Odoo vs. Zoho Books

Written by

David Budiac

Last updated on

September 20th, 2023

Odoo

Zoho Books

Odoo is an open-source ERP software that integrates CRM, manufacturing, eCommerce, and more. Odoo’s accounting module offers functionality in accounts payables and receivables, bank synchronization, and reporting. You can extend the accounting app’s functionality with the tax report module.

Best For:

Odoo is best for small companies (1-10 employees) and mid-sized businesses (50-200 employees). It’s best for organizations that have outgrown their simple accounting and inventory software.

Zoho Books is a popular alternative to QuickBooks Online. It’s a cloud-based accounting software that offers accounts receivables and payables functionality. It lets you manage your financials and banking, create reports, and automate your sales and purchasing workflows.

Best For:

Zoho Books is best for small businesses with up to ten employees in online retail spaces and digital marketing. It’s a great solution for growing organizations that plan to expand their functionality into inventory management, project tracking, and other areas.

8.7

Our Rating

based on our expert editorial analysis

8.8

USER RATING

based on 21 user reviews

Our Verdict:

We like Odoo for its effectiveness as a light ERP, offering modularity, simple integration, and ease of use. As companies scale up, they can add modules piecemeal as needed. Odoo offers inventory management functionalities at a lower price point than many cloud-based ERPs.

On the other hand, you’ll need technical expertise or a dedicated support team to deploy the software, integrate third-party apps, or customize the source code to fit your company’s workflows.

Pros:

Community version is free
Heavy customization options
Double entry inventory system
Full suite of business applications
Traceability reports from customer to supplier

Cons:

May have to build specific modules yourself
No centralized support
Upgrades not free
Cluttered mobile app

9.0

Our Rating

based on our expert editorial analysis

10.0

USER RATING

based on 6 user reviews

Our Verdict:

We like Zoho Books’ time-tracking features, strong inventory management, and easy integrations with other Zoho products. It also offers a free version with limited functionality but even its paid plans are less expensive than QuickBooks.

We don’t think Zoho Books is for companies searching for a comprehensive system beyond simple accounting. Zoho is an ecosystem of product suites that can integrate in a piecemeal fashion. You’ll need additional apps for inventory, CRM, and more.

Pros:

Client portal with sales and purchase approvals
Easily integrate with dozens of Zoho products
Time-tracking
Multiple sales and expense form types
Strong inventory tools included

Cons:

Difficult to modify invoices
Time tracking must be tied to projects
Maximum of 10 users
Limited bank syncing
Will require 'Zoho Inventory' if your inventory grows too large

Price Range
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
Starting Price Free
Client OS Web

Price Range
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
Starting Price Free
Client OS Web

Our editorial review staff has hands-on experience with both Odoo and Zoho Books. We’ve outlined a comprehensive comparison to help guide your decision.

Odoo ERP Overview

Odoo is an open-source ERP software that integrates CRM, manufacturing, eCommerce, and more. It’s best for small to mid-sized businesses with one to 200 employees. Its accounting module features accounts payables and receivables, bank synchronization, and reporting.

Its modularity is its greatest strength. It allows companies to add modules piecemeal as they scale up their operations. However, this does require some technical expertise to deploy the software and integrate third-party apps. You may also need to develop specific modules yourself, and upgrades are not free. It is also worth noting that the mobile app can be a bit cluttered.

Zoho Books Overview

Zoho Books is a cloud-based accounting software that serves as a popular alternative to QuickBooks Online. It is best suited for small businesses with up to ten employees in online retail spaces and digital marketing. Zoho Books allows you to manage your financials and banking, create reports, and automate your sales and purchasing workflows.

Zoho Books stands out for its strong inventory management and easy integrations with other Zoho products. Its time-tracking features are also commendable. However, it does have its limitations. For instance, it can be difficult to modify invoices, time tracking must be tied to projects, and the maximum number of users is capped at ten. Also, as your inventory grows, you might require Zoho Inventory.

Odoo vs Zoho Books: Which is Better for Most Businesses?

We recommend Zoho Books for businesses needing accounting solutions. It provides strong inventory management, easy integrations with other Zoho products, and is generally less expensive than Odoo.

Odoo, on the other hand, is better suited for businesses who need a more customizable solution and have the technical expertise to deploy and manage the software. While it can be more costly, its modularity can be a significant advantage for certain businesses.

For a broader range of options, check out our roundup of the best ERP software.

Odoo

★★★★★

(21)

Price Range

$ $ $ $ $

Starting Price

Free

Client OS

Web

Deployment

Cloud or On-Premises