Hillary Crawford

Lead Writer | Business software

Hillary Crawford is a small-business writer at NerdWallet, with a special focus on business software products. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. Her work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Yahoo Finance and Entrepreneur, in addition to other publications. She is based in Traverse City, Michigan.

Education: B.A. with high honors in political science from University of Michigan
Credentials: QuickBooks Certified User, Responsive web design
Previous experience: Bustle Digital Group, GenFKD

Hillary's picks

How to Start a Business in 15 Steps

by Tina Orem, Rosalie Murphy, Hillary Crawford

Starting a business requires planning, patience and a lot of paperwork. Here's how to start a business, step by step.

Best Accounting Software for Small Businesses of 2024

by Hillary Crawford, Karrin Sehmbi

Accounting software helps you track money moving in and out of your small business, so that you can maintain a detailed financial record for tax time.

Best Small-Business Apps

by Lisa Anthony, Hillary Crawford

These apps can help you with point-of-sale, accounting, invoicing and payroll.

Hillary has also nerded out in...

Other publications

The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur

The latest from Hillary

Cash App Business Account: Pros, Cons, Alternatives

Cash App business accounts let small businesses accept payments with just an app, but transaction rates can add up.

QuickBooks Online Review 2024: Pros, Cons, Alternatives

A longtime industry staple for small-business accounting software, QuickBooks Online offers four pricing plans, robust features and a variety of add-ons, albeit at a higher cost than many competitors.

Best Restaurant POS Systems of 2024

The best restaurant point-of-sale systems have table and menu management features, inventory and employee management tools, and strong reporting capabilities.

8 Best Online Bookkeeping Services of 2024

Are your business’s bookkeeping tasks becoming overwhelming? It might be time to hire an online service.

Best Invoicing and Billing Software of 2024

Invoicing software can help your business handle more than just billing.

Best Construction Accounting Software of 2024

Accounting software for construction companies should feature tools that meet industry-specific needs for budgeting, job costing, project tracking and reporting.

Best Free Accounting Software of 2024

Consider free accounting products just as carefully as you would paid ones to ensure your business doesn’t grow out of them.

Best Accounting Software for Small Businesses of 2024

Accounting software helps you track money moving in and out of your small business, so that you can maintain a detailed financial record for tax time.

Payment Depot Review 2024: Features, Pricing, Alternatives

Payment Depot uses an interchange-plus pricing model, and markups vary from business to business.

Best Nonprofit Accounting Software of 2024

Nonprofit accounting software should help you accept, track and report on donations to ensure you’re on track come tax time.

Finix Review 2024: Pricing, Features and Alternatives

The payment service provider charges a monthly subscription fee, plus a small markup on top of interchange, and doesn’t require businesses to sign long-term contracts.

FreshBooks Review 2024

FreshBooks offers accounting features best suited for freelancers or very small businesses.

Stax Payments Review 2024: Pricing, Features, Alternatives

Stax Payments offers low processing rates in exchange for a monthly subscription fee, which is ideal for high-volume businesses.

Construction and Heavy Equipment Financing: Best Loan Options

You can get construction and heavy equipment financing from traditional, online and specialty lenders.

Best Small-Business Expense Trackers of 2024

Business expense trackers organize your expenses and highlight where you spend the most money. Consider what features you need and the cost of the software.