Xero or QuickBooks?

[kdbbiz 15]

Hey all. Just a quick question for you. I have been contemplating adding bookkeeping to my services and have been watching Ben Robinson's free webinar series. For day 2 he recommended Xero over QuickBooks and I just wondered what other opionions were.

 

I have used QuickBooks a little, FreshBooks a little(for myself), and was trained a long time ago with Simply Accounting(is that even around anywhere anymore? LOL) So if I do not have to spend time learning a new system, it might give my brain a break, Not sure about you but I already have a list of things to study and every day it seems like I find something else to bookmark and get back to.

 

So what I was wondering was if you all could just share the pros, cons and what-not for each so I could have a better understanding before making a decision. Thanks! I appreciate it.

[Lily Chambers 618]

I'm certified in QB because most us-based business seem to prefer it. I am looking into learning Xero, though, because more and more folks are using it.

 

I HATE QB online due to much less reporting options and less flexibility in changing things up to suit your needs (payroll, etc.) That being said, you probably need to learn it as it is being pushed very hard by Intuit.

 

Short version - brush up on QB Desktop, LEARN QB online (which is so basic it's not difficult to pick up fairly quickly if you are familiar with desktop) and consider learning Xero so that your capabilities are more flexible.

 

It makes my brain hurt, too.

[lstegemiller 9]

I just did a little research into the whole Xero vs. Quickbooks debate and it seems as though Xero is stepping it up and becoming a huge competitor to Quickbooks. From what I gathered in reading different articles, it looks as though Xero is primarily used for mobile use though. Personally I would recommend sticking with the QuickBooks Desktop version, because just like @lilychambers stated above, she HATES QB online and I have heard that many others would like to stay away from the differing cloud softwares as well.

 

Here are a few articles I found if you would like to check them out and read for yourself to decide what may be more useful and better suit your needs.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/technology/2015/05/quickbooks-vs-xero-which-is-best.html?page=all

http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/finance-accounting/2014/09/03/xero-vs-quickbooks-battle-for-your-small-business-accounting/

 

 

Also, if you find yourself needing a file sharing/collaboration tool, I have to recommend that you check out Qbox. So many users love it and wish that they would have heard about it sooner.

 

I hope these articles are helpful in some way and that they make it easier for you to make a decision!

Edited April 4, 2016 by Danielle

[filipinova 19]

I would recommend XERO

Xero is remarkably easy to use. It’s so well designed that I actually find myself smiling when using it … and that’s praise I don’t readily give to accounting software, especially after I’ve been testing it for a few hours. The layout makes sense, navigation is generally efficient, and the knowledge base is comprehensive and well-organized.

QuickBooks Online is laid out quite intuitively, but since the redesign in 2013, the program has suffered from a lack of efficiency, along with some minor bugs. Navigation sometimes includes unnecessary steps and there is no comprehensive knowledge base

[monika 4]

Xero or QuickBooks, what is good fit for your business depends on your business requirements and your geography since both are fully featured accounting software. Xero, a market leaders for accounting software in New Zealand, makes it a better option for New Zealanders and Australians, whereas QuickBooks is best suited for Americans and Canadians.

 

Thanks,

Monika

Senior Tax Consultant

Ace Cloud Hosting

[ryanpbrockman 2]

Hello all!

 

Well I prefer Xero over QuickBooks. I think Xero is the best option. Lets try to explain you why it is best.

 

Bank reconciliation made simple - The ease of reconciling bank accounts is the primary difference between Xero and Quick Books Online. The accuracy of your bank account(s) is very important. Money going in and out needs to be recorded in a timely manner.

Both products allow its users to sync bank accounts and download bank transactions. This allows you to match previously recorded transactions with the bank transaction with the click of a button.

But Xero is better in ever way

Easy dashboard access. When you log into Xero, you immediately go to your dashboard where your bank and credit card accounts are listed. Under each account is a blue tab that tells you to reconcile x number of bank transactions. With this reminder, you are more likely to reconcile a few transactions daily instead of copious transactions at month end.

Matching transactions. If transactions can’t be matched, Xero offers its best recommendations. QuickBooks Online has more of a search engine for matching transactions.

“Discuss” tab. On the bank reconciliation screen in Xero, there is a “Discuss” tab for all downloaded bank transactions. If you aren’t sure how to classify something, type a question here and save it. You can then alert your accountant or bookkeeper, and he can tell you how it should be classified. It’s easier to do it right the first time instead of fixing later.

Still, if you are in doubt, then you may seek the advice of well-known bookkeeper professional 'Kevin Beck' or contact via http://www.pacificaccounting.com.au/. He will definitely guide you right and available for you all the time.. I really learnt a lot from him...He is like my mentor..

[LindaH 52]

I prefer QuickBooks over Xero, but I use the desktop version on a cloud-based server. I dislike the QuickBooks Online as QuickBooks did a disservice to its customers by creating QuickBooks Online.

[Mark1234 1]

i prefer quickbooks over zero. Because i find the interface very friendly.Qb facilitates more smooth file sync and transfers. We.. , i have seen most of my colleagues using xero, but as far as i am concerned Qb is most used in The united states.

 

 

Thanks, Mark Johnshon

Edited January 22, 2016 by Danielle

[quickbooks2016 0]

I suggest you Quickbooks Accounting software for the Small Business. If you have big business you can use Sage 50 Software. I am using quickbooks last 2 years and My friend is using sage 50 last 6 months. so choose you software for your requirement...

[LorenceMerk 9]

Xero is so new to me although I've read so many good reviews about it. So far we're still sticking to Quickbooks desktop version because we've been using it for years. I'm now intrigue to learn Xero pretty soon.

[jessicacain 10]

I can’t predict which one is best for you because some find Xero is risky and some say it built inherently with mobile. But when it comes to me I prefer QB over zero. Both of them are capable to fulfill the specific needs of small business accounting, it depends on you what will fit to you and if then also you have any doubt then just go for a free trail.

 

Thanks,

Jessica,

[chris_hardy 10]

Quickbooks, Xero, Sage all are so useful bookkeeping software's but I prefer Zipbooks. We are running a real estate business. As we are very new in business so we want to spend less for maintaining accounting services. Our AIPB certified bookkeeper also support that. Quickbooks interface is more user friendly than xero I think. But reporting system of Quickbooks is not open always that why some people don't like QB.

[Keddy Daniel 1]

I would suggest for Xero cloud computing software. It allows driving your business online from anywhere around the world with just one click instance.It also works on iPhone & Android mobile apps. It is one of the easiest bookkeeping software tools to operate all your business transactions like managing invoice, bank reconciliation, bill payments, receipts, purchase orders, invoicing expenses & much more. 

[Booker 0]

I have used QuickBooks a little, FreshBooks myself but I recently switch over to    https://bookkeeping.com/ its basically a service where they handle all of your bookkeeping you simply just send them your receipts and bank statements. Otherwise the other options are QuickBooks if you personally would like to take care of your bookkeeping. 

[AdrianG001 0]

The main difference between Xero vs QuickBooks hosting Online is that Xero is still catching up to some of QuickBooks Online’s functionality, like mobile functionality, ease of use, and general feature availability. However, Xero is known for its simplicity, and their newly formed aggressive development schedule, offering new features and functionality at a fast pace.

 

For Bank Feeds, With QuickBooks Cloud you simply add a new account right from the online banking dialogue in the Account drop-down and with Xero you have to go back out to the chart of accounts, add the account, then come back and add the transaction from online banking.

 

Personally I would recommend sticking with the Hosted QuickBooks Desktop version.

 

Regards,

Adrian Gates