Quick answer
For small businesses with staff, the main options are Reckon One Ultimate ($92 a month listed, unlimited payroll), MYOB Business Pro ($70 plus $5 per employee) and Xero Comprehensive ($107, payroll for 5). QuickBooks Essentials ($66) suits up to 3 users. Prices checked 11 November 2026.
How we compared: every price and plan limit on this page was read from the vendor’s own Australian pricing page on 11 November 2026. We have not run hands-on tests of these products for this article, so we do not describe how they feel to use. Rules come from the ATO. This is general information, not tax or financial advice. See our editorial policy.
What is the best accounting software for a small business in Australia?
We compared the platforms most Australian small businesses are offered: Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks, Reckon One and Zoho Books. We chose a plan from each that fits a business with a few staff or a growing invoice volume, and priced them from the vendors’ own pages.
| Best for | Software | From (per month) |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll for a small team, set by plan | Xero Grow | $78 |
| Payroll at $5 per employee, unlimited bank accounts | MYOB Business Pro | $70 |
| Unlimited payroll and inventory on the top plan | Reckon One Ultimate | $92 listed |
| Up to 3 users | QuickBooks Essentials | $66 |
| Free plan, then 3 users from A$16.50 billed annually | Zoho Books Standard | A$16.50 |
How do the mid-tier plans compare on price and limits?
| Plan | Per month | Users / payroll | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Essentials | $66 | 3 users | Multiple currencies, adds bill and recurring features over Simple Start |
| MYOB Business Pro | $70 | Payroll $5 per employee | Unlimited bank accounts, unlimited sales orders, timesheets and rosters; 14-day free trial listed |
| Xero Grow | $78 | Payroll for 2 people | Automated bill entry, expense claims for 1 user, 60-day cash flow forecast |
| QuickBooks Plus | $89.99 | 5 users | Adds project management and profitability, inventory, purchase orders |
| Xero Comprehensive | $107 | Payroll for 5 people | Expense claims for 5 users, 90-day forecast, multiple currencies |
| MYOB AccountRight Plus | $165 | Unlimited payroll | Desktop, web and app; unlimited inventory and stocktake |
Which accounting software should you choose?
- You pay 1 to 5 staff and want payroll bundled in: Xero prices payroll by headcount per plan, so the monthly price covers a set number of people.
- You want payroll priced per employee: MYOB charges $5 a month per employee as an add-on, which can work out cheaper for a very small team.
- Several people need to log in: QuickBooks includes 3 users on Essentials and 5 on Plus.
- You carry stock or run projects: QuickBooks Plus and MYOB AccountRight Plus both list inventory. Xero’s Ultimate plans list project tracking.
Not sure you need all this? Start with our sole trader guide, or compare the two largest head to head in Xero vs MYOB.
What does the ATO require your software to support?
If you pay employees, you must report through Single Touch Payroll, so check that any payroll add-on supports it. If you are GST-registered (required at $75,000 turnover), your invoices must meet the ATO’s tax invoice rules: for sales of $82.50 or more, identify it as a tax invoice and show your identity, ABN, date, description, price and GST. Sales of $1,000 or more also need the buyer’s identity or ABN.
How does Reckon One compare for a business with staff?
Reckon One’s top plan, Ultimate, is listed at $92 a month on its Australian page and includes unlimited payroll and unlimited inventory, plus unlimited users, GST tracking and BAS reporting. Premium ($50 listed) adds timesheets, unlimited projects, advanced reporting and inventory for 1 to 10 items, with payroll as an optional add-on whose price is not shown. Plus ($27 listed) has no timesheets, projects or inventory. All plans list a 30-day free trial and phone and chat support. The promotional prices ($2.70, $5 and $9.20 for the first 6 months) end on 30 November 2026 unless withdrawn earlier, and Reckon says the regular rate may differ from today’s listed price, so confirm before you commit.
What about Zoho Books and FreshBooks?
Zoho Books’ Australian page lists Standard (A$16.50 a month billed annually, 3 users, up to 5,000 invoices a year), Professional (A$33, 5 users) and Premium (A$44, 10 users), plus larger Elite and Ultimate plans and a Free plan for businesses under A$50,000 revenue. Its page did not describe payroll or Single Touch Payroll, so check that before choosing it for a team. FreshBooks’ Australian page shows plans limited by billable clients (5, 50 or unlimited), but we could not find GST or BAS lodgement on it, so we do not recommend it for a GST-registered Australian business unless FreshBooks confirms that support.
How much does it cost as you add staff?
Payroll is where Xero and MYOB price differently. Xero bundles payroll for a set number of people into each plan. MYOB charges $5 a month per employee on top of the plan. QuickBooks lists payroll as a separate step at checkout, and its price was not shown on the page, so it is left out here. These are software costs at list price per month, before payment fees and extras.
| Employees | Xero | MYOB Business Pro ($70 + $5 each) | MYOB Business Lite (about $26.25 + $5 each) | Reckon One Ultimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Grow: $78 | $80 | $36.25 (Lite covers up to 2 employees) | $92 listed, payroll included |
| 3 | Comprehensive: $107 | $85 | Not available, Lite stops at 2 | $92 listed |
| 5 | Comprehensive: $107 | $95 | Not available | $92 listed |
| 10 | Ultimate 10: $143 | $120 | Not available | $92 listed |
| 20 | Ultimate 20: $180 | $170 | Not available | $92 listed |
At small headcounts MYOB works out cheaper on paper, and the gap closes as the team grows. Remember that Xero’s plans also bundle other things, such as cash flow forecasts of 60 to 180 days and expense claims for a set number of users, so cheaper is not always better value for you.
Which extras change the bill?
- Xero: additional expense users cost $5 each, additional project users $7 each, and online bill payments beyond the included number (10 on Comprehensive, 15 on the Ultimate plans) cost $0.35 each. Online invoice payments carry payment fees.
- MYOB: unlimited inventory on Lite and Pro is an add-on at $22 a month, payroll is $5 per employee a month, and AI BAS (in beta) is an extra purchase with no price shown.
- QuickBooks: the plan sets how many users you get (1, 3, 5 or 25), and payroll is chosen separately at checkout.
What does the first year cost on each mid-tier plan?
| Plan | Offer shown | First year | Year two (list price) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xero Grow | 80% off first 3 months ($15.60) | $748.80 | $936 |
| Xero Comprehensive | 80% off first 3 months ($21.40) | $1,027.20 | $1,284 |
| QuickBooks Essentials, monthly | 70% off for 6 months ($19.80) | $514.80 | $792 |
| QuickBooks Essentials, yearly | 50% off for 12 months | $355.99 | $712 |
| QuickBooks Plus, monthly | 70% off for 6 months ($26.99) | $701.88 | $1,079.88 |
| QuickBooks Plus, yearly | 50% off for 12 months | $485.99 | $971.99 |
| MYOB Business Pro | Discounted first months (terms vary) | Check MYOB’s page | $840 |
When is each plan not the right fit?
- Xero Grow: expense claims cover 1 user, and payroll covers only 2 people, so a third employee pushes you to Comprehensive.
- QuickBooks Essentials: 3 users is the limit. Project tracking and inventory start at Plus.
- MYOB Business Pro: inventory beyond the basics is an add-on, and payroll cost rises with every employee.
- Any plan: check how it handles your industry’s invoices (progress claims, deposits, job costing) in a trial before you commit.
How do you run a fair trial?
Pick your two finalists and give each the same week of real work. Enter a week of your actual invoices and bills, connect your bank, produce a BAS report, and ask your bookkeeper or accountant to look at it. MYOB lists a 14-day trial on Pro, QuickBooks 30 days, and Xero a one-month-free option. Then compare the second-year price, not the offer price.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest accounting software for a small business in Australia?
Zoho Books has a Free plan for revenue under A$50,000, then Standard at A$16.50 a month billed annually. Among the mainstream three, MYOB Business Lite at about $26.25 a month and QuickBooks Simple Start at $35.99 list BAS lodgement, with Xero Ignite at $37. Cheapest is not always right if you have staff.
Which accounting software is best for payroll in Australia?
It depends on headcount. Xero includes payroll for 1 person on Ignite, 2 on Grow and 5 on Comprehensive. MYOB charges $5 a month per employee as an add-on on Lite and Pro. QuickBooks lists payroll as a separate checkout step, and its payroll price was not shown on the page.
Is Xero or MYOB better for small business?
Neither wins on every point. Xero bundles payroll by plan size and has plans up to Ultimate. MYOB Pro is $70 a month with unlimited bank accounts and payroll at $5 per employee. See our Xero vs MYOB comparison for plan-by-plan prices and limits.
Can I switch accounting software later?
Yes, but plan for time to move data. Xero says you can switch to a cheaper plan one month after upgrading. QuickBooks says you can cancel any time with no contract, and MYOB says there are no lock-in contracts. Export your records and check with your accountant first.
How many users does each QuickBooks plan include?
QuickBooks’ pricing page lists 1 user on Simple Start, 3 on Essentials, 5 on Plus and 25 on Advanced, with accountant access included. If several people need to log in, that user count affects which plan you need more than the headline price does.
Which software has the cheapest unlimited payroll?
On the pages we checked, Reckon One Ultimate lists unlimited payroll at $92 a month. MYOB charges $5 per employee on top of Business Pro’s $70, so it is cheaper than Reckon only under about four employees. Xero prices payroll by headcount per plan, from $78 for 2 people.
Update log: 11 November 2026. Prices and plan limits rechecked against each vendor’s Australian pages and the ATO’s tax invoice rules. Next check: December 2026.
Sources: Xero Australia pricing, QuickBooks Australia pricing, MYOB Australia pricing, ATO: registering for GST, ATO: tax invoices. Prices checked 11 November 2026.