Guide
Xero alternative for tradespeople? What you actually need
Updated 24 October 2026
A common complaint from tradespeople: accounting software is built for accountants, not for someone pricing a job on a driveway. Xero, FreeAgent and Sage are good at what they do, but most of it is not what your day looks like.
Two different jobs
Accounting software records what has happened: bank feeds, expenses, VAT returns, profit and loss, and tax. It keeps HMRC and your accountant happy.
Quoting and chasing software makes things happen: winning the job, getting the deposit, invoicing the balance and making sure the customer actually pays. It is what you use on your phone between jobs.
Accounting packages can send invoices and basic reminders, but they rarely help you win the work, follow up quotes or handle the difference between chasing a business and chasing a homeowner.
What QuoteChase does that accounting software does not
- Branded quotes from your phone in about 30 seconds, from saved templates and line items.
- Good, better and best options and tick-box extras the customer chooses online.
- Automatic follow-ups on unanswered quotes, and an email when the customer opens one.
- One-tap deposit invoices and conversion of the accepted quote to an invoice.
- Automatic reminders on day 1, 7, 14 and 30, with the right formal letter for a business or a homeowner at the end.
What QuoteChase does not do
Be clear about this before you cancel anything: QuoteChase is not accounting software. It does not do bank feeds, expenses, VAT returns or tax returns, and it is not Making Tax Digital software. From April 2026, sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 must keep digital records and file quarterly updates using MTD-compatible software. QuoteChase gives you a CSV export your accountant can import.
So which do you need?
- You already have an accountant using Xero or similar: keep it for the books, and use QuoteChase for quotes, invoices and chasing. Export to your accountant.
- You are a small sole trader with simple books below the MTD threshold: many get by with QuoteChase plus a simple bookkeeping method your accountant is happy with. Ask them.
- You do your own VAT returns or are within MTD for Income Tax: you need MTD-compatible software regardless.
Questions
Is QuoteChase a replacement for Xero?
No. QuoteChase handles quotes, invoices and getting paid. Xero handles your books and tax. Many trades use QuoteChase day to day and give their accountant the CSV export.
Why do tradespeople find accounting software complicated?
Because it is designed around ledgers, reconciliation and tax, which are an accountant's job. The parts a tradesperson uses daily, quoting and chasing, are a small corner of it.