Question 1

Why switch from Xero to HelloBooks in Australia?

Accepted Answer

Three reasons AU customers cite most: 1) Xero Ignite at A$37/month caps you at 20 invoices — most AU SMBs hit that ceiling quickly and have to upgrade to Grow at A$78/month (prices verified 2026-07-22). HelloBooks Pro at A$30/month has no caps. 2) STP Phase 2 + SuperStream are both Xero Payroll bolt-ons with per-employee fees. HelloBooks bundles both on Pro at no per-employee fee for the first 10 employees. 3) Both platforms now ship AI: Xero launched its JAX agentic platform at Xerocon London on 8 July 2026, with Auto Bank Reconciliation and Smart Document Capture available now, while document chasing and payment follow-ups were announced but had not shipped as of 22 July 2026. HelloBooks runs an AI agent at 95%+ accuracy out of the box — compare what is live today.

Question 2

How does the Xero-to-HelloBooks migration work in Australia?

Accepted Answer

Export from Xero (Settings → Advanced → Export Data). The export pack includes Chart of Accounts (with AU tax codes), Contacts, Manual Journals, Invoices, Bills, Bank Transactions, and Inventory. Upload to the HelloBooks migration tool. The mapping screen aligns Xero account codes to your HelloBooks chart and preserves GST tax codes so the next BAS rolls forward without re-tagging. Most AU SMBs complete in 90 minutes.

Question 3

Does HelloBooks handle BAS lodgment direct with the ATO?

Accepted Answer

Yes — BAS lodgment is direct to ATO via SBR (Standard Business Reporting). G1-G24, W1-W5 (PAYG withholding), 1A-1B (GST), 5A-5B (PAYG instalments) boxes populate from the ledger with a preview screen before submission. ABN / TFN linking through ATO authorisation. The BAS Agent extension lets registered agents lodge on behalf of multiple clients in a batch.

Question 4

What about STP Phase 2 and SuperStream?

Accepted Answer

STP Phase 2 reporting is included with all the required fields (employee category, income type, country code, child-support deductions, lump sums). Pay events lodge to ATO at each pay run. SuperStream-compliant super uses a clearing-house lodgment to all funds, with ABN / USI validation, employee-fund-choice tracking, and quarterly contribution schedule. Both included on Pro — no per-employee fee for the first 10 employees.

Question 5

Will my Xero-trained CPA / BAS Agent work with HelloBooks?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The CPA Practice tier is built for AU practices and BAS / Tax Agents — per-client pricing, batch close, batch BAS lodgment with BAS Agent credentials, unlimited firm staff, audit trail compatible with CPA Australia / IPA standards. The chart of accounts and journal workflow map directly to what Xero-trained accountants are used to.

Question 6

Is the pricing comparison still accurate?

Accepted Answer

Verified against publicly listed Xero AU pricing as of 2026. Xero changes promotional pricing periodically; the underlying tier structure (Ignite caps, Comprehensive multi-currency gate, Projects bolt-on) has been stable. HelloBooks AU pricing (Pro A$30/month) has held stable. Specific tier numbers reflect Xero list pricing post-discount.

Feature	HelloBooks	Xero AU
Starting price (AUD)	Free Plan; Pro A$30/mo, unlimited users, invoices within 200 transactions/year	Ignite A$37/mo; Grow A$78/mo; Comprehensive A$107/mo; Ultimate 10 A$143/mo (verified 2026-07-22)
Invoice / bill caps on starter tier	No caps on any plan — Pro is unlimited	Ignite caps at 20 invoices per month — beyond that Xero directs you to the Grow plan
BAS lodgment	Direct BAS lodgment to ATO via SBR; G1-G24 + W1-W5 boxes populated from ledger	BAS lodgment via Xero Tax (CA / BAS Agent) or direct from main file
STP Phase 2 payroll	STP Phase 2 reporting included with employee category, income type, country code, child-support deductions	STP Phase 2 via Xero Payroll add-on; per-employee fees
SuperStream-compliant super	Clearing-house lodgment, employee-fund choice, ABN / USI validation, quarterly schedule	Super via Xero Payroll add-on
GST tracking	GST-free, GST 10%, Input-taxed, Export tax codes; reconciles to G1-G24 on BAS preview	Full GST tracking
AI categorisation	Built-in AI agent on every plan, 95%+ accuracy on AU bank descriptions	JAX Smart Document Capture and Auto Bank Reconciliation available now (Jul 2026); bank rules and Hubdoc still available
Multi-currency	Live FX rates with gain / loss postings, included on Pro at A$30/mo	Locked to Comprehensive plan (A$107/mo) and above
Project tracking	Included on Pro	Xero Projects is a per-user paid bolt-on
Bank coverage	CBA, ANZ, NAB, Westpac, Macquarie, Bendigo, Bankwest, ING and 20+ AU banks via aggregator	Strong AU bank coverage via direct feeds

The Xero Australia alternative with AI built in

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