Xero vs QuickBooks for Accounting Features, Fees, Support

Both services do offer an app marketplace, for both in-house mobile apps and integrations or extensions offered by third-party services. Xero offers more integrations overall, but both are very comprehensive. While Xero’s $13 Early plan is far cheaper than QuickBooks’ $30 Simple Start plan, it’s also very limited due to the caps on invoices and billing. A better comparison is the $60 QuickBooks Essentials plan (plus the $45 Core or $80 Premium payroll plans) vs. the $37 Xero Growing plan (paired with the $40 or $80 Gusto plan). Essentials supports just three users, while Growing is unlimited, making it better value for large or growing operations.

How QuickBooks Online can help your business differently

While it’s not part of our case study, we evaluated Xero vs QuickBooks Online in terms of assisted bookkeeping. QuickBooks Online is the clear winner because of its wide range of services available for users of the software. Not only does it offer QuickBooks Live, but most online services also work with QuickBooks Online, such as Bench, what does an accountant do roles responsibilities and trends Brainy Advisors, and Merritt Bookkeeping.

Tax Support

In this article, we’ll mostly refer to QuickBooks Online, which is what we think you’ll likely opt for instead of Intuit’s desktop version of QuickBooks. With a research score of 5/5 for software attributes and 5/5 for its accounts receivable features, the complimentary software gives Quickbooks and Xero a run for their money too. However, despite Wave’s advantages, its overall offering is pretty basic and support tools leave a lot to be desired, giving it a 4/5 score overall.

Banking: QuickBooks Online Wins

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Startups

The software is also updated automatically, so businesses always have the latest features and security patches. Overall, Xero is an efficient and cost-effective way for small businesses to manage finances. Xero and QuickBooks are two of our best-rated accounting tools, but Wave is undoubtedly the safest bet for businesses watching the bottom line. Unlike Xero and QuickBooks, businesses can get started on Wave for completely free and the software is also available to an unlimited number of users — extending its use even further.

You can’t initiate a call, but you can submit a ticket and wait for an agent to call you. Another option for QuickBooks Online users is finding an independent QuickBooks ProAdvisor for assisted bookkeeping. You can search the online directory to locate financial professionals who specialize in working with your industry. Xero does offer Xero Advisors, but the QuickBooks ProAdvisor network is much larger. Both have great A/P features, but QuickBooks Online is slightly better due to its ability to generate recurring payments. Xero lets you create a recurring bill but not the payment, which means it doesn’t charge your checking account automatically.

1. However, inventory accounting is included in all Xero plans, while it’s only in the Plus and Advanced versions of QuickBooks Online.
2. Has robust reporting tools and report customization options, basic inventory tracking in all plans and a capable mobile app; Early plan limits the number of invoices and bills.
3. We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence.
4. QBO also has a handful of features you generally don’t see with accounting software, including its QuickBooks Capital lending platform and QuickBooks Checking business banking account.
5. You can simply download the free Xero Projects app on iOS and Android, using it to record time and costs, as well as seamlessly and automatically feed the data into invoices and reports.

QuickBooks offers live phone and chat support six days a week, providing you with a direct line to experts whenever you need them. With personalized assistance, you can tackle any accounting challenge with confidence and keep your business on track. QuickBooks and Xero are both popular accounting software options for small businesses, but which one is right for you? Here, we break down the key differences in features, benefits, and pricing to help you choose the platform that best suits your business needs and budget.

And if you find that neither company meets your needs, you may be better off with one of our top accounting software picks for small businesses. Through QBO, you can prepare and print W-2s for your employees and 1099-MISCs for your contractors. QuickBooks Live Tax also gives you access to expert tax advice, maximum tax deductions, and tax filing through TurboTax (pay only when you file). One of the more recent additions of QuickBooks Online is a mileage tracking feature.

Unlike QuickBooks, Xero supports unlimited users and organizations for all accounts. It also offers a 30-day free trial so you can test drive the software before committing to a paid plan. The Essentials plan costs $60 per month, and supports three users.