Accounting Software in Ireland: What to Look For, with Xero, QuickBooks, Sage and Staxo Compared

Staxo Team, 2026-09-16

Most accounting software was designed for a bigger market first and adapted for Ireland afterwards. That is not a criticism. The global products are mature, well supported and connect to hundreds of other tools. But an Irish business has specific needs: the Irish VAT rates, the VAT3 and the annual RTD, ROS-ready output, payroll that talks to Revenue in real time, and books in euro. This guide sets out what to check, then compares four options on those points using only what each vendor states on its own Irish pages.

What an Irish business needs from accounting software

Irish VAT rates and treatments

Ireland has five VAT rates plus exempt: 23%, 13.5%, 9%, 4.8% and 0%. The software should let you set a rate per product or service and handle reverse charge services from abroad, intra-EU sales and purchases, and postponed accounting on imports. If the rates have to be typed in by hand, mistakes follow.

VAT3 and RTD

The VAT3 is filed every two months for most businesses. The software should produce the T1, T2, E1, E2, ES1, ES2 and PA1 figures for the exact taxable period. Once a year every VAT registered business also files a Return of Trading Details, which needs sales and purchases split by rate. Check whether the product produces both, and whether it submits to ROS directly or gives you figures to enter.

ROS-ready output

Very few products file every Irish return from inside the software. What matters is that the numbers are laid out in the same boxes ROS uses, so filing takes minutes rather than a reconciliation exercise.

Payroll with RPN and real-time reporting

If you employ anyone, payroll must request Revenue Payroll Notifications and send a payroll submission to Revenue on or before every pay date. Some products include Irish payroll, some sell it as an add-on, and some do not offer it in Ireland at all.

Euro, bank feeds and pricing currency

The books should be in euro by default, with multi-currency only if you need it. Bank feeds from Irish banks save hours of manual entry. Also check the currency the subscription itself is billed in, because a subscription priced in another currency changes with the exchange rate.

Accountant access

Whoever prepares your year end accounts or CT1 needs to get in. Look for an accountant login or portal that does not cost an extra user seat.

Data location and support

Ask where your data is stored and whether it stays in the EU. Ask what support is included: online help only, chat, or a person who knows Irish rules.

Comparison: Xero, QuickBooks Online, Sage Accounting and Staxo

The table below uses only statements on each vendor's official Irish pricing, feature or help pages as read on 16 September 2026. Where a page did not state a fact, the cell says "check vendor page". Prices are as published at the time of writing and change often; treat them as a snapshot, not a quote.

Criterion	Xero	QuickBooks Online	Sage Accounting	Staxo
Irish pricing at the time of writing	Starter 29 USD, Standard 50 USD, Premium 75 USD per month; the Irish page states prices are in USD	Simple Start 21 euro, Essentials 31 euro, Plus 45 euro, Advanced 75 euro per month; check the vendor page for VAT treatment	Accounting Start 19 euro, Accounting 37 euro per month, stated as excluding VAT	Starter 49 euro, Professional 79 euro, Business 499 euro per month, ex VAT
Billing currency	USD	Euro	Euro	Euro
Irish VAT3 preparation	Via the Parolla plugin, which Xero states generates VAT3 returns for upload to ROS	QuickBooks help states the VAT return is prepared in the software and filed directly with the tax agency; it says you cannot e-file from within QuickBooks	"Calculate and create VAT returns" is listed on both plans; check vendor page for ROS submission	VAT3 prep with ROS-ready export on all plans; review included from Professional
Annual RTD	Xero's announcement states the Parolla solution compiles the RTD	Check vendor page	Check vendor page	Check plan page
Irish payroll with RPN and real-time reporting	Listed as an optional add-on; check vendor page for Irish coverage and price	Check vendor page	Payroll add-on from 1.40 euro per month for 5 employees at the offer price shown, RRP from 14 euro per month plus VAT	Payslips for up to 5 employees with payroll support on Professional; full configurable payroll on Business; confirm RPN and submission details with Staxo
Bank feeds	Included on all plans; the Irish page notes manual import for some Irish banks	Automated bank feeds on all plans	Automatic bank reconciliation on both plans	Check plan page
Multi-currency	Premium plan only	Essentials and above	Accounting plan only	Check plan page
Accountant access	Check vendor page	"Plus access for your accountant" on every plan	Accounting plan supports unlimited users	Accountant portal on Business plan
Data stored in the EU	Check vendor page	Check vendor page	Check vendor page	Check vendor page
Company formation in the same place	No	No	No	Yes: sole trader 49 euro, LTD 199 euro ex VAT
Human support included	24/7 online support listed	"Real human product support" listed	Check vendor page	Email support on Starter, priority on Professional, dedicated on Business

How to read the table

Xero, QuickBooks Online and Sage are established products with large ecosystems of add-ons, integrations and bookkeepers who know them well. If you already have a bookkeeper, the product they use is a strong reason to pick it. Their Irish VAT handling has improved in recent years, sometimes through partners, and their pricing pages are worth a fresh look because plans and promotions change.

Staxo is a smaller, Irish product. Its difference is not a longer feature list. It is that the defaults are Irish from the start: VAT3 boxes, ROS-ready figures, euro billing, payroll built around Revenue's rules, and company formation in the same account, with people you can contact. Its entry price is higher than the entry tiers of the global tools, and its plans include support rather than selling it separately.

Questions to ask before you sign up

Can I see a VAT3 for a sample period, box by box?
Does it produce the RTD, or will I be rebuilding it in a spreadsheet each January?
Is Irish payroll included, an add-on, or unavailable?
What currency is the subscription billed in?
Do my bank's feeds work, or will I be importing CSV files?
Can my accountant log in without paying for a seat?
Where is the data stored?
Who answers when something goes wrong, and how quickly?
How do I export everything if I leave?

Frequently asked questions

Do I need software at all as a small sole trader?

Not by law. Revenue requires proper records, not a particular tool. But once you are VAT registered or have more than a handful of invoices a month, software pays for itself in time saved and errors avoided.

Can any of these file my VAT3 to ROS for me?

Based on the vendor pages read for this guide, the products prepare the figures and, in some cases, a file for upload; the return is then submitted through ROS. Check the current position on each vendor's page, because this changes.

Is the cheapest plan enough?

Entry plans often cap invoices or bills per month, exclude multi-currency, or exclude payroll. Compare the plan you would actually need, not the headline price.

Can I switch later?

Yes. Switching is easiest at a VAT period end or a financial year end. Export your contacts, invoices, bank transactions and trial balance before you cancel.

Sources

Staxo is accounting software with human support built for Irish small businesses, with sole trader registration for 49 euro and company formation for 199 euro ex VAT in the same place. See Staxo plans or start your company formation.