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SimpleERP vs Zoho Books: a Zoho Books alternative for small business
Written for businesses in India. Elsewhere, start from your country page or the global comparisons.
Zoho Books is cloud accounting that sits inside a larger family of business apps. SimpleERP puts the whole business on one ledger in one product. Here is how to choose.
In short
SimpleERP is one ERP for Indian small businesses where billing, stock, purchase, accounting, CRM, HR, payroll and manufacturing share one ledger. Zoho Books suits businesses that want cloud accounting and are happy to connect other apps from a larger suite.
Illustration: saving invoice INV-2026-27-0213 moves stock, posts the customer ledger, records CGST and SGST and updates the dashboard in one step.
What Zoho Books is good at
Zoho Books is cloud accounting software, part of a much larger suite of business apps from the same company. For a business that wants clean online books and room to add more apps, that is a real strength.
- Clean online accounting. Invoicing and books in the browser, from anywhere.
- Part of a bigger family. Separate apps cover other jobs, so you can add what you need.
- Works with an accountant online. The books sit in the cloud, so your accountant can work in them without visiting.
- A good fit for accounting-first teams. Especially when the books are the main job.
Side by side
Where the fit breaks: the jobs, side by side
The same daily jobs, described as work rather than features. The Zoho Books column says how businesses on Zoho Books usually get each job done, which depends on the edition, add-ons and setup you choose.
| Job | In SimpleERP | Typical with Zoho Books |
|---|---|---|
| Raise a GST invoice | Keyboard-first line editor; the place of supply picks CGST and SGST or IGST | In the browser, a natural fit for accounting software |
| Stock by warehouse at average cost | Every invoice, bill, transfer and work order moves stock; weighted average cost | Depends on the edition, or a separate inventory app from the suite |
| Work orders and bills of materials | BOMs with scrap and cost roll-up; work orders from plan to start to complete | Usually a separate app or handled outside the books |
| Attendance, leave and payroll | Attendance and leave feed payslips with PF, PT and TDS, posted to the same ledger | Usually separate apps from the suite, connected to the books |
| Leads and follow-ups | CRM pipeline and today's follow-ups on the same customer list as your invoices | Usually a separate CRM app, kept in step with the books |
| Fixed assets and depreciation | Asset register with monthly depreciation posted to the ledger | Depends on the edition and how you track assets |
| E-invoice, e-way bill and GST filing | Registers and HSN summary export; no IRN, e-way bill or filing | E-invoices and e-way bills from the invoice; GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B filed from Zoho Books once API access is enabled |
| Team access | A login for every member with seven system roles plus custom roles, priced per user | Depends on the plan and each app's own user settings |
| Get your data out | CSV export of every report, products, stock and the ledger; invoices print as A4 or PDF | Export options depend on each app you use |
Verdict
Choose Zoho Books if… choose SimpleERP if…
Both are sensible choices for different businesses. Here is the honest split.
Choose Zoho Books if
- Accounting is your main job and you want a well-known cloud ledger
- You already use other apps from the same suite and like connecting them
- Your accountant prefers it and you are happy to follow their lead
Choose SimpleERP if
- You hold stock, make goods or pay staff, and want all of it on the same ledger as your invoices
- You would rather learn one product than connect several
- You want a login for everyone, a phone-friendly app and a free week to try it
Honest limits
What SimpleERP does not do yet
Worth knowing before you switch.
- GST return filing: registers and the HSN summary export to CSV for whoever files your returns
- E-invoice IRN and e-way bill generation through the government APIs
- Batch, lot, serial or expiry tracking, and multi-currency
- Bank feeds: bank entries are recorded and reconciled by hand
- Historical vouchers are not imported; the old system stays your archive
Getting started
Moving from Zoho Books to SimpleERP
Pick a cut-over date
Keep your Zoho Books account open for reference, and start SimpleERP from opening balances on a chosen date. Pick the first day of a financial year, quarter or month; 1 April is best.
Import your masters
Tally Masters XML, Zoho exports or spreadsheets, checked before anything is written: accounts, customers, suppliers and products with opening stock per warehouse. See the help centre.
Bring balances and open bills
Import opening balances for bank, cash, loans and the rest, and each unpaid invoice and bill with its own number and due date. A wrong import can be undone.
Run both for a month
Bill in SimpleERP and keep the old books open. Compare receivables, stock and the trial balance at month end, then set the lock date.
FAQ
Questions, answered
Is SimpleERP a Zoho Books alternative?
Yes, if you want more than accounting in one product. SimpleERP covers GST billing and books like accounting software, and adds inventory, purchase, CRM, HR, payroll, manufacturing, expenses and assets on the same ledger. If the books are your only job, Zoho Books may be enough.
Can I move my Zoho Books data across?
Yes. Upload the CSV exports of contacts, items, chart of accounts and unpaid invoices and bills in Settings → Import data; Zoho's column names match themselves. Past paid transactions stay in Zoho Books. See move from Zoho Books.
Can my accountant keep working with me if I move from Zoho Books?
Yes. Invite your accountant by email with the Accountant role. They get journals, bank and cash registers, the trial balance, P&L, balance sheet, GST summary and the lock date, and can export any report or register to CSV for their own tools.
Does SimpleERP file GST returns?
No. SimpleERP prepares what filing needs: the sales and purchase registers for GSTR-1 and GSTR-2B checks and the HSN summary, all exportable to CSV. Filing itself stays with you or your accountant on the GST portal. E-invoice IRNs and e-way bills are not generated through the government APIs today.
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Try SimpleERP next to Zoho Books.
Seven days free, no card. Run both side by side and keep the one that fits.
Zoho Books is a trademark of its owner. Details change; check their site for current features and pricing.