Xero vs QuickBooks Online
A side-by-side look at what Xero and QuickBooks Online publish about pricing, plans and features.
This page sets the two products' recorded data side by side. It is not an editorial review — nobody has tested either product for this page, and the figures below are not independently verified. Read how we handle data and what each label means.
| Field | Xero | QuickBooks Online |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Accounting | Accounting |
| Entry price | $15/mo | $35/mo |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | 30-day trial | 30-day trial |
| Tagged for | Small Teams | Freelancers |
| G2 rating unverified | 4.3 / 5 | 4 / 5 |
| Capterra rating unverified | 4.4 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
Where they differ
- Entry pricing recorded here is $15/month for Xero and $35/month for QuickBooks Online. Plan structures differ, so these are not like-for-like — check both pricing pages before comparing totals.
Head to head
Xero
Xero approaches accounting with software-company sensibilities: clean design, unlimited users on every plan, and daily bank feeds that make reconciliation almost enjoyable. Strong in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, it is the natural QuickBooks alternative for teams that value collaboration — bookkeeper, founder and advisor all in the file at once. US payroll requires a Gusto integration, and phone support is deliberately absent.
Beautiful cloud accounting for small business.
What we record about Xero →Reported strengths
- Clean UI
- Unlimited users
- Strong integrations
Reported drawbacks
- Payroll limited by region
- Phone support sparse
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online is the accounting lingua franca of US small business — the software accountants expect, with the deepest ecosystem of banks, apps and tax integrations. Invoicing, expense capture, mileage and reporting are comprehensive, and the accountant marketplace makes professional help easy to find. Prices have climbed steadily and the interface shows its age in places, but network effects keep it the safe default choice.
The go-to accounting suite for SMBs.
What we record about QuickBooks Online →Reported strengths
- Feature-rich
- Accountant-friendly
- Lots of integrations
Reported drawbacks
- Pricey
- Occasional bugs