to undergo transitions that keep it reassuringly relevant. That's especially so during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. It also comes with the added benefit of being available as software that will work on a Windows machine or a Mac too, alongside its mobile-based counterparts.
In fact, Quicken we recently given a boost, having been updated to coincide with the release of Apple’s latest operating system, macOS 11 Big Sur. There's an improved interface along with a raft of features that allows users to exploit the power of the new Apple OS.
There’s also a version that can be used solely online if downloading software isn’t your thing. Whilst Quicken does have some rather more sprightly competitors these days it’s still a super-useful finance management package. Add on other practical features such as the optional ability to synchronize it with your bank accounts, 256-bit security encryption plus cloud-based back-ups and there’s lots to like.
Quicken comes in a variety of different guises to suit different budgets (Image credit: Intuit)
Quicken: Pricing
Currently prices for Quicken Starter kick off at $34.99 for a year, with a Deluxe version currently on offer for $29.99, down from $49.99. Meanwhile, a Premier edition is available for $44.99 compared to its usual price of $74.99. On top of that there’s a Home and Business Version for $59.99 instead of the regular $99.99 asking price.
All of these prices are based on an annual subscription, which could make the package pricey over time. You should also note, however, that while the prices were accurate at the time of writing they may well change as per all of our other software reviews. Nevertheless, Quicken comes in with a reasonably attractive pricing structure, even if you’re considering the product at its more normal cost.
Quicken: Features
The most recent update of Quicken resulted in a few handy new features being added, with some real benefits coming along in the Mac version. You’ll find that it works better on that platform now, more so than it used to, while all users can enjoy the benefits of the familiar-but-friendly interface.
You’ll begin your financial journey on the Home tab, which delivers a comprehensive snapshot of where you are with your finances. For newbies there is also a neat Wizard-style system that will help you pick your way through getting set up. Of course, once you’ve got a lot of your data into Quicken the processes involved in managing your money gets easier.
Updates to the Quicken interface mean that it has a powerful feature set (Image credit: Intuit)
There are core areas that help build up a picture of your money situation, with a Spending tab, Bills and Income section and so on, all of which are pretty easy to get the hang of. Customization of these areas is also key by allowing you to make Quicken completely personal to your needs.
Quicken is great for getting a handle on how your finances are ticking over (Image credit: Intuit)
Quicken: Performance
One of the more appealing aspects in the latest incarnation of Quicken is that it can be used as an online-only solution if you prefer. This is good news for anyone who tends to flit from one machine, or device, to another and lacks the inclination to start downloading software on multiple computers.
As a result, the performance you can expect from Quicken is largely reliant on your internet connection, but if that’s all fine and dandy then you’ll find the software rolls along very nicely. You get less features in this edition however, so for consistent performance and the full suite of tools, features and functions then you’ll still want to go down the downloadable software route.
Quicken has a powerful set of tools though you'll need to spend time learning the ropes (Image credit: Intuit)
Quicken: Ease of use
While we do like the multiple options for customization in Quicken, there is a slight downside to this as it can be finicky to get things just how you like them. While usability is generally pretty good, you’ll need to devote some quality time to Quicken in order to shape it to perform as you’d expect.
However, others areas of Quicken are designed with total efficiency in mind, and this works particularly well for the extra touches you get in the Premier edition and upwards. The bill paying option, for example, is a great way of streamlining your outgoings, but we’re also very keen on the alert tools that really do allow you to get your finances in line and keep them that way.
This is especially so when it comes to paying bills on time. You’ll need to sign up for an account to do any of this, of course, but that takes mere moments as indeed does syncing the application with your bank accounts.
Quicken has been around a long time but still enjoys a regular injection of new features (Image credit: Intuit)
Quicken: Support
Considering just how long Quicken has been in existence it comes as no surprise to find lots of online advice and video tutorials for getting the best from its charms. Added on to that there are reams of documents that will take you through the inner workings of this occasionally quite complex software.
We also find the community aspect of Quicken quite pleasing, with lots of user experiences that give you a valuable insight into its trickier corners. If you plump for Quicken Premier or above you gain free access to a premium level of phone support for one year. Alternatively this is currently available as an add-on for $49.99.
You'll find a wide variety of help resources within Quicken along with telephone support for Premier and above editions (Image credit: Intuit)
Quicken: Final verdict
We think that Quicken ticks a lot of the boxes when it comes down to getting your finances into shape. If you’re happy with the subscription costs and you use it a lot then the package seems to represent pretty good value for money. Although we think it will probably deliver most value to small business types with more to think about than individuals with simpler finances to manage.
Much has been done to beef up the interface, features and usability with the current edition. As a result, mobile versions are solid, while the access-from-anywhere option is great for people who need to access Quicken via a browser over multiple machines. A good level of security, powerful syncing with bank accounts and the ability to use cloud-based back-ups adds to the value here.
Sage is the British company that has been offering accountancy software solutions for many years. The business currently offers Sage Intacct and Sage50 Accounting under its umbrella Sage Business Cloud Accounting, which offers the flexibility and dependable edge provided by an online solution.
Due to its size and breadth of appeal, the Sage product range can tend to be a little bewildering. For example, Sage One has now morphed into a beefier package that differs from Sage’s 50cloud option. However, the most obvious benefit of Sage Business Cloud Accounting in whichever bundle you choose, is that you gain the flexibility and scalability provided by having a cloud back-end.
Sage is constantly evolving too, with the UK market having its own products dedicated to small business including specific accounting, payroll and HR packages. Equally, Sage also covers the medium-sized business arena with the aforementioned Sage Intacct, Sage200cloud and the more specialised cloud-based ERP Sage X3. Professional accountants and bookkeepers are, of course, also catered for with partner accounting and payroll options with an increasing focus on automation.
If you like the look of the most recent edition of Sage Business Cloud Accounting then the good news is that there’s a free trial available. This is a great way of experiencing the cloud-based accountancy service head on.
A broad range of packages fall under Sage's 'Accounting' umbrella, starting with Accounting Individual Free. It serves as a basic bookkeeping service for managing income and expenses and generating a self-employed tax summary.
Self-employed workers can upgrade to Accounting Individual, which adds support for sales invoices, bank account connections, 10GB of document storage and more. It costs £7+VAT per month.
For larger registered businesses, there are three separate tiers: Accounting Start (£18+VAT per month), Accounting Standard (£39+VAT per month) and Accounting Plus (£59+VAT per month).
There are also separate packages for Payroll and HR, as well as a more comprehensive suite under the Sage 50 brand which offers payment processing, automation and budgeting.
You can easily connect your bank accounts to Sage Business Cloud Accounting (Image credit: Image Credit: Sage)
Sage: Features
Sage Business Cloud Accounting gets regular updates and its latest version is perfect for small businesses that need a relatively straightforward solution that ticks all the boxes.
Once you’re signed up Sage Business Cloud Accounting lets you tackle accounting, but it’ll also simplify sales tracking, reporting and pull contact together.
You’ll be able to accept and receive payments, create and send invoices as well as stay on top of bookkeeping chores all within the space of a cloud-based service.
The additional benefit of Sage Business Cloud Accounting is that it lets you enjoy the same powerful features on your computer, tablet or phone. That way you’re on top of your accounting no matter where you happen to be.
It's worth noting that Sage offers slightly different variants of its accounting software for different regions – and that's a good thing because the company is clearly willing to tailor its products to different tax scenarios and setups to help users get the most out of Sage.
Users in the UK get a variation on the theme. Sage offers small businesses an Accounting package, which lets you handle invoicing, cash flow, tax, payments and more. It also has a Payroll option, which allows you to pay up to 50 employees and is fully HRMC-compliant.
Sage even takes care of HR issues with its refreshed Sage HR package, which used to be called CakeHR. It is a constantly evolving picture to stay in line with new rules and regulations, along with the changing face of business.
Although setups differ regionally, Sage specializes in areas like invoicing and quote generation, expense management, reporting and forecasting, inventory management and bank feed monitoring.
Sage also works with third-party systems, besides its own ecosystem, like Xero or QuickBooks, which makes managing larger businesses or migrating from other platforms far easier.
Sage: Performance
Sage has been around long enough to realize the potential of offering a product that can be used by the many and varied users that need accountancy solutions. As a result, there are versions available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad plus the web-based edition for anyone with access to a browser.
As you’d expect from a cloud-based solution, it depends on an internet connection but all data is stored in the cloud. Sage delivers a reliable service in that respect and the performance has been carefully honed over the years to help you enjoy a pretty decent experience.
The reporting and core accounting modules are generally solid, though users sometimes note that they're not designed for heavy customization or complex workflows. Still, if you're a bigger business with more complex demands, you should be able to benefit from one of Sage's higher-tier platform subscriptions.
Sage: Ease of Use
Sage Business Cloud Accounting is quite a dry experience in that it’s less easy on the eyes, but certainly offers a comprehensive suite of features and functions. Consider it generally dated or utilitarian, but it's far from lacking in features.
If you’re a newcomer to its functionality then you might find it a little hard going as there’s quite a lot to get through during initial setup. This is done via a Getting Started screen, which incidentally can be switched off if preferred.
You can, of course, import a lot of your data or pull it in from integrations, as well as connect to your financial institutions, which means that most of your accounting figures will self-populate the various categories.
Some of the workflows, such as expense tracking, can be slightly less intuitive than we'd hoped, so it can take more clicks than you'd expect to get simple, administrative and repetitive data logged.
Nevertheless, there is still quite a lot to digest within the Sage Business Cloud Accounting interface, though once you’ve become familiar with it progress is much more streamlined.
Sage has done an impressive job at shoehorning the same experience into its mobile apps too, with iPhone and Android experiences surprisingly good. You can even get it for the Apple Watch, though we can't imagine users getting any real benefit out of that.
The Sage Business Cloud Accounting layout is functional but lacks the flair of other cloud-based options (Image credit: Sage)
Sage: Support
You’ll find plenty of options available to you if you need to call upon some support, and that's partly because you're dealing with a highly established, big player in the space. Sage has got this aspect of its business down to a fine art, with email, phone and also live support options all available.
For ongoing issues that can’t be resolved with a quick answer then there is also the provision for raising support tickets, whereby your query will be put into a queuing system and hopefully resolved as quickly as possible.
You also get the benefit of a healthy community spirit within the world of Sage, while easily accessed and comprehensive FAQs also get to the bottom of many everyday questions and quandaries.
Support comes in a range of options including a powerful knowledge base for FAQs (Image credit: Sage)
Sage: Final verdict
Sage Cloud Business Accounting has been a reliable option for quite some time and proves consistently popular with many sole traders and smaller businesses. It's packed with most of the features that you'd likely to need, but we'd like to see future generations of Sage's tools look slightly more polished.
Some elements of the workflow seem unduly labored and with missing features such as time tracking and payroll options Sage Cloud Business Accounting is at risk from the competition. While everyone might instantly know the name of Sage this cloud-based accountancy solution doesn’t satisfy in quite the same way as something like QuickBooks Online.
We find the lowest tier, while well priced, somewhat limiting, and only useful for a true micro business. On the other hand, the upper tier is quite a bit more capable, and the 50cloud variant has deep integration with Microsoft365, although the cost rises considerably from the lowest plan. For a medium to larger small business, without dedicated accounting resources, these higher plans become an affordable solution.
To this remark, we think the multiple levels of subscriptions can become complicated, and because lower-tier memberships are more limited, businesses could be compelled to upgrade without fully understanding which tier they need. A quick chat with customer services could help them figure this out, though.
Stripe offers online payment processing for internet businesses and is a relatively new name on the cloud-based payment-processing front, but the provider has swiftly gained many users thanks to its appeal for businesses of all sizes. With its headquarters in San Francisco and satellite offices in key cities around the world Stripe has grown a lot since its launch back in 2011.
What sets Stripe apart from many others who offer payment processing is its keenness to involve people who like to get under the hood of its products and services. It's expanded a lot too, having acquired TaxJar to home in on tax compliance as well as producing a new tool for verifiying user identities for starters.
There’s a real developer feel in the air as you get to grips with Stripe, and while that makes it dynamic and a little more interesting than your average payment processing setup, it can also be a challenging proposition if you’re looking for a simple solution for your business.
Stripe features a raft of tools and services on its website (Image credit: Stripe)
Pricing
In its basic form, before you’ve customized it to suit your needs, Stripe currently has an integrated pricing structure. This gives you access to a complete payments platform while also offering pay-as-you-go pricing according to its website. That means costs in the US of 2.9% + 30c per successful card charge (1.4% and 20p in the UK by way of a comparison).
As is often the case however, if you’re a business owner that has a lot of high-volume transactions to contend with then Stripe recommended you contact them in order to get a more tailored arrangement. Stripe is also being expanded all the time and while it is already in many countries, progress is such that it’s becoming even more widely available with well over 120 territories now offering it as a payment processing solution.
Stripe operates a clear and concise pay-as-you-go system (Image credit: Stripe)
Features
Stripe might be based around third-party processing, but it comes with a huge range of options that make it a useful route for business of all sizes. In terms of accepting payments then Stripe has a full suite of options, including online, mobile and also in-person.
The great thing is that you can also accept payments from right around the globe, with Stripe automatically converting the transaction. Keep an eye out for additional charges, though these aren't enough to dissuade you from offering the option altogether. Dig deeper into Stripe’s arsenal of tools though and you’ll find many more useful features, including smart invoicing and subscription management and multi-party payments for platforms and marketplaces.
Stripe is perhaps a lot more versatile than close-rival PayPal (Image credit: Stripe)
Performance
Stripe feels distinctly as though there are very keen developers leading the push to make it more widely known. Just heading around the Stripe website delivers a feeling of speed, efficiency and the sort of minimalism that allows you to be more productive.
You get a similar experience once you start using Stripe itself, with a dashboard interface that is similarly fast and efficient. Stripe as an experience also functions well across a range of devices, meaning that your customers should be able to pay without hassles, no matter how they prefer to do it.
Stripe has a lot of appeal for more developer-minded folks (Image credit: Stripe)
Ease of use
Stripe is by and large pretty easy to use, and that’s not just for you and your business. Customers who need to transact using Stripe don't need to have an account or sign-up, they just make their payment, it’s as simple as that. If you’re a business and running Stripe then you’ll be able to keep tabs on what’s going on transaction-wise via a cloud-based dashboard.
That also indicates payment processing and when you should get the money from each transaction. Stripe also gets you into this world with ease too, as there is basically just a minor bit of form filling to do initially before you’re up and running. More technically-minded folks though will love its other side, which is full of nuts and bolts developer appeal.
Stipe also comes with an impressive array of analytics options (Image credit: Stripe)
Support
Stripe has certainly done a great job putting together a support infrastructure that has to be one of the best there is in the payment processing arena. Online-wise there is an impressive Stripe Support Center that covers a multitude of topics, and it’s all presented in a clean and easy to digest fashion.
Boosting that is the real bonus of 24/7 staff support, which can be accessed via the Stripe website initially. Adding extra muscle to the support structure is a huge array of documentation, which covers everything and anything to do with Stripe products and services. All told, Stripe doesn’t miss a beat on the support front.
The Stripe dashboard makes it easy to keep tabs on transactions (Image credit: Stripe)
Final verdict
Stripe is a strong and sensible option that should appeal to plenty of businesses that want a great all-round performer when it comes to payment processing. While the fee structure can tend to be a little counter productive if you’re dealing with a lot of smaller transactions, and the fact that Stripe holds on to money after a transaction for 7 days as an anti-fraud measure, the service still has a lot of appeal.
You’ll probably want to have a bit of a grounding in coding in order to really exploit the potential of Stripe, or employ someone with said skills. However, even if it’s used in its most basic guise Stripe is solid, dependable and secure too.
It’s easy to see why some might bypass Stripe in favor of PayPal with its very easy to implement options, but with continual improvements being made to the way it ticks, Stripe looks set to become an even more dominant player in the payment services provider stakes.
Wise, formerly TransferWise, is a peer-to-peer money transfer service, originally started by two Estonian Fintech innovators, Taavet Hinrikus, (Skype’s first employee) and Kristo Käärmann based in the UK. It offers a variety of products and services resulting in over £5 billion being moved around every month, even in the wake of coronavirus.
Wise states it saves individuals and businesses £3 million in hidden fees every day. Currently the service is available in 59 different countries, although it is also adding to that list and now has offices in 14 different locations around the world.
Alongside its transfer service, Wise has recently added a multi-currency account, which lets you hold over 50 currencies at once and convert them when you want, along with a Wise debit Mastercard. The service is up against similar products from WorldRemit, Azimo, Venmo, Western Union, PayPal, Zelle and Moneygram to name the key players in the currency exchange marketplace.
Wise offers dependable mid-market rates for users (Image credit: Wise)
Pricing
The Wise fees page illustrates nicely how its fees are broken down. A percentage of the charge is a fixed fee, followed by a variable fee, which are both added together to give you a total fee on each transaction. There are three different transfer tiers too, with a fast option being the most expensive, an advanced middle-tier option and a low cost transfer to pick from depending on how fast you want to move your funds.
Wise does also offer Business pricing, which adds in extra features that are free, including the ability to receive money in EUR, USD, GBP, PLN, AUD and NZD currencies for free. This comes with a 0.33%-3.56% fee to convert currencies. The supporting Wise debit Mastercard comes free too, with the same currency conversion fee of 0.33%-3.56% plus a 2% fee of ATM withdrawals over £200 per month.
Much like others in this marketplace, the Wise website has a dynamic calculator so you can work out your fees in advance of moving or receiving any cash.
TransferWise has been expanding its products and services too (Image credit: Wise)
Features
If you’re moving money, particularly larger sums, then getting access to mid-market exchange rates like banks enjoy is always a bonus, which is what Wise manages to do as part of its setup. With a straightforward fee structure, that you can see displayed on its website, plus a speedy money moving service, TransferWise is a quick and simple solution.
The website works well enough on a desktop browser, but there’s also a very good supporting app for iOS and Android, which might be more useful if you’re looking to transfer money on the move, either for business or holiday needs. Wise also prides itself on being safe and secure – it uses a 2-step login process and verification procedure.
The service is additionally complimented by its business account, along with its multi-currency Mastercard debit card, aimed at keeping costs lower if you're spending overseas.
Wise works best when its being used via the mobile app (Image credit: Wise)
Ease of use
Much like similar money transfer products and services, there’s not too much in the way of inner workings, at least for the customer to see that hinders progress if you’re using Wise. It’s a web-based system, works out your fees dynamically and does the same with current exchange rates.
Overall then you’ll find that Wise is very easy to use. Wise has done a really good job with its mobile app editions of the service, with both iOS and Android options available.
Wise prides itself on its high levels of customer support (Image credit: Wise)
Support
The Wise website is the place to head for a comprehensive series of FAQs that should tackle most, if not all of your queries about every aspect of the website and using it. The company also has useful blog, Facebook and Twitter pages.
Signing up for TransferWise is a straightforward no-fuss process (Image credit: Wise)
Final verdict
Wise says that it has three core principles that drive its service, which is to remain transparent, to charge as little as possible and to keep transfers simple and instant.
Interestingly, Wise wants to put the focus on providing premium features without charging too much for the privilege and highlights its efforts to offer support to customers in their own language and time zone.
Better still, they aim to make this support real, rather than from automated systems. Bold claims and with what appears to be a transparent fee structure there’s quite a lot here to like. Wise is also authorized by the Financial Conduct Authority and those mid-market rates are perhaps what makes it most appealing of all.
Read our review of the latest all-in-one communications platform from 8x8: the 8x8 X Series. The name Virtual Office Pro has been retired by 8x8.
With 128 patents under its belt and over 40,000 customers, 8x8 is a force to be reckoned with in the cloud-based communications department.
Please note
This is our all-in-one roundup looking at the 8x8 Virtual Office Pro VoIP service. On this page, after our brief intro, you’ll find
(a) an overview of the available pricing plans
(b) a detailed breakdown of the key features users can expect
(c) a look at how the 8x8 Virtual Office Pro VoIP service compares against the competition
(d) we examine 8x8's security credentials
You can jump to the review section that interests you most by clicking on the links in the bar at the top of this page, but bear in mind that this article is really designed to be read all the way through, as businesses will benefit from assessing the service in its entirety before deciding if it meets their needs.
What started out as a small-time seller of semiconductors has slowly but surely evolved into a sweltering behemoth in the Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, market.
Nowadays, 8x8 offers products that appeal not only to small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs), but it’s also branched out to more mainstream enterprise companies and call centers.
8x8 Virtual Office Pro in particular leans more toward mid-sized business customers. It once existed as an add-on for the three base editions of Virtual Office, including the $25 (£19.26) per user per month X2 Edition, the $35 (£26.96) per user per month X5 Edition and the $55 (£42.37) per user per month X8 Edition.
That said, a customer service agent confirmed to us in an online sales chat that Virtual Office Pro is now considered a legacy product unavailable to new customers. Its unique features – call recording, web conferencing and internet fax – are now folded into the X5 Edition and X8 Edition of the service. So with that, let’s take a look at the distinctions among this trio of Virtual Office packages.
Even at the baseline price of $25 (£19.26) a month for each user, you can expect a lot of meat from the 8x8 Virtual Office X2 Edition plan. For one, every user gets their own phone line, complete with their own exclusive phone number and a virtual extension for receiving rerouted calls. On top of that, they get unlimited calling to 14 countries including Canada, Australia, the UK, and the United States.
Unlimited internet fax, which was originally found only in the Virtual Office Pro add-on, now comes with the Virtual Office X2 Edition as well. You can also count on an auto-attendant, voicemail and integration with the Salesforce, ZenDesk and Netsuite CRM services. There’s some integration with Microsoft Outlook, too, though it’s mostly limited to pinging people with alert emails and scheduling meetings. Purchasing the Virtual Office X2 Edition gives you 1GB of media storage.
Next up is the $35 (£26.96) 8x8 Virtual Office X5 Edition, which packs everything you’ll find in the X2 Edition but then ups the ante with Virtual Office Pro’s call recording, and an operator switchboard. Instead of unlimited calling to 14 countries, the count is more than doubled up to 32. Therefore, if you need to make frequent calls to China, Denmark or South Korea, you’ll probably want to opt for at least the X5 Edition. Media storage is bumped up to 5GB.
Key features
Lastly, the 8x8 Virtual Office X8 Edition introduces a host of additional features absent from the other service packs. It’s $55 (£42.37) per user per month, but it justifies its loftier price tag with call quality reporting and analytics, an analytics supervisor and a wealth of contact center trappings. You get inbound contact center support, outbound contact center support, 2,000 contact center minutes, 3 months of contact center recording storage, contact center IVR and contact center recording and analytics.
Along with all of that, 8x8 Virtual Office X8 Edition takes unlimited calling up to 47 countries, a list which comprises all 32 of the countries you get with the X5 Edition plus India, Japan, South Africa and a few others. Also, the media storage bounces up to 10GB with the X8 Edition plan. All three of these Virtual Office Editions are compatible with a standard (but optional) desk phone, the Virtual Office desktop application and the Virtual Office web browser client, so you don’t have to worry about a lack of flexibility when it comes to the hardware you’re using.
Competition
Overall, the best value and the most similar product to the now-defunct Virtual Office Pro is the 8x8 Virtual Office X5 Edition. At $35 (£26.96), it costs more than the $24.99 (£19.26) RingCentral (For Business) Standard plan, but it’s also more comparable to RingCentral’s $34.99 (£26.97) Premium plan since they both offer call recording and CRM integration.
One advantage of RingCentral (For Office) Premium over 8x8 Virtual Office X5 Edition is the integration it has with Microsoft, Google, Box and Okta products. RingCentral also promises 24/7 customer support. In many ways, the services are similar, which makes sense considering how closely they’re priced. If you go for the 8x8 Virtual Office X8 Edition, you’re obviously signing up for the contact center aspects that don’t show up in RingCentral’s plans.
Security
(Image credit: 8x8)
The adoption of more digital services has brought untold efficiency benefits to businesses in all industries - with VoIP solutions playing a key role in this. It has, unfortunately, also introduced additional vulnerabilities into the corporate environment that cyberattackers are all too willing to take advantage of. If this gives business leaders pause for thought, the good news is that many VoIP providers are shoring up their defenses to remain one step ahead of the attackers. This is certainly the case with 8x8’s VoIP offering.
The company proudly shares its long list of security credentials, which include being compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the Federal Information Security Management Act, and the EU-US Privacy Shield framework. In addition to these credentials, 8x8 is also independently audited each year.
With more individuals working from home than ever before, VoIP solutions like 8x8 are not only being used to transmit audio signals. For example, 8x8 also supports video conferencing tools and office messaging apps. Again, 8x8 scores well here in terms of keeping customer data secure. Its VoIP platform has been developed with a security-first mindset, which means that 8x8 constantly scans its own infrastructure for emerging vulnerabilities before resolving them as quickly as possible.
Furthermore, it’s not just n terms of security that 8x8 impresses. Its VoIP platform also takes business continuity extremely seriously. Its communication solutions are available through any browser, calls can be forwarded to other websites, and IP phones can be moved anywhere as long as there is a working internet connection nearby. A mobile app provides additional reliability benefits. So if users are looking for a VoIP platform is that is both secure and reliable, the 8x8 Virtual Office Pro VoIP service ticks all the boxes.
Overall verdict
Ultimately, if you’re deciding on a new VoIP service for your business, the best product depends on your needs. The good news is that 8x8 Virtual Office has a lot of things going for it. It’s as easy to set up as hooking up the phones to an internet connection, and there are three different methods to use the service if the classic desk phone isn’t your style. Although newcomers can no longer subscribe to 8x8 Virtual Office Pro, its functionality lives on in the form of the X5 Edition.
If you’re in the market for a new VoIP service with par-for-the-course pricing and a multitude of compelling features, 8x8 Virtual Office is worth a look.
Erply is the POS system of choice for hundreds of thousands of businesses around the world. Could it be right for your team too?
This powerful, cloud-based POS works on a range of devices both online and offline. It also integrates with many popular hardware solutions and has its own Erply API. It’s designed to be flexible and customizable for all types of retailers and franchises. Extensive features combined with both online and offline functionality make Erply POS a scalable solution that can grow with your business.
In our review of Erply POS system, we look at its impressive feature list to see if it’s still one of the best POS systems on the market.
Erply POS: Plans and pricing
Erply has four different pricing tiers, each targeted at different business models. It offers a 60-day trial of all plans, so you can see if it works for your business without paying any hefty set-up fees. It has reduced its prices in the last couple of years to make its product more accessible, and it now provides better value.
Tier 1
The first tier is for small shops that don’t need inventory and costs $19 per month on annual billing. It includes two user accounts, one POS license, a POS mobile app, email receipts, and a basic CRM. With this plan, users only have access to limited email support.
Tier 2
The next tier up costs $39 per month and is designed for ecommerce, with Shopify integrations available. It also comes with stock taking, inventory, and warehouse management functionality.
Erply has pricing plans to suit every business, from ecommerce to large multi-store franchises (Image credit: Erply)
Tier 3
For high-volume retailers or small multi-store retailers, Erply’s $69 per month plan has POS and inventory management capabilities.
The POS has an inventory license, and there is an inventory database, advanced reporting, a gift card and store credit system, a customer-facing display, and an advanced customer database.
Tier 4
The top-level tier is the Enterprise plan, which is aimed at franchises and large multi-store enterprises. Erply provides a customized quote for all enterprise customers and hands-on support throughout the setup and customization process. Get in touch with them for the best quote for your business.
Erply POS: Features
The feature list for Erply is quite impressive, which makes it easy to adapt to your business setup.
Erply POS is hardware agnostic, which means that it’s compatible with all the most popular card readers, scales, cash drawers, scanners, customer displays, and printers. This versatility makes it a great choice for businesses that already have hardware in place or that don’t want to be tied to a specific brand.
The inventory management system is an excellent tool for tracking everything that you sell across all your stores or warehouses. Detailed reports can show you everything from how many units you have to how long stock has been taking up warehouse space. You can use the system to easily transfer stock between stores and can even create location-dependent pricing lists.
Erply is compatible with big-hitters like Shopify, QuickBooks, Magento, and WooCommerce.
Erply has an extensive feature list that sets it apart (Image credit: Erply)
Erply POS: Interface and in use
While Erply has tried to make the user interface clear for businesses and their customers, the extensive features make it overwhelming on the backend. That's in comparison to point of sale brands like Square or Lightspeed, who are known for their clean, minimalist designs.
With Erply POS though, inventory and warehouse management can be tricky to master. A demonstration from the support team at Erply can be incredibly helpful.
That said, for customers and customer-facing staff using the POS system, it’s fairly intuitive. With a bit of patience and help from customer support, the backend functions are also manageable, and it’s worth persevering to use Erply to its fullest potential.
Erply’s backend system comes with a steep learning curve (Image credit: Erply)
Erply POS: Support
Support with Erply is limited when you compare it against other companies who have 24/7 support, unfortunately. This has been noted in customer reviews online, to which Erply have responded with updated support hours. Nonetheless, with its extensive features, it’s not the easiest system to get your head around, so a bit of extra support would go a long way here.
Users of the à la carte pricing plans only have access to limited email support. There are user guides and case uses on the Erply website, each with easy-to-follow instructions and screenshots, but we’d like to see better live support options.
That said, enterprise customers can receive full training, set-up, and personalization support to get their business up and running with Erply. Regular check-ins are included, and the support team will even help optimize your workflow.
Online user manuals are the only real support that Erply’s customers have immediate access to (Image credit: Erply)
Erply POS: Security
All data transfers, including payments, are encrypted to protect both your business and your customers. Erply uses data centers in the same region that their customers operate, unless requested otherwise. All data is backed up in real time in two locations, to ensure that important information is kept secure.
All data transfers in Erply are encrypted (Image credit: Erply)
The competition
NCR Silver is the most comparable POS to Erply, but it comes with a big price tag, and its hardware options are less flexible. However, NCR Silver does have impressive features and offer 24/7 support, making it the better choice for brands that need a little hand-holding.
Shopify POS is a strong competitor but is less diverse than Erply, as it is aimed purely at ecommerce businesses. However, Shopify does offer an affordable Lite plan, so it is worth looking into for ecommerce brands that don’t need Erply’s extensive features.
Final verdict
Erply is an impressive POS system with features to make it both customizable and scalable.
The pricing and scalability make it a great option for ecommerce businesses and small shops with their eyes set on growth. However, we’d like to see a bit more support and would recommend it only if you’re prepared to spend the time getting to understand how it works.
For enterprise businesses and large franchises, it presents great value with the support available. We also like the advanced reporting, the offline and online capabilities, and its compatibility with different hardware.
if you’ve been considering storing your data in the cloud, Internxt - a cloud storage service focusing on privacy and security - is a great option. We've evaluated the service's pricing, features, interface, security, and support so that you can determine if it's the right choice for your cloud storage needs.
(Image credit: Internxt)
Internxt: Plans & pricing
Internxt’s basic free plan offers 1GB of storage, while more storage can be added for free by completing certain tasks. These include installing the Internxt mobile or desktop app (1GB each), sharing a file via a link (1GB), and inviting up to 5 friends (1GB each).
Beyond that, seven other pricing plans are available for individuals and businesses. Personal customers can subscribe to 200GB, 2TB, 5TB, or 10TB when billed monthly for $5.49, $10.99, $22.99, or $34.99. There are also discounted annual and lifetime cloud storage plans, although the former don't extend to business licences.
For those, Internxt offers an Enterprise plan, with access for unlimited team members. Contact the support team for a quote based on your needs.
As of October 2025, there's an 80% discount on 5TB of Internxt's lifetime cloud storage available, with the final cost being just €380 (the offer wasn't presented to us in any other currency, regardless of territory) , an excellent long-term value proposition.
All plans offer complete use of Internxt’s secure services, including Internxt Drive, a zero-knowledge file storage service; Internxt Photos, which enables you to store photos privately and securely; and Internxt Send, a platform for sending files safely and seamlessly.
Internxt's pricing, even when converted to other currencies, is incredibly competitive compared to some of the game’s key players, including Apple iCloud and Google Drive.
To ensure accessible and hassle-free transactions, Internxt provides multiple payment methods to cater to various preferences. They accept payments via credit and debit cards (including Mastercard, VISA, American Express, and more), PayPal, bank contact, iDEAL, and SOFORT.
All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and since you need to already have an account to sign up, we recommend trying out the free features first before handing over your credit card details.
Internxt: Features
As a relatively new offering, Internxt’s features are pretty basic. We’ve broken down some of the key ones here.
Internxt is available on desktop, mobile, or tablet, so you can conveniently access your files on any device. With its automatic syncing capability, Internxt ensures your information will be updated and saved regardless of the device you’re using.
It offers its users handy offline access to their files. This means that you don’t have to frantically search for a network connection in order to access your documents out of range. You can enable selective offline access to all the files in your inventory.
One of the company’s strong points is its commitment to security, however a lot goes on behind the scenes. Internxt wants to make the process as normal as possible while maintaining the best protocol.
For business users, the service enables you and your team to store files with total security. You can collaborate privately with other members and toggle your admin features. You can even decide how many times you want a given link to be valid/shared so that your file won’t be accessible outside of its intended audience. This is particularly useful for sensitive documents.
All plans have derestricted file sizes, which is great for people working on videos and other large media types.
(Image credit: Internxt)
Internxt: Interface & experience
Choosing a plan and creating an account on Internxt is quick and fuss-free. In fact, of all the cloud storage providers we reviewed, this is by far the fastest sign up. Simply enter your e-mail address and chosen password to log in immediately to the web interface.
Upon doing this, you’ll find a handy introductory guide that you can access to get a quick tutorial on how the service works, which we thought was a nice touch. You can also click your account profile at the top right to download the desktop app for the device. You’ll receive 1GB extra storage for your trouble.
Internxt’s interface on mobile, web, and desktop is clean, intuitive, and user-friendly. On its main page, you can view all your files at a glance. You can also easily customize your folders with different colors and icons similar to the native tagging features in macOS and Windows. A useful search function helps you quickly locate files without having to spend time scrolling through your entire drive.
Uploading new files onto the cloud is also a breeze with a drag-and-drop interface. Similarly, you can easily share your files through a link. Overall, Internxt’s intuitive dashboard is easy to use and streamlines your workflow.
There are two aspects to the desktop client. First is the tool that sits in the status bar, allowing a certain degree of control and an insight into your syncing activity. Unlike many competitors, there is no option here to throttle bandwidth usage, which would be useful for companies and individuals processing large amounts of documents alongside other streaming activity.
The second aspect is the built-in support for your computer’s native file management system - in our case, Finder for macOS. You can use the newly created 'Internxt' folder in your home directory to continue life as normal with plenty of dragging and dropping, while keeping things synced.
You can also use the desktop client to launch the web interface, which is necessary for certain operations. On first launch the screen is grayed out except for the "upload files" button. During our tests we noticed that this also happened even when we'd already uploaded some files, forcing us to click the button, then 'cancel' on the explorer window that opened. This was a small bug but could prove irritating if you have to upload many files.
While Internxt’s primary focus is on cloud storage, there is a cloud backup service available to all free and paid accounts too - though remember the limitations of free accounts. You can also pick which folders to sync and any changes made in these will be updated online. We have previously complained about cloud drives that occupy a single folder, so being able to sync multiple folders across various locations is kindly welcomed.
Internxt: Support
In terms of support, a pop-up live chat box will instantly appear when you navigate to Internxt’s site. Chat support is pretty responsive—we got a reply in eight minutes. If you’d prefer to troubleshoot on your own, you can access Internxt’s Help Centre from the same pop-up box as the live chat function. On the search bar, type any keyword that you’re looking for and you’ll be greeted with dozens of helpful articles from the team.
If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, Internxt’s support team is contactable via email 24/7 and provides support in English, Spanish, and Russian.
(Image credit: Internxt)
Internxt: Security
Security is where Internxt shines. The zero-knowledge file storage service is based on absolute privacy and uncompromising security. When you upload a file on Internxt, it’s instantly encrypted on your device. Unlike other mainstream services that encrypt customer data in transit or at rest, the service encrypts all your data before it leaves your device. When data is downloaded from the file to your device, it's also automatically decrypted.
Additionally, Internxt doesn’t store user data in any central location. Instead, data gets fragmented prior to being uploaded, and the encrypted file shards are then uploaded onto servers based in different locations around the world. A single server never holds a whole file, making the cloud storage very secure, robust, and private.
With its AES-256 CTR encryption model, no one else other than you holds the key to your data. If Internxt were to be hacked, intruders wouldn’t be able to access your data either.
On the consumer’s end, two-factor authentication (2FA) is easy to enable. There is no support for SMS authentication. This can be handy for people with phone and computer integration and autofill but is actually a point in Internxt's favor as SMS messages are much easier to intercept than codes generated by legitimate authenticator apps.
Even users without an account have access to the company’s free virus scanner which works by uploading a document - up to 1GB in size - to the website in order for it to be checked.
Internxt also provides a free password checker, which shows any relevant information such as that it is a frequently used or easily guessed, as well as the amount of leaks that this password has been found in and how long it would take for somebody to crack your password. It also lets you know if your password has been leaked in any public hacks recently.
There’s some handy guidance, too, for creating the ultimate password, though we still recommend using six or more words generated by Diceware.
One of the best security aspects of Internxt though is its commitment to open source. This means that the company has released the source code used to make its app so knowledgeable programmers can verify that end-to-end encryption has been set up correctly, as well as the fact that data is split into multiple clusters.
Internxt: Alternatives
We found Dropbox gives Internxt a run for its money thanks to its advanced file-sharing capabilities and software integration. Similarly, Microsoft OneDrive is a great alternative with its files-on-demand feature.
The two competitors offer a range of useful tools and great functionality at about the same price point. To enjoy these features, however, you may have to compromise on privacy and security: Dropbox and OneDrive do not offer zero-knowledge encryption. Unlike other products which do claim to offer 'zero knowledge' Internxt is also open source, which means you don't have to take your word for it that your data's safe.
Internxt: Our tests
We ran three critical tests for Internxt, measuring sync speed, file recovery, and versioning.
Our testing was conducted on a Windows 11 virtual machine using the Internxt desktop client. The virtual machine was connected to the internet through fiber broadband via a VPN server, which consistently demonstrated an average upload speed of 900 Mbps in our speed tests.
Measuring metrics like upload speed, results can vary depending on how many share the broadband connection, how busy the cloud providers' servers are, and your connection speeds.
(Image credit: Future)
Test 1 - Sync speed
After closing all third-party and internet apps, we transferred a 589 MB folder containing various files, such as images, PDFs, and Microsoft documents. The folder had 232 files spread across six folders.
Instead of using the Internxt desktop client, we used the web interface to upload the files. During the upload, we monitored the progress, and we were pleasantly surprised to see that the encryption process did not slow down the upload speed. The entire 589MB upload on our 900 Mbps connection only took 3 minutes and 39 seconds, comparable to other cloud storage services we've tested that do not use encryption.
Test 2 - File recovery
We deleted the ‘Sync’ folder from the application directory, which removed it from the device. Then, I checked if the files had been removed from the cloud drive and if they could be recovered.
If the cloud provider offers a way to store files in the cloud without keeping them on your device, we also test this feature.
After deleting the test files from the ‘Sync’ folder, they moved into the ‘Trash’ folder. Despite this, the files were still counted towards our data quota. However, with two clicks of the mouse, the data was decrypted and downloaded back to the device within 90 seconds.
(Image credit: Future)
Test 3 - Versioning
If you're working on lengthy or crucial documents, the last thing you would want is to make changes that cannot be undone. Many cloud providers address this issue by regularly saving different file versions. If you make an undesired change, you can revert the file to a previous version.
We transferred a Microsoft Excel file to the cloud application folder to test this. After synchronizing, we deleted a tab in the spreadsheet, saved the changes, and closed the file. We then attempted to restore it to its original form, with all tabs intact.
We placed our test document into the Internxt folder and removed some text. However, when we logged into the web interface, we were unable to find a 'file version' feature. It seems that Internxt does not save multiple copies of edited files.
We also explored the 'Preview' feature but found it did not work for the Microsoft Word document or an MP3 file we attempted to open.
Internxt: Verdict
Internxt is an excellent cloud storage service due to its affordable pricing plans, intuitive interface, and reliable support. While it may not offer advanced features like file versioning found in Dropbox and OneDrive, it excels in security measures and commitment to privacy, making it a top choice for personal and business users prioritizing security. Internxt's useful features are highly rated, including a familiar interface, the option to backup folders elsewhere on your computer, and free virus and password tools.
Zoho Expense is another part of a growing range of software products from the India-based Zoho stable. It recently announced a new version of its Expense reporting software that aims to help businesses recover following the coronavirus pandemic.
Several areas of improvement include increased control and compliance capacity with businesses now able to create and track budgets using a dashboard. Customisable alerts prevent budget overspend and automatically block further applications, while the new rule engine allows finance departments to ensure compliance.
There’s upgraded fraud detection in place that can identify and flag fake receipts or duplicate entries, while approval flows are now fully customisable too.
Along with being potent and easy to use, the software also works nicely alongside Zoho’s other accounting tools, making it an obvious choice if you’re already a convert. Other similar products in this area include QuickBooks, Rydoo, Expensify, Hurdlr and Pocketguard.
Zoho Expense is very keenly priced and there's a free version too (Image credit: Zoho Expense)
Pricing
If you’re completely new to Zoho’s products then the 14-day trial of its Expense package is an ideal way to get fully acquainted with the controls. If you’re suitably taken with its raft of power tools then the ongoing costs make it very affordable. There’s actually a free plan that costs nothing and allows up to three users to enjoy the potential of the program.
Next up is the Premium Plan, which costs just £2.50 per month if billed annually, while it’s £3 per month if you prefer to pay as you go. This comes with a minimum 10-user requirement.
Zoho Expense also comes in an Enterprise Plan incarnation, which requires a minimum of 500 users and Zoho requires you to contact them directly if you have such sizeable requirements.
Zoho Expense has a simple but highly effective interface (Image credit: Zoho Expense)
Features
You’ll find that Zoho Expense has a mountain of features and functions that should suit the needs of most users. Even in its base-level edition, Zoho Expense bristles with appeal. In fact, the freemium edition offers 5GB of receipt storage and features multicurrency expenses, the ability to import card transactions, customer and project tracking, VAT tracking, cost allocation and mileage expenses.
If you go for the Premium version then you can add in cash advances, delegation, expense tags, pier diem expenses, auto-scans and much more besides. All three editions (Enterprise being the other one) offer power tools such as data and receipt backup plus scheduled backups as well as basic form customization, so you can tailor the package to suit your own needs.
Zoho Expense has an extensive suite of tools for people to keep track of their expenditure (Image credit: Zoho Expense)
Performance
You’ll enjoy zesty performance from Zoho Expense and adding to the usability of it is the way that it’ll also happily integrate with other items in the Zoho portfolio. That includes Zoho Books, while the software (though not the free version) will also work with other accounting tools including QuickBooks Online and Xero.
All three programs will work with Zoho CRM, Zoho Invoice, Zoho People, Zoho Cliq and Zoho Projects. The software has been nicely designed too, with no problems at all encountered during everyday usage. There are also impressive apps for both Android and iOS too.
Zoho Expense is also perfect for office administrators who handle reimbursement claims (Image credit: Zoho Expense)
Ease of use
If you’ve got employees who need to keep track and subsequently submit their expenses for reimbursement then Zoho Expense should keep them pretty happy. The ease of use of the mobile apps is second to none, with the capacity for capturing and submitting receipts proving to be a doddle across the iOS and Android software.
Equally, if you're working on the other side as an administrator then you’ll find that the desktop Zoho Expense software is solid and stable. It might not always be the greatest looking interface out there, but it works, which is all most people ask for. In fact, it works particularly well on the Google Chrome web browser.
Zoho Expense works great in the app environment both for iOS and Android (Image credit: Zoho Expense)
Support
You get the feeling that Zoho is really trying hard to please with its software efforts and that’s backed up with a fine array of support options too. There’s free phone support, Monday to Friday, plus email and a website that comes brimming over with many different resources. It’s all presented in a clear and concise fashion too, which is very useful if you're a first-time user who is getting to grips with the software.
Along with support there's also plenty of online documentation for Zoho Expense (Image credit: Zoho Expense)
Final verdict
Zoho Expense is an impressive package, even if you plump for its slightly less feature-laden free edition. There’s SSL encryption and two-factor authentication, storage for your receipts, a small mountain of features and functions that cover anything and everything in the expense tracking landscape, plus integration with other programs.
While it’s great that Zoho Expense works with other Zoho products, the way it has been engineered to also function with popular accountancy software such as QuickBooks Online and Xero means that its appeal isn't just for Zoho devotees.
Tack on the impressive apps and the top value-for-money pricing structure, which can be scaled with ease for lots of users and it’s easy to see why Zoho Expense gets the thumbs up from so many of its fans.
SumUp POS is one of the quickest and easiest ways of boosting your business, with the added bonus of little in the way of hoops to jump through. The UK-based mobile point of sale (mPOS) concern is already popular with many businesses thanks to its other products and services, which include the Air Card Reader and the 3G Card Reader.
The former lets you use this natty bit of tech by mating it with your smartphone in order to accept mPOS payments, which is handy during the coronavirus crisis. The latter allows you to process payments on the go using mobile network connectivity. Another option however, is this, the SumUp point of sale hardware, which can be teamed up with the SumUp app to beef up the selling power of your business.
SumUp POS combines top tech with some very cool looks (Image credit: SumUp POS)
SumUp POS: Pricing
SumUp POS has quite a lot of appeal as it doesn't carry a monthly cost. In the UK, where SumUp is headquartered, you get the easy option of one fee per transaction and with any type of card. Therefore, you get zero monthly costs and just a 1.69% transaction fee.
Adding further weight to the potential of SumApp is the app and POS hardware combination that gives you a physical device for processing payments, which currently costs £139 and includes a SumUp Stand, Air Card reader and charging station. Sold on its own, the SumUp Air Card reader, which allows you to take payments in tandem with your smartphone costs £59 and if you want that with the accompanying cradle then it’s £69.
The SumUp 3G card reader is currently £99 while the docking station, which lets you print receipts and keep your card reader charged is £169 (though currently £129 for a limited time offer). All prices exclude VAT.
In the US, there’s a counterpart, the SumUp Point of Sale, which says the company is powered by the SumUp app. Again, there are no monthly costs and a 2.65% charge per transaction.
SumUp POS has one of the best apps in the POS business (Image credit: SumUp POS)
SumUp POS: Features
The SumUp POS terminal concept, and indeed the other products in the range, certainly makes a change from many of the other humdrum chunks of hardware out there. There’s a SumUp stand, which in effect is a sustainably sourced and neatly styled bit of kit to hold a tablet.
There’s also the Air Card Reader, which will let you accept major debit and credit cards, including contactless Chip & PIN, Apple Pay and Google Pay. You can also make use of the SumUp charging stating, which ensures your terminal is ready to go at any given time. In terms of functionality then the SumUp POS revolves around the supporting app, which if you activate the Product Catalogue allows you to utilize it as a point of sale solution.
The Product Catalogue lies at the heart of the SumUp POS system as it lets you create, manage and customize all of the products and categories in your business. The functionality therefore includes everything needed to itemize your stock, such as pictures, prices and descriptions.
SumUp POS utilises this great little card reader hardware (Image credit: SumUp)
SumUp POS: Performance
SumUp is all about speed and convenience, which is echoed by the super-speedy way you can sign up for an account and order your terminal within 5 minutes. In terms of payment processing then SumUp POS is able to handle Visa, V Pay, Mastercard, Maestro, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Diners Club, Discover and Union Pay.
All of these benefit from the SumUp policy of not having any fixed or recurring costs, so you just get charged a small fee per transaction. Performance on all fronts, no matter which route you take, appears to be pretty impressive.
The SumUp POS hardware bundle combines a tablet stand with a charging dock (Image credit: SumUp POS)
SumUp POS: Ease of use
Like some of the best POS systems, SumUp POS have done a fantastic job of creating a range of easy-to-use hardware that makes getting to grips with the whole point of sale process a doddle.
Not only has the tech been designed and put together with ease of use at its core, the supporting app is also perfect for people who might not normally enjoy the task of processing payments.
SumUp POS is simple to use but there's plenty of help at hand too (Image credit: SumUp POS)
SumUp POS: Support
Much like its hardware and app, the support from SumUp POS looks to be in very good shape too. The website, by way of an example, has an entire Help area that contains a mountain of great information in relation to every aspect of the customer experience.
There are invaluable guides on setting up the card reader and other POS tips and tricks. You also get valuable insights into security and account information. If you don't find what you’re looking for there then real-time help comes in the shape of phone support Monday to Friday from 8 to 7 and Saturday from 8 to 5. You can also chat with the team during the same hours, or email them with a query.
For the US, there’s live support via a toll-free number that covers weekdays from 9 to 7, along with an online support center and help email address.
SumUp POS is also building a solid following in the USA (Image credit: SumUp POS)
Final verdict
The SumUp POS solution makes a great supplement to the other products and services in this impressive mPOS range. A lot of thought has clearly been put into the useability of the tech here, with little in the way of challenges facing anyone new to the word of POS kit.
The app is also especially impressive, while the other big bonus with SumUp is the smaller overheads that are involved. Indeed, if you’re a smaller business looking for a quick and easy payment processing solution then SumUp and the associated POS hardware makes a great way to turn your venture into a much more versatile operation. And, realistically, for very little in the way of outlay at that.
Xero is cloud-based accounting software that packs a real punch when it comes to features and functionality. Based in New Zealand, the multi-faceted package currently comes in three incarnations and is aimed at small, medium and larger-sized businesses.
With a regularly updated appearance, and new features being added all the time even during the coronavirus pandemic, Xero continues to expand its popular appeal and now enjoys a healthy following. If you’ve got a business that’s going places, needs dynamic accounting capacity and the ability to add in multiple users then the newest version of Xero requires further investigation.
Xero starts out at the Dashboard phase prior to populating its menu options (Image credit: Xero)
Pricing
Xero looks to be shaking up its pricing structure and strategy in the coming months. Currently, if you’re looking to sign up with the service in the US then the Early plan costs $11 per month. This gets you 5 invoices and quotes, lets you enter 5 bills and reconcile 20 bank transactions.
Next up, the Growing package costs $32 per month and lets you send invoices and quotes, enter bills and reconcile bank transactions. Xero’s Established plan, meanwhile, is $62 per month and on top of the Established features includes multi-currency, expenses (capture and manage claims) as well as having Projects, which allows for project time tracking and costing.
Xero is available in many other territories, so a look at their website will reveal other costing changes, plus the price of several additional extras that boost its capabilities.
As you populate categories a comprehensive overview of your business takes shape (Image credit: Xero)
Features
Xero certainly doesn't skimp when it comes to features and even more seem to come out of nowhere as you delve deeper into its hidden depths. Everything revolves around the Xero dashboard area, but we also love the easy way Xero lets you create a new part of your cloud-based experience with a simple ‘+’ button to the right of the screen. Here, you can produce invoices, bills, purchase orders and more besides, with one-click ease.
Due to the fact that this is a cloud-based service you also get automatic and secure backups, automatic bank feeds plus the ability to add in extra users who you might have on your team. In addition, Xero has an impressive capacity for integrating with over 800 apps that boost the feature set and allow you to include inventory managements, invoicing, time tracking, expenses and more features outside of what comes with the base-level package
Connecting to your bank accounts produces even more detail for your business (Image credit: Xero)
Performance
Being a cloud-based service Xero naturally works just as long as you are connected to the internet and use any one of the popular web browsers out there. You’ll find that Xero is similarly sprightly if you choose to use its app-based editions, which are available for both iOS and Android devices. In fact, the Xero experience on a tablet or smartphone seems to be generally good, especially considering its depth of data entry points.
Xero delivers comprehensive details on every aspect of your business such as invoicing (Image credit: Xero)
Ease of use
Xero has been nicely put together and if, for example, you choose to try out their demo site, which can be found once you’ve registered, there’s even help as you work. At the same time, Xero has evolved into a pretty meaty package, and as a result has many different areas that you’ll need to acquaint yourself with.
Some parts of the experience require time and patience to master. Even then you can tend to find yourself getting a little tied up in knots such is the powerful array of features on offer. In that respect the built-in help will pay dividends as you use it to navigate any of the trickier aspects of the cloud-based layout.
Things start out at the Dashboard, which is just that; the area that lets you move into the other sections of the site and from which you can manage the overall way it ticks. The layout is, on the face of it, pretty simple with a user-experience that delivers quick and easy access to core features. These are found via a top menu that houses not only the Dashboard, but Business, Accounting and Contacts options too.
To the right of your screen are less prominent but just as useful features, including Help, plus search and notification buttons. Work your way down through those root menus, however and you discover countless tools for tackling every aspect of your business.
Xero also boasts an impressive reconciliation area with the interface (Image credit: Xero)
Support
To its credit Xero does have quite a lot of help and support options at your disposal. There are handy built-in options that can get you around any minor issues you might encounter during setup. This is most notably handy thanks to the question mark up in the right-hand corner of the interface, which delivers and express-lane dialog box for solving many common queries.
Xero’s main website is also the source of many helpful videos and other documents that deliver primers and problem-solving solutions for most, if not all the sticking points you might encounter along the way too. There is also a lively community area that boosts the overall useability of the Xero experience.
The very appealing Projects aspect of Xero leaves a lasting impression too (Image credit: Xero)
Final verdict
Xero does a fine job of mixing an enjoyable and modern-looking user interface with a huge collection of accounting features and functions. For the money that makes it a pretty formidable package and with its cloud-based dependability and use-anywhere feel along with the ability to scale up its capabilities with app add-ons means that Xero is impressive on most fronts.
While the obvious lack of live support might not always be the best part of the overall package there is much to like with this service. If you take time to learn Xero’s ropes you’ll find that it soon starts to reward you by producing a comprehensive and slick picture of your business and its innermost workings.
