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Accounting Software

QuickBooks vs Xero: Which Accounting Software Fits Your Business in 2026?

Two of the most widely used small-business accounting platforms, compared on pricing tiers, user limits, and which one accountants actually prefer.

Bill BelcaminoBy Bill Belcamino · Last updated September 18, 2026 · Our methodologyResearched and fact-checked by the HelpCompare team
QuickBooks logoFrom $38/mo

QuickBooks

VS
Xero logoFrom $27/mo

Xero

See the full spec table Read the FAQ
QuickBooks vs XeroVerified Sep 18, 2026
Bill Belcamino
Bottom line up frontby Bill Belcamino, founder of HelpCompare
Editorial assessment

Bottom line up front: Is QuickBooks or Xero the better fit when more than one person works in the books?

Xero fits a business where several people touch the books, because every plan from $27/mo includes unlimited users, while QuickBooks Simple Start at $38/mo gives you 1 billable user plus 2 accountant seats.

Xero's catch is the Early plan's cap of 20 invoices or quotes and 5 bills a month, and QuickBooks earns its price with inventory and project profitability built into its higher tiers. The seat count matters more than it looks. When a plan has one login, people share it, and a shared login makes the audit trail useless because every change looks like the owner made it. In accounting software that trail is how you catch a mistake, or a fraud, months later. Having been a COO, I'd give everyone who touches money their own login with two-factor on, and price the plan that allows it.

My read of the verified data on this page, checked against vendor sources on September 18, 2026. Disagree or spot an error? Tell Bill

Verified data

QuickBooks vs Xero: quick facts

At a glanceQuickBooksXero
CategoryAccounting Software
Entry priceFrom $38/moFrom $27/mo
Free planYes, 1 user, 2 invoices/month, 1 bank connectionNo permanent free plan — free trial available

Is QuickBooks cheaper than Xero?

QuickBooks is priced at From $38/mo and Xero at From $27/mo. See the full breakdown below for what is included at each tier.

Verified data

QuickBooks vs Xero at a glance

CategoryQuickBooksXero
Entry-tier price$38/mo (Simple Start, 1 user + 2 accountant seats)$27/mo (Early, unlimited users)
Number of pricing tiers4 paid (Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, Advanced) + Free3 (Early, Growing, Established)
Invoicing limit on entry planUnlimited invoices, but only 1 billable userCapped at 20 invoices/quotes and 5 bills per month
Multi-currency supportIncluded on Essentials tier and above (not on Simple Start)Only on the top Established plan
Inventory managementIncluded starting at the Plus planNative item tracking (up to 4,000 items) on every plan; ‘Inventory Plus’ add-on optional on Growing/Established
Mobile app rating (iOS)4.7/5 (~265K ratings)4.6/5 (~1.7K ratings)

Verified September 18, 2026Prices recorded from each vendor’s own pricing page. See sources

Total cost of ownership: QuickBooks vs Xero for your team

Estimate built from the published starting rate shown above (as of Sep 2026). Excludes add-ons, usage overages, and negotiated discounts.

Editorial assessment

Pros & cons

QuickBooks

Pros

  • Large ecosystem of integrations and accountants/bookkeepers familiar with the platform
  • Inventory tracking and project profitability tools built into mid/upper tiers
  • Highly rated, feature-rich mobile app with a huge review base

Cons

  • Strict per-plan user caps (e.g., 1 user on Simple Start)
  • Reviewers frequently cite price increases at renewal
  • Multi-currency and inventory require upgrading to higher-priced tiers

Xero

Pros

  • Unlimited users included on every plan, even the entry tier
  • Clean, intuitive interface rated highly for ease of use and invoicing
  • Multi-currency support available without needing a third-party add-on

Cons

  • Entry-level plan caps monthly invoices/quotes (20) and bills (5)
  • Advanced multi-channel inventory needs the Inventory Plus add-on (not available on Early)
  • Multi-currency is restricted to the most expensive plan

Choose QuickBooks if…

Choose QuickBooks if you want built-in inventory and project tracking, plan to keep a small number of billable users, and want the widest network of accountants and integrations.

Choose Xero if…

Choose Xero if you have multiple people who need login access without per-user fees, prioritize a simpler interface, and don’t need multi-currency on a lower-cost plan.

Verified data

QuickBooks vs Xero: security, offline & remote work

How QuickBooks and Xero compare on compliance reports, sign-in controls, offline access and the setup details that matter for remote, hybrid and in-office teams. Every value links to the vendor page it came from.

What we checkedQuickBooksXero
Security & compliance
SOC 2 reportSOC 2 Type IIsourceSOC 2 reportType not stated by vendorsource
ISO/IEC 27001Not publishedCertifiedsource
Other certificationsNot publishedPCI DSS v4.0 (SAQ A; Level 2 merchant)source
HIPAA (BAA)Not publishedNot published
GDPR data processing agreementNot publishedDPA offeredsource
Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Not publishedNot published
SCIM user provisioningNot publishedNot published
Two-factor authenticationYessourceYesEnforcement: All plans (MFA is mandatory for all users)source
Admin audit logYesAll plans, including QuickBooks Online FreesourceNot published
Data residency choicesNot publishedNot published
Encryption128-bit SSL encryptionsourceEncryption in transit and at rest (algorithms not stated)source
Self-hosting optionNot publishedNot published
Offline access
Offline modeNeeds a connectionQuickBooks Online needs an internet connection in both the browser and the mobile apps; Intuit points offline users to the separate QuickBooks Desktop product.sourcePartialIn the Xero mobile app you can draft invoices and capture receipts offline and they sync when you reconnect; everything else, including the web app, needs an internet connection.source
Desktop appsNot publishedNot published
Mobile appsiOS, AndroidsourceiOS, Androidsource
Remote, hybrid & in-office
IP allowlistingNot publishedNot published
Device & session controlsNot publishedNot published
Office & room hardwareQuickBooks Payments supports in-person card payments through the QuickBooks GoPayment app with a Bluetooth QuickBooks Card Reader.sourceTap to Pay in the Xero Accounting app (powered by Stripe) takes contactless in-person payments for invoices with no extra hardware or terminal.source
Editorial assessment

What this means for your team

  • Audit reports: both state a SOC 2 report on their own sites, but not the same kind: QuickBooks (Type II) and Xero (type not stated). Xero also holds ISO/IEC 27001. A Type I report checks controls at a single point in time; a Type II report tests them over months. If your security team requires Type II, confirm it with Xero, and ask each vendor for the latest report under NDA.
  • Working offline: Xero works offline only in part; QuickBooks needs an internet connection. Details are in the Offline mode row above.
  • In the office: QuickBooks: QuickBooks Payments supports in-person card payments through the QuickBooks GoPayment app with a Bluetooth QuickBooks Card Reader. Xero: Tap to Pay in the Xero Accounting app (powered by Stripe) takes contactless in-person payments for invoices with no extra hardware or terminal.

QuickBooks: worth knowing

  • RemoteQuickBooks Online is browser-based: data can be reached from any computer with a supported browser and an internet connection, with high-speed recommended. source
  • SecurityThe audit log keeps user sign-ins and changes for two years, which lets owners review what remote staff or outside accountants changed. source
  • OfflineNot every QuickBooks Online feature is available in the mobile apps or on a mobile browser. source

Xero: worth knowing

  • RemoteXero runs in the browser and mobile apps with multiple users working at the same time, but it needs an internet connection. source
  • SecurityXero's SOC 2 reports and ISO 27001 certificate are available to logged-in customers on request; the SOC 2 report type is not stated publicly. source
  • SecurityPayroll employees and Xero portal/Ask portal users don't have to set up MFA; everyone else with access to a paid subscription does. source

Checked September 19, 2026 against each vendor’s own trust center, help docs and app pages. Hover or tap “source” to see the exact wording we relied on. “Not published” means we could not find the vendor saying it on its own site; it doesn’t mean the feature is missing. Plan names are the lowest plan the vendor says includes the feature. Security · Offline · Remote vs office · Download the data

Making the switch?

Read our step-by-step migration guides

We mapped out exactly what transfers automatically and what you will need to rebuild by hand, in both directions.

Switching from QuickBooks Online to Xero → Switching from Xero to QuickBooks Online →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is QuickBooks?

QuickBooks is a small-business accounting software for invoicing, bookkeeping, and financial reporting.

What is Xero?

Xero is a cloud accounting platform for small businesses to manage invoicing, bank reconciliation, and bookkeeping.

How much does QuickBooks cost compared to Xero?

QuickBooks starts at $38/mo (Simple Start, 1 billable user), while Xero starts at $27/mo (Early, unlimited users).

Which has better reviews on G2, QuickBooks or Xero?

QuickBooks holds a 4.0/5 (~3,878 reviews) rating on G2, compared to Xero at 4.4/5 (~1,832 reviews).

Who should choose QuickBooks?

Choose QuickBooks if you want built-in inventory and project tracking, plan to keep a small number of billable users, and want the widest network of accountants and integrations.

Who should choose Xero?

Choose Xero if you have multiple people who need login access without per-user fees, prioritize a simpler interface, and don’t need multi-currency on a lower-cost plan.

Ready to pick one?

See live pricing directly from each vendor before you decide.

See QuickBooks pricing See Xero pricing

Canonical data for the tools on this page

Every pricing fact, rating, AI billing model and switching guide we hold on each tool, on one page, with the date each figure was last verified.

QuickBooksPricing, free plan, AI cost & every comparison›XeroPricing, free plan, AI cost & every comparison›
Xero vs FreshBooksHead-to-head comparisonQuickBooks vs FreshBooksHead-to-head comparison

Sources

Prices on this page were recorded from each vendor’s own pricing page on the date shown at the top of the page. Vendors change pricing often — check the live source before you buy.

Every figure is also in our open dataset (JSON and CSV, CC BY 4.0), with its source page and verification date. See how we research pricing.

Cite this page: HelpCompare, “QuickBooks vs Xero”, helpcompare.com/quickbooks-vs-xero/ (updated ).

Source links on this site are checked every month; last check . How sources are checked.

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01 · CompareWhich tool fits your team, side by side.132 comparisons 02 · Price & approveSourced, dated pricing and a one-page brief for sign-off.Decision brief 03 · SwitchWhat moves, what you rebuild, what it costs.264 guides 04 · ShareDownload and cite the data. CC BY 4.0.Open data
Bill Belcamino, founder of HelpCompare
About the author

Bill Belcamino

Founder and author, HelpCompare

Engineer by training, operator by experience, marketer by choice. Bill spent eight and a half years as an engineer at HP, was COO of Auctiva (the number one third-party selling platform on eBay, past 200,000 users) and ran Google’s $70M/year search syndication partnership at Alot.com. Then he spent 13 years building his own web properties with his own money at stake. He has bought, trialled, integrated and cancelled more SaaS tools than he can count, and started HelpCompare because the real cost of switching tools is the part nobody covers.

“I’ve sat on both sides of the table: the agency recommending the tool and the client paying for it.”

Researched and fact-checked by the HelpCompare team. Pricing on this page was last verified on September 18, 2026. No paid sponsorships, no affiliate commissions.

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