Short answer: QuickBooks Online and Xero are both online bookkeeping apps that pull in bank transactions and send invoices. QuickBooks Simple Start is $38/mo. Xero's Early plan is $27/mo after a 6-month promo.
Last updated: · 2 tools · How we pick
About this comparison
QuickBooks Online learns how you sort income and expenses, syncs transactions from your bank and sends invoices. Its pricing page also lists a free plan with 1 user and 2 invoices a month.
Xero matches bank transactions to your records, sends quotes and invoices that customers can pay online, and captures bills so you can track what you owe.
Both are rated easy to set up in our listings. If you work with a bookkeeper, ask which one they use before you pick.
The tools
QuickBooks Online
Time saved: variesBookkeeping that learns how to sort transactions, plus invoices.
Time savedVariesAccountingSimple Start $38/moEasy
Xero
Time saved: variesOnline accounting with bank feeds and invoices.
Time savedVariesAccountingFrom $27/moEasy
Compare them side by side
| Tool | What it does | Best for | Price (maker’s site) | Setup | Time saved | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online | Bookkeeping that learns how to sort transactions, plus invoices. | Small businesses and bookkeepers who sort expenses by hand and want their books to sort themselves. | Simple Start $38/mo (a free plan is also listed) | Easy | Maker hasn't shared this | Maker’s page for QuickBooks Online |
| Xero | Online accounting with bank feeds and invoices. | Small businesses and bookkeepers who spend hours matching bank transactions and sending invoices. | From $27/mo (Early plan) after a 6-month promo | Easy | Maker hasn't shared this | Maker’s page for Xero |
Prices are what each maker’s own pricing page showed on Oct 25, 2026. “See site” means the page did not show a clear price. What it does, setup and hours come from our listing and its source. “Our estimate” is our guess from similar tools, not a measured number. The directory is free to search; the tools are paid products from each maker, and prices change often. None of these links pay us.
Who each one fits best
- QuickBooks Online: Small businesses and bookkeepers who sort expenses by hand and want their books to sort themselves.
- Xero: Small businesses and bookkeepers who spend hours matching bank transactions and sending invoices.
From each tool’s page on BusyWorkBots. We don’t pick a winner, and no maker paid to be here.
Questions people ask
Which is cheaper, QuickBooks Online or Xero?
On Oct 25, 2026, Xero's US pricing page showed its Early plan at $27/mo after a 6-month promo. QuickBooks showed Simple Start at $38/mo, often 50% off for 3 months. Check both sites, because promos change.
Is QuickBooks Online free?
QuickBooks lists a free plan with 1 user, 1 bank connection and 2 invoices a month. Its paid plans start with Simple Start at $38/mo. The directory is free to search. The tools themselves are made and priced by each maker.
Which one should my bookkeeper use?
Both work for bookkeepers. Ask yours which app they already know, since switching books takes time.
How does BusyWorkBots pick these?
Every listing links to a real source, a case study, a builder's post, or the maker's page. Numbers from the company selling the tool are labeled as a maker or vendor claim. We don't test every tool.
