And Co vs. QuickBooks: Which tool is best? [2026]

Choosing your business management tool comes down to a simple trade-off: a free, streamlined platform for freelancers versus a paid, comprehensive accounting system for growing businesses. And Co is designed for the solopreneur lifecycle—proposals, contracts, and invoicing—while QuickBooks provides a complete financial toolkit for small businesses needing detailed reporting, payroll, and inventory management. Your choice depends entirely on whether your focus is on simple project management or deep financial control.

What is And Co?

And Co is an all-in-one management platform built specifically for freelancers and solopreneurs. It is not traditional accounting software. Instead, it combines the tools independent contractors use most often into a single, intuitive workflow. It allows you to create proposals, draft legally binding contracts, track your time, send invoices, and manage expenses. Its primary goal is to simplify the administrative side of freelancing so you can focus on client work.

What is QuickBooks?

QuickBooks is a full-featured accounting software that serves as the financial hub for small to mid-sized businesses. It moves far beyond basic invoicing to provide double-entry bookkeeping, bank reconciliation, accounts payable and receivable management, detailed financial reporting, and tax preparation features. With scalable plans, it also offers integrated payroll, inventory tracking, and project profitability tools, making it a robust solution for businesses planning to grow.

Comparing And Co vs. QuickBooks

The fundamental difference lies in their purpose. And Co is a project and client management tool with invoicing, while QuickBooks is a dedicated accounting system with features that support broader business operations.

Feature Area

And Co

QuickBooks

Core Functionality

Freelance management: proposals, contracts, invoicing, time tracking, and expense logging.

Full accounting suite: invoicing, expenses, bank reconciliation, accounts payable/receivable, financial reporting.

User Interface

Modern, clean, and highly intuitive. Designed for simplicity and ease of use.

More complex, with a traditional dashboard layout. Requires a learning curve to master all functions.

Invoicing & Payments

Simple invoicing linked directly to proposals and time tracking.

Advanced invoicing with customization, multiple payment integrations (ACH, credit card), and payment reminders.

Expense Management

Basic expense tracking with receipt capture.

Advanced expense categorization, bank transaction matching, and bill management.

Bank Reconciliation

No automated bank reconciliation. Designed for simple income and expense tracking.

Automated bank feeds for real-time transaction importing and reconciliation.

Reporting & Analytics

Basic income vs. expense dashboards.

Comprehensive, customizable financial reports (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow), tax reports, and performance dashboards.

Payroll

No built-in payroll function.

Fully integrated payroll services are available as a paid add-on.

Inventory Management

No inventory tracking features.

Available in the Plus and Advanced plans to track cost of goods and stock levels.

Tax Features

Provides basic reports needed for tax season but no dedicated preparation tools.

Supports sales tax tracking, 1099 contractor management, and direct integration with TurboTax.

Integrations

Limited integrations, primarily focused on payment gateways.

Massive ecosystem of third-party apps for e-commerce, CRM, project management, and more.

Pricing

Free

Tiered subscriptions ranging from $25/month to $150/month, plus add-ons.

Features and Functionality

And Co's features are designed around a freelancer's workflow. It shines by connecting proposals directly to contracts, projects, time tracking, and invoices. This seamless process is its main strength. It manages the lifecycle of a client engagement from start to finish. However, it is not an accounting system. It lacks a chart of accounts, bank reconciliation, and detailed financial statements needed for formal bookkeeping.

QuickBooks offers everything you'd expect from a dedicated accounting platform. Its features go deep, including automated bank feeds that classify transactions, robust accounts payable to manage vendor bills, and advanced reporting that can generate a Profit & Loss statement or Balance Sheet in seconds. Its inventory and payroll add-ons make it a scalable solution that a business won't outgrow quickly.

Ease of Use

And Co wins on simplicity. The user interface is clean, modern, and guides you logically from one step to the next. You can create and send a professional proposal in minutes without any training. This lack of complexity is perfect for its target audience.

QuickBooks, due to its depth, has a steeper learning curve. While Intuit has made strides in improving usability, new users will need some time to understand the dashboard, locate all the features, and learn basic accounting principles like categorizing transactions and reconciling accounts correctly.

Pricing

Pricing is the most straightforward point of comparison. And Co is completely free. This model is exceptionally appealing for freelancers and new solopreneurs managing tight budgets. It offers all its core features without any charge.

QuickBooks operates on a subscription model with several tiers. Plans typically start around $25/month for the Simple Start plan and go up to $150/month for the Advanced plan. Additional services like payroll come at an extra monthly cost. While this is a significant investment compared to a free tool, you are paying for a comprehensive suite of accounting features, support, and security.

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose And Co if:

• You are a freelancer or solopreneur. The platform is purpose-built for your needs—from client proposals to getting paid.
• Your primary need is project management and invoicing, not accounting. If you just need to send professional invoices, track expenses, and manage client contracts, And Co is perfect.
• You are on a tight budget. The free price point is unbeatable, especially when you're just starting and keeping overhead low is a top priority.

Choose QuickBooks if:

• You run a small to mid-sized business with employees or inventory. Features like payroll, inventory management, and multi-user access are essential for growing businesses.
• You need detailed financial reporting. If you need to produce a P&L, balance sheet, or cash flow statement for loans, investors, or strategic planning, QuickBooks is necessary.
• You work with an accountant or bookkeeper. QuickBooks is the industry standard. Using it makes collaboration with finance professionals simple and efficient.
• Your business is growing. QuickBooks' tiered plans and vast integrations allow the software to scale with your business's complexity.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, And Co and QuickBooks solve different problems. And Co excels at streamlining the administrative tasks of freelancing for free, while QuickBooks provides the robust, scalable accounting infrastructure a growing business needs to maintain financial health.

While these platforms are excellent for managing your books, they don't replace the need for professional tax expertise. For complex scenarios and technical questions that arise, an AI tax research assistant like Feather AI provides accurate, citation-backed answers in seconds. We help you stay confident and compliant by pulling information directly from authoritative sources like the IRC and state tax codes.