FlowFi vs QuickBooks for Australian sole traders
QuickBooks Online is Intuit’s cloud accounting product, US-owned and used by millions of small businesses worldwide. The Australian edition supports GST, has bank feeds, a capable mobile app, invoicing and a large app marketplace. Simple Start is around $29 a month, with higher plans for businesses that need bills, inventory or more users. It is a mature product with a global support operation behind it.
FlowFi is Australian, Sydney-hosted and built only for sole traders. Rather than bank feeds it works from an uploaded CSV or PDF statement, which AI categorises, then it flags GST and deductions and prepares every BAS label with a copy-guide for ATO Online. QuickBooks does GST but does not have an Australian BAS copy-guide. Both cost around $29 a month at the entry level, so the choice comes down to how you want to work.
Side by side
| QuickBooks | FlowFi | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Simple Start around $29 a month. Essentials and Plus cost more. | Pro $29 a month or $290 a year. Business $59 a month or $590 a year. 14-day free Pro trial, no card. |
| Who it is built for | Small businesses worldwide. US-owned, with an Australian edition that supports GST. | Australian sole traders and freelancers doing their own books, usually with no employees. |
| How transactions get in | Bank feeds. CSV import is also available. | Upload a CSV or PDF bank statement. No bank login and no bank feed. |
| AI categorisation | Bank rules and suggested categories on feed transactions. Not built around uploaded statements. | YesYes. AI categorises every line of an uploaded statement with a confidence score, asks you to review only the uncertain ones, and learns from your corrections. |
| GST and deduction flagging | Australian GST supported and coded per transaction. No sole-trader deduction flagging. | YesYes. GST is worked out per transaction and likely deductions are flagged for review. |
| BAS preparation | GST reports and BAS figures are available. No Australia-specific BAS copy-guide. | YesYes. Every BAS label is prepared on a copy-ready card with a guide for ATO Online, and a reminder email lands before the due date with your labels filled in. Or export the pack for your accountant. |
| Tells you what to set aside for tax | Check the current feature list for the Australian edition. | YesYes. Tax Pot shows what to have set aside for tax from your real transactions, the gap, and a weekly amount to close it. You keep the money in your own account. |
| Invoicing | YesYes. | YesYes. Tax invoices in four styles with your logo, emailed with the PDF attached, a link your client pays from by bank transfer or PayID, quotes accepted online, recurring invoices, and automatic reminders at 1, 7 and 14 days overdue when switched on. |
| Receipts | YesYes, receipt capture in the mobile app. | YesYes. Attach receipts to transactions. |
| Mileage | YesYes, mileage tracking in the mobile app; check your plan. | YesYes. Log trips and apply the ATO cents-per-kilometre rate. |
| Cash-flow forecast | YesCash flow planning tools; check your plan. | YesYes. A cash-flow forecast built from your invoices and history. |
| Human support | YesChat and phone support; check hours for Australia. | Email support. FlowFi is software; keep your own accountant for advice. |
| Lodges for you | NoNo. You or your accountant lodge. | NoNo. You copy the prepared labels into ATO Online in a few minutes, or send the pack to your accountant. |
QuickBooks prices checked September 2026 at quickbooks.intuit.com/au and rounded; see their site for current plans.
Choose QuickBooks if
- You want bank feeds and a polished mobile app from a large global vendor.
- You plan to grow into bills, inventory, multiple users or payroll on the same platform.
- Your accountant already works in QuickBooks and wants access to your file.
Choose FlowFi if
- You want Australian software that prepares every BAS label with a copy-guide for ATO Online.
- You prefer to upload statements rather than connect a bank feed, and want AI to do the categorising.
- You want your data hosted in Sydney and a product built only for sole traders.
Switching from QuickBooks
Export a statement from your bank
Download a CSV or PDF of the quarter from your bank. If you want QuickBooks history, export a transaction report to CSV as well.
Upload it to FlowFi
Drop the file in. AI categorises each line, works out GST and flags deductions.
Review and lodge
Check the categories, confirm the BAS labels and copy them into ATO Online. Cancel QuickBooks once you have what you need.
Not sure where the export button is? How to export a bank statement CSV from the major Australian banks.
Questions people ask
Does FlowFi handle GST like the Australian edition of QuickBooks?
Yes. FlowFi is built for Australian GST only. Every transaction is checked for GST, GST-free income can be marked, and the 1A and 1B figures are prepared for your BAS.
Where is my data stored?
FlowFi is hosted in Sydney. QuickBooks stores data on Intuit’s infrastructure; check their privacy policy for the current region.
Can I use both?
You can, but there is little point paying twice. Most people trial FlowFi on a single statement, compare the output with what they have, and decide.
Keep reading
Try FlowFi on your last bank statement
Upload one CSV or PDF and see categorised transactions, GST and BAS labels in minutes. Free for 14 days, no card.
Start 14-day free trial14 days of Pro free. No credit card. Then $29 a month or $290 a year.
QuickBooks is a trademark of its owner. FlowFi is not affiliated. Figures are general information only and may change; check both options' current pricing and features before deciding. FlowFi does not lodge your BAS or give tax advice.