Four Reasons To Switch From QuickBooks To Traction Ag Accounting
In agriculture, good accounting is just as important as good agronomy. Many farmers start with QuickBooks because it’s a well-known, trusted accounting platform. It’s a strong tool for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
But when it comes to managing the unique complexity of farm finances, QuickBooks simply isn’t built for it. That’s why more and more operations are looking for software designed specifically for agriculture.
Traction Ag is often described as QuickBooks for farmers, but it’s more accurate to call it a complete farm accounting and management system. It goes beyond the basics of debits and credits. Traction Ag connects field data to cost centers, inputs, and financial records, allowing farmers to see true profitability per acre and per bushel without exporting to spreadsheets or piecing together information from different systems.
Here are four key reasons why farmers are choosing Traction Ag for their farm accounting needs:
1. A Rich History in Farming and Agriculture
Traction Ag’s roots go back to the early 1990s, when its co-founders helped create some of the first farm-specific software systems such as Farm Works. That decades-long foundation in agricultural technology led to the launch of Traction Ag in 2020.
Headquartered in Auburn, Indiana, Traction Ag is independently owned by employees and farmer investors who share one purpose: helping farmers thrive. Our team includes growers, agronomists, and software developers who understand both sides of the business.
“Put the Farmer First” is more than a slogan. It’s our number one company value.
Since its start, Traction Ag has continued to grow. In 2022 and 2023, we expanded our capabilities by acquiring Granular and Conservis, two respected names in farm management software. Their tools for task management, work orders, and grain contracting are now part of Traction Ag’s integrated platform. The result is a more complete and connected solution for farmers.
As we continue to merge the best functionalities of each platform, we are set to deliver a more dynamic and comprehensive experience for our farm clients.
2. QuickBooks for Agriculture vs. Traction Ag: What Farmers Should Know
QuickBooks remains an excellent accounting system for many types of businesses. It’s familiar, easy to find accountants for, and widely recognized. But agriculture brings its own challenges, and that’s where Traction Ag fills the gap.
Farm-Specific Features That Save Time
Farm accounting involves far more than tracking expenses and income. You need to understand costs by crop, field, and landlord. You need to manage multiple entities and generate tax-ready reports quickly.
Traction Ag delivers those capabilities through three plan options: Basic, Plus, and Pro. Each one offers deep farm-specific functionality alongside powerful accounting tools.
Key features include:
- Schedule F Reporting – Automatically create tax-ready forms without manual setup.
- Field Profitability Analysis – See which crops and fields are making you money.
- Bank Connections – Sync and reconcile transactions directly from your financial institution.
- John Deere Operations & Climate FieldView Integration – Pull agronomic and yield data into your financial reports.
- Landlord Invoicing and Entity Tracking – Manage multiple operations in one place.
These farm-focused tools save time and provide real clarity about where your money is going and how your operation is performing.
3. Farmers Rate Traction Ag Higher
Don’t just to take our word for it! While QuickBooks Online earns strong reviews from business users (a 4.4-star rating as of Oct. 2024 by general customers), Traction Ag goes even further in it's niche earning a 4.9-star rating from farmer customers who rely on it for daily operations.
4. Farm-smart accessible customer support
On the farm, time is money. For this reason we are backed by a knowledgeable team of ag enthusiasts! Our support team is here for you year-round. We’re accessible by phone, online chat from our website, or directly from the Traction platform itself. We often hear that this is extremely meaningful to our farmers, and it’s something that you can rely on.
Our product and support teams work together, so we are listening intently to customers to consistently improve the efficiency of our software. To us, this all boils down to putting the farmer first.
At Traction Ag, we’re proud to revolutionize the way farmers manage their operations and finances. With a legacy of expertise, seamless integration, and a continually growing feature set, Traction Ag is an indispensable tool in ag. For those of you who are interested in transforming your farm accounting, getting started with Traction Ag is simple. We believe in building trust in an obligation-free manner.
Why More Farmers Are Looking Beyond QuickBooks
QuickBooks continues to be a leading accounting solution for millions of businesses. However, farms operate differently than traditional companies. Managing multiple crops, seasons, landlords, and equipment assets adds layers of complexity that QuickBooks doesn’t naturally handle.
Traction Ag was created to address those gaps. It’s not about replacing QuickBooks for everyone. It’s about giving farmers an accounting platform that works the way they do —with agricultural data, field integration, and reports that make sense for the business of farming.
Try Traction Ag: Accounting Software Built for Farmers
If you’re looking for accounting software that connects your fields to your finances, Traction Ag is built for you. It delivers the reliability you’d expect from an established accounting platform with the precision and insights agriculture demands.
Start your free 14-day trial and see how Traction Ag simplifies farm accounting, boosts efficiency, and helps you make more informed business decisions.
Farm accounting that just works.
Tired of hacking workarounds in software that wasn’t built for farms? We made Traction Ag just for you.
Agape Farms in Ohio