QuickBooks vs Xero — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
QuickBooks starts at $38/mo. Xero starts at $25/mo. Xero is $13/mo cheaper on the entry tier than QuickBooks.
See price history: QuickBooks · Xero
Small business accounting from Intuit, dominant in the US SMB market (~85% share). Distinctive for its accountant network — most US CPAs recommend it as the default, creating an ecosystem lock-in. QuickBooks Online priced $30-$200/mo across four tiers. Recent AI features add auto-categorization and cash flow forecasting. QuickBooks Desktop still exists for legacy users; new sign-ups pushed exclusively to Online. Real cost bloat comes from add-ons: Payroll, Payments, TSheets.
Cloud accounting from New Zealand, publicly traded, ~$18B market cap. Positioned as the alternative to QuickBooks outside the US (dominant in UK, Australia, and NZ). Distinctive for its bank feed depth (5,000+ banks worldwide) and its global accountant marketplace. Priced $15-$78/mo across three tiers. Recently added AI features and payments infrastructure to defend against Stripe's push into billing. Best choice if your accountant is outside the US.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | QuickBooks monthly | QuickBooks annual | Xero monthly | Xero annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid | Simple Start / Early | $38 | $30 | $25 | $25 |
| Mid tier 1 | Essentials / Growing | $85 | — | $55 | $55 |
| Mid tier 2 | Plus / — | $140 | — | — | — |
| Pro / power | Advanced / Established | $340 | — | $90 | $90 |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
QuickBooks is worth it if… QuickBooks Online is worth it for US-based SMBs (1-50 employees) that need bookkeeping + invoicing + basic reports — the household-name accounting default with strong accountant ecosystem. Simple Start covers solo/small; Essentials adds bill pay and time tracking; Plus adds inventory and project profitability; Advanced adds custom permissions.
Xero is worth it if… global SMBs (1-100 employees) that need cloud accounting + multi-currency support + strong bank feed automation — particularly if you're outside the US or scaling internationally where QuickBooks weakens. Early is entry tier (bank rec + basic invoicing); Growing removes invoice limits; Established adds multi-currency + expenses + projects.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose QuickBooks over Xero if…
Choose QuickBooks if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $38/mo).
- You match the profile QuickBooks is built for: QuickBooks Online is worth it for US-based SMBs (1-50 employees) that need bookkeeping + invoicing + basic reports — the household-name accounting default with strong accountant ecosystem.
- You need a general-purpose finance & accounting option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Xero if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $25/mo).
- You match the profile Xero is built for: global SMBs (1-100 employees) that need cloud accounting + multi-currency support + strong bank feed automation — particularly if you're outside the US or scaling internationally where QuickBooks weakens.
- You need a general-purpose finance & accounting option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| QuickBooks | Xero | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | No |
| Entry price | $38/mo | $25/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | Per Seat |
| Last verified | September 10, 2026 | September 14, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 14, 2026. Tracked daily.