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QuickBooks vs Xero
A detailed comparison to help you choose between QuickBooks and Xero.
Last reviewed:
| Feature | QuickBooks | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Paid |
| Free Tier | No | No |
| Monthly Cost (Solo) | $15 | $15 |
| Target Audience | solopreneurs, small-business | solopreneurs, small-business |
| Verified | Yes | Yes |
| Solo-Friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Open Source | No | No |
| Editorial Rating | 4/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Categories | Finance | Finance |
| Key Features | Invoicing, Expense tracking, Tax preparation, Bank feeds, Mileage tracking | Invoicing, Bank reconciliation, Multi-currency, Expense claims, Projects |
| Free Tier Quality | limited | limited |
Pricing Breakdown
QuickBooks
Simple Start: $30/month. Essentials: $60/month. Plus: $90/month (inventory). Advanced: $200/month. Self-Employed: $15/month. 50% off first 3 months frequently.
Xero
Starter: $15/month (20 invoices, 5 bills). Standard: $42/month (unlimited). Premium: $78/month (analytics plus). Ultimate: $105/month.
Integration Overlap
Shared Integrations (7)
PayPalStripeSquareShopifyHubSpotGustoZapier
Only in QuickBooks (3)
AmazonTSheetsBill.com
Only in Xero (3)
Receipt BankExpensifyGoCardless
Use Case Fit
QuickBooks
- * Small business bookkeeping
- * Invoice creation and tracking
- * Expense categorization and tracking
- * Payroll and tax filing
- * Financial reporting and P&L
Xero
- * Small business cloud accounting
- * Multi-currency invoicing
- * Bank reconciliation automation
- * Financial reporting and budgeting
- * Accountant collaboration
QuickBooks
Pros
- + Industry standard for small business accounting
- + Strong tax preparation features
- + Bank feed integration
- + Huge accountant ecosystem
Cons
- - Pricing has increased significantly
- - Interface can be cluttered
- - Frequent upselling
Xero
Pros
- + Beautiful, clean interface
- + Strong multi-currency support
- + Great for international businesses
- + Extensive app marketplace
Cons
- - Limited transaction count on Starter plan
- - Can be expensive with add-ons
- - US payroll through partners only
Editorial Verdict
Both tools are evenly matched on price. QuickBooks excels at small business bookkeeping, while Xero is stronger for small business cloud accounting.
Sarah Chen
Editor-in-Chief