QuickBooks Online vs Xero
Side-by-side comparison for accounting professionals.
QuickBooks Online
Intuit AI agents for US accounting firms
$38/mo
★4.0/ 5
30-day free
Xero
AI-native accounting platform for growing firms
$25/mo
★4.4/ 5
30-day free
| Feature | QuickBooks Online | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Core accounting | ||
| Bank reconciliation | AvailableAll plans Accounting Agent with Suggestion Field showing AI reasoning per transaction. 77% more accurate predictions per Intuit data. | AvailableAll plans Auto-reconcile (Beta) on Growing+. JAX AI agent handles 80%+ of bank lines in real time. Standard matching on Early. |
| Invoicing | AvailableAll plans Unlimited invoices. Customer Agent handles reminders and AR follow-ups on Essentials+. | LimitedGrowing+ unlimited Unlimited invoices on Growing+ ($55/mo). Early plan caps at 20/mo — unsuitable for active client work. |
| Expense categorisation | AvailableAll plans Intuit Assist categorises transactions. Learns from corrections. Suggestion Field shows AI reasoning. | AvailableAll plans AI suggests categories from transaction history. Learns from corrections over time. |
| Receipt capture | AvailableEssentials+ Receipt capture and matching. Payments Agent automates AR and payment matching on Essentials+. | AvailableAll plans (Hubdoc) Hubdoc included free on all plans. OCR extraction, supplier rule learning, syncs as draft transactions. |
| AI & reporting | ||
| Cash flow forecasting | LimitedAll plans (basic) Basic cash flow visibility on all plans. No 180-day scenario modelling. Advanced includes free Fathom. | LimitedEstablished ($90/mo) 180-day forecast with scenario modelling on Established. 60-day on Growing. 30-day on Early. |
| Management reporting | LimitedAdvanced ($275/mo) Standard reports on all plans. Finance Agent and free Fathom subscription on Advanced only. | LimitedEstablished ($90/mo) Basic reports on all plans. Syft Analytics with AI narrative commentary only on Established. |
| Business features | ||
| Multi-currency | LimitedAll plans Limited multi-currency. Not as strong as Xero for international operations. | LimitedEstablished ($90/mo) Full multi-currency with automatic exchange rate updates on Established only. |
| Time tracking | LimitedAdd-on Via QuickBooks Time add-on (formerly TSheets). Not included natively. | LimitedProjects add-on Via Xero Projects add-on. Not natively built in — requires separate configuration. |
| Payroll | AvailableEssentials+ (add-on) Native Payroll Agent on Essentials+. Handles W-2, 1099, direct deposit, and multi-state payroll. Strongest US payroll of any accounting platform. | LimitedAdd-on by region AU: Xero Payroll add-on. US: third-party integration required (Gusto most common). No native Payroll AI agent. |
| Multi-entity consolidation | Not available Not designed for multi-entity consolidation. | Not available Not designed for multi-entity consolidation. Consider Sage Intacct for complex group structures. |
| Sales tax automation | AvailablePlus+ ($115/mo) Sales Tax Agent automates multi-state sales tax calculations and filing preparation on Plus+. | LimitedAll plans Basic sales tax on all plans. No automated multi-state sales tax agent unlike QuickBooks. |
| Support & pricing | ||
| Client portal | Not available No dedicated client portal. | Not available No dedicated client portal. Clients need their own Xero login for file access. |
| Phone support | LimitedAll plans Phone support included but increasingly routed through AI chatbots. Some users report difficulty reaching humans. | Not available Email and help centre only. No phone line. Flagged in 319 G2 reviews as a top frustration. |
| User seats | LimitedPer-tier limits Simple Start: 1 user. Essentials: 3. Plus: 5. Advanced: 25. Per-seat model unlike Xero's unlimited. | AvailableAll plans Unlimited users on all plans at no extra cost. A 5-person firm pays the same as a sole practitioner. |
Which should you choose?
Choose QuickBooks Online if…
US-based accounting firms managing clients who need payroll, sales tax, and payments all handled within one platform.
Not ideal: International firms or those outside the US where the full agent suite is not yet available.
Choose Xero if…
Growing accounting firms managing international clients who need the best cash flow forecasting and widest integration ecosystem.
Not ideal: US-focused firms where QuickBooks ecosystem lock-in already exists.