QuickBooks Online dominates the U.S. market with 4.5M+ users and deeper integration with American tax software, while Xero leads globally with 24/7 support, stronger multi-currency handling, and superior mobile app ratings (4.7/5 vs 4.2/5).
QuickBooks Online vs Xero — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Enterprise-grade cloud accounting platform with extensive integrations, advanced reporting, and native payroll capabilities.
Cloud-native accounting platform designed for small businesses with intuitive UI and strong mobile-first capabilities.
Global User Base. Mobile App Rating (iOS/Android). Multi-Currency Support. U.S. Tax Software Integration. Customer Support Availability. Starting Price (USD/month). API Rate Limits (monthly calls)
Choose QuickBooks Online if you're a U.S.-based small business prioritizing seamless tax filing integration, payroll management, and need industry-specific features. Choose Xero if you operate internationally, require 24/7 support, need strong multi-currency capabilities, or prefer a more intuitive mobile experience—it's increasingly competitive in the SMB market and outperforms on user experience metrics.
QuickBooks Online: $30 (Simple Start) | Xero: $13-62 depending on plan
QuickBooks Online: 3+ (scalable) | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Yes, included | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Phone, chat, and expert-assisted | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Yes (Advanced plan) | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Available via add-ons | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Enhanced 2026 features | Xero: 61% growth
QuickBooks Online: Limited (separate subscriptions) | Xero: Native multi-entity support
QuickBooks Online: Limited USD focus | Xero: 140+ currencies
QuickBooks Online: 25 users | Xero: Unlimited/Higher
QuickBooks Online: Strong integration | Xero: 68.92%
QuickBooks Online: Deepest in market | Xero: Good but secondary focus
QuickBooks Online: Free (QBO Accountant) | Xero: Separate paid tool
QuickBooks Online: Industry-leading recommendation | Xero: Strong alternative
QuickBooks Online: Unlimited per plan tier | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Unlimited | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Available in higher tiers | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Advanced (Intuit Intelligence, Tax AI beta, batch processing) | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Supported with advanced workflows | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 6 | Xero: 180+ countries
QuickBooks Online: Built-in | Xero: Third-party required
QuickBooks Online: 4.5/5 | Xero: 4.6/5.0
QuickBooks Online: No (add-on $10/user/month) | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Limited/Premium plans only | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 1-2 hours | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: iOS, Android (full-featured) | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: $540/year | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Multiple (Online Plus+) | Xero: 130
QuickBooks Online: Single entity focus | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 2-4 weeks | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Up to 500 SKUs | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: $30/month | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: No (14-day trial only) | Xero: No
QuickBooks Online: Single currency per company | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 10,000+ banks | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 500+ via app marketplace | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 300,000+ certified | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: iOS & Android | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 50+ customizable reports | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Unlimited custom templates | Xero: 12+
QuickBooks Online: Advanced (recurring transactions, bill pay, expense automation) | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Full accounting, reporting, and transaction management | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: $180-$2400 | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: $15/month | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 4.6 million | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 3 users (Essentials plan) | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Full invoicing + real-time sync | Xero: Full capability with offline mode
QuickBooks Online: 5 standard roles | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 4.5M+ users | Xero: 3.7M+ users
QuickBooks Online: 1 (U.S. primary) | Xero: 120+
QuickBooks Online: 160 (limited real-time conversion) | Xero: 200+ with live exchange rates
QuickBooks Online: 10,000 | Xero: 60,000
QuickBooks Online: 50 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm ET) | Xero: 168 (24/7)
QuickBooks Online: Native (Payroll Plus plan included) | Xero: Third-party add-on (Guidepoint, Namely)
QuickBooks Online: Automated (SmartMatch AI) | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Included in plan | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 16,000+ global institutions | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 100+ customizable reports | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: 4.6/5 (89,000 reviews) | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Limited: invoice viewing only | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: Yes, native QuickBooks Payroll | Xero: N/A
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: Comprehensive accounting-focused
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: LLM-powered (2026)
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: Moderate to high
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: Standard tools included
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: Available (Select tier+)
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: $8-15 (Standard plan)
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: 4.7/5 (G2 2024)
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: 5 (Standard), Unlimited (Premium)
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: $13/month
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: Unlimited (all tiers)
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: 60 (standard tier)
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: 1-2 weeks
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: Unlimited organizations
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: Yes (Snap Invoice)
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: 4.7/5 (45K reviews)
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: No (Cloud only)
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: 24-48 hours
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: 50+ customizable reports
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: Full accounting and expense tracking
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: Advanced automation saves ~8 hours
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: Varies by Starter plan
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: Not available
QuickBooks Online: N/A | Xero: Full (multi-user simultaneous editing)
How to choose between QuickBooks Online and Xero
QuickBooks Online vs Xero — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for QuickBooks Online vs Xero. Contains 119 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
QuickBooks Online vs Xero — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for QuickBooks Online vs Xero.
Which is better for U.S. small businesses with employees?
QuickBooks Online is stronger for U.S.-based payroll needs because payroll is bundled into the Pro and Premium plans, with native integration to TurboTax for tax filing. Xero requires separate payroll add-ons from third parties like Guidepoint or Homebase, adding complexity and cost.
Xero offers 24/7 phone, chat, and email support globally, while QuickBooks Online provides support Monday-Friday 9am-6pm ET only. For businesses operating outside U.S. business hours or requiring emergency assistance, Xero is significantly more accessible.
Which is better for international/multi-currency businesses?
Xero is superior for multi-currency operations with 200+ currencies, live exchange rate conversion, and native support in 120+ countries. QuickBooks Online supports 160 currencies but with limited real-time conversion and is primarily optimized for U.S. operations.
What's the real cost difference including add-ons?
QuickBooks Online Pro ($55/month) includes payroll, while Xero Standard ($55/month) requires payroll add-ons ($20-50/month). For basic accounting, Xero Early starts at $11/month vs QB's Simple Start at $35/month—a 68% savings for price-conscious startups.
Xero has a significantly higher mobile rating (4.7/5 vs 4.2/5 stars) with better offline capabilities. Users report Xero's app is more intuitive for receipt capture and on-the-go invoicing, while QuickBooks' app is more feature-heavy but less streamlined.
How to Choose Between QuickBooks Online and Xero
Global User Base: QuickBooks Online has 4.5M+ users (primarily U.S.), while Xero has 3.7M+ users (120+ countries).
Consider: Mobile App Rating (iOS/Android)
Mobile App Rating (iOS/Android): QuickBooks Online has 4.2/5 stars, while Xero has 4.7/5 stars.
Multi-Currency Support: QuickBooks Online has 160 currencies (limited real-time conversion), while Xero has 200+ currencies with live rates.
U.S. Tax Software Integration: QuickBooks Online has Native TurboTax & tax form integration, while Xero has Third-party integrations only.
Customer Support Availability: QuickBooks Online has Monday-Friday 9am-6pm ET (limited), while Xero has 24/7 phone, chat, email support.
Starting Price (USD/month): QuickBooks Online has $35 (Simple Start plan), while Xero has $11 (Early).
Consider: API Rate Limits (monthly calls)
API Rate Limits (monthly calls): QuickBooks Online has 10,000 calls/month (free tier), while Xero has 60,000 calls/month (free tier).