Numeric vs Puzzle (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Numeric and Puzzle share a 2.0 GPA, neither has a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on whether you care more about features, where Numeric grades higher, or the free plan, where Puzzle does.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
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.
Puzzle
AI-driven accounting software for startups and small businesses
Which one is for you
Pick Numeric if
- Fits if you run a finance team that already has an ERP and wants a faster close
- Makes sense if you want billing and revenue recognition from the same vendor
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a price on the page, because every plan is quoted after a demo
- Not for you if you're a freelancer or sole trader, since it is aimed at companies with an accounting team
- Watch out: modules are priced separately, and the ERP replacement is separate again
- Tight if you want to try it first, because there is no free plan or trial
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
| 2.0GPANumericFair | 2.0GPAPuzzleFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is published and every plan is quoted after a demo, so we can't compare cost. | 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 | FNo free plan and no trial on the listing. | DA free trial is offered, but the pricing page doesn't say how long it lasts. No free plan. |
| Features | BClose management, flux analysis, cash management, billing and revenue recognition, and ERP replacement. The listing shows no gap in the close work. | 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 | CNo store rating on record, and it connects to your ERP, banks and data tools before it is useful. | CNo store rating on record. You connect banks and payment tools and review what the AI books. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Stripe, Snowflake, Databricks, HubSpot, Salesforce, Brex and Ramp. | BWeb only, with Stripe, Mercury, Ramp, Brex, Gusto, QuickBooks, Claude and ChatGPT, plus an API and MCP. |
| Best for | finance teams that want close management on top of their ERP | 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: Numeric and Puzzle. How we grade
Where they differ
- Numeric also covers workflow automation and dashboards.
- Puzzle also covers invoicing, bookkeeping and expense tracking.
At a glance
| Numeric | Puzzle | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free trial |
| Starts at | Not published | $25 per month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free trial offered; length not stated on the pricing page |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Numeric | Puzzle |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | puzzle.io |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Numeric
- No prices are published; every plan is quoted after a demo, so cost cannot be compared here.
- Sold by module: close management, cash management and billing and revenue are priced separately from the ERP replacement.
- Aimed at companies with an accounting team, not at freelancers or sole traders.
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
Numeric
- Close management
- A project-management view of the month-end close with live ERP connections, automatic reconciliations, transaction monitoring and review notes.
- Flux analysis and reporting
- Compares account balances period over period and supports custom reports, with an in-app AI called Prism that surfaces items needing review.
- Cash management
- Matches bank transactions to the ledger automatically (the page says up to 95%), automates journal entries and parses bank statements for reconciliations.
- Billing and revenue recognition
- Ingests usage events, matches them to contract line items, creates invoices and keeps revenue schedules updated for ASC 606.
- ERP replacement
- A newer option that replaces NetSuite with Numeric's own system of record, with subledger automation and the billing and revenue suite included.
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
Numeric
Pricing could not be confirmed. See numeric.io.
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
Numeric
No public discounts listed.
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, Numeric or Puzzle?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Numeric has no price we could confirm, and Puzzle starts at $25 per month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Numeric or Puzzle?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Numeric nor Puzzle has a free plan. Puzzle 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.