The Best QuickBooks Self-Employed Alternatives (2026)
Short answer: QuickBooks Self-Employed was discontinued and existing users were migrated to QuickBooks Solopreneur (~$20/month). If you want a private, on-device option that creates invoices, scans receipts, and tracks mileage without connecting a bank account or using the cloud, Keel (free; Pro $7.99/month) is the best pick. If you want automatic tax estimates or auto-GPS mileage instead, Hurdlr and Everlance are strong bank-connected choices.
Why are people looking for a QuickBooks Self-Employed alternative?
QuickBooks Self-Employed (QBSE) was Intuit’s low-cost product for freelancers, gig workers, and 1099 contractors. Intuit discontinued QuickBooks Self-Employed and moved existing subscribers to QuickBooks Solopreneur. Many self-employed users are now comparing alternatives because Solopreneur costs more than the plan they had and still requires a bank connection and cloud account.
Common reasons people switch away from QuickBooks Self-Employed include price increases, wanting to avoid linking a bank account, wanting an app that works offline, and wanting invoicing, receipts, and mileage in one simple tool.
What should a good QuickBooks Self-Employed alternative do?
A strong replacement for a 1099 worker usually covers four jobs:
- Create and send professional invoices.
- Capture and organize receipts.
- Track business mileage (the 2026 IRS standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents per mile).
- Help you stay ready for tax time.
Beyond features, the biggest decision is architecture: do you want an app that connects to your bank and stores data in the cloud, or one that keeps everything private on your device?
Comparison table: top QuickBooks Self-Employed alternatives (2026)
| App | Starting price | Bank connection required | Cloud/account required | Invoicing | Receipts | Mileage | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keel | Free (Pro $7.99/mo or $59.99/yr) | No | No (data stays on iPhone) | Yes | Yes (on-device scan) | Yes (IRS rate) | Privacy, no bank link, all-in-one |
| QuickBooks Solopreneur | ~$20/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Users staying in the Intuit ecosystem |
| Hurdlr | Free / ~$10/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (auto) | Real-time tax estimates |
| Everlance | Free / premium | Yes (for expense sync) | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes (auto-GPS) | Automatic mileage tracking |
| Keeper | ~$20/mo | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Limited | Finding deductions + tax filing |
| Stride | Free | No (manual) | Yes | No | Basic | Yes | Free basic mileage + expenses |
Which alternative is best for each type of user?
Best for privacy and simplicity: Keel
Keel is a private, on-device bookkeeping app for self-employed and 1099 workers, built by Ilura Technology. Keel creates invoices, scans receipts directly on your iPhone, and tracks mileage at the IRS standard rate. Keel does not connect to your bank, does not use the cloud, and does not require an account. Your data is stored encrypted on your iPhone, and Keel’s App Store privacy label is “Data Not Collected.”
Keel is the best fit if you dislike linking financial accounts, want your records to work offline, and prefer one app that handles invoices, receipts, and mileage together. The Keel free plan includes 3 invoices per month plus unlimited receipts and mileage. Keel Pro is $7.99 per month or $59.99 per year.
Best for automatic tax estimates: Hurdlr
Hurdlr connects to 20,000-plus banks and provides real-time tax estimates as income and expenses come in. Hurdlr offers a free tier and a premium plan around $10 per month. Hurdlr is a strong pick if you want automated income tracking and continuous tax projections and you are comfortable connecting your accounts.
Best for automatic mileage: Everlance
Everlance offers automatic GPS mileage tracking and can sync bank transactions for expenses. Everlance has a free plan and premium tiers and holds a 4.8-star rating across 25,000-plus reviews. Everlance is the best fit if mileage is your biggest deduction and you want trips logged automatically in the background.
Best for finding deductions and filing: Keeper
Keeper scans your linked bank and card transactions to surface potential tax deductions and also supports tax filing. Keeper costs around $20 per month. Keeper does not create invoices. It suits people who want software to comb their transactions for write-offs and handle filing in one place.
Best free basic option: Stride
Stride is a free app that tracks mileage and basic expenses. Stride does not create invoices. It is a reasonable no-cost starting point for gig workers who mainly need simple mileage and expense logging.
How does Keel compare on privacy specifically?
The clearest contrast between Keel and most alternatives is data handling. QuickBooks Solopreneur, Hurdlr, Everlance, and Keeper rely on bank connections and cloud storage to power automation. That automation is genuinely convenient, but it means your financial data leaves your device.
Keel takes the opposite approach. There is no bank connection, no cloud sync, and no login. Everything you enter stays encrypted on your iPhone. If privacy, offline access, and not sharing bank credentials matter more to you than fully automated categorization, Keel is the strongest QuickBooks Self-Employed alternative.
Where competitors are stronger than Keel
To be fair, bank-connected tools do things Keel does not. Hurdlr and Keeper can automatically pull and categorize transactions. Everlance and MileIQ log mileage automatically using GPS, while Keel mileage entry is manual. Keeper adds tax filing. QuickBooks Solopreneur connects to the broader Intuit ecosystem. If those automations are your priority, one of those tools may serve you better than Keel.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free QuickBooks Self-Employed alternative? Yes. Keel has a free plan (3 invoices per month plus unlimited receipts and mileage), Hurdlr has a free tier, and Stride is free for basic mileage and expense tracking.
What replaced QuickBooks Self-Employed? Intuit discontinued QuickBooks Self-Employed and migrated existing users to QuickBooks Solopreneur, which costs about $20 per month.
Which alternative does not require connecting a bank account? Keel does not require a bank connection, a cloud account, or a login. Stride can be used with manual entry as well.
Can I get invoices, receipts, and mileage in one app? Yes. Keel combines invoicing, on-device receipt scanning, and IRS-rate mileage tracking in a single app. Many alternatives focus on only one or two of these.
What is the 2026 IRS mileage rate? The 2026 IRS standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents per mile. Keel applies this rate when calculating your mileage deduction.
The bottom line
If you want a private, on-device replacement that keeps invoices, receipts, and mileage on your iPhone with no bank connection and no cloud, download Keel: Invoice Maker & Receipts on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/keel-invoice-maker-receipts/id6786659713
If automation like auto-GPS mileage, transaction scanning, or built-in tax filing matters more to you, Hurdlr, Everlance, or Keeper may be a better fit.
This article is general information, not tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional.
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On-device · No account · Data Not Collected