Australian Accounting
Australian Accounting for Australian Traders
Don’t get stuck with US software. Choose the app built for Aussie tax rules.
- QuickBooks: Starts low ($19), then jumps to $38 after 3 months.
- Sole: A flat, steady line at $14.99 forever.
QuickBooks is a powerful tool for American corporations, but it often feels like it was “translated” for the Australian market. Sole is built right here for Australian sole traders. We don’t do “introductory offers” that double in price the moment you get comfortable. We just give you a fair, transparent price from day one.
The “Promo Price” Trap
QuickBooks lures you in with a cheap start, but once that 90-day honeymoon is over, your overhead spikes. Here is how the standard pricing—what you actually pay long-term—stacks up.
Feature
QuickBooks (Simple Start)
Sole App
Standard Monthly Cost
~$38.00 / mo
$14.99 / mo
Intro Offer
50% off (Ends in 3 months)
30 Day Free Trial
NDIS Integration
❌ None
✅ Built-in
Support Team
Global / Outsourced
Local (Australian)
Interface Style
Accountant-First (Dense)
Mobile-First (Simple)
QuickBooks Doesn’t Know What “NDIS” Is.
If you type a code like “01_011_0107_1_1” into QuickBooks, it’s just a string of numbers. It doesn’t know if that code is valid, whether it should be GST-free, or if you’re accidentally billing over the price cap.
Sole is NDIS-Native:
Line Item Search: Access the official NDIS price guide directly from your invoice screen. No more tab-switching to external PDFs.
Price Limit Protection: We warn you instantly if you try to charge more than the NDIA allows.
Auto-Calculations We automatically split labor and non-labor travel costs, a process that requires manual math and “workarounds” in QuickBooks.
“Simple” Start isn’t that Simple.
QuickBooks is a massive global platform designed to handle everything from retail chains to tech startups. Even their “Simple Start” plan is cluttered with features that distract you from your actual work.
Sole is Minimalist by Design:
No “Journal Entries”: Unless you’re a trained accountant, you shouldn’t have to look at them.
No “Inventory Warehousing”: We don’t bloat the app with stock-tracking tools for warehouses. We focus on service-based businesses.
Just the Essentials: Invoicing, Expenses, Quotes, and Tax. Everything you need to stay compliant without the headache.
“I used QuickBooks for a year but got tired of navigating through 10 menus just to send an invoice. Sole takes me 30 seconds.” - Mark, Electrician.
Moving is Easier than Staying
Sticking with expensive software just because you’re “already set up” is a tax on your time and money. We’ve made leaving the giant behind as painless as possible:
Frequently asked questions
Common questions
Does QuickBooks own my data?
Sole is designed specifically for Sole Traders with no employees. By removing complex payroll features, we keep the app fast and focused. If you don’t have staff, you shouldn’t have to pay for (or look at) payroll tools.
Is Sole Single Touch Payroll (STP) compliant?
XPM is free for Xero Silver Partners and above; below that tier it’s $149/month, and most firms take 12–18 months to qualify. Either way, the free or paid base lacks a client portal, document management, and e-signatures — so “free” still carries add-on costs.