Accounting software: compare, trial and get set up
The right accounting software should make your everyday records easier to maintain and explain. Start with your requirements, compare the relevant plans, then test the awkward transactions before moving a live business.
Compare any two products and calculate your full software cost →
These guides cover 11 product families and the choices around them. Use the comparison tool for any of the 55 pairings, or follow the detailed articles for common shortlists. Product information was checked on 9 September 2026 against official Australian documentation.
After choosing, keep going: a trial, complete cost calculation and a checked migration are part of getting useful books. The guides distinguish bank data from reconciliation and report preparation from actual lodgement.
Start with the business and budget
Choose the operating arrangement before the brand. Compare the full cost and the limits you would actually encounter.
Best Accounting Software Australia (2026): 11 Compared
Our picks from 11 accounting packages for Australian small business, with October 2026 prices, a payroll, BAS, bank feed and stock feature table and our method.
17 min readAccounting Software for Sole Traders: Choose by the Work
Choose accounting software for your Australian sole-trader business. Compare simple invoicing, GST, bank feeds, free options and plans for your first employee.
3 min readBest Free Accounting Software in Australia (2026)
Compare 9 free accounting apps for Australian businesses (October 2026): free-tier limits, bank feeds, GST and BAS, free STP payroll and the catch with each one.
18 min readXero Alternatives Australia (2026): Cheaper Options Compared
Cheaper Xero alternatives in Australia (October 2026): 11 options from free, the yearly saving against Xero Grow, payroll costs and when to stay on Xero.
12 min readAccounting Software Costs: Compare the Full Three-Year Price
Calculate the real cost of accounting software after promotions, payroll, add-ons and setup. Includes a three-year worked example and a free calculator.
3 min read
Explore cloud accounting and solo-service tools
Read how the products work, which plans matter and what to demonstrate before paying.
Xero Australia: Features, Plans and Everyday Bookkeeping
A detailed guide to Xero in Australia: all eight plans, invoices, bank reconciliation, payroll, GST, projects, inventory and limits, with vendor screenshots.
11 min readMYOB Business Lite vs Pro (2026): Limits and Costs
MYOB Business Lite vs Pro: bank, payroll and stock limits, costs with the 1 November 2026 payroll rise, who each plan suits and the signs it's time to upgrade.
13 min readQuickBooks Online Australia (2026): Plans and Pricing
QuickBooks costs $33 to $125 a month in Australia (October 2026). Standard vs 70%-off prices, first-year costs, payroll from $6 per employee and the free trial.
20 min readReckon One Australia: Accounting, Payroll and Features
A detailed Reckon One guide with screenshots, accounting and payroll plans, invoices, bank reconciliation, projects, reports and Australian BAS checks.
7 min readZoho Books Australia: Features, Free Plan and Daily Use
Explore Zoho Books for Australia with screenshots, free-plan limits, invoices, banking, projects, inventory, automation and the local payroll/BAS boundaries.
8 min readRounded Australia: Invoices, Time, Expenses and BAS
See how Rounded works for Australian sole traders, with screenshots of invoicing, time and expenses, plus Starter/Pro limits, banking and BAS explained.
7 min readFreshBooks Australia: Invoicing, Projects and Local Limits
A detailed FreshBooks guide with screenshots, client and plan limits, proposals, time tracking, expenses, bank reconciliation and Australian payroll checks.
7 min read
Consider desktop and stock-focused workflows
Check Windows requirements, single-user limits, recovery and the work you will do with an adviser.
MYOB AccountRight: Desktop, Browser, Stock and Payroll
Explore MYOB AccountRight Plus and Premier, with screenshots, desktop-versus-browser differences, inventory, payroll, reporting and the 2026 offline changes.
11 min readManager Accounting: Free Desktop, Cloud and Features
Explore Manager's accounting features with screenshots: free desktop versus paid cloud, invoices, inventory, bank reconciliation, reports and file backups.
7 min readGnuCash for Small Business: Features, Screens and Limits
Explore GnuCash with screenshots of its ledger, invoices and reports. Learn how double-entry records, imports, backups and Australian reporting fit together.
7 min readCashflow Manager Gold: Features, Screens and Daily Use
Explore Cashflow Manager Gold with invoice, stock and BAS screenshots, payroll features, Windows requirements, bank-feed costs and practical backup checks.
7 min read
Compare your two finalists
These detailed comparisons explain the decisions behind the feature table, including payroll, access and reporting handovers.
Xero vs MYOB (2026): Which Is Better for Your Business?
Xero vs MYOB for Australian small business: a 15-point table, yearly costs at 0 to 10 staff with MYOB's 1 November payroll rise, category winners and FAQs.
12 min readXero vs QuickBooks Australia: Payroll, Plans and Practical Fit
Compare Xero and QuickBooks Online for Australian small business. Understand payroll packaging, user limits, projects and the trial tasks that reveal fit.
3 min readXero vs Reckon One: Cost, Payroll and Bookkeeping Compared
Compare Xero with Reckon One in Australia. Look beyond subscription prices to payroll, BAS preparation, integrations and the work required each month.
3 min readMYOB Business vs QuickBooks Online: An Australian Comparison
Compare MYOB Business Lite and Pro with QuickBooks Online. Check bank accounts, users, payroll charges and project needs before choosing your subscription.
3 min readMYOB Business vs Reckon One: Which Setup Fits Your Business?
Compare MYOB Business and Reckon One for bookkeeping, payroll, bank accounts and BAS. Use a clear trial plan to assess total cost and everyday usability.
3 min readQuickBooks vs Reckon One: Users, Projects and Australian Costs
Compare QuickBooks Online and Reckon One for Australian businesses. Review users, reporting, payroll integrations and the tasks to test before switching.
3 min readXero vs Rounded: A Practical Choice for Australian Sole Traders
Compare Xero and Rounded for sole traders. See how invoicing, GST, bank feeds, payroll and future growth affect the plan you should actually trial.
3 min readZoho Books vs QuickBooks Australia: Free Limits and Paid Plans
Compare Zoho Books and QuickBooks Online in Australia. Understand free-plan limits, bank feeds, users, payroll and integration work before committing.
3 min readManager vs GnuCash: Comparing Free Desktop Accounting
Compare Manager and GnuCash for Australian small-business bookkeeping. Understand freeware, open source, invoices, backups, reporting and adviser handover.
3 min readMYOB Online vs Desktop: Business and AccountRight Explained
Compare MYOB Business Lite/Pro with AccountRight, and understand which desktop and browser features share a file, need Windows or require migration.
10 min readXero vs Zoho Books Australia: Pricing, Payroll and Integrations
Compare Xero and Zoho Books for Australian small businesses. Check free-plan eligibility, payroll, BAS workflows and the cost of connected applications.
3 min read
Test, migrate and build the routine
Bring a small example into each trial, preserve the old records and confirm the first reporting cycle.
Accounting Software Trial Checklist: Test Before You Buy
Use the same practical tasks to trial accounting software: invoices, bills, bank reconciliation, reports, access and exports. Includes a printable scorecard.
3 min readAccounting Bank Feeds: Coverage, Imports and Reconciliation
Understand what bank feeds do and what they don't. Check Australian account support, missing transactions, duplicates, access and statement reconciliation.
3 min readBest Accounting Software with Inventory in Australia (2026)
Which accounting plans track stock in Australia (October 2026): Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB, Zoho, Reckon and Cashflow Manager prices, add-on apps and a stock checklist.
12 min readSwitch Accounting Software: An Australian Business Checklist
Move accounting software without losing track of balances, invoices or records. Plan the cutover, test the conversion and keep a usable archive before cancelling.
4 min readXero Setup Checklist for a New Business (Get It Right First Time)
Step-by-step Xero setup checklist for a new Australian business: GST basis, chart of accounts, bank feeds, payroll and the 5 settings people get wrong.
9 min readMYOB bookkeeping checklist: a practical month-end routine
Use this MYOB month-end checklist to reconcile accounts, review unpaid invoices and GST reports, and prepare clear records for your bookkeeper or BAS agent.
4 min read
Practise before choosing a subscription
Use the same fictitious transactions to compare workflows, course exercises and the reports you can retrieve.
Check the imported records
Inspect feed duplicates, gaps and opening balances before accepting a migrated set of books.
Duplicate bank feed transactions: check before deleting
Tell duplicate bank feed lines from duplicate ledger entries and real repeated payments. Follow an evidence-first decision tree before correcting the books.
3 min readMissing bank feed transactions: fill the gap safely
Find the exact gap in a bank feed, check pending payments and import missing statement lines without duplicating transactions that are already present.
4 min readCheck opening balances after moving accounting systems
Verify migrated bank, invoice, supplier, tax and owner balances. Use a sign-off matrix to compare the old records, opening figures and supporting documents.
4 min readLock a bookkeeping period and handle later corrections
Protect finished bookkeeping with report baselines, lock dates and a correction log. Follow a late-bill example through approval, tax review and rechecking.
4 min read
Check prices and learn the software
See what each plan really costs over a year, including payroll, then find training that matches your role.
Xero Pricing Australia 2026: Plans, Payroll and Add-ons
Xero costs $37 to $500 a month in Australia (October 2026). Compare every plan, the 80% off offer, payroll limits, add-ons, the July 2026 rise and yearly costs.
18 min readMYOB Pricing Australia 2026: Plans, Payroll and Real Costs
MYOB costs $99 a year (Solo) to $210 a month (Premier) as at October 2026. Every plan, promo vs standard prices, the 1 November payroll rise and costs by staff.
16 min readXero Courses in Australia 2026: Free, TAFE and Accredited
Compare Xero courses in Australia (October 2026): free Xero certification, TAFE and private courses from $209 to $792, accredited units and the BAS agent pathway.
14 min read
Quoting, invoicing and job software
Choose invoicing software, or job management software if you run a trade business, and check how it connects to your accounts.
Invoicing Software Australia 2026: Prices and Card Fees
Compare 14 invoicing tools on October 2026 prices, free tiers, card fees, eInvoicing and GST tax invoices, with monthly costs at 10, 50 and 200 invoices.
15 min readJob Management Software for Tradies 2026: Prices Compared
ServiceM8, Tradify, Fergus, AroFlo, Ascora, simPRO and Jobber compared on October 2026 prices, offline use, SWMS forms, Xero/MYOB sync and costs at 1–10 users.
18 min read