The right software for the way your business works
Plain-English guides to the software each industry runs on: what it does, what it costs, and what to compare before you sign up.
Sorted by industry
Start with your kind of business, not a list of hundreds of apps.
Prices dated
Every price shows the day it was checked on the maker's own page.
Sources cited
Features come from the makers' own documentation, with links so you can check.
How it works
Compare the jobs, not just the brands
Most software sites rank apps. We start with the work your business does every week, then explain which kind of software handles it and what to look for.
- What each type of software actually does
- The questions to ask on a free trial
- Side-by-side tables with dated prices
Browse by industry
Software guides for your kind of business
Restaurants, bars and cafés
POS systems, payroll, rosters, stock and bookings for places that serve food and drink.
Guides coming soon
See the guidesBuilders and contractors
Estimating, job costing, project management and paying subcontractors.
Guides coming soon
See the guidesTrades and field service
Jobs, dispatch, quotes and invoices for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, landscaping and cleaning.
Guides coming soon
See the guidesLaw firms
Practice management, time recording, billing and trust accounting.
Guides coming soon
See the guidesDental, vet and medical clinics
Practice management, bookings and front-desk software for clinics.
Guides coming soon
See the guidesSalons, spas and gyms
Bookings, memberships, class schedules and payments.
Guides coming soon
See the guidesRetail shops and online stores
Point of sale, stock control and staff rosters for shops.
Guides coming soon
See the guidesNonprofits and churches
Fund accounting, donor and member records, giving and events.
Guides coming soon
See the guidesManufacturing, warehouses and farms
ERP, inventory, production scheduling and farm records.
Guides coming soon
See the guidesTrucking and auto repair
Dispatch, fleet records, accounting and workshop job cards.
Guides coming soon
See the guidesProperty managers and real estate
Rent tracking, property accounting and real estate CRM.
Guides coming soon
See the guidesSmall business basics
Accounting, payroll, invoicing, CRM, HR and scheduling for any small business.
Guides coming soon
See the guidesQuestions
Before you pick any software
Short answers to questions small businesses often ask. The guides go into each one properly.
Do I need separate accounting and payroll software?
Not always. Many accounting packages offer payroll as an add-on, while separate payroll software can suit businesses with shift work or several pay rates. Our payroll guides explain what to compare.
Cloud or desktop software?
Cloud software runs in a web browser and is usually paid monthly; desktop software is installed on one computer. Each guide says which kinds are available for that job.
What should I test on a free trial?
Try the jobs you do every week with your own data, and check how you would get that data out again if you left. Each guide lists questions to ask.
Do you test the software yourselves?
No. We explain software from the makers’ own documentation and pricing pages, cited and dated, so you can check every claim.
How we make our guides
- We check the makers' pages. Features and prices come from the maker's own documentation and pricing pages, dated and cited.
- We don’t rank or review. We explain what each kind of software does and what to compare. Which one suits you is your call.
- We're upfront about money. Some links earn us a commission. Here's how that works.