MYOB Business for Tradies: An Honest Review for Australian Sole Traders

in 2026

and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. Always consult a

MYOB has been part of Australian small business accounting for over 30

years, and despite strong competition from Xero and QuickBooks Online,

it remains one of the most widely used accounting platforms among

Australian tradies and sole traders. In recent years, MYOB has shifted

from its legacy desktop software toward the cloud-based MYOB Business

platform.

This guide offers an honest assessment of MYOB Business for Australian

tradies in 2026 -- what it does well, where it falls short, and who it's

genuinely the right choice for.

What Is MYOB Business?

MYOB Business (previously MYOB Essentials) is MYOB's cloud-based

accounting platform for small businesses. It replaces the older MYOB

AccountRight Live and MYOB Essentials products that many existing users

will recognise. MYOB Business runs entirely in the browser (no desktop

installation required) and has companion iOS and Android apps.

It covers the core functions a tradie needs: invoicing, expense

tracking, bank reconciliation, GST and BAS preparation, and payroll (on

the higher-tier plan). It integrates directly with the ATO for BAS

lodgement and Single Touch Payroll reporting.

Pricing in 2026

MYOB Business plans start at approximately $27-$33 per month for the

entry-level plan (which includes invoicing, expense tracking and bank

reconciliation but has limits on the number of employees). The Payroll

plan, required once you have employees, is typically $60-$80 per month.

MYOB periodically runs promotional pricing -- check current pricing

directly on MYOB's website as these figures change.

MYOB also offers MYOB AccountRight, a more feature-rich hybrid

desktop-cloud product aimed at slightly larger businesses, at higher

price points. For most sole trader tradies, MYOB Business is the

appropriate starting point.

Strengths of MYOB Business for Tradies

Accountant Familiarity

A significant number of Australian accountants, particularly those

serving trade and construction businesses, are more comfortable with

MYOB than with any other platform. If your accountant primarily works in

MYOB, staying within the same ecosystem reduces friction -- they can log

directly into your file, see exactly what you see, and work efficiently

without any translation layer.

If your accountant recommends MYOB, there's usually a good reason -- even

if Xero has more market buzz among newer businesses.

BAS and ATO Integration

MYOB Business handles Australian BAS preparation reliably. The BAS

report pulls from your reconciled transactions, applies your GST

settings, and produces a summary ready to review. You can lodge directly

through MYOB's ATO integration or provide the figures to your BAS agent.

MYOB has been a registered tax agent software provider in Australia for

decades and the ATO compliance functionality is well-tested and

reliable.

Payroll

For tradies with employees or apprentices, MYOB's payroll module is

strong -- particularly for managing Australian Award calculations and

STP2 (Single Touch Payroll Phase 2) reporting. The payroll interface is

clear and the STP lodgement process is straightforward once set up

correctly.

Weaknesses of MYOB Business for Tradies

Integration Ecosystem

Xero has a significantly larger ecosystem of apps that integrate

directly with it -- including most major Australian job management

platforms (ServiceM8, Tradify, Fergus). MYOB Business integrates with

fewer third-party apps, which can create friction if your preferred job

management tool doesn't have a native MYOB integration.

Before committing to MYOB Business, check whether your current or

planned job management software has a working MYOB integration. Some

platforms offer Xero integration only, which would require manual

invoice entry into MYOB -- defeating much of the efficiency benefit.

Mobile App

MYOB's mobile app is functional but less polished than Xero's. For

tradies who want to create and send invoices from the field on their

phone, the MYOB mobile experience is workable but not as smooth as

alternatives. If heavy on-site invoicing from mobile is important to

you, test the MYOB app thoroughly before committing.

User Interface

MYOB Business has improved significantly in the last few years but many

users still find Xero's interface more intuitive, particularly for

first-time users without an accounting background. This is subjective

and depends on the individual, but it's worth testing both before

deciding.

Should You Switch from MYOB to Xero?

This is one of the most common questions from established tradie

businesses. The honest answer: if you're on MYOB, your accountant is

comfortable with MYOB, and it's working adequately for your needs, the

cost and disruption of switching to Xero is rarely justified by the

benefits.

Switching platforms requires migrating your data (a process that is

never perfect), retraining yourself and any staff, and potentially

upgrading your integration setup. For an established business, this

typically costs $500-$2,000 in accountant time and lost productivity.

Unless you have a specific, significant problem that Xero solves and

MYOB doesn't, staying put is usually the right call.

Who Should Choose MYOB Business?

MYOB Business is the right choice for: tradies whose accountant or

bookkeeper works primarily in MYOB; businesses coming from legacy MYOB

desktop products who want a cloud upgrade without changing platforms;

tradies who don't need extensive third-party app integrations; and

businesses where payroll is a significant complexity requiring reliable

Australian award compliance.

Whatever accounting platform you choose, the most important thing is

using it consistently. Set up your bank feed, reconcile regularly, keep

your expense records up to date, and review your numbers monthly. A

well-used MYOB file beats a neglected Xero file every time.

Money & Tax

## Setting Up MYOB for Your Tradie Business: The Practical Walkthrough Getting MYOB running properly is half the battle. Most tradies rush the setup and end up with messy records that cost them time and money at tax time. Here's what actually matters. **Chart of Accounts Structure** Your chart of accounts should mirror how you actually run your business. Don't use MYOB's default template wholesale—it rarely fits tradies. You'll need specific accounts for: - Materials and supplies (broken down by trade type if you do multiple things) - Subcontractor payments (critical for tax tracking) - Vehicle expenses (separate from fuel if you claim different rates) - Tool and equipment repairs versus depreciation - Job-specific costs if you bid on larger projects The key is consistency. If you're tracking job profitability—which you absolutely should—your accounts need to separate direct costs from overhead. Many tradies don't realise MYOB can do job costing, but it requires proper setup from day one. **Bank Feeds and Reconciliation** MYOB's bank feeds are genuinely useful and save hours of manual entry. Most Australian banks integrate directly, though some smaller institutions lag behind. The real discipline here is reconciling weekly, not monthly. When you reconcile a week's transactions, you spot duplicate entries, miscategorised payments, and invoice issues before they snowball. Set aside 30 minutes every Friday morning. Open MYOB, reconcile your business account, and flag anything that looks wrong. This habit alone prevents most tradie accounting disasters. **Invoice and Quote Settings** MYOB lets you customise invoices, which matters for your professional brand. Add your ABN, licence numbers (electrical, plumbing, etc.), and payment terms clearly. Some tradies skip this—don't. When a customer disputes an invoice, clear terms and your credentials are your protection. For quotes, use MYOB's quote-to-invoice conversion feature. It reduces errors and ensures consistency between what you quoted and what you invoice. Especially important if your crew are creating quotes in the field. ## Tax Time Preparation for Australian Tradies: What MYOB Needs to Handle Correctly Tax time is when MYOB either saves you hundreds in accountant fees or costs you money through poor record-keeping. Here's what matters to the ATO and how MYOB should track it. **Vehicle and Equipment Depreciation** MYOB has fixed asset tracking, but most tradies don't use it properly. The ATO allows utes and tools depreciated over their useful life. For a tradie ute, that's typically 5-8 years. But you need to track: - Purchase date and cost - Depreciation method (straight-line versus diminishing value) - Private use percentage (crucial if you use the vehicle personally) The **88 cents per kilometre** ATO rate is simpler for most sole traders than tracking actual expenses—mileage logs, fuel, repairs, insurance—but only if you're genuinely separating business and personal use. If your ute is genuinely work-only, calculate both methods and claim the higher one. MYOB can handle this, but you need to record it properly. Don't guess. Keep a simple spreadsheet of major assets and their depreciation—sync it with MYOB monthly. **Superannuation Contributions** You're required to contribute 11.5% of ordinary time earnings to super for any employees. For yourself as a sole trader, contributions aren't mandatory, but they're tax-deductible up to **$30,000 per year** and reduce your tax bill significantly. MYOB tracks super payments to your provider, but it doesn't calculate what you *should* be paying for employees. That's on you or your accountant. Log super payments as you make them—quarterly is standard—and reconcile against your payroll records monthly. One missed payment or underpayment shows up quickly at tax time. **Income and Deduction Tracking** MYOB should automatically categorise income by customer and project if you set it up correctly. This matters because the ATO wants to see that you're tracking business versus non-business income. If you do side work that's not your main trade, separate it in MYOB. Deductions that trip up tradies: - **Uniform and workwear costs** – trackable, but only work-specific clothing counts - **Home office** – if you have a dedicated office, the simplified method is 45 cents per hour worked, up to $1,350 per year - **Professional development** – courses, licences, certifications are deductible - **Phone and internet** – apportion the business-use percentage only - **Tool replacement** – items under $1,000 are immediately deductible; over that, they depreciate MYOB lets you set up reusable categories for these, which saves categorisation time when reconciling. **Instant Asset Write-Off (Until 30 June 2026)** The current ATO instant asset write-off threshold is **$20,000** for sole traders (extended to 30 June 2026). This means any asset under $20k can be claimed in full in the year of purchase, rather than depreciated. A new compressor, welder, scaffolding system, or even a work vehicle (if under the threshold) can be written off immediately. MYOB can categorise these as immediate expense rather than fixed assets—saves tracking depreciation. Just ensure you keep purchase receipts and document the business purpose. --- ## MYOB vs Other Platforms: How It Stacks Up for Tradies | **Feature** | **MYOB** | **Xero** | **Tradify** | |---|---|---|---| | **Australian Focus** | Strong | Growing | Built for tradies | | **Mobile App** | Basic | Good | Excellent (job-focused) | | **Learning Curve** | Moderate | Moderate | Steep but purpose-built | | **API Integrations** | Good | Excellent | Excellent | | **Job Costing** | Yes, but manual | Yes | Native integration | | **Invoicing Speed** | Standard | Standard | Fastest for on-site | | **Cost (AUD)** | $15-45/month | $20-60/month | $49-249/month | | **Best For** | Generalist tradies | Growing businesses | High-volume job traders | --- --- ## Frequently Asked Questions