A close has three parts: reconcile every account, review what changed, and lock the period so nothing moves afterward. The accounting platform handles all three for a small business. Dedicated close software exists for teams with many accounts, many entities or many clients — useful, but not where an owner-led business should start.
Features and prices are from each vendor's own site on September 23, 2026.
How we grouped them
- Built in. Close features inside the accounting software you already pay for.
- For firms. Tools your bookkeeper or accountant may use across clients.
- Mid-market and enterprise. Listed so you know what they are, not because a small business needs them.
The tools
1.QuickBooks Online: reconcile and close the books
Best for: Businesses on QuickBooks Online
Reconcile each account to its statement, then set a closing date. Intuit's help page says you cannot edit transactions before the closing date, and changes can be made to require a password — which is the lock that makes a close final.
- Included in paid QuickBooks Online plans.
2.Xero: bank reconciliation
Best for: Businesses on Xero
Every plan reconciles bank transactions; automatic reconciliation starts on the Growing plan. Pair it with a lock date at month end.
- Included; Early $25/mo, Growing $55/mo, Established $90/mo (regular list prices).
3.Zoho Books: period locking
Best for: Businesses on Zoho Books
Bank feeds and transaction period locking are on the Standard plan and above.
- Standard $20/mo billed monthly.
4.A written close checklist
Best for: Every business, whatever the software
The most useful close tool is a list of the same steps done in the same order each month: accounts reconciled, receivables and payables reviewed, payroll and sales tax tied out, reports read, period locked. A spreadsheet is fine. Our month-end close checklist is a starting point.
Read more →5.Double (formerly Keeper)
Best for: Bookkeeping and accounting firms managing many client closes
A close and practice-management platform for firms, connecting to QuickBooks to review transactions, track close status and message clients. If your bookkeeper sends you a list of uncategorized transactions each month, it may come from a tool like this.
- Priced per connected client per month: Core $10, Plus $25, Scale $50.
6.Numeric
Best for: Growing finance teams on QuickBooks Online or NetSuite
Close checklists, reconciliations, variance (flux) analysis and transaction monitoring for an in-house finance team. Integrates with QuickBooks Online.
- No public pricing.
7.FloQast
Best for: Mid-market and enterprise accounting teams
Close management with reconciliation automation and audit support, built for corporate accounting departments on systems such as NetSuite, Sage Intacct and Workday.
- No public pricing; sold through sales.
8.BlackLine
Best for: Enterprise finance organizations
Financial close, consolidation, intercompany and reconciliation software for large companies. Included for completeness: it is not aimed at small businesses.
Visit BlackLine’s website →
When a dedicated tool is worth it
Consider close software when reconciliations regularly slip past the tenth of the month, when more than one person shares the close, or when you have several entities to consolidate. Before that point, a checklist and the platform's own lock date do the job — and the money is better spent on someone keeping the books current.
General information, not advice for your specific situation. Tax rules, prices and product features change, and firms change what they offer — check with the provider before relying on anything here, and talk to us or another qualified professional before acting on it.
