Top 5 Able Alternatives in 2024

Able is a financial management service for freelancers, independent contractors, and creatives, automating savings, tax calculations, and record-keeping. This article will explore alternatives for creators seeking financial services solutions.

What is Able?

Able is a service designed to help freelancers, independent contractors, and creatives manage their finances. It offers unique features such as automated savings, real-time tax calculations, and secure record-keeping. Users can customize their savings preferences, ensuring they save a specific percentage of their income automatically or via text confirmation. With bank-level security, Able ensures data and money are protected with end-to-end 256-bit encryption and FDIC insurance up to $250,000.

What to Consider When Selecting a Able Alternative?

When considering alternatives to Able for managing finances as a freelancer, independent contractor, or creative, it's essential to evaluate the following key features:

1. Customizable Savings Options: Look for services that allow you to set personalized savings goals and automate the process, ensuring you can save a specific percentage of your income effortlessly.
2. Real-Time Tax Calculations: Choose a platform that offers real-time tax calculations based on your income, helping you avoid unexpected tax bills and stay financially prepared.
3. Comprehensive Record-Keeping: Ensure the service provides robust record-keeping features, making it easy to track your income and expenses and prepare for income verification when needed.
4. Bank-Level Security: Prioritize platforms that offer high-level security measures, such as 256-bit encryption and FDIC insurance, to protect your financial data and savings.
5. Access to Professional Support: Opt for services that provide access to tax professionals or CPAs for personalized assistance, ensuring you can get expert advice and support when needed.

Best Alternatives to Able

1. Beacons

Beacons is an all-in-one creator platform that empowers over 5 million creators, including Green Day, Sia, Jeremy Lin, and Jack in the Box, to manage their audience and financial services all in one place. With Beacons, creators can send emails to fans, sell products in their creator store, and leverage a full stack of tools to enhance their engagement and reach. The platform's single Link-in-bio feature ensures everything is seamlessly integrated, making it easier for creators to connect with their audience and grow their brand.

Pros of Using Beacons

Beacons offers a range of benefits that make it an attractive choice for creators looking to manage their audience and financial services efficiently. Here are some of the key advantages:

• Cost Savings: Beacons is price competitive and offers a free tier, making it accessible for creators at all stages. This allows you to start using the platform without any initial investment and scale up as your needs grow.
• Data Syncing: The platform automatically syncs data across various tools, providing better insights and saving you time. This seamless integration ensures that all your information is up-to-date and easily accessible, helping you make informed decisions quickly.
• Comprehensive Toolset: Beacons provides a full stack of tools, including email marketing, a creator store, and audience engagement features. This all-in-one approach means you don't need to juggle multiple platforms, simplifying your workflow and enhancing productivity.

Pricing

Beacons offers a range of pricing packages to suit different needs and budgets. Here are the available plans:

• Free Plan: $0 (Free forever)
• Creator Pro: $8.33 per month (billed annually) or $10 per month (billed monthly)
• Store Pro: $25 per month (billed annually) or $30 per month (billed monthly)
• Business Pro: $75 per month (billed annually) or $90 per month (billed monthly)

Reviews

Beacons has received an impressive rating of 4.9 out of 5 based on 16 reviews. Users praise the platform for its thoughtful and useful tools, ease of use, and comprehensive features that cater to creators at all stages. For more details, check out the Beacons Reviews.

Who Should Use Beacons?

Beacons targets creators who want to centralize their audience engagement, product sales, and financial services in one platform. From musicians and artists to influencers and entrepreneurs, any creator looking to enhance their brand and connect with their audience would benefit from Beacons' extensive suite of tools beyond just financial management.

2. Collective

Collective offers an all-in-one financial solution for self-employed entrepreneurs, aiming to save members an average of $10,000 a year on business taxes. The service provides self-help tools for convenience but does not offer legal or financial advice.

Pros of Using Collective

Collective offers several unique features that make it an attractive choice for self-employed entrepreneurs. Here are some of the standout benefits:

• Significant Tax Savings: Members can save an average of $10,000 a year on business taxes, making it a highly cost-effective solution.
• All-in-One Financial Solution: Collective provides a comprehensive suite of financial tools tailored specifically for self-employed individuals, simplifying financial management.
• Expertise in Self-Employment: The platform is designed with a deep understanding of the unique needs and challenges faced by self-employed entrepreneurs, ensuring specialized support.

Cons of Using Collective

• Onboarding Process: Users have reported that the onboarding process does not adequately prepare them for the deadlines and responsibilities of their work. This can lead to confusion and additional effort to audit and maintain their accounting records.
• Limited Banking Partnership: Collective's partnership with Mercury Bank is seen as a limitation by some users. The bank does not offer ATMs or use Zelle, which can be inconvenient for those who need these services.
• Communication Issues: The platform relies solely on email communication, which can be slow and confusing due to multiple points of contact. Users have expressed a need for a more efficient communication system, such as a chat interface or user forum, to get quicker responses to their questions.

Pricing

Collective offers two main pricing packages for self-employed individuals. Here are the available plans:

• Annual Plan: $296 per month
• Monthly Plan: $349 per month

Note that onboarding and applicable state filing fees are not included in these prices.

Reviews

Collective has received an impressive rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars based on 52 reviews. Generally, users appreciate the excellent customer service, expertise, and comprehensive services offered by Collective, though some mention the need for a mobile app and better communication methods. For more details, check out the Collective Reviews on G2.

3. Karat

Karat provides financial services specifically designed for online creators. The company offers a range of financial products and solutions aimed at helping creators manage their income, expenses, and financial planning efficiently.

Pros of Using Karat

Karat provides financial services specifically designed for online creators. The company offers a range of financial products and solutions aimed at helping creators manage their income, expenses, and financial planning efficiently.

• Creator-Friendly Credit Cards: Karat offers credit cards tailored for creators, with rewards and benefits that align with their unique needs, such as higher credit limits based on social media metrics.
• Income Smoothing: Karat helps creators manage the often irregular income streams by providing tools and services that ensure a more stable financial flow, making budgeting and planning easier.
• Financial Education: Karat provides resources and guidance specifically for creators, helping them understand and navigate the financial aspects of their careers, from taxes to investments.

Cons of Using Karat

• Interview Process: Users have reported that the interview process can be inconsistent and sometimes overly challenging. This can lead to a negative experience for candidates, potentially deterring top talent from pursuing opportunities further.
• Interviewer Motivation: Some users have noted that interviewers seem more focused on earning money rather than genuinely helping the company improve its hiring process. This lack of alignment can affect the quality and effectiveness of the interviews.
• Question Design: There have been complaints about the design of some interview questions, which are often built around speed rather than optimization. This can make it difficult for candidates to complete the questions in the allotted time, potentially skewing the assessment results.

Pricing

Karat offers a range of pricing packages tailored to meet the needs of online creators. Here are the available plans:

• Basic Plan: $99 per month
• Standard Plan: $199 per month
• Premium Plan: $299 per month

Reviews

Karat has received a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars based on 12 reviews. Generally, users appreciate its ease of use, helpful support, and real-time feedback, though some have concerns about the interview process and missing features. For more details, check out the Karat Reviews on G2.

4. Flyfin

FlyFin is an AI and CPA tax filing service that finds tax deductions and files taxes for freelancers and self-employed individuals.

Pros of Using Flyfin

FlyFin offers several unique features that make it stand out as a top choice for freelancers and self-employed individuals. Here are some of the most notable pros:

• 20x Faster Deductions: FlyFin's A.I. finds every tax deduction in minutes, making the process incredibly efficient and saving you valuable time.
• Swipe Through Deductions: Easily accept or reject deductions with a simple swipe, or consult a CPA for expert advice, ensuring you never miss out on potential savings.
• Full Audit Insurance: FlyFin provides comprehensive audit insurance, meaning their CPAs will handle any IRS audits, giving you peace of mind and security.

Cons of Using Flyfin

While FlyFin offers numerous benefits for freelancers and self-employed individuals, there are some drawbacks to consider:

• Limited Customer Support: Users have reported that FlyFin's customer support can be slow to respond, which can be frustrating when dealing with urgent tax issues or needing immediate assistance.
• Complex Interface for New Users: Despite its powerful features, some users find the interface overwhelming and not very intuitive, especially for those who are not tech-savvy or new to tax software.
• Additional Fees: While FlyFin is generally cost-effective, there are additional fees for certain services, such as filing taxes with their expert CPA team, which can add up and may not be clearly communicated upfront.

Pricing

FlyFin offers a range of pricing packages tailored to meet the needs of freelancers and self-employed individuals. Here are the available plans:

• Basic Plan: $7.99 per month
• Standard Plan: $16.99 per month
• Premium Plan: $29.99 per month

Reviews

FlyFin has received a rating of 4.5 out of 5 based on user reviews. Generally, people appreciate its user-friendly interface and comprehensive guidance, making it an excellent tax application for freelancers. For more details, check out the FlyFin Reviews.

5. Keeper tax

Keeper is a tax filing software designed to simplify the process of filing complex taxes for online content creators. By connecting to your bank account, Keeper identifies and deducts eligible business expenses, personalizes your tax filing, and ensures you get the maximum refund possible.

Pros of Using Keeper tax

Automatic Expense Tracking: Keeper connects to your bank account and automatically identifies eligible business expenses, saving you time and ensuring you never miss a deduction.

Personalized Tax Filing: The software tailors the tax filing process to your unique financial situation, making it easier to navigate complex tax scenarios and maximize your refund.

AI and Human Support: Keeper offers instant answers to tax questions through its AI accountant, and every return is reviewed by a tax professional, combining the best of technology and human expertise.

Cons of Using Keeper tax

• Limited Financial Platform Support: Keeper does not support linking with certain financial platforms like Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, and Square. This can be inconvenient for users who receive payments through these platforms, requiring manual transfers to a supported bank account.
• Privacy Concerns: The need to link a bank account for transaction scanning might raise privacy concerns for some users. This requirement could deter individuals who are cautious about sharing their financial information.
• Subscription Costs: While Keeper offers a range of features, the cost of the service, especially the premium plan, might be considered high by some users. This could be a drawback for those looking for a more budget-friendly or one-time payment solution.

Pricing

Keeper offers a range of pricing packages tailored to meet the needs of online content creators. Here are the available plans:

• Monthly plan: $20 per month
• Annual plan: $192 per year
• Premium plan: $396 per year

Reviews

Keeper has received an impressive rating of 4.8 out of 5 based on user reviews. Generally, users find Keeper Tax to be extremely helpful and time-saving, especially for small business owners, freelancers, and independent contractors. For more details, check out the Keeper Reviews.

Which One Should You Go With?

Choosing the right financial service is crucial for online creators, and each of the options we've discussed offers unique benefits. However, if you're looking to centralize your audience engagement, product sales, and financial services, we recommend Beacons. With its comprehensive toolset and user-friendly features, Beacons stands out as an excellent choice for creators aiming to grow their brand and manage their finances efficiently.