Comparison
SmokoBooks vs Xero for tradies
Xero is excellent accounting software, and for a lot of businesses it is the right answer. This page is about one specific case: a tradie running their own books, with no staff, who mainly needs quotes, invoices, expenses and a BAS that does not take a weekend.
Where Xero wins
- Bank feeds. Transactions flow in from your bank and you match them. SmokoBooks records payments and expenses as you enter them; there is no bank connection.
- Payroll. If you have employees, Xero handles wages, super and Single Touch Payroll. SmokoBooks has no payroll.
- Accountant access. Your accountant can log in and work in the file. With SmokoBooks you send them an Excel workbook.
- Mobile app. Xero has iOS and Android apps. SmokoBooks is a Windows desktop app.
- Ecosystem. Hundreds of add-ons, from job management to inventory.
Where SmokoBooks wins
- Job documents. Quote, tax invoice, receipt, work order, variation, defect notice, service report, safety check and SWMS, all branded, all from one customer record. Xero does quotes and invoices; the rest needs an add-on.
- Quote to job to invoice with nothing retyped, and profit per job on the same screen.
- Chasing: the dashboard opens on who owes you money, with a pre-written reminder one click away.
- BAS view built for a sole trader: every quarter with the labels on it, GST position and a tax set-aside estimate, without needing an accountant to read the reports.
- Your data stays on your PC, in a folder you control, backed up daily, and keeps working offline.
- One flat price, no per-user tiers, no add-ons needed for the trade paperwork.
Side by side
| SmokoBooks | Xero | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | Windows PC, offline | Cloud, browser and mobile |
| Bank feeds | No | Yes |
| Payroll | No | Yes (paid tiers) |
| Quotes and invoices | Yes, branded, from a price list | Yes |
| Work orders, variations, SWMS, safety checks | Included | Add-on or manual |
| Job profitability | Per job, built in | Via tracking categories or add-on |
| BAS | Quarter view with labels, GST position | Activity statement report, lodge from Xero |
| Accountant | Excel workbook export | Direct login |
| Where the data lives | Your PC, your backups | Xero's cloud |
| Price | $19 a month, 14 days free | See Xero's pricing page |
Xero's features and prices change; check their pricing page for the current plans. SmokoBooks pricing is on our pricing section.
Our honest take
If you have staff, want bank feeds, or your accountant insists on logging in, use Xero. If you are on your own, the paperwork is the pain, and you would rather own your data than rent it, SmokoBooks is built for exactly that, at a fraction of the cost.
Common questions
Can I use both?+
Some tradies quote and invoice in SmokoBooks and hand the Excel workbook to an accountant who uses Xero. It works, but for a sole trader it is usually one or the other.
Can I move from Xero to SmokoBooks?+
Yes. Export your customers and open invoices from Xero, enter or import them, and start the new financial year clean. Email us and we will help.
Does SmokoBooks lodge my BAS?+
No. It gives you the figures for each label; you lodge through the ATO portal or your agent. Xero can lodge directly on some plans.
Other comparisons: SmokoBooks vs MYOB · SmokoBooks vs a spreadsheet