Road Ready Guide · Software
Owner-operator accounting software compared
Short answer: For one truck leased to a carrier, trucking apps like Rigbooks ($29 a month for its Leased O/O plan) track expenses and miles; TruckingOffice ($25 to $35 a month for one or two trucks) is built around dispatching and hauling your own loads; QuickBooks Online ($38 a month list for Simple Start) is full general-ledger accounting with bank connections and reconciliation. Any of them only works if someone enters every settlement and reconciles every month. Prices checked October 30, 2026.
The options side by side
| Option | Price (checked Oct 30, 2026) | Built for | Who does the work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rigbooks, Leased O/O plan | $29/mo (1 truck; Basic Entry $19, Independent O/O $49); 30-day free trial | Expense tracking, profit and loss and expense reports, fuel mileage reporting, maintenance records | You |
| TruckingOffice, Owner/Operator | $25/mo Basic, $35/mo Pro (1–2 trucks); 30-day free trial on Pro | Full-truckload hauling and dispatch (Pro adds LTL load planning) | You |
| QuickBooks Online Simple Start | $38/mo list (50% off the first 3 months at the time we checked) | General small-business accounting: bank connections, reports, reconciliation | You or a bookkeeper |
| Free expense spreadsheet | $0 | Expenses, settlements, nights away and cost per mile in Excel | You |
| Road Ready Books Monthly Books | $89/mo, QuickBooks included | Leased owner-operators: settlements recorded weekly, accounts reconciled monthly, a monthly numbers report | Us |
What to look for if you're leased to a carrier
- Can it record a settlement at gross, with each carrier deduction in its own category and escrow as money that's still yours? If it only records the net deposit, your income will come in under your 1099.
- Does it reconcile to your bank and card statements? Tracking without reconciling is how duplicates and missed weeks sneak in.
- Does it split the truck payment into interest and principal? Otherwise profit reads low by the principal every month.
- Can you hand it to someone else? A tax preparer or lender will ask for a profit and loss statement and a balance sheet; make sure you can export both.
Which fits who
- You like doing it yourself and want something trucking-specific: a trucking app such as Rigbooks, set up with the categories in our chart of accounts.
- You're moving to your own authority and need dispatch and invoicing: a TMS such as TruckingOffice, plus something to keep the books.
- You want real books a preparer or lender can use: QuickBooks Online. The classic reconcile tool is in every QuickBooks Online plan; Intuit's newer AI reconciliation varies by plan. Here's how to record a settlement in QuickBooks.
- You want to start free: the owner-operator expense spreadsheet.
- You'd rather not do it at all: that's what Monthly Books is for.
Whatever you pick, the work is the same each week: check the settlement math, record the gross, split each deduction, and match the deposit to the bank. (How to read a settlement sheet.)
Not sure where your books stand? Tell us in two lines how you keep your books now and how far behind they are. We'll set up a short call, tell you free what shape they're in, and quote a fixed price to get them current.
Get a free books check See pricingCommon questions
What is the best accounting software for owner-operators?
It depends on who does the work. Trucking apps like Rigbooks track expenses and miles; TruckingOffice is built around dispatch for your own loads; QuickBooks Online is full accounting with bank reconciliation. For a leased driver, the key test is whether it records settlements at gross with each deduction split out and reconciles to the bank.
How much does Rigbooks cost?
When we checked on October 30, 2026, Rigbooks listed Basic Entry at $19 a month, Leased O/O at $29, Independent O/O at $49 and Small Fleet at $149, with a 30-day free trial.
How much does TruckingOffice cost?
When we checked on October 30, 2026, TruckingOffice listed its Owner/Operator plan (1–2 trucks) at $25 a month for Basic and $35 a month for Pro, with a 30-day free trial on Pro.
Is QuickBooks good for truck drivers?
QuickBooks Online handles general accounting, bank connections and reconciliation, and a settlement can be recorded at gross with each deduction split out. It isn't trucking-specific, so the setup (chart of accounts, escrow, loan split) matters.
Do I need software if I have a bookkeeper?
Your bookkeeper needs a system to keep your books in. Road Ready Books' Monthly Books includes the QuickBooks subscription, so you don't buy software separately.
Sources: Rigbooks pricing, TruckingOffice pricing, QuickBooks Online pricing and Intuit: reconcile an account. Prices change; check each vendor before you buy. Checked October 30, 2026.