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Best Accounting Software for Artists

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The GoCardless content team comprises a group of subject-matter experts in multiple fields from across GoCardless. The authors and reviewers work in the sales, marketing, legal, and finance departments. All have in-depth knowledge and experience in various aspects of payment scheme technology and the operating rules applicable to each. The team holds expertise in the well-established payment schemes such as UK Direct Debit, the European SEPA scheme, and the US ACH scheme, as well as in schemes operating in Scandinavia, Australia, and New Zealand. See full bio

Last editedOct 20222 min read

As an artist, generating invoices and tracking expenses may not be your ideal way to spend an afternoon, but if you’re serious about making a living from your artistic and creative endeavours, it’s incredibly important to stay on top of your bookkeeping and accounting commitments. As such, finding the right accounting software for your needs should be top of your agenda.

In this article, we’ll take you through four of the best accounting software for artists and explain the benefits of each accounting solution.

What is accounting software for artists?

If you intend to make a profit from the sale of your artwork or you wish to leverage your artistic skills into a career as a small business owner or freelance worker, it’s important to manage your finances in a professional manner. Accounting software for artists offers exactly the same functionality as a standard accounting software package, including the ability to generate invoices, track billable hours and expenses, and record payments. However, when you’re scouting different software packages, it’s crucial to look for a package that’s suited to your specific needs as an artist. For example, since you’ll most likely be working on a self-employed basis, it may be especially beneficial to look for a package that can help you prepare tax returns.

Now, let’s explore some of the best accounting software for artists in a little more depth.

Xero

Xero is a cloud-based accounting software for artists that enables you to keep your books and accounting records in the cloud, meaning that you can access them anywhere in the world. You can use the application from your phone, computer, or tablet, and because Xero has been specifically designed for the needs of small business owners, it’s an excellent choice for self-employed artists and designers, freelancers, and small business owners in the creative sector.

QuickBooks

QuickBooks is another excellent example of accounting software for artists. Owned by Intuit, QuickBooks is especially attuned to self-employed artists who need to track taxes, payments, bills, expenses, and so on. It’s simple to use and easily customisable, meaning that you can set up everything according to your exact specifications.

FreeAgent

Because it was made specifically for use by small business owners and freelancers, FreeAgent is another strong choice when it comes to accounting software for artists. FreeAgent offers a whole host of features that may be beneficial for artists, including the ability to track time, manage projects, create automatic reminders when invoices and payments are due, and generate essential reports at the touch of a button.

Zoho Books

Finally, Zoho Books offers accounting software for artists that may be suitable for those who already have a thriving business, and want to scale. The Zoho suite of business applications offers a wide range of project management tools, inventory tracking tools, CRM solutions, and email hosting, so it’s a great choice of accounting software for artists who are looking to take their business to the next level. Of course, Zoho Books also offers more basic accounting features, such as the ability to create customised invoices, collaborate within the client portal, or create project quotes.

Integrating GoCardless with accounting software for artists

After you’ve selected the accounting softwarethat’s right for your needs, be sure to integrate it with any other apps you’re using. GoCardless offers integrations with over 300 partners, including the four accounting software for artists that we mentioned above. Using GoCardless, you can optimise the payments process by collecting payments directly from your customer’s bank account via Direct Debit. This ensures that you don’t have to spend so much time on manual payment tasks, allowing you to focus on what you really want to be doing – exercising your creative passion and making works of art.

We can help

GoCardless is a global payments solution that helps you automate payment collection, cutting down on the amount of financial admin your team needs to deal with. Find out how GoCardless can help you with one-off or recurring payments.