✅ Updated 2026 — pricing verified

Good accounting software is one of the best investments a self-employed tradie can make. It means less time on admin, fewer missed deductions, easier BAS lodgement and a cleaner handover to your accountant at tax time. Here are the best options for Australian tradies in 2026.

📋 In This Article

  1. →Quick picks by situation
  2. →Best for sole traders — Rounded
  3. →Best for growing businesses — Xero
  4. →Best for tradies with employees — MYOB
  5. →Best for receipt capture — Dext
  6. →Full comparison table
  7. →FAQs

Quick Picks by Situation

Your situationBest pickCost
Sole trader, simple needsRounded$15/month
Most tradies — invoicing + BAS + bank feedsXero$35/month
Have employees, payroll is importantMYOB$27/month
Need receipt capture (add to any of above)Dext$25/month

Best for Sole Traders — Rounded ($15/month)

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Rounded ⭐ Best Value

Purpose-built for Australian sole traders
$15/month
30-day free trial

Rounded is built specifically for Australian sole traders and freelancers. At $15/month it includes invoicing, expense tracking, receipt capture, BAS preparation and income tax estimates. Everything a sole trader tradie needs in one simple app — no bloat, no unnecessary features, just what you actually use.

  • Invoicing with automatic payment reminders
  • Expense tracking with receipt capture
  • Quarterly BAS preparation
  • Income tax estimates throughout the year
  • ATO tax categories built in
Try Rounded Free for 30 Days →

Best for Most Tradies — Xero ($35/month)

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Australia's most popular small business accounting software
From $35/month
30-day free trial

When you outgrow Rounded, or if you want the most popular option from day one, Xero is the answer. It connects with virtually every tradie app — ServiceM8, Tradify, Dext, Hubdoc — and almost every Australian accountant works in Xero, making tax time seamless. The automatic bank feeds save hours of manual data entry every month.

Try Xero Free for 30 Days →

Best for Tradies with Employees — MYOB ($27/month)

If payroll is your priority, MYOB's payroll module is the strongest of the three. It handles Single Touch Payroll, award rates and payroll reporting cleanly. Many accountants who work with construction businesses specifically recommend MYOB for its payroll strength. Full Xero vs MYOB comparison →

Best for Receipt Capture — Dext (Add to Any Software)

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Dext

The best receipt capture app — works with Xero and MYOB
$25/month
14-day free trial

Dext isn't standalone accounting software — it's a receipt capture and expense management tool that connects to Xero or MYOB. Snap a receipt with your phone and Dext extracts the supplier, amount, date and GST automatically, then pushes it into your accounting software. No more lost receipts or missed deductions at tax time.

Try Dext Free for 14 Days →

Full Comparison

FeatureRoundedXeroMYOBDext
Price$15/mo$35/mo$27/mo$25/mo
Built for sole traders✓✓✓Add-on
BAS preparation✓✓✓Via integration
Payroll✗✓✓ Best✗
Receipt captureBasicBasicBasic✓ Best
ServiceM8 integration✗✓✓Via Xero
Free trial30 days30 days30 days14 days

Do I need an accountant if I use accounting software?

Yes — accounting software handles the day-to-day recording and BAS lodgement, but your accountant prepares your annual tax return, optimises your deductions and provides tax planning advice. They access your Xero or MYOB directly, which makes the process faster and cheaper.

Can I switch accounting software later?

Yes — all the major platforms have migration tools. The main data to transfer is your chart of accounts, customer/supplier list and transaction history. Your accountant can help with this. It's easiest to switch at the start of a new financial year.

Is accounting software worth the cost?

Almost always yes. At $15–$35/month, the time saved on invoicing, BAS prep and tax time typically pays for itself many times over. Plus, having organised records means your accountant spends less time on your return — which saves money on their fee.