In this guide · 8 sections
Short answer
Choose a plan (Free for micro businesses, Standard from S$15/month billed yearly for bank feeds and 3 users), then enable GST under Settings, Taxes, set the F5 reporting period and basis, connect bank feeds, brand templates and invite your accountant. You file the F5 yourself.
Choose a Zoho Books plan
Zoho's Singapore pricing page lists these plans per organisation per month, as of October 2026. Prices are before local taxes, and yearly billing is cheaper than monthly.
| Plan | Billed yearly | Billed monthly | Users | Key additions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | S$0 | S$0 | 1 + 1 accountant | Invoices, quotes, GST tracking, F5 returns, bank reconciliation |
| Standard | S$15 | S$18 | 3 | Automatic bank feeds, multi-currency, period locking, API |
| Professional | S$30 | S$36 | 5 | Sales and purchase orders, inventory, projects, custom roles |
| Premium | S$45 | S$54 | 10 | Fixed assets, budgets, cash flow forecasting |
Extra users cost S$3 per user per month billed annually. Our earlier comparison notes that the Free plan is meant for businesses with revenue under US$50,000 a year. If you are deciding between Zoho Books and Xero, read our Zoho Books vs Xero comparison first, because GST filing and InvoiceNow are where they differ most.
Organisation details and the setup order
Set things up in this order so invoices and reports are right from day one.
Organisation profile
Legal name as registered with ACRA, UEN, address, base currency SGD, financial year start and time zone.
Enable GST (if registered)
Do this before creating any invoices. See the next section.
Chart of accounts and opening balances
Ask your accountant for the chart they want, and enter opening balances as at your start date.
Bank and card accounts
Add each account and connect feeds, or import statements on the Free plan.
Items, customers and vendors
Import lists from spreadsheets, with GST registration numbers for GST-registered customers and vendors.
Templates and payment details
Brand invoices and quotes, add bank or PayNow details and payment terms.
Users and accountant
Invite staff with limited roles and your accountant.
Enable GST and set up F5 returns
Zoho's Singapore tax settings help explains the steps: go to Settings, then Taxes under Taxes and Compliance, switch on "Is your business registered for GST?", and enter your 10-digit GST registration number and registration date.
Zoho Books GST setup checklist
For returns, Zoho's GST F5 return help says you can generate the F5 in the Filing and Compliance module, review and adjust the amounts, export it, and submit it manually to IRAS. Adjustments for rounding or past errors go into Box 7 and Box 12. Zoho does not file the return to IRAS for you, so build that step into your calendar.
Connect bank feeds
Zoho's bank account help says automatic bank feeds connect through one of two third-party providers, Yodlee or Token. You choose the bank, agree to the feed terms and pick a start date; transactions after that date import automatically, and older ones can be imported manually from statements.
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Standard plan or above, bank supported | Connect automatic feed via Yodlee or Token |
| Free plan | Import bank statements (CSV or similar) and reconcile |
| Bank not listed or feed keeps failing | Import statements; check Zoho's Token troubleshooting page |
| PayPal | Connect the PayPal feed separately |
Invoice templates, roles and accountant access
Invoices are what customers see, so set up one clean template before sending any. Include your logo, legal name and UEN, GST registration number if registered, payment terms and how to pay. Use the same template for quotes so they convert to invoices without retyping.
Good setup
- Each staff member has their own login
- Custom roles limit staff to invoicing or expenses (Professional plan and up)
- Accountant invited with their own access
- Transaction period locking used after each GST return (Standard and up)
Red flags
- Sharing the owner's login
- Editing transactions in a period already filed with IRAS
- Former staff still active
- No two-factor authentication on the admin account
Period locking matters with Zoho because you file F5 returns manually: once a return is submitted, lock that period so nobody changes figures that IRAS already has.
InvoiceNow: check before you rely on it
IRAS is phasing in the GST InvoiceNow requirement, under which GST-registered businesses send invoice data to IRAS through InvoiceNow, between 2026 and 2031. Your accounting software needs to support it, directly or through an access point provider.
IMDA's InvoiceNow-ready solution provider list, dated 12 October 2026, did not include Zoho Books. That does not stop you using Zoho Books if InvoiceNow does not yet apply to you, or if you connect through a separate access point. But if your business is newly GST-registered or in an early phase, confirm Zoho's InvoiceNow status before committing. Our Xero vs QuickBooks guide covers alternatives that matter if InvoiceNow is urgent.
Do it yourself or get help?
A sole proprietor on the Free plan can set up Zoho Books in an afternoon. GST registration, several bank accounts, inventory, staff roles, opening balances from an old system and InvoiceNow planning are where setup mistakes cost money later.
Our Accounting Software Setup (S$490) sets up Xero, QuickBooks Online or Zoho Books in your name: bank feeds, branded invoices and quotes, user access and your accountant invited. IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience. You pay upfront, send the details in writing through the site chat or contact form, and track progress on your order page. This guide is not tax advice; confirm GST settings with your accountant.
Frequently asked questions
Zoho Books has a Free plan in its Singapore edition with one user plus one accountant, invoices, quotes, GST tracking and F5 return preparation. It is intended for micro businesses; our comparison guide notes the revenue limit of US$50,000 a year. Automatic bank feeds, multi-currency and more users need the Standard plan at S$15 a month billed yearly.
No. Zoho's Singapore help says you can generate the GST F5 return in the Filing and Compliance module, review and adjust it, and export it, but you submit it manually to IRAS. Plan time each GST period to file through myTax Portal, and lock the period in Zoho Books afterwards so figures cannot change.
Zoho Books connects automatic bank feeds through two third-party providers, Yodlee and Token, on the Standard plan and above. Which Singapore banks and account types work depends on those providers. Search for your bank when adding the account; if it is not available, import bank statements manually, which also works on the Free plan.
When we checked IMDA's InvoiceNow-ready solution provider list dated 12 October 2026, Zoho Books was not on it. If the GST InvoiceNow requirement applies to your business now, confirm Zoho's current status or plan to use a separate InvoiceNow access point. If it does not apply yet, you can start with Zoho Books and review later.
As of October 2026, Zoho's Singapore pricing lists one user plus one accountant on Free, three users on Standard, five on Professional and ten on Premium. Additional users cost S$3 per user per month billed annually. Custom user roles, which limit what staff can see and edit, start on the Professional plan.