How freee, Money Forward Cloud, and Yayoi differ, and how to match one to how you work.
freee suits beginners who want guided, question-based bookkeeping; Money Forward Cloud suits those who want flexibility and integrations; Yayoi is the long-established option with strong professional familiarity — compare current plans and features, not just brand.
The big three cloud tools do the same core job — connect to your bank and cards, categorize transactions into double-entry books, and produce the blue-return documents and e-Tax file — so the difference is in approach. freee is built around guided, question-based workflows that hide accounting jargon, which many first-time filers find the least intimidating. Money Forward Cloud exposes more of the bookkeeping and offers extensive integrations, which suits people who want flexibility or expect to grow. Yayoi is the veteran brand with desktop and cloud options and the deepest familiarity among tax accountants, so handing off to a professional later can be smoother.
None of them offer an English interface, so budget for some Japanese or a bilingual helper. Because the guided-versus-flexible trade-off is the real choice, try the workflow — most offer a trial — rather than deciding on brand or a headline price alone.
Start from your situation. If this is your first filing and accounting feels foreign, the guided path lowers the chance of mistakes. If you juggle many income sources, need integrations with payment or invoicing tools, or expect to incorporate, favor flexibility. If you already work with a tax accountant, ask which tool they support best — professional compatibility can outweigh small feature gaps.
Whatever you pick, the value comes from consistent use: connect accounts once, reconcile monthly, and attach evidence as you go, so filing season is a review rather than a scramble. See the side-by-side comparison and the head-to-head write-ups on the main Freelance & business page to weigh specific pairs.
Cloud accounting software · freee K.K.
Beginner-friendly cloud accounting built around guided workflows, popular with sole proprietors for blue-return filing and e-Tax.
Fees: Subscription plans (monthly/annual) vary by tier — verify current pricing.
Cloud accounting software · Money Forward
Cloud accounting with strong automation and integrations, popular with freelancers and small companies that value flexible bookkeeping.
Fees: Subscription plans vary by tier — verify current pricing.
Accounting software · Yayoi K.K.
A long-established accounting-software brand with desktop and cloud options, widely used and supported by tax professionals.
Fees: Desktop license or cloud subscription depending on product — verify current pricing.
freee, Money Forward Cloud, and Yayoi all import bank and card data, keep double-entry books, and produce blue-return forms and e-Tax data. freee is guided and beginner-friendly; Money Forward Cloud is more flexible with broad integrations; Yayoi is the long-established option with the widest tax-accountant familiarity. All three interfaces are Japanese-only, so budget for some Japanese or a helper. Compare current plans at the tier level and try a trial rather than choosing on brand or headline price.
The blue return is a filing status that rewards proper bookkeeping. With double-entry books filed electronically, you can deduct up to ¥650,000 from your income, carry losses forward for three years, and deduct family salaries. The trade-off is more disciplined recordkeeping — which cloud accounting software largely automates. For most freelancers with steady income, the tax saving clearly outweighs the effort.