Pennylane vs ZipBooks Comparison

Why choose Pennylane

• Higher Compliance score (8/10 vs 4/10)
• Higher Scalability score (6/10 vs 3/10)
• Better fit for accountants and bookkeepers (9/10 vs 6/10)

Why choose ZipBooks

• Has a free plan (Pennylane does not)
• Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 5/10)

Pennylane

Pros

• Accountants and clients work in the same shared space, which reviewers call its main strength.
• Bank transactions are categorised and reconciled automatically, based on past categorisations.
• A business account with an IBAN and employee cards is included even on the entry plan.
• It is approved for French e-invoicing, and Premium adds electronic filing of VAT and tax returns.
• A 15-day free trial and cancel-anytime billing mean there is no long-term commitment.

Cons

• Reviewers consider it fairly expensive, and there is no free plan.
• Full accounting reports and tax filing are limited to Premium.
• No payroll or CRM of its own; it relies on Payfit, Silae and CRM integrations.
• Users report slow support on complex issues, occasional bugs, and a multi-currency feature that still needs work.
• Pricing for companies with employees is quote-based on the vendor site.

ZipBooks

Pros

• The free Starter plan includes unlimited invoices, customers and vendors.
• Recurring invoices with auto-billing and automated reminders are available from the 15 per month tier.
• Reviewers say new staff can pick up the interface quickly.
• Bank and card transactions sync daily and are auto-categorized for reconciliation.
• Paid tiers cost less than QuickBooks, which reviewers cite as a reason for switching.

Cons

• Reviewers report limited reporting and customization options.
• No inventory or mileage tracking.
• Reconciliation and book locking are reserved for the 35 per month Sophisticated tier.
• Some users report slow support responses.
• A very small company, estimated at about four employees.