A note before you read: ABFI isn't either provider and has no affiliate deal with either. We offer outsourced accounting too, so we've stuck to what each says and what named reviewers report, with our own option kept to one section near the end.
Side by side
| QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping | Bookkeeper360 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Intuit, the maker of QuickBooks [1] | Independent bookkeeping firm [2] |
| Software | QuickBooks Online only [1] | QuickBooks Online or Xero [2] |
| Core service | Categorize, reconcile, monthly reports [1][3] | Monthly bookkeeping [2] |
| Bill pay, invoicing, AP and AR | Not included in Full-Service, per Fit Small Business [3] | Ask; add-ons and plan levels vary [2][4] |
| Payroll and advisory | Not included, per Fit Small Business [3] | Available as add-ons [2] |
| Pricing model | Monthly by business size, plus a first-month cleanup fee, on top of QuickBooks [3] | Several monthly plans plus add-ons, per NerdWallet [4] |
| Best for | Simple books, all-Intuit setup | Small businesses wanting room to add services |
Who QuickBooks Live fits
- Small businesses with simple books already on QuickBooks Online
- Owners who like having the software company itself provide the bookkeeping
- Businesses that handle their own bills and invoices and only want them recorded and reconciled
Who Bookkeeper360 fits
- Xero users, or businesses that might switch platforms
- Owners who want payroll or advisory from the same firm later
- Businesses that want more choice of plan levels
What "bookkeeping" covers, and what it doesn't
This is the part most comparisons skip. A bookkeeping service records what happened: it categorizes transactions, reconciles accounts and produces reports. It usually doesn't do the work that creates those transactions, such as paying vendors, sending invoices and following up on late payers. Fit Small Business's review is clear that QuickBooks Live's Full-Service plan doesn't send invoices, pay bills or manage payables and receivables [3].
If you want those jobs done, not just recorded, you need a provider that runs accounts payable and accounts receivable, or you'll keep doing them yourself.
Questions to settle before you choose
- Are you staying on QuickBooks Online for good? If Xero is possible, QuickBooks Live is out.
- Are your books current? Both will want to catch up or clean up first. Budget for it: bookkeeping cleanup cost.
- Who pays the bills and sends invoices today? If that's you and you want it off your plate, check each scope carefully.
- How will they log in? Give any provider its own user, never your password: give your bookkeeper access safely.
- Would you be fine doing it yourself with some help? See QuickBooks DIY vs a bookkeeping service.
If you want the whole function run
When a business needs payables, receivables, job costing or client profitability handled, and a reviewed close every month, it has moved past a bookkeeping service. ABFI works inside your own QuickBooks Online on flat monthly plans and runs those jobs, with CFO-level help available. ABFI does not prepare taxes; we work with your CPA. Compare more options in best outsourced bookkeeping services.
Keep reading
Sources
- Intuit, QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping, quickbooks.intuit.com/live. Checked November 6, 2026.
- Bookkeeper360, company website, www.bookkeeper360.com. Checked November 6, 2026.
- Fit Small Business, "QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping Review & Pricing", fitsmallbusiness.com/quickbooks-live-bookkeeping-review. Checked November 6, 2026.
- NerdWallet, "Bookkeeper360 Review: Pricing, Features, and Top Alternatives", www.nerdwallet.com/business/software/learn/bookkeeper360. Checked November 6, 2026.
Questions owners ask
Is QuickBooks Live worth it?
For simple books on QuickBooks Online, it can be. If you need bills paid, invoices sent or payroll handled, check its scope first, because reviewers say those aren't included.
Does Bookkeeper360 use QuickBooks?
Yes. Bookkeeper360 works in QuickBooks Online or Xero.
Does QuickBooks Live work with Xero?
No. It's Intuit's service for QuickBooks Online.
Is there a setup or cleanup fee?
Fit Small Business reports a first-month cleanup fee for QuickBooks Live. Ask Bookkeeper360 how it handles catch-up work for your file.
Which is cheaper?
It depends on your size and the services you add. Price both, including any cleanup, at your current volume.
Want the bills paid, not just recorded?
ABFI runs payables, receivables and the monthly close in your QuickBooks Online. Start with a complimentary Business Accounting Diagnostic.