Compare · Accounting and invoicing

SME AI Office vs Zoho Books

Zoho Books is accounting software with a free plan for small revenue. SME AI Office is accounting, payroll with CPF, HR and the tools you sell with, in one place.

Prices checked 30 September 2026

The short answer

Choose Zoho Books if you only need accounting, want many invoices free, want bank feeds, or need InvoiceNow e-invoicing today. Its Standard plan is S$15 a month billed yearly, before tax.

Choose SME AI Office if you want payroll and CPF, staff leave and claims, and your order page, bookings or POS with your accounts. Pro 365 is S$365 a year with payroll included. Zoho Books Standard is S$180 a year, and Zoho Payroll is not offered in Singapore.

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Side by side

SME AI Office and Zoho Books compared for a Singapore business, 30 September 2026
SME AI OfficeZoho Books
Price Free plan S$0. Pro 365 S$39 a month or S$365 a year Standard S$18 a month. Professional S$36, Premium S$54, Elite S$193, Ultimate S$373S$15, S$30, S$45, S$150, S$300 billed yearly. Before local taxes
Free plan Yes, for good. Your P&L and 10 invoices a month, no sales cap Free plan while revenue stays under US$50K a year1 user plus 1 accountant
Invoices on the free plan 10 a month free, unlimited on Pro 365 Up to 1,000 invoices a year
Payroll and CPF Built in on Pro 365: CPF by age and PR year, the CPF file and IR8A Zoho Payroll is listed for the USA, UAE and India, not Singapore
PayNow on invoices A PayNow QR for the exact amount on every SGD invoice, free, no Stripe needed PayNow QR through a connected Stripe account
GST F5 Every box filled in from your records on Pro 365. You file on myTax Portal Prepared on every plan, even Free. You submit it to IRAS yourself
InvoiceNow (Peppol) Not switched on today. Ask us if you need it Connects to InvoiceNow, Singapore's e-invoicing network
Bank feeds Not offered. Receipts are read for you on Pro 365 instead Bank feeds from the Standard plan
Receipt scanning Receipts read and filed on Pro 365, up to 50 at a time 50 scans a month on Free. S$15 for 50 more a month
Selling Order page, bookings, POS and a website, free, each sale in your P&L Online payments on invoices. Inventory from the Professional plan

Which one fits

SME AI Office fits when

  • You have staff and want payroll, CPF, leave and claims with your accounts.
  • You sell food, classes, sessions or products and want each sale in your P&L by itself.
  • You want PayNow QR invoices without setting up a payment account.

Zoho Books fits when

  • You only need accounting and send more than 10 invoices a month on a free plan.
  • You need InvoiceNow e-invoicing or bank feeds today.
  • You already use other Zoho apps.

Your P&L and 10 invoices a month are free. Everything else is Pro 365, S$365 a year.

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Questions

Is SME AI Office cheaper than Zoho Books in Singapore?

For accounting alone, Zoho Books can cost less: its Free plan covers revenue under US$50K a year and Standard is S$180 a year billed yearly. SME AI Office Pro 365 is S$365 a year but includes payroll with CPF, HR and the GST F5 figures, which Zoho Books does not offer as payroll in Singapore.

Does Zoho Books do payroll and CPF in Singapore?

Zoho says Zoho Payroll is available in the USA, UAE and India, so Singapore users need a separate payroll app. SME AI Office has payroll with CPF by age band and PR year, the CPF submission file and IR8A built in on Pro 365.

Which is better for PayNow invoices, Zoho Books or SME AI Office?

Zoho Books shows a PayNow QR when you connect a Stripe account. SME AI Office puts a PayNow QR for the exact amount on every Singapore dollar invoice with no payment account needed and no fee, on every plan. Stripe is optional for card payments.

What is a Singapore alternative to Zoho Books?

SME AI Office is a Singapore alternative built around Singapore rules: GST at 9%, CPF age bands and PR rates, IR8A and PayNow. It starts free, and Pro 365 at S$365 a year adds payroll, HR, the GST F5 and Form C-S figures and unlimited invoices.

Can I move from Zoho Books to SME AI Office?

Yes. Export your contacts, items and invoices from Zoho Books, then WhatsApp us on +65 9613 7676 and we help you move it over. For a limited time we set the business up for you free, on every plan.

Zoho Books facts are from zoho.com/en-sg/books/pricing, Zoho Books help: GST F5 returns, Zoho Books KB: payroll, Zoho Books help: Stripe (PayNow), zoho.com/en-sg/books/e-invoicing, checked on 30 September 2026. Prices are as shown there. Zoho Books is a trademark of Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd.. SME AI Office is not connected with Zoho Books.

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