These solve different problems and are often bought together. Accounting and GST filing on one side, employee spend and reimbursements on the other.
✓ The pick — Zoho Books
Source-backed facts only; no invented ratings. Each side shows the verified numbers, what earns it, and what to watch for.
Cloud accounting software from Zoho with GST-ready invoicing, expenses, banking, and reporting for Indian SMBs.
Travel and expense management from Zoho with receipt scanning, approvals, and reimbursements.
The all-in India cost for a GST-registered business (card forex included), plus the gross figure if you can't reclaim GST, billing model, and free-plan availability. Cheaper entry price is marked.
| India buying factor | Zoho Books | Zoho Expense |
|---|---|---|
| India price (entry) | ₹749/mo | ₹79/user/mo ✓ |
| If you can't reclaim GST | ₹884/mo | ₹93/mo |
| Billing model | Flat plan | Per user / seat |
| Bills in | INR — no forex | INR — no forex |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
Narrow on purpose — which tool someone like you should pick, and why. Not every checkbox.
These are not really alternatives. Zoho Books is the accounting system, invoicing, ledgers, GST returns and the books your CA works from, and most Indian businesses need it first. Zoho Expense handles employee expense claims, approvals and reimbursements, and only earns its cost once you have enough staff spending money to make chasing receipts a real problem. If you are choosing one, start with Books and add Expense when reimbursements become the bottleneck.
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