Xero vs QuickBooks Online: which should you actually choose?

From 25 USD/mo for Xero, versus From 20 USD/mo for QuickBooks Online. See the pricing table above for the full tier breakdown — the cheapest entry price isn't always the cheapest at the plan you'd actually need.

Small teams that need multiple people in the books without per-user fees. Meanwhile, QuickBooks Online: US small businesses that work with an outside bookkeeper/accountant. Check "Where each wins" above for the specific reasoning.

Most accounting/invoicing tools support exporting your data (clients, invoices, transactions) to CSV, and many accountants can help migrate the books. It's rarely instant or free of friction, though — factor in migration effort when the choice is close, not just the monthly price.

Xero: No permanent free plan — No free tier — 30-day free trial. Plan names and prices differ by country (UK: Ignite/Grow/Comprehensive/Ultimate at different price points) — confirm the right regional page for your market. QuickBooks Online: No permanent free plan — No free tier — introductory discounted pricing for the first 6 months, then standard rate. Payroll and Live Bookkeeping are separate paid add-ons.

Xero: Originated in New Zealand; strong UK, Australia and NZ tax/MTD support with a growing US presence. QuickBooks Online: US, UK, Canada, Australia and India each run separate localized QuickBooks Online products with different features/pricing — VERIFY which regional product a given user needs.

Worth a look: FreshBooks — Best for solo service providers and small agencies who want invoicing and light bookkeeping to feel effortless — not for businesses that need deep inventory or multi-entity accounting. Or start with our free tools below and upgrade only once you actually outgrow them.