Australia guide · Prices checked in AUD, 18–19 October 2026
Best Accounting Software in Australia (2026): GST, BAS & Payroll
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Short answer
Xero is the strongest all-rounder for Australian small businesses. Every plan tracks GST, lodges BAS and automates super, and payroll is included from Ignite (A$37). MYOB is the local alternative with the cheapest entry points (Solo A$99 a year, Business Lite A$315 a year). QuickBooks has the lowest monthly entry plan (A$33). If budget is everything, Zoho Books is free for businesses with revenue under A$50K a year.
All prices are regular prices in Australian dollars from each provider’s official Australian pricing page, read on 18–19 October 2026. Promotions are noted separately. For other countries, see the best accounting software for small business by country.
What Australian businesses need
Accounting software in Australia has a local to-do list that overseas reviews often skip:
- GST tracking and BAS lodgement, ideally straight from the software.
- Payroll with Single Touch Payroll (STP) if you have employees. The ATO explains reporting on its Single Touch Payroll page.
- Superannuation contributions handled alongside pay runs.
- The real cost of payroll: some plans include it, others charge per employee.
We compared the plans that are actually sold in Australia, in AUD, from each provider’s Australian pricing page. We haven’t run a hands-on test for this guide. For a shortlist for your own business, the finder handles Australian plans and GST.
Australian accounting software at a glance
| Software | Plans (AUD, regular price) | GST / BAS | Payroll | Promotion when checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xero | Ignite $37 · Grow $78 · Comprehensive $107 · Ultimate 10 $143 · Ultimate 20 $180 · Ultimate 50 $250 /mo | Track GST and lodge BAS on every plan | Included: 1 person (Ignite) up to 50 (Ultimate 50); super automation included | 90% off for 3 months (until 2 Nov 2026), or one month free |
| MYOB | Solo $99/yr · Lite $315/yr · Pro $70/mo · AccountRight Plus $165/mo | Solo tracks GST; Lite and above lodge BAS | Lite and Pro +$3/employee/month; unlimited at no extra cost on AccountRight Plus | Up to 70% off (varies by plan) |
| QuickBooks | Simple Start $33 · Essentials $60 · Plus $84 · Advanced $125 /mo | GST pre-lodgement check (Simple Start); GST tracking & BAS e-lodgement listed | QuickBooks Payroll add-on | 70% off for 6 months, or 30-day free trial |
| Zoho Books | Free · Standard $16.50 · Professional $33 · Premium $44 · Elite $181.50 · Ultimate $319 /mo (billed yearly) | GST taxes in the Australian edition | Not listed on the pricing page | Free plan (revenue under A$50K) |
| FreshBooks | Lite $29 · Plus $43 · Premium $60 /mo | Not listed on the pricing page | Not listed | 50% off for 3 months |
Compare these plan by plan, feature by feature, in our comparison table with Australia selected.
Xero: best all-rounder (payroll included)
Xero’s Australian plans bundle the local essentials into every tier. Ignite (A$37) already includes invoicing and quotes, bank reconciliation, GST tracking with BAS lodgement, superannuation automation and payroll for 1 person; its limit is 5 bills. Grow (A$78) adds automatic bill entry, payroll for 2 people and performance dashboards. Comprehensive (A$107) moves to payroll for 5, multi-currency and budgets.
Bigger teams have Ultimate 10, 20 and 50 (A$143, A$180 and A$250), sized by how many people you pay. Ultimate 10 also adds project tracking for 10 users. Like all Xero plans, there are no per-user licence fees for people who log in.
See Xero’s Australian offer (partner link, opens in a new tab)
MYOB: best local option and cheapest entry
MYOB is the home-grown choice, and it has the cheapest entry points on this list. Solo (A$99 a year) is a mobile app for sole traders that tracks GST. Business Lite (A$315 a year) lodges BAS, manages inventory and orders, and adds payroll for up to 2 employees at A$3 a month each. Business Pro (A$70 a month) connects unlimited bank accounts and allows unlimited employees at A$3 each, while AccountRight Plus (A$165 a month) includes unlimited payroll at no extra cost and unlimited inventory.
MYOB’s plan comparison lists Single Touch Payroll and automated super contributions among its payroll features. Multi-currency and a second business need AccountRight Premier, which isn’t priced on the Australian page. Pro and AccountRight Plus offer a 14-day free trial.
QuickBooks: lowest monthly starting price
QuickBooks Australia starts at A$33 a month. Simple Start covers invoices and quotes, income and expenses, 1 user plus your accountant, and a GST “pre-lodgement check”. Essentials (A$60) adds 3 users, multi-currency and supplier bills. Plus (A$84) brings 5 users, project management, inventory tracking and budgeting, and Advanced (A$125) gives 25 users.
Payroll is sold separately as QuickBooks Payroll, so add that cost if you have staff. Multi-currency arrives two tiers earlier than on Xero (Essentials at A$60 vs Comprehensive at A$107). Inventory, though, needs Plus. For a country-by-country price comparison, see Xero vs QuickBooks.
Zoho Books: free for small turnover
Zoho Books has a dedicated Australian edition that handles GST. Its Free plan is open to businesses with revenue under A$50K a year: 1 user plus an accountant, up to 1,000 invoices a year, bank reconciliation and receipt autoscans. Paid plans, billed yearly, are Standard A$16.50 (3 users, bank feeds), Professional A$33 (5 users, projects, inventory, multi-currency), Premium A$44 (10 users, budgeting, fixed assets, cash flow forecasting), Elite A$181.50 and Ultimate A$319.
Payroll isn’t on Zoho Books’ pricing page, so employers will need a separate payroll product. More $0 options are in our best free accounting software guide.
Start Zoho Books free (partner link, opens in a new tab)
FreshBooks: for service businesses that invoice
FreshBooks sells in Australian dollars: Lite A$29 (5 clients), Plus A$43 (50 clients, accounting reports and receipt scanning) and Premium A$60 (unlimited clients), with extra team members at A$16 a month each. It suits consultants and freelancers who bill clients for time.
GST and BAS lodgement aren’t listed on the Australian pricing page, so check how you’d handle BAS before choosing it. Our freelancer guide compares it in more depth.
What isn’t sold in Australia
- Wave — only available to businesses in the US and Canada.
- FreeAgent — UK-only.
- Sage Accounting (the cloud product) — sold in the UK, Ireland, Canada, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, but not listed for Australia.
Which one should you choose?
- Small business with a few employees: Xero Grow or Comprehensive (payroll included).
- Sole trader on a budget: MYOB Solo (A$99 a year) or Zoho Books Free if turnover is under A$50K.
- Lowest monthly price with BAS: QuickBooks Simple Start (A$33) or MYOB Business Lite (A$315 a year).
- Lots of employees: MYOB AccountRight Plus (unlimited payroll included) or Xero Ultimate.
- Selling products online: see our ecommerce guide.
FAQ
What is the best accounting software in Australia?
Xero is the strongest all-rounder: every Australian plan tracks GST, lodges BAS and automates super, and payroll is included from Ignite (A$37 a month). MYOB is the main local alternative and has cheaper entry plans.
Is Xero or MYOB cheaper?
MYOB starts cheaper: Solo is A$99 a year and Business Lite A$315 a year, versus A$37 a month for Xero Ignite. Xero includes payroll on every plan, while MYOB Lite and Pro charge A$3 per employee each month.
Is there free accounting software in Australia?
Zoho Books has a free plan in Australia for businesses with revenue under A$50K a year, with 1 user plus an accountant and up to 1,000 invoices a year. Wave isn’t available in Australia.
Which software lodges BAS?
Xero lists “Track GST and lodge BAS” on every Australian plan, MYOB lists it from Business Lite, and QuickBooks Australia lists GST tracking and BAS e-lodgement. Check each plan’s details before you buy.
