Are you looking for the best accounting software for a coffee shop? Looking for restaurant accounting software, take a look at a few of the top options below.
Running a small business is a challenge, and if you run a coffee shop, you have a lot to do. You need to handle marketing, take care of customers, ensure all of your equipment is working, ensure that your inventory arrives on time, and that your employees are adequately paid. Therefore, you might be looking for a point-of-sale system, usually shortened to a POS system, that can help you with your accounting.
Accounting software is critical to the bookkeeping operations of every small business, including a coffee shop, because it can automate many of your bill payments, salary payments, tax reporting, and inventory management practices in real-time. At the same time, the right accounting system for one coffee shop is not necessarily the right payment processing system for all restaurant owners.
Learn more about what you should look for in an accounting solution below, and find the best restaurant accounting software for a coffee shop to meet the needs of your coffee shop business strategy.
Best Accounting Software For Coffee Shops: What To Look For
If you are trying to find the best all-in-one accounting solution for a coffee shop, there are several factors you should consider. They include:
Price
Even though you might consider a free solution, keep in mind that free accounting software will not necessarily provide you with the needed features. On the other hand, you may not need the most expensive accounting software. Consider your budget, look at the price, and always figure out if the price will increase after a certain number of months.
Reviews
Take a look at a few reviews written by other people to see what their experience has been like. See if you can find any written by professionals in the restaurant industry. If other people have had a good experience, you should as well.
Customizable features
You should also look at the customizable features. Take a look at some of the most add-ons for the program, and see if they are features you might use. See if you can turn the features on and off at will.
Software updates
To protect yourself, you should also consider whether the program comes with any software updates, mainly regarding security and government regulations.
How To Pick The Best Accounting Software For A Coffee Shop
If you are looking for the best accounting software for your coffee shop, there are several points you need to consider. They include:
Customer support
If you have questions about the software program, is a representative available who can help you? Your accounting software is integral to your business, so you need to handle your concerns quickly. That way, you can get the most out of the POS software.
Scalability
If you find the right restaurant POS software for your business, there is a good chance your business will grow. You might need to add to your team member scheduling, create new menu items, and expand your books. Ideally, you should find a software program to grow your restaurant business; otherwise, you might need to spend money to replace the system sooner than you would like.
Free trial
The best way to determine if that system is right for you is to sign up for a free trial. Some software programs are better for small restaurants, while others might be better for large coffee shop chains. Before paying a monthly fee, see if you can try out the program on a free trial.
Best Accounting Software For Coffee Shops
If you follow the steps above, you should be able to find a software program that will streamline your workflow with a wide variety of user-friendly features. Take a look at some of the best software programs for coffee shops below.
1. Intuit Quickbooks
One of the first accounting software programs you may want to consider is Intuit QuickBooks which is usually shortened to QuickBooks Online. This is an excellent option for people who run coffee shops because it is scalable, recommended by accounting professionals, and integrates with various third-party applications.
The program also comes with exceptional online training resources that explain how to use the individual features, and you have an easy way to get help from the QuickBooks team when you need it.
Pros
- Scales with your restaurant
- It is used by accounting professionals
- It is cloud-based and comes with a mobile app
Cons
- It does not sync well with credit cards.
- Can have a problem linking to your bank account
- It can be expensive if you have a lot of employees
2. Freshbooks
If you need a coffee shop accounting software program that makes it easy to send invoices, Freshbooks is the way to go. This is a good program for larger coffee shops with catering orders. Even though it specializes in receiving, sending, and paying invoices, it can also help you track time, send quotes, and balance your books.
It is easy to use, not that expensive, and has several advanced features. Our guide on the best coffee shop pricing might also be helpful.
Pros
- Cloud-based program with a user-friendly interface
- An inexpensive option compared to what it offers
- Provides a variety of advanced invoicing features
Cons
- The mobile app is not nearly as easy to use as the desktop program
- This is not a program that can handle your payroll for you
- Not great for smaller operations
3. Xero
If you are looking for straightforward accounting software for a small coffee shop with only a few employees, Xero is a strong choice. It has a clean interface that is very easy to use, integrates with a wide variety of payroll services, and you can use this platform to collect payments from customers who place online orders. It doesn’t have many reporting features, but it is exceptional for small coffee shops.
Pros
- Is cloud-based and comes with a mobile app
- One of the easiest programs to use
- Integrates with Gusto, a popular payroll platform
Cons
- Does not have a lot of reporting features
- Customer service is severely lacking
- Fees are charged to make ACH payments
4. Wave
Wave is a great accounting software platform for coffee shops because it focuses on helping people who run service-based small businesses. The free features might be enough to cover all of your needs if you have a relatively small coffee shop. If you are looking for a larger payroll service, you can pay an additional fee for this capability.
The program can handle all of your coffee shop reporting, invoicing, and bookkeeping needs free of charge.
Pros
- Has a lot of free features
- Can accommodate an unlimited number of users
- There are no limits on billing statements or transactions
Cons
- You have to pay extra for payroll services
- Large commissions are charged on ACH and credit card payments
- Does not integrate well with third-party applications
5. NetSuite
NetSuite is a great accounting program for coffee shops. They can help you handle accounts payable and accounts receivable, generates instant financial reports, can help you manage your inventory and supply chain, and can help you forecast your expenses and revenue. There are also many customizable options that you can tailor to meet the needs of your coffee shop, and the program updates itself regularly to ensure you have the most recent features.
Pros
- The user interface is very clean
- Can export data in a variety of file formats
- Has exceptional user security features
Cons
- It does not run well if you are not connected to the internet
- The number of features can be overwhelming at times
- Very expensive
6. Sage
Finally, you may want to consider Sage. Sage Accounting can automate your expense tracking, provides you with desktop, cloud, and mobile access, and has numerous integrations perfect for those who run a coffee shop.
In addition, it comes with solid reporting features that allow you to keep an eye on your most important metrics. It is an excellent option for restaurant and coffee shop owners, but it doesn’t have a lot of room for data storage. It is better for small coffee shops, but you might want to go with another option if you have more than one location.
You might also be interested in our guide on the best digital marketing strategies for a coffee shop.
Pros
- It comes with a free trial
- Has lots of integrations
- It is accessible on desktop, cloud, and mobile platforms
- Affordable
Cons
- It can be difficult to learn
- It does not come with a lot of data storage
- The customer service team is poor
- Hard to use
Testing Criteria
Several factors must be considered when developing a list of the best accounting software programs for coffee shops.
Ease of use
Even though you may have found the best accounting program in the world, it probably will not be of much use to you if it is nearly impossible to use. The easier the program was to use, the higher we ranked it on our list.
Value for money
We weighed the value provided by the software program against the price you would have to pay. The best software program is not always the cheapest or most expensive option.
Features
Some programs offer an easy way to calculate your profit margin; others come with convenient templates. Plenty of other programs can automate your accounts payable and accounts receivable. These features can make it easier for you to handle all of your inventory tracking needs.
After carefully considering these factors, we developed a list of the best coffee shop accounting software programs above.
Why You Can Trust Me
We have tremendous experience working with various accounting software programs across multiple industries. Because of the experience we have working with each of these individual programs, you can trust the quality of our reviews. We know what people generally like and do not like regarding an accounting software program.
We have also spoken to various professionals in the restaurant management industry to get a better idea of the features that would be most important to them. We understand that there are a lot of unique quirks in the restaurant industry related to tips for self-employed staff, time tracking, sales tax, and more that have to be included in the accounting process.
Finally, we tested these accounting software programs individually to understand better what worked well and what did not for a cafe. We can give you an accurate picture of what to expect if you choose one of these programs.
The Final Word On The Best Accounting Software For A Coffee Shop
Coffee shop accounting software programs come in many shapes and forms. The right program for one coffee shop is not necessarily the right one for yours. Consider the size of your coffee shop, the features that are most important to your workflow, and what you think your needs will be in the future.
Knowing your numbers can help you avoid common reasons why coffee shops fail.
If you are looking for a free program, you should consider Wave. If you are looking for an accounting program that can handle just about everything for you, you may want to pay for NetSuite. If you are looking for something in the middle, consider going with Intuit QuickBooks.
