Best MYOB Alternatives for Agencies & Freelancers in 2026

MYOB is the Australian OG. BAS, GST, Single Touch Payroll, super... it's been doing the compliance heavy lifting for Aussie businesses since before "the cloud" was a phrase anyone said out loud. Your accountant probably knows it cold.

So if you're searching "MYOB alternatives," I'd bet you're one of two people.

Either MYOB's accounting side isn't doing it for you anymore — the UX feels dated, the pricing's confusing, and you're eyeing Xero or QuickBooks for the actual books.

Or... the accounting is fine. It's the billing that's painful. You're invoicing manually at the end of a project. Chasing clients on email like it's your second job. Handling scope creep with a verbal "yeah no worries" and then eating the cost three weeks later. MYOB records what happened — it doesn't help you bill clients or get paid on time.

Those are two completely different problems. And honestly, most "MYOB alternatives" lists smash them together and leave you more confused than when you started.

So I'm splitting it. Below you'll find honest accounting replacements — Xero, QuickBooks, Wave — and one billing layer (that's mine, I'll be upfront) that sits on top of MYOB instead of replacing it.

I built Handl, so yeah, I'm biased. But I run an agency background — 20+ years — and I'll be straight with you about what each tool does and doesn't do. Including Handl.

Here's the quick version so you can skip ahead.

Pricing as of mid-2026 and changes constantly — verify on each vendor's site before you commit.

One thing before we dig in: MYOB does BAS, STP, payroll and super. If you're replacing it, whatever you switch to needs to handle Australian compliance too. Don't lose that in the shuffle. I'll flag it where it matters.

1. Handl — the billing layer that sits on top of MYOB

Best for: Australian agencies and freelancers who want to keep MYOB for compliance but fix the messy client-facing billing side.

Let me be clear about this one up front, because it's different from the rest of the list.

Handl is not accounting software. It doesn't do BAS. It doesn't do STP, payroll, or super. It won't replace MYOB and it's not trying to. So if your goal is "ditch MYOB entirely," skip down to Xero or QuickBooks.

But here's the thing most people miss... you probably don't need to replace MYOB. You need to stop using it for billing.

MYOB handles the books. Handl handles the relationship between you and your clients when money's moving — quotes with digital sign-off, milestone invoices that fire when a project phase actually completes (not just on a date), change orders so scope creep gets documented and billed, and an AI billing agent that drafts, sends and chases invoices for you. No more writing the third "just circling back on invoice #247..." email. The agent does it.

There's a branded client portal too — no login, one-click pay, auto-pay if they want it. Looks like you've got your act together. And it pulls project status straight from Monday, Asana, Jira, ClickUp and Trello, plus hours from Harvest, Toggl and Hubstaff. When a client pays through Handl, it syncs back into MYOB automatically. Clean books, no double entry.

Pricing: from $29/mo. Freelancer $29 (1 user, 1.5% processing), Team $99 (up to 3 users, 1.2%, adds cash-flow forecasting), Agency $199 (unlimited users, 1.0%). Priced by plan, not per seat — so adding people doesn't blow up the bill. 7-day free trial.

Pros:

• Milestone billing built for project work — bill by phase, not just by date
• AI billing agent drafts, sends and chases overdue invoices (works via dashboard, Slack or MCP)
• Change order management with digital signatures — scope creep documented, not verbal
• Branded client portal: no login, one-click pay, auto-pay
• Native MYOB sync — payments flow into your books, no manual entry
• PM integrations (Monday, Asana, Jira, ClickUp, Trello) tie billing to delivery
• Priced by plan not per seat — Agency $199/mo = unlimited users
• Cash-flow forecasting on Team and Agency plans

Cons:

• Not accounting software — no BAS, STP, payroll or super. You keep MYOB (or Xero) for that.
• It's a second subscription on top of your accounting tool (arguably worth it, but it's real)
• Newer and smaller than MYOB — we don't have 30 years of brand behind us
• If you want one single tool for everything, this isn't it

Be honest with yourself here: if your books are fine and it's the billing eating your Mondays, this is the fix. If your accounting itself is the problem, keep reading.

Try Handl free for 7 days · Full breakdown: Handl vs MYOB

2. Xero — the cleaner accounting swap for AU agencies

Best for: Australian agencies who want a better-looking, easier accounting tool than MYOB without giving up local compliance.

If you're actually replacing MYOB's accounting, Xero is the strongest option for most Aussie agencies. It was built cloud-first — no legacy desktop baggage — and it shows. The UI is genuinely nicer than MYOB's, bank feeds from the major AU banks are solid, and BAS, GST and payroll are all handled properly. Your accountant almost certainly knows it.

Where it's like MYOB: it's accounting software. No milestone billing, no client portal, no change order workflow, no AI chasing your overdue invoices. The estimates feature is basic. So if you switch to Xero, you've solved "MYOB's UX annoys me" but you haven't solved "billing is a manual mess." That gap's still there.

Good news: Xero pairs really well with a dedicated billing tool. Handl syncs straight into Xero, same as it does with MYOB. So a lot of agencies run Xero for the books and Handl on top for the client-facing billing. Best of both.

Pricing: Early $25/mo (capped at 20 invoices/month — most active agencies blow through that fast), Growing $55/mo, Established $90/mo. USD, unlimited users on every plan. 30-day trial. Verify, 2026.

Pros:

• Cleaner, more modern UX than MYOB
• Proper AU compliance — BAS, GST, payroll
• Great bank feeds for Australian banks
• Unlimited users on all plans
• Massive app marketplace (800+ integrations)
• Pairs cleanly with Handl for billing

Cons:

• Still accounting software — no milestone billing, no scope tracking, no PM integrations
• Early plan's invoice cap is restrictive for active agencies
• Gets pricey with add-ons
• Payment reminders are manual and basic

Link: Handl vs Xero

3. QuickBooks — the big ecosystem option

Best for: Agencies that want full-featured accounting with a huge integration ecosystem and don't mind it being more globally focused than AU-first.

QuickBooks is the 800-pound gorilla of small business accounting worldwide. Double-entry bookkeeping, bank reconciliation, payroll add-ons, tax prep, and thousands of integrations. If you've got an accountant, there's a decent chance they can work in it.

For Australian agencies specifically, the honest caveat: QuickBooks is more US-centric than MYOB or Xero. It handles GST and AU requirements, but MYOB and Xero are the ones built around the Australian market first. Check that BAS/STP/payroll covers what you actually need locally before you switch — don't assume.

And like every accounting tool on this list, QuickBooks wasn't built for agency billing. No milestone invoicing, no client portal, no change orders, no proposal sign-off, no PM integrations. The reminders exist but they're basic, not AI-driven. It's excellent at recording what happened financially. It's not designed to manage the live financial relationship during a project.

Worth flagging: Handl doesn't natively sync with QuickBooks right now (we integrate with Xero and MYOB). So if you go QuickBooks for the books and want Handl for billing, you'd be exporting between them rather than getting automatic sync. Something to factor in.

Pricing: Simple Start $15/mo, Essentials $27.50/mo, Plus $42.50/mo, Advanced $100/mo. Frequently discounted ~50% for the first 3 months. Verify, 2026.

Pros:

• Best-in-class double-entry accounting
• Massive integration ecosystem and support community
• Payroll and tax prep (payroll as an add-on)
• Scales from solo up to mid-sized business

Cons:

• More US-focused than MYOB/Xero — check AU compliance fit
• No native Handl sync (Xero and MYOB only, for now)
• No milestone billing, client portal, change orders or PM integrations
• Interface feels heavy after decades of feature stacking
• Gets expensive at the higher tiers

Link: Handl vs QuickBooks

4. Wave — the free option for simple needs

Best for: Solo freelancers and very small operators whose MYOB subscription feels like overkill for what they actually do.

Wave is genuinely free for invoicing and bookkeeping. Not a trial, not freemium bait — actually free. The accounting side is legit too: proper double-entry, expense tracking, basic reports. If you're paying for MYOB but only using a sliver of it, Wave might honestly cover you.

The big AU caveat though — and it's a real one — Wave is built around the US and Canadian markets. It does not have Australian BAS lodgement, STP or super built in the way MYOB does. So if you've got payroll obligations or you're lodging BAS, Wave is not a like-for-like MYOB replacement. For a sole trader doing simple invoicing with no payroll and a manual tax process, it can work. For most agencies running real Australian compliance, it won't.

And on the billing side it's basic: no milestones, no client portal, no proposals, no change orders, no PM integrations, manual reminders only. Payments cost extra (2.9% + 60c for cards, 1% for bank transfers).

Pricing: Free for invoicing and accounting. Transaction fees on payments. Verify, 2026.

Pros:

• Genuinely free — invoicing plus real double-entry bookkeeping
• Clean, simple, up and running in 10 minutes
• Solid expense tracking and bank reconciliation
• No contract, no trial expiry

Cons:

• No native AU compliance (BAS, STP, super) — a dealbreaker if you need those
• No milestone billing, client portal, change orders or PM integrations
• Manual, basic reminders
• Payment processing fees add up
• Not built for agency-level work

Link: Handl vs Wave

5. Reckon — the budget AU compliance option (quick mention)

Best for: Cost-conscious Australian businesses who want local compliance without MYOB's pricing.

Worth a quick mention if you're staying AU-native but want cheaper. Reckon is an Australian accounting platform that covers the local basics — GST, BAS, payroll, STP — at budget-friendly pricing (plans start around $12/mo, but verify, 2026). It's not as slick as Xero and the ecosystem's smaller, but for a small Aussie business that just needs compliant accounting on a tight budget, it's a legitimate MYOB alternative.

Same caveat as everything else here: it's accounting, not billing. No milestone invoicing, no AI chasing, no client portal. If billing's your pain, you'd still want a layer on top.

A quick reality check before you switch

If you skim nothing else, get this straight: most of this list solves accounting. One of them (mine) solves billing. They're not the same job.

Switching from MYOB to Xero gives you nicer accounting. It does not stop you chasing late payments or eating scope creep. If that's the actual pain — and for a lot of agencies it is — swapping accounting tools won't touch it. You either add a billing layer, or you keep doing it manually.

So: figure out which problem is actually yours before you switch anything.

FAQ

Can Handl replace MYOB?

No — and it's not trying to. Handl is billing software, not accounting software. It doesn't do BAS, Single Touch Payroll, payroll or super. MYOB does all of that and you should keep it (or use Xero) for compliance. Handl sits on top for the client-facing billing — milestone invoices, change orders, AI payment chasing, client portal — and syncs back into MYOB automatically. Use both.

What's the best MYOB alternative for Australian agencies?

If you're replacing the accounting, Xero is the strongest swap for most Aussie agencies — cleaner UX, proper BAS/GST/payroll, great bank feeds. If the accounting's fine and it's the billing that hurts, you don't need to replace MYOB at all — add Handl on top for milestone billing and automated payment collection.

Will I lose Australian compliance (BAS, STP, super) if I switch from MYOB?

You can, if you're not careful. Xero and Reckon handle AU compliance natively. QuickBooks works in AU but is more US-centric, so check the fit. Wave does not have native AU BAS/STP/super — it's built for the US/Canada market, so it's not a safe like-for-like swap if you've got payroll or BAS obligations. Always confirm compliance coverage before you move.

Is there a free MYOB alternative?

Wave is genuinely free for invoicing and basic bookkeeping. The catch: it doesn't cover Australian BAS, STP or super, so it only works as a MYOB replacement for simple sole traders with no payroll and a manual tax process. Most agencies will outgrow it (or hit the compliance wall) fast.

The bottom line

For Australian agencies, the real question usually isn't "MYOB or something else." It's "MYOB plus what?"

Your accountant needs the compliance — that's MYOB (or Xero). Your clients need a billing experience that doesn't feel like you're winging it. Those are two different problems and one tool rarely nails both.

If the accounting's your pain, look hard at Xero. If it's the billing — the chasing, the scope creep, the manual invoices — that's exactly the gap Handl fills, and it sits right on top of MYOB without replacing it.

From $29/mo, 7-day free trial, priced by plan not per seat. Connect your MYOB, send a milestone invoice, let the agent chase the next late payer instead of you.

Try Handl free for 7 days

See pricing and the full integrations list.

More guides: See all the alternatives guides we've written → · or jump to the pricing page.