QuickBooks vs. Xero vs. Crunch: which is better?, image of someone toppling a king in chess | Crunch
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At Crunch, we’ve been competing with the giants of the online accounting industry for over a decade. Quickbooks and Xero may be bigger than us, but we don’t believe for a single second that either are better than us!

We believe in offering our clients a personal service that not only represents excellent value for money, but one that also sucks the stress right out of managing your tax obligations. After all, you should be spending your time doing what you love, not toying with your abacus and sifting through your shoebox of receipts.

That philosophy is reflected in the suite of packages we offer here at Crunch: each one was designed to support your business at every stage of your self-employed journey, offering everything you need to comfortably run your business, no matter whether you’re a sole trader or a limited company.

That’s why we offer packages with such awesome unmatched benefits as:

  • Award-winning software with unlimited support from expert human accountants
  • Comprehensive Sole Trader plans with flexible, accessible pricing - no subscription costs or hidden fees 
  • Ecommerce accounting that includes Link My Books and Xero software + unlimited support
  • Affordable, trusted and efficient Self Assessment service  - we’ve filed over 50,000 tax returns!

So, if you’re in the market for an online accountancy solution and it’s come down to Quickbooks vs. Crunch, or Xero vs. Crunch, let’s run down the reasons why you should choose Crunch!

**Spoiler alert!** One of top reasons for choosing Crunch is that you get unlimited human support from expert Chartered accountants, as well as cutting-edge software. Our accountants have helped thousands of businesses like yours find success, so you’ll get the major advantage of all that knowledge at your fingertips. Now that's value for money!

Service, features and benefits: Crunch Xero Quickbooks
Free Accounting Software Yes No No
Access to Client/Account Managers Yes No No
Access to Dedicated Accountants Yes No No
In-App/Online Support Chat Yes Yes Limited
Telephone Support Yes No Limited
Unlimited Invoices Yes Limited Yes
Create Quotes/Estimates Yes Yes Limited
Manage Expenses Yes Yes Yes
Mobile Apps (Expenses and Mileage) Yes Yes Yes
Monthly Payroll Yes Yes Yes
VAT Returns Yes Limited Yes
Self Assessments Yes No Limited
Foreign Currencies Yes Limited Limited
Year End Accounts and CT600 Yes Limited No
Companies House Filings Yes No No
1-Click Dividends (Issue and Pay) Yes No No
Free Open Banking Yes No No
1-Click (Match-based) Bank Reconciliation Yes No No
Real-time Reports Yes Yes Yes
Automated Performance and Tax Liabilities Yes No No

* Services could be limited by either packages and pricing, or by software limitations.

Quickbooks vs. Crunch

Let’s start with Quickbooks, shall we? One of the aspects of our service we’re proudest of our accounting software solution for sole traders and limited companies that are happy filing their own tax returns, or those who are just starting out - something that Quickbooks don’t even offer.

Quickbooks have many different accountancy packages, which each require a monthly fee to access. However, many of the features of our Crunch Free product, let alone our paid packages, such as free Open Banking connections and Self Assessment support, aren’t available on any of Quickbooks’ packages.

You also won’t be getting access to Chartered Certified Accountants with Quickbooks, but with Crunch? All of our Sole Trader Pro, Limited Company Pro, and Limited Company Premium clients do. That’s because, at Crunch, we believe in the human touch: your business is unique, and so are your needs. Our experts are available whenever you need them to answer any business question you have - when it comes to your business, there’s no such thing as a stupid question, and we’re here to help.

Xero vs. Crunch

And now onto Xero, another competitor that doesn’t offer a free accounting software! Much like Quickbooks, Xero also offers only paid packages - none of which include access to trained accountants or client managers.

Much like Quickbooks, Xero also doesn't offer many of the services we offer on Crunch Free, including Self Assessment support. In fact, unlike even Quickbooks, who offer limited support with Self Assessment submissions depending on your package, Xero simply doesn't offer any support with the most important tax filing of the year.

Xero also limits the number of invoices you can send, the foreign currencies you can be paid in, and the support you can get with your VAT returns. Xero doesn't even offer telephone support, something which comes as standard on all of our Pro and Premium packages.

*One great benefit for Crunch clients  though, is that we do include Xero's ecommerce software in our ecommerce package. So you'll get the best of Xero with Crunch.

The choice is clear!

You might’ve thought we were self-promoting at the start of this article when we said “Quickbooks and Xero may be bigger than us, but we don’t believe for a single second that either are better than us!”. We think you probably agree with us by now, though.

Crunch offers the more comprehensive, supportive, and diverse packages that not only include the ability to do, to manage, to file, and to record everything you need to effectively run your business, but that also offers the kind of support and comfort only your own team of experts can provide.

If you’re ready to get started with Crunch, you can give our friendly advisors a call for a free consultation, where you can ask any and all business questions you may have. They’ll also be able to help you decide which Crunch package would be best for you and your business.

Speak to an accounting expert

If you're unsure what level of support you need, our friendly team are on hand to help you pick the right package for you.
Self Assessment tax returns done for you, from just £200 £125+VAT
Take the stress out of Sole Trader Accounting, with our simple online software, so you can look after your accounts anytime, anywhere.
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Updated on
October 7, 2024

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