Xero vs QuickBooks
QuickBooks starts at £10 a month and Xero at £18, on list prices checked 10 September 2026. Both do the job for most UK small businesses, so the choice usually comes down to three things: what you pay once the introductory discount ends, whether you need CIS, and which one your accountant already uses.
Prices checked 10 September 2026 · List prices per month, excluding VAT
Price, side by side #
| Xero | QuickBooks | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ignite | £18 | Sole Trader | £10 |
| Grow | £39 | Essentials | £38 |
| Comprehensive | £55 | Plus | £56 |
| Ultimate | £70 | ||
A note on sourcing. The Xero figures come from Xero's own pricing page. QuickBooks loads its prices through JavaScript, so those figures come from secondary reporting and should be confirmed on QuickBooks' own page before you rely on them. This site says where a number came from rather than presenting everything as equally certain.
Where they actually differ #
| Xero | QuickBooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest plan | £18 | £10 |
| Entry plan limits | Capped at 20 invoices and 10 bills a month | Sole Trader plan aimed at unincorporated businesses |
| CIS | Available as an add-on | Included from the Sole Trader plan upward |
| Payroll | Included from Grow, priced per person on Ignite | A paid add-on on every plan |
| Users on the entry plan | 1 | 1 |
| Accountant access | Included | Included |
The invoice cap is the thing to check #
Xero's entry plan is capped at 20 invoices and 10 bills a month. That is generous for a consultant billing a handful of clients and immediately restrictive for a trade business invoicing per job.
Hit the cap and you are on the next plan up, which more than doubles the monthly cost. Count your actual invoice volume before choosing, because that single number decides whether Xero costs you £18 or £39 a month.
If you work in construction #
CIS is where these two genuinely diverge. QuickBooks handles CIS deductions from its entry plan. Xero treats it as an add-on.
Whichever you pick, check the software splits labour from materials properly, because CIS is deducted from labour only and getting that wrong underpays subcontractors on every job. Check any deduction against the calculator, and this guide covers what counts as materials.
Which should you pick? #
| If you are | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A sole trader watching cost | QuickBooks Sole Trader | Cheapest entry point of the two, and CIS is included |
| Invoicing heavily | Xero Grow or above | Unlimited invoicing, and the entry plan cap will bite |
| In construction | QuickBooks | CIS included rather than added on |
| Running payroll | Xero Grow or above | Payroll included rather than a separate charge |
| Working with an accountant | Whatever they use | The friction of them learning your platform outweighs the price difference |
That last row matters more than people expect. Most practices standardise on one platform, and going against it usually costs you more in their time than you save on subscription. Ask before you sign up.
Also worth a look #
FreeAgent is free with a NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank or Mettle business account, provided there is at least one transaction a month. For a sole trader that can mean paying nothing at all. FreeAgent against Xero, or against QuickBooks.
Xero or QuickBooks UK: moving between them #
Xero vs QuickBooks UK pricing is what most of this page covers, but the follow-up question is usually about switching. A QuickBooks to Xero conversion UK businesses run is well trodden: both support migration and conversion services exist for moving historic data.
Two practical points. Xero vs QuickBooks Online is the same comparison under QuickBooks' full product name, so you are not missing a third product. And the real constraint on switching is rarely the software: most accountancy practices standardise on one platform and charge more for working outside it, so ask yours before you commit.
The third option #
Sage is the package most often left out of this comparison and is the one an accountant is most likely to already use. It prices on different logic again: unlimited users from its middle plan, but payroll sold separately. See Sage vs Xero and Sage vs QuickBooks.
Common questions #
Is Xero or QuickBooks cheaper in the UK?
On list price QuickBooks starts lower, from £10 a month against £18 for Xero. Both run heavy introductory discounts, so compare the price you will pay in month seven rather than month one.
Does Xero handle CIS?
Yes, through a CIS add-on rather than as standard on every plan. QuickBooks includes CIS handling from its Sole Trader plan upward, which is the more straightforward option for a small construction business.
Which is better for a sole trader?
QuickBooks Sole Trader is the cheapest entry point of the two. FreeAgent is worth checking as well, because it is free with a NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle business account.
Can I switch from QuickBooks to Xero?
Yes. Both support migration and there are conversion services for moving historic data. The practical constraint is your accountant, since most practices standardise on one platform.
Prices change often and introductory offers change more often still. Every figure here is a list price recorded on the date shown, and this site keeps the history rather than overwriting it. Confirm the current price with the vendor before buying.