Choosing Between QuickBooks and Xero: One Bozeman Business Owner’s Not-So-Quick Decision

Starting a landscaping company in Bozeman, Montana was the easy part. I love the outdoors, I’ve got a good eye for symmetry in a flower bed, and nothing brings me more joy than turning a weedy mess into a perfectly edged, green-scaped lawn.

What wasn’t so easy? Figuring out how to manage the money.

When I first launched the business, I tracked everything in a trusty Excel sheet I called “Money Stuff.” It was gloriously unsophisticated. I had color-coded cells, shaky formulas, and absolutely no idea what I was doing.

But once I hired my first crew member and landed a few recurring clients, I realized this spreadsheet life wasn’t going to cut it anymore. I needed real accounting software—and I needed it fast.

That’s when I ran into the first of many small business owner rabbit holes: QuickBooks vs. Xero.

The Battle of the Bookkeeping Titans

Both QuickBooks Online and Xero had loyal fans. And honestly, they both looked pretty slick. Each one promised to save me time, reduce errors, track invoices, help with payroll, and maybe even make me a sandwich (okay, not that last one).

I started comparing features like I was buying a truck.

Xero Pros:

• Clean, modern interface

• Unlimited users without extra cost

• Strong international currency support (not that I was billing clients in Euros, but hey...)

• Slightly cheaper monthly fee

QuickBooks Pros:

• Widely used and known across the U.S.

• Massive ecosystem of integrations

• Tons of how-to videos and community support

• Payroll and time tracking baked right in

It was basically the Toyota vs. Ford of bookkeeping. Solid options. Good reputations. Tons of fans.

The Local CPA Reality Check

Here’s where things got real. I called up a local CPA in Bozeman to ask about what they recommend, and before I could finish my sentence, they said:

“We work almost exclusively with QuickBooks. Ninety percent of our clients use it.”

Oh. Well, that simplifies things.

As I talked to more people—bookkeepers, CPAs, other local small business owners—it became very clear that QuickBooks was the regional favorite.

That’s not to say Xero isn’t good—it’s great, in fact—but if I wanted my CPA to not look at me sideways when I handed over my files, QuickBooks was the path of least resistance.

And I liked the idea of finding a bookkeeper down the line who wouldn’t need a week to learn my software. Most Bozeman-area bookkeepers live and breathe QuickBooks. It’s like the local accounting dialect.

Pain Points That Made the Decision Clearer

As I was evaluating the options, I started to realize a few other things:

• I didn’t want to learn two systems. If I chose Xero and later hired a bookkeeper who only used QuickBooks, guess who’d have to learn both? This guy.

• Finding support matters. I could walk into any accounting office on Main Street and mention QuickBooks, and someone would be able to help. That’s not always the case with Xero.

• The ecosystem is deep. From payment processors to CRM tools to time tracking apps—QuickBooks just had more options that integrated cleanly.

I finally realized that picking a slightly more popular tool wasn’t “selling out”—it was future-proofing my business.

The Setup (and the Mild Panic Attack)

After committing to QuickBooks Online, I sat down to set everything up. Full disclosure: I hit some snags. Linking my business bank account gave me flashbacks to setting up a new router.

But once I got the hang of it, I started seeing the benefits right away:

• I could send professional invoices in under a minute.

• My bank transactions pulled in automatically (no more manual entry!).

• I could tag expenses by job or client.

• There were reports—beautiful, magical reports—that actually told me useful things like, “Hey, you’re spending way too much at the hardware store.”

Was it perfect? No. Did I try to expense a burrito once? Also yes. But I could already feel the difference.

What Really Sold Me

Honestly, it wasn’t just the software that sealed the deal—it was knowing I had support. When I found Blackfin, they didn’t just know QuickBooks—they knew my business.

They helped:

• Clean up my old spreadsheet mess (RIP, “Money Stuff”)

• Sync everything correctly

• Set up a payment portal so clients could pay online

• Automate reminders (so I didn’t have to be the awkward “just following up on that invoice…” guy)

And best of all—they gave me back my time. I could focus on managing my crew, bidding jobs, and keeping customers happy—not figuring out why my account wouldn’t reconcile.

Final Thoughts (From Someone Who Once Thought Excel Was Enough)

If you’re a landscaping business owner—or any small business owner—trying to decide between QuickBooks and Xero, here’s my advice:

• They’re both solid platforms.

• But if you’re in the U.S., and especially in Montana? QuickBooks will make your life easier.

• And if you work with local CPAs or plan to hire a bookkeeper (and trust me, you will), QuickBooks makes everything smoother.

So yeah, I’m a QuickBooks convert. And thanks to Blackfin, I’m also not losing sleep over invoicing, reconciliations, or tax season.

📞 If you’re staring at a pile of receipts or drowning in setup confusion, call Blackfin at 406-404-8955. Let them help you like they helped me—so you can focus on growing your business, not growing your bookkeeping stress.