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