Inkle vs Puzzle (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Inkle grades higher than Puzzle: 2.6 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Inkle grades higher on the free plan and features. They get the same grade on value for money, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Inkle
Accounting software, bookkeeping and tax filing for US companies
Puzzle
AI-driven accounting software for startups and small businesses
Which one is for you
Pick Inkle if
- Fits if you run a US company and want books and tax filing from one provider
- Works for a startup with 2 bank accounts or fewer on the free plan
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you need accrual books, as the free plan is cash-basis only and accrual needs Standard at $30 a month
- Tight if you have more than 2 bank accounts on the free plan
- Pricey if you need bookkeeping, as $99 a month covers only 30 transactions
- Watch out: tax filing is from $850 a year for a business return and $1,350 with one owner's personal return
- Not for you if your books are outside the US, as the pricing page does not describe other countries
Pick Puzzle if
- Fits if you're a startup that wants AI to categorize transactions
- Works for founders who link Stripe, Mercury or Ramp
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you lean on the AI: 25 lifetime credits on Starter and Core, 100 a month on Complete
- Skip it if you're a team: Starter has 1 seat and Core 5, with unlimited from Complete at $100
- Pricey if you want bookkeeping done for you: from $171 a month with Core, and it needs a subscription
- Watch out: a QuickBooks migration costs $149 one-time unless you add catch-up bookkeeping or Full Service
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAInkleGood | 2.0GPAPuzzleFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CStandard is $30 a month or $300 a year, inside the typical range. Bookkeeping starts at $99 a month and tax filing from $850 a year. | C$25 a month on annual billing ($30 monthly) for Starter and $60 for Core, close to this category's $26 middle. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe Basic plan is free for up to 2 banks, with invoicing, reconciliation and a 1099 vendor report, which a small company could use. | DA free trial is offered, but the pricing page doesn't say how long it lasts. No free plan. |
| Features | BAccounting, AI-suggested categorization, a dedicated bookkeeper, federal tax filing and Stripe revenue ingestion cover the job end to end. | CAI categorization and close, cash and accrual books, startup metrics, an API and MCP. Multi-entity and variance analysis need Core, and AI credits are limited. |
| Ease of use | CA web app where you connect banks and set up categorization rules, and no store rating on record. | CNo store rating on record. You connect banks and payment tools and review what the AI books. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Stripe, QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho Books and Mercury Books. | BWeb only, with Stripe, Mercury, Ramp, Brex, Gusto, QuickBooks, Claude and ChatGPT, plus an API and MCP. |
| Best for | US startups that want books and tax filing from one provider | AI-run books for startups |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Inkle and Puzzle. How we grade
Price against what you get
Inkle starts at $25 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Puzzle starts at $25 a month and scores 2.3.
Inkle scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other accounting and invoicing tools on the chart, 4 score higher than Inkle for less, and 20 score higher than Puzzle for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Puzzle also covers expense tracking.
At a glance
| Inkle | Puzzle | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $30 per month, or $300 per year (Standard) | $25 per month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | Basic plan: up to 2 banks, cash financials, invoicing, bank reconciliation, chat support and a Form 1099 vendor report. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free trial offered; length not stated on the pricing page |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Inkle | Puzzle |
| Price read from | inkle.ai | puzzle.io |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Inkle
- The free Basic plan connects up to 2 banks and keeps cash-basis books only.
- Monthly bookkeeping is priced by activity; the $99 entry tier covers up to 30 transactions a month.
- Tax filing starts from $850 per year for a business return and from $1,350 with one owner's personal return.
- Aimed at US companies; the pricing page does not describe support for other countries' books.
Puzzle
- Starter allows one seat and Core five; unlimited seats start at Complete.
- AI credits are limited: 25 for the lifetime of Starter and Core, 100 a month on Complete.
- Bookkeeping services start at $171 a month with Core, for up to $10K in monthly expenses, and need an active subscription.
- A QuickBooks migration costs $149 one-time unless catch-up bookkeeping or Full Service is added.
Key features
Inkle
- Accounting software
- Bank reconciliation, invoicing and cash-basis financials on the free plan, with accrual financials on Standard.
- AI-suggested categorization
- Standard adds rule-based and AI-suggested transaction categorization and AI-enabled receipt matching.
- Dedicated bookkeeper
- The Monthly plan assigns a bookkeeper who handles reconciliations, payroll entries and monthly review calls.
- Federal tax filing
- Business tax returns (Form 1120, 1120-S or 1065) with a 6-month extension and one state's franchise tax or annual report.
- Stripe revenue ingestion
- Standard pulls revenue data in from Stripe automatically and reports revenue metrics.
- Incorporation and mailroom
- The site also sells US company incorporation, a virtual US address with registered agent, and dissolution.
Puzzle
- AI categorization and close
- Categorizes most transactions automatically, reconciles accounts and drafts financial statements; an AI suite adds chat, cowork and close tools.
- Cash and accrual books
- Keeps both bases, with accrual automation for prepaid expenses and fixed assets and revenue recognition on Complete.
- Startup metrics
- Cash, burn, runway and margin insights plus spend and revenue tracking, from the Core plan.
- Integrations
- Connects to Stripe, Mercury, Ramp, Brex, Gusto and other finance tools through live API links.
- Accounting services
- Expert Reviewed and Full Service bookkeeping, priced by monthly expenses and sold only alongside a subscription.
- API and MCP
- An API and MCP server let you connect the books to Claude and ChatGPT.
Plans
Inkle
Basic$0
Accounting software for up to 2 banks with cash financials, invoicing, bank reconciliation and a Form 1099 vendor report.
Standard$30
per month ($300 per year, billed annually)
Adds accrual financials, rule-based and AI-suggested categorization, receipt matching, multi-currency, Stripe revenue ingestion and bookkeeper access.
Monthly bookkeeping$99
per month for up to 30 transactions, billed monthly
A dedicated bookkeeper, monthly review calls and standard financials. Above 30 transactions a month it becomes a full-service plan.
Puzzle
Starter$25
per month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly)
1 seat; 85 to 90% of transactions categorized automatically, cash and accrual books, 25 lifetime AI credits.
Core$60
per month, billed annually ($72 billed monthly)
5 seats; adds cash, burn and runway insights, variance analysis, custom chart of accounts and multi-entity.
Complete$100
per month, billed annually ($120 billed monthly)
Unlimited seats; adds AI accuracy review and reconciliations, revenue recognition, priority support; 100 AI credits a month.
Scale$300
per month, billed annually ($360 billed monthly)
High-volume accounting with subledgers, no transaction or integration limits, backup and restore; 300 AI credits a month.
Ways to pay less
Inkle
- Annual discount
16% off Standard with annual billing
Standard is $30 a month or $300 a year, which the pricing page labels as 16% off.
Puzzle
- Annual discount
12 months for the price of 10
The pricing page's yearly option charges for 10 months of the monthly price, which is $25 against $30 on Starter.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Inkle or Puzzle?
As of Nov 13, 2026, they start at the same price. Inkle starts at $30 per month, or $300 per year (Standard), and Puzzle starts at $25 per month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Inkle or Puzzle?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Inkle has a free plan. Puzzle does not, though it has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.