QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping vs Starling: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping and Starling to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping
5.1/10
Intuit's add-on bookkeeping service for US QuickBooks Online users, with expert guidance or a dedicated bookkeeper who categorizes, reconciles and closes the books monthly.
Starling
6.6/10
A UK digital bank business account with built-in invoicing, bookkeeping, and Making Tax Digital tax tools for sole traders and small limited companies.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Q QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.1/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 5/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | $59/mo Expert Assisted | £7/mo Accounting Plus |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | $59/mo Expert Assisted | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials |
| Features | ||
| Tax Compliance | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Expense Management | Not listed | |
| Financial Reporting | Not listed | |
| General Ledger | Not listed | |
| Invoicing | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping vs Starling cost by team size
| Team size | QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | $59/moExpert Assisted | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 5 users | $59/moExpert Assisted | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 10 users | $59/moExpert Assisted | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 25 users | $59/moExpert Assisted | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 50 users | $59/moExpert Assisted | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
QWhy choose QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping
Our data shows no clear advantage over Starling.
Why choose Starling
- Has a free plan (QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping does not)
- Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Compliance score (7/10 vs 4/10)
- Better fit for freelancers (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Includes Tax Compliance, which QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping lacks
Pros & Cons
QQuickBooks Live Bookkeeping
Pros
- Full Service hands off monthly reconciliation and closing to a dedicated bookkeeper who works inside your own QuickBooks Online file.
- The $59 Expert Assisted tier is a low-cost way to get coaching if you keep your own books.
- Monthly deliverables include a trial balance, profit and loss statement and balance sheet.
- No software migration is needed for existing QuickBooks Online users.
Cons
- The QuickBooks Online subscription is billed on top, so real costs run from about $338 a month and up for Full Service.
- The cleanup fee is not published.
- Tax filing, payroll, invoicing, bill pay and 1099s are excluded.
- GAAP, accrual, multi-currency and crypto accounting are not supported, and complex businesses may be refused.
- Reviewers report that pricing is unclear and that renewal prices rise.
Starling
Pros
- The business account has no monthly fee, and UK transfers, invoicing, and up to five expense cards are free.
- The free Essentials tier includes MTD for Income Tax submissions, which helps sole traders and landlords facing the April 2026 rules.
- VAT returns can be filed to HMRC from inside the banking app for £7 a month until April 2027.
- Bank feeds connect to Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent.
- UK-based support is available 24/7 in the app, and Finder ranked it highly for customer satisfaction in 2026.
Cons
- It is not a full accounting system: there is no general ledger, payroll, or multi-entity support.
- Accountants only get view-only access.
- Only GBP and EUR accounts are available, and new USD account applications are paused.
- Eligibility is strict: directors and people with significant control must be UK residents.
- Overdrafts and loans are not available to new business customers, and there are no branches.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Starling scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.6/10 against 5.1/10 for QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping. The largest gap is in Cost: 5/10 for QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping and 9/10 for Starling.
Starling has a free plan; QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping does not list one.
Starling is the better fit for freelancers: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 6/10 for QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping.
Starling has Tax Compliance, which QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping lacks.
