Prices checked: November 2026
You’ve narrowed your accounting software down to two names, and they are the two everyone mentions: QuickBooks and Xero. Both will keep your books tidy. The real question is which one fits your team, your budget and your accountant.
QuickBooks Online is the tool most US accountants already use, and in 2026 it even has a free plan for very small businesses. Xero charges no per-user fees on any plan, so the whole team can log in for one price.
We checked both official pricing pages in November 2026, compared the plans line by line and picked a winner in each area that matters.
Here’s how they compare, and which one to pick.
Quick answer
- Choose QuickBooks Online if: your accountant works in QuickBooks, you want phone support, or you need inventory, payroll and deeper reports in one place.
- Choose Xero if: several people need access to the books, you want a simpler screen, or you want to keep costs low as you grow.
- Our pick for most small businesses: Xero Growing. At $59 a month with unlimited users and unlimited invoices, it covers what most small teams need for less than half the price of QuickBooks Plus.
- Cheapest option: QuickBooks’ new $0 plan if you send 2 invoices a month or fewer; otherwise Xero Early at $27 a month.
QuickBooks vs Xero at a Glance
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online | Businesses that work closely with a US accountant | Yes, very limited (1 user, 2 invoices a month) | $38/mo (Simple Start) |
| Xero | Growing teams that want unlimited users | No (intro discounts instead) | $27/mo (Early) |
| Feature | QuickBooks | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| 5-person team | $140/mo (Plus) | $59/mo (Growing) |
| Users | 1 to 25 by plan | Unlimited |
| Free trial | 30 days | None listed |
| AI | Intuit Intelligence, more on higher plans | JAX; auto reconcile from Growing |
| Switching in | No Xero import tool found | Free QuickBooks conversion (eligible users) |
| Support | Phone and chat | Online, plus 90-day coach |
Prices checked November 2026. Both tools bill monthly (QuickBooks offers no annual contract), and prices exclude intro discounts. The 5-person team price uses the cheapest plan that allows 5 users: QuickBooks Plus includes 5 users, and Xero Growing includes unlimited users.
QuickBooks Online: Overview
Best for: Small businesses that want the accounting tool most US accountants know, with phone support and room to grow to 25 users
QuickBooks Online is Intuit’s cloud accounting software and the default pick for a lot of US small businesses. Its AI, branded Intuit Intelligence, is included in every paid plan and gets more capable as you move up: it sorts transactions, flags deductions and answers questions about your numbers in a chat window.
The catch is per-user pricing. Simple Start allows 1 user, Essentials 3 and Plus 5. A 4-person landscaping company would need Essentials at $85 a month just to give everyone a login, but it would also get bill management and better reports.
Key Capabilities
- Automated bookkeeping: Connects to your bank and card accounts and categorizes transactions so you review instead of type.
- Intuit Intelligence: AI chat for questions about your books on every paid plan (limited beta on Simple Start), with more AI tools on Essentials, Plus and Advanced.
- Inventory and project profitability: Included on Plus, along with budgeting and up to 40 classes and locations.
- Built-in payroll option: Intuit sells payroll and accounting together, so pay runs and books live in one system.
- Free accountant seats: 2 accountant users on most plans and 3 on Advanced.
Pros
- Most US accountants and bookkeepers already know it
- A $0 plan for the very smallest businesses
- Phone support on paid plans
- Scales up to 25 users and custom permissions on Advanced
Cons
- Per-user caps push you into pricier plans fast
- Big price jumps: $38, $85, $140, then $340 a month
- Users often complain about regular price increases
- Free plan allows just 2 invoices and 1 bank connection
Plans & Pricing
- Free: $0/month. 1 user, 2 invoices a month, 3 reports and 1 bank connection, chat support only.
- Free trial: 30 days on paid plans. Intuit also advertises 50% off the first 3 months instead.
- Simple Start: $38/month (billed monthly; no annual plan). 1 user plus 2 accountants.
- Essentials: $85/month. 3 users plus 2 accountants, bill management and more AI tools.
- Plus: $140/month. 5 users plus 2 accountants, budgets, inventory and project profitability.
- Advanced: $340/month. 25 users plus 3 accountants, custom permissions, workflows, Excel sync and priority support.
Xero: Overview
Best for: Small businesses that want unlimited users, a clean interface and lower costs as the team grows
Xero is a cloud accounting platform built in New Zealand and used by small businesses around the world. Every plan includes unlimited users, so your bookkeeper, your accountant and your office manager can all log in without raising the bill.
Its AI is called JAX, and Xero’s auto bank reconciliation (on Growing and above) matches routine transactions for you and flags the rest. A small online shop could let Xero match its daily Stripe payouts and spend 10 minutes a week on the few exceptions.
Key Capabilities
- Unlimited users: No per-user license fees on Early, Growing or Established.
- Auto bank reconciliation: Matches high-confidence transactions automatically on Growing and Established (a $5 a month add-on on Early).
- Smart Document Capture: Reads bills and receipts and pulls the details into Xero.
- Cash flow forecasting: 30 days on Early, up to 180 days on Established.
- Multi-currency and projects: Included on the Established plan.
Pros
- Unlimited users on every plan
- Cheaper than QuickBooks for teams of 3 or more
- Clean, simple interface that reviewers rate highly
- Free conversion from QuickBooks Online for eligible customers
Cons
- Early plan caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills a month
- No phone support line, help is online
- Payroll is a separate Gusto add-on
- Fewer US accountants use it than QuickBooks
Plans & Pricing
- Free trial: No standard free trial listed. Xero currently offers 80% off your first 3 months instead.
- Early: $27/month (billed monthly). 20 invoices and quotes, 5 bills, 30-day cash flow forecast.
- Growing: $59/month. Unlimited invoices and bills, auto reconciliation and 3 budgets.
- Established: $97/month. Multi-currency, projects, expense claims and a 180-day forecast.
- Payroll add-on: Powered by Gusto, from $36/month plus $6 per person.
Pricing: QuickBooks vs Xero
Xero is cheaper at almost every team size. Xero Growing costs $59 a month as of November 2026 and includes unlimited users. QuickBooks Plus, the cheapest QuickBooks plan with 5 users, costs $140 a month.
- Solo owner, tiny volume: QuickBooks Free ($0) wins if you send 2 invoices a month or fewer.
- Solo owner, regular invoicing: Xero Early ($27) is cheaper than Simple Start ($38), but watch the 20-invoice cap.
- Team of 3 to 5: Xero Growing ($59) against QuickBooks Essentials ($85) or Plus ($140).
Both companies run deep intro discounts (50% off for 3 months at QuickBooks, 80% off for 3 months at Xero), so compare the full price you will pay in month 4.
Winner: Xero, because unlimited users keep the price flat as your team grows.
Ease of Use
Xero has the cleaner, calmer dashboard, and reviewers agree. On G2’s comparison page in November 2026, Xero scores 8.9 out of 10 for ease of use against 8.2 for QuickBooks Online.
QuickBooks is not hard, but it packs in more menus, and users often mention interface changes that move things around. If you are new to accounting software, Xero is the gentler start.
Winner: Xero, because it is simpler to learn and rated easier by users.
AI Features
QuickBooks puts more AI on the table. Intuit Intelligence is included in every paid plan, and higher tiers add more: Advanced, for example, adds Finance AI and Project Management AI.
Xero’s JAX focuses on the daily grind: auto reconciliation, reading bills and receipts, and spotting cash gaps. It is useful, but auto reconciliation is not included on the $27 Early plan.
Winner: QuickBooks, because it offers a wider set of AI tools inside the plans you already pay for.
Invoicing, Reports and Inventory
Both handle the basics well: invoices, bills, bank feeds, reconciliation and standard reports. The differences show up as you grow.
- QuickBooks Plus adds inventory tracking, project profitability, budgeting and up to 40 classes and locations.
- QuickBooks Advanced adds custom permissions, automated workflows, batch transactions and Excel sync.
- Xero Established adds multi-currency, projects and expense claims, which QuickBooks only matches on higher tiers.
- Xero Early limits you to 20 invoices and 5 bills a month, so most active businesses need Growing.
Winner: QuickBooks, because its reporting and inventory tools go deeper for product businesses. Xero wins if you bill in several currencies.
Integrations and Payroll
Xero says its App Store has more than 1,000 certified apps (August 2026), and QuickBooks also has a large app marketplace with connections to Shopify, Stripe, PayPal and most popular tools. Both connect to Claude and ChatGPT in some form.
Payroll is where they split. QuickBooks sells payroll and accounting together from Intuit. Xero’s US payroll runs through Gusto at $36 a month plus $6 per person, a strong payroll tool but a second system to manage.
Tie: both connect to the apps a small business uses, though QuickBooks is the easier choice if you want payroll from the same company.
Support
QuickBooks offers phone support on paid plans, and Advanced customers get priority support. Xero support is online, through Xero Central and support tickets, with a free 90-day Xero Coach to help you set up.
Reviewers still rate Xero’s support well (8.3 out of 10 on G2, against 7.5 for QuickBooks), but if you like to pick up the phone, QuickBooks is the one that lets you.
Winner: QuickBooks, because you can call a person when something breaks.
Which Should You Choose?
- If your accountant already works in QuickBooks, pick QuickBooks Online. Switching away usually costs more than you save.
- If 3 or more people need access to the books, pick Xero Growing and skip per-user fees.
- If you sell physical products and track stock, pick QuickBooks Plus for its inventory tools.
- If you invoice clients abroad in other currencies, pick Xero Established.
- If you send only a couple of invoices a month, start on QuickBooks Free and upgrade later.
- If you want phone support and payroll from one company, pick QuickBooks Online.
Not Sold on Either?
Zoho Books has a real free plan, FreshBooks is built for freelancers who bill by the hour, and Wave gives solo owners free invoicing. Compare all of them in our guide to the best AI bookkeeping software.
FAQs
Is Xero cheaper than QuickBooks?
Usually, yes. As of November 2026, Xero starts at $27 a month and its Growing plan costs $59 a month with unlimited users, while QuickBooks starts at $38 a month for 1 user and charges $140 a month for 5 users on Plus. QuickBooks is only cheaper if its limited $0 plan covers your needs.
Can I move from QuickBooks to Xero?
Yes. Xero offers free conversion from QuickBooks Online for eligible US customers through its partner Q2X by Xendoo. Ask your accountant to review the opening balances after the move.
Which is easier for beginners, QuickBooks or Xero?
Xero is generally easier for beginners. Its dashboard is simpler, and G2 users rate it 8.9 out of 10 for ease of use against 8.2 for QuickBooks Online.
Does QuickBooks have a free plan?
Yes. QuickBooks Online now has a $0 plan for 1 user with 2 invoices a month, 3 reports and 1 bank connection. Paid plans also come with a 30-day free trial.
Do accountants prefer QuickBooks or Xero?
In the US, more accountants and bookkeepers work in QuickBooks Online. Xero is very popular with accountants in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and many US firms support both.
Does Xero have payroll in the US?
Yes, through Gusto. Xero’s US payroll add-on costs $36 a month plus $6 per person as of November 2026.
Final Thoughts
Ask your accountant which tool they prefer, then put your last month of real transactions into that one. If you have no accountant yet and more than two people need access, start with Xero Growing.
Still comparing tools? See our picks for the best AI bookkeeping software, or read the AI tool stack to run a one-person business.