The best accounting software for sole traders in Australia, compared honestly

Hnry is a registered tax agent, not just software. Clients pay you through Hnry, it withholds tax and GST as money arrives, and it lodges your BAS and income tax return. The trade-off is the fee, which scales with income until the cap, and the fact that your income is routed through their account first. At lower incomes the percentage can work out close to the cost of software anyway.

Best for: Sole traders who want tax handled entirely for them and are happy to have their income paid into Hnry’s account for a percentage fee.

The default for Australian small business, and the one most accountants know best. Bank feeds, invoicing and an activity statement report are all there, and Xero can submit the activity statement to the ATO once connected. For a one-person business the entry plan carries volume caps, categorisation is rules you set up rather than AI, and there is no built-in answer to “what should I set aside for tax?”.

Best for: Businesses with employees, suppliers and an accountant or bookkeeper who works in the file with you.

MYOB’s sole-trader product sits at the low end on price and brings bank feeds and an optional MYOB transaction account. Activity statement figures come from the transactions you code. Check the current Solo feature list for what is automated, because the wider MYOB range is built for accountants and bookkeepers first.

Best for: Sole traders who want the cheapest brand-name option with bank feeds and are happy to code transactions themselves.

Intuit’s small-business product with an Australian edition that supports GST. Bank feeds, invoicing, receipt capture and mileage tracking are all in the app. GST reports and BAS figures are available, though there is no Australia-specific guide to copying them into ATO Online, and categorisation is rules and suggestions on feed transactions rather than AI over an uploaded statement.

Best for: Small businesses that want a global product with an Australian GST edition, receipt capture and mileage in the mobile app.

Built in Australia for freelancers and sole traders, invoicing first. Quotes, recurring invoices and reminders are its core strength, with bank feeds and expense capture behind them. BAS figures are reported from invoices and expenses. Check the current feature list for deduction flagging and tax set-aside.

Best for: Freelancers whose main job is invoicing: quotes, recurring invoices and reminders, with bookkeeping behind it.

Thriday bundles a business transaction account with automated bookkeeping and BAS, and historically offered lodgement through the platform. It was acquired by Tyro in January 2026 and the product is in transition, so check what is available today before you choose it.

Best for: Sole traders who want a transaction account, bookkeeping and tax in one app and are comfortable running their banking through it.

Free, flexible and entirely on you. Every transaction is categorised by hand, GST is a formula you maintain, nothing flags a deduction you missed, and the BAS is totals you build and map to the labels yourself. It works, right up until the quarter you fall behind.

Best for: Very low volumes, a lot of patience, and someone who enjoys maintaining formulas.

A person categorises your transactions, usually in Xero or MYOB, prepares and reviews the BAS, and lodges it if they are a registered BAS agent. You get judgement and someone to ask. You also wait a week or two each quarter, and the cost over a year is many times a software subscription.

Best for: Anyone who wants a human to keep the books, answer questions and, if they are a registered BAS agent, lodge.