Comparison

Zoho Books alternatives for UAE small businesses

Updated · Sources

Five invoicing and accounting tools compared with Zoho Books for a UAE small business, with every fact linked to the vendor's own page. Instead of one ranking, we pick the best option for four common needs. We make one of them, Fatura Go, so every pick is tied to a row in the table you can check.

Fatura Go is our product. Zoho Books, Wafeq, Xero, Zoho Invoice, QuickBooks Online are independent products; their facts below come only from their own websites.

How we picked

  • Each category is decided by the rows in the table below, and each fact links to the vendor's own page.
  • Where a vendor's pages do not state a feature, we treat it as not offered for that pick and show "Not stated".
  • Fatura Go is our product. It appears only where the table supports it, and we list what it lacks.

Best free option for UAE small businesses

Our pick

Fatura Go(our product)

Of the options with no fee today, Fatura Go is the one whose free tier covers the UAE VAT rows: Arabic or bilingual invoices, VAT 201 figures and an FTA Audit File export. Zoho Invoice's pages do not state those three, and Zoho Books' free plan does not include VAT returns, which start on its Standard plan.

Also consider

  • Zoho Invoice: Free too, with apps for Android, Windows and Mac, if you only need invoices and quotes.

Best for Shopify stores

Our pick

Fatura Go(our product)

Fatura Go's Shopify app turns paid orders into tax invoices and refunds into credit notes, free during early access. Zoho Books offers Shopify on its Elite plan (AED 280/month billed annually, up to 2 stores); QuickBooks connects through e-commerce apps; Wafeq, Xero and Zoho Invoice do not state a Shopify app on the pages we checked.

Also consider

  • QuickBooks Online: If you want full accounting with bank feeds and connect Shopify through an app.

Best if you need UAE e-invoicing (ASP) now

Our pick

Wafeq

Wafeq is itself an accredited service provider (no. 129932) and includes e-invoicing in its Starter, Plus and Premium plans. It also states VAT 201, the FTA Audit File and Arabic invoices.

Also consider

  • Xero: E-invoicing through Casim, an accredited ASP, at no extra cost on Starter, Standard and Premium.
Fatura Go vs Wafeq →

Best with live bank feeds

Our pick

QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks names feeds for five UAE banks: ADCB, DIB, Emirates NBD, FAB and RAKBANK. Note that its team says UAE e-invoicing is not available in QuickBooks Online.

Also consider

  • Xero: Direct feeds from Wio and Alaan, other banks through a partner, plus e-invoicing via an ASP.
  • Wafeq: A live connection with Wio, plus its own e-invoicing as an ASP.
Fatura Go vs QuickBooks Online →

Feature by feature

Zoho Books is shown first as the reference. Scroll sideways on a phone.

Zoho Books and its alternatives compared for UAE small businesses
FeatureZoho BooksreferenceWafeqXeroFatura GoZoho InvoiceQuickBooks Online
PriceYes: Free under AED 200,000 yearly revenue (1 user, 1,000 invoices/yr); paid from AED 60/month billed annually[1]Yes: From AED 57/month billed yearly (Starter), AED 69 monthly; 14-day free trial, no free plan[7]Yes: From USD 7/month (Lite); Starter USD 32/month; free trial, no free plan[15]Yes: Free during early accessYes: Free (AED 0); invoice volume subject to usage limits, number not published[20]Not stated: Not stated in the page text (prices load in the browser); 30-day free trial, no free plan[24]
UAE VAT tax invoicesYes: UAE VAT, with VAT returns from the Standard plan[2]Yes: VAT invoicing and VAT returns[7]Yes: UAE VAT; listed on the FTA's Tax Accounting Software Register, per Xero[16]Yes: Issues tax invoices with all fields required by UAE VAT lawYes: VAT-compliant invoices[20]Yes: UAE 5% VAT pre-set and calculated on invoices[25]
Arabic / bilingual invoicesYes: Bilingual invoice templates[3]Yes: Invoices in Arabic and English[8]Not stated: Not stated for invoices; VAT returns can be produced in Arabic[17]Yes: English, Arabic, or both on one PDFNot stated: Not stated ("10+ languages"; Arabic not named)[21]Not stated: Not stated clearly (its invoicing page lists languages inconsistently)[26]
UAE VAT return (VAT 201)Yes: VAT 201 filed to EmaraTax from Zoho Books (Standard and up)[2]Yes: VAT 201 in the EmaraTax layout[9]Yes: Fills in the VAT201 form[16]Yes: VAT 201 figures with standard-rated sales by emirate (boxes 1a–1g); you file on EmaraTaxNot stated: Not stated[21]Partly: Prepares VAT figures; no direct filing to the FTA, you submit the return yourself[25]
FTA Audit File (FAF)Yes: Generates the FTA Audit File[4]Yes: One-click FTA Audit File export[9]Yes: Creates FTA Audit Files[16]Yes: Exports the FTA Audit File (FAF)Not stated: Not stated[21]Not stated: Not stated[25]
UAE e-invoicingYes: Accredited ASP (no. 121988); add-on on Professional and up, first 100 transactions free[5]Yes: Accredited ASP (no. 129932); included in Starter, Plus and Premium[10]Yes: Through Casim, an accredited ASP; no extra cost on Starter, Standard and Premium[18]In progress: ASP integration in progress — integrating with accredited providers nowNot stated: Not stated for Zoho Invoice; Zoho points UAE e-invoicing to Zoho Books[22]No: No native UAE e-invoicing (QuickBooks Team reply, April 2026)[27]
Credit notesPartly: Professional plan and up ("Manage credits and refunds")[1]Yes: Yes[11]Not stated: Not stated[19]Yes: Yes, including refunds; included, no add-onsYes: Yes[21]Not stated: Not stated[26]
Recurring invoicesYes: Yes, including the free plan[1]Not stated: Not stated[12]Yes: Scheduled invoices[19]Yes: Weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearlyYes: Yes[22]Yes: Yes (Essentials and up)[26]
QuotesYes: Yes, including the free plan[1]Yes: Yes[12]Yes: All plans[15]Yes: Yes, convert a quote to an invoiceYes: Yes[22]Yes: Estimates that convert to invoices[26]
Expenses and billsYes: Expenses on the free plan; bills from Professional[1]Yes: Bills and expenses, including an email/WhatsApp inbox[12]Yes: Bills (5 on Starter, unlimited from Standard)[15]Yes: Expenses, bills and supplier credit notesPartly: Billable expense tracking; bills not stated[22]Yes: Bills on Essentials and up[24]
InventoryPartly: Professional plan and up[1]Partly: Premium plan (inventory tracking and multiple warehouses)[13]Not stated: Not stated on the UAE pricing page[15]Yes: Stock tracking per product, with stock counts; included, no add-onsNot stated: Not stated (SKUs on items; stock tracking not described)[21]Partly: Plus plan ("track inventory")[28]
Accounting (ledger, P&L)Yes: Ledger, P&L, cash flow, balance sheet[6]Yes: Accounting with 40+ financial reports[7]Yes: Real-time reports and bank reconciliation[15]Yes: Ledger, trial balance, P&L, balance sheet (switch on in settings)Not stated: Not stated (about 30 reports; no ledger named)[21]Yes: Cloud accounting with customisable reports[29]
Bank feedsYes: Direct Wio feed; other banks via a feed provider[3]Yes: Live connection with Wio[8]Yes: Direct feeds from Wio and Alaan; other banks via a partner[17]Partly: No live bank feeds; upload a statement and reconcileNot stated: Not stated[21]Yes: Feeds for ADCB, DIB, Emirates NBD, FAB and RAKBANK[30]
Multi-currencyPartly: Professional plan and up[1]Yes: From the entry plan[11]Partly: Premium plan only[15]Yes: Invoice in any currency with VAT shown in AED; included, no add-onsYes: Add currencies and exchange rates[23]Yes: Essentials and up[26]
Mobile appsYes: iOS and Android[6]Yes: iOS app and mobile web; Android not stated[8]Yes: Mobile app (platforms not named on the UAE page)[17]Partly: iPhone app and web; no Android appYes: iOS, Android, Windows and Mac[20]Yes: iPhone and Android[28]
ShopifyPartly: Elite plan (AED 280/month billed annually), up to 2 stores[1]Not stated: No Shopify app stated; its e-commerce and POS integrations are Salla and Foodics[14]Not stated: Not stated on the UAE pages[17]Yes: Shopify app: paid orders become invoices, refunds become credit notesNot stated: Not stated[21]Yes: Connects through e-commerce apps such as Shopify[31]

When to choose something other than Fatura Go

Fatura Go is our product, so here is what it lacks, next to what it covers.

Included in Fatura Go, no add-ons

  • Tax invoices, credit notes, delivery notes and purchase orders
  • Multi-currency invoices, with VAT shown in AED
  • Inventory: stock tracking per product, with stock counts
  • Payroll with a WPS SIF salary file and end-of-service gratuity
  • Full accounting: ledger, trial balance, P&L and balance sheet
  • FTA Audit File (FAF) export
  • VAT return figures by emirate (VAT 201 boxes 1a–1g)
  • Bilingual English and Arabic PDFs
  • Interface in English, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi and Russian
  • Import from Zoho Books, QuickBooks, Xero and Wafeq
  • Shopify app: paid orders become invoices, refunds become credit notes
  • iPhone app

What Fatura Go includes for UAE VAT

  • Chooses a full or simplified tax invoice automatically from the customer's TRN and the AED 10,000 rule
  • Stops an invoice with VAT from being issued while your business has no TRN
  • VAT 201 figures with standard-rated sales split across the seven emirates
  • Mark a VAT period as filed outside Fatura Go, with the date and reference
  • Supplementary invoices to add a charge to an invoice you already issued (web and iPhone)
  • Share invoices on WhatsApp
  • Payroll with a WPS salary file, stock tracking, and team roles
  • A free TRN checker with a Peppol directory lookup on our website (not inside the app)

What Fatura Go does not have

  • No live bank feeds — you upload a statement and reconcile it
  • No Android app yet — iPhone and web only
  • No online card payment links on invoices
  • Not an accredited ASP and no UAE e-invoicing yet: ASP integration in progress — integrating with accredited providers now

What users report

From the vendors' own community forums. These are user reports, not facts we have tested.

  • QuickBooks Online: Users report invoices show the VAT rate per line but not the VAT amount; Intuit lists it as feedback with no timeline.[32]

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free alternative to Zoho Books in the UAE?

Zoho Books itself is free while revenue stays under AED 200,000 a year, with limits. Among the alternatives, Fatura Go is free during early access and Zoho Invoice is free with usage limits. Wafeq, Xero and QuickBooks offer free trials, not free plans.

Which of these are accredited e-invoicing service providers?

Wafeq FZ-LLC and Zoho Software Trading LLC are on the Ministry of Finance's list of accredited service providers, as is Tally Software Solutions FZCO. Xero works through Casim, an accredited ASP. QuickBooks Online has no native UAE e-invoicing. Fatura Go is not an ASP: ASP integration in progress — integrating with accredited providers now.

Which ones export the FTA Audit File (FAF)?

Zoho Books, Wafeq and Xero state it on their own pages, and Fatura Go exports the FTA Audit File (FAF). Zoho Invoice and QuickBooks do not state it on the pages we checked.

Why does Fatura Go only win two of the four categories?

Because the table does not support more. Fatura Go is free during early access and has a Shopify app, so it wins those two. It is not an ASP and has no UAE e-invoicing yet (ASP integration in progress — integrating with accredited providers now), and it has no live bank feeds, so Wafeq and QuickBooks win those categories.

Sources

Competitor facts come from each vendor's own website, checked on the date shown. "Not stated" means the official pages we checked do not say; it is not a claim that the feature is missing. Fatura Go facts were checked against our product on 3 November 2026. Prices and plans change, so confirm on the vendor's site before you buy.

  1. [1]Zoho Books: www.zoho.com/ae/books/pricing/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  2. [2]Zoho Books: www.zoho.com/ae/books/vat-filing.html (checked 1 November 2026)
  3. [3]Zoho Books: www.zoho.com/ae/books/whats-new.html (checked 1 November 2026)
  4. [4]Zoho Books: www.zoho.com/ae/books/help/vat-uae/vat-reports.html (checked 2 November 2026)
  5. [5]Zoho Books: www.zoho.com/ae/books/e-invoicing/ (checked 2 November 2026)
  6. [6]Zoho Books: www.zoho.com/ae/books/accounting-software-features/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  7. [7]Wafeq: www.wafeq.com/en-ae/pricing (checked 1 November 2026)
  8. [8]Wafeq: www.wafeq.com/en-ae/business-hub/for-business/accounting-cloud-software-in-uae:-revolutionize-your-business-with-wafeq (checked 1 November 2026)
  9. [9]Wafeq: www.wafeq.com/en-ae/tax-and-reporting/what-specific-features-must-software-have-to-be-considered-fta-approved-in-the-uae (checked 1 November 2026)
  10. [10]Wafeq: www.wafeq.com/en-ae/asp-e-invoicing-uae (checked 2 November 2026)
  11. [11]Wafeq: www.wafeq.com/en-ae/wafeq-vs-zoho-books (checked 2 November 2026)
  12. [12]Wafeq: www.wafeq.com/en-ae/features (checked 1 November 2026)
  13. [13]Wafeq: help.wafeq.com/hc/en-ae/articles/22187364508700-What-are-your-pricing-plans-and-available-packages (checked 2 November 2026)
  14. [14]Wafeq: www.wafeq.com/en-ae/wafeq-help/integrations/configuring-salla-integration-with-wafeq (checked 2 November 2026)
  15. [15]Xero: www.xero.com/ae/pricing-plans/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  16. [16]Xero: www.xero.com/ae/accounting-software/submit-vat-online/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  17. [17]Xero: www.xero.com/ae/accounting-software/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  18. [18]Xero: www.xero.com/ae/accounting-software/send-invoices/e-invoicing-software/ (checked 2 November 2026)
  19. [19]Xero: www.xero.com/ae/accounting-software/send-invoices/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  20. [20]Zoho Invoice: www.zoho.com/ae/invoice/pricing/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  21. [21]Zoho Invoice: www.zoho.com/ae/invoice/features/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  22. [22]Zoho Invoice: www.zoho.com/ae/invoice/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  23. [23]Zoho Invoice: www.zoho.com/ae/invoice/help/settings/currencies.html (checked 1 November 2026)
  24. [24]QuickBooks Online: quickbooks.intuit.com/ae/pricing/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  25. [25]QuickBooks Online: quickbooks.intuit.com/ae/vat-tracking/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  26. [26]QuickBooks Online: quickbooks.intuit.com/ae/invoicing/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  27. [27]QuickBooks Online: quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/global/manage-customers-and-income/e-invoicing-for-tax-purposes-in-uae/00/1607968 (checked 2 November 2026)
  28. [28]QuickBooks Online: quickbooks.intuit.com/ae/online-compare/ (checked 2 November 2026)
  29. [29]QuickBooks Online: quickbooks.intuit.com/ae/features/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  30. [30]QuickBooks Online: quickbooks.intuit.com/ae/bank-feeds/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  31. [31]QuickBooks Online: quickbooks.intuit.com/ae/accounting-software/ (checked 1 November 2026)
  32. [32]QuickBooks Online: quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/global/tax/how-can-we-have-an-invoice-format-in-line-with-uae-vat/00/427303 (checked 2 November 2026)
  33. Accredited service providers: Ministry of Finance ASP register, also listed in our UAE ASP list.

Try Fatura Go

Free during early access. Issues tax invoices with all fields required by UAE VAT law.

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