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Xero vs QuickBooks
Both sit in accounting & finance. Here is how they differ on the things you can actually check.
On price: QuickBooks starts $6 a month cheaper than Xero ($19 against $25, 24% less) on its Simple Start tier. Both figures were read from the vendors' own pricing pages on the dates shown below.
Xero
xero.com
Double-entry accounting, bank reconciliation and reporting with unlimited users on every plan and a large integrations marketplace.
Accounting & Finance
Visit XeroQuickBooks
quickbooks.intuit.com
Bookkeeping, invoicing, payroll and tax for small businesses, and the format most accountants expect to receive.
Accounting & Finance
Visit QuickBooks| Xero | QuickBooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $25/mo | $19/mo |
| Entry plan | Early | Simple Start |
| Paid annually | — | — |
| Price checked | 6 Sept 2026 | 21 Sept 2026 |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Free trial |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Category | Accounting & Finance | Accounting & Finance |
| Around since | 2006 | 1983 |
Every price here was read from the vendor's own pricing page, most recently on 21 Sept 2026. Entry tier only — vendors change pricing without notice.
Xero vs QuickBooks, answered
- Is Xero cheaper than QuickBooks?
- No — QuickBooks is the cheaper entry point, at $19 a month against Xero's $25, 24% less.
- Do Xero or QuickBooks have a free plan?
- Neither publishes an ongoing free plan. Check each vendor for a trial.
- What is the difference between Xero and QuickBooks?
- Xero: Double-entry accounting, bank reconciliation and reporting with unlimited users on every plan and a large integrations marketplace. QuickBooks: Bookkeeping, invoicing, payroll and tax for small businesses, and the format most accountants expect to receive.
