Every figure below is from Xero's and Sage's own UK pages, read on 16/10/2026, list prices excluding VAT, introductory discounts ignored. Where their page does not say, we say so rather than guess.
| What you need | Quarvex® | Xero | Sage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll | Included, unlimited | £1.50 a person a month (Grow includes one) | £1.85 an employee a month (Start and Standard include one) |
| CIS returns as a contractor | Included | +£5.00 a month | From Standard, £43.00 (Sage: "working with suppliers, CIS or with accrual accounting") |
| Sales invoices on the entry plan | Unlimited | 20 a month on Ignite | Not on their price list |
| Users on the entry plan | Unlimited on every plan | Unlimited | One on Start, three on Standard |
| Expenses and mileage | Included | +£2.50 a user a month (Grow includes one) | Not on their price list |
| Multi-currency | Included | Comprehensive, £55.00 | Not on their price list |
| Bank reconciliation | Included, with rules you set | Included; automatic matching +£3.50 a month on Simple and Ignite | Included |
| Self Assessment under Making Tax Digital | £6.99 on its own, or in every company plan | Simple plan, £7.00, for businesses not registered for VAT | Sole Trader plans, £0.00 and £7.00, for businesses not registered for VAT |
| Cheapest plan for a VAT-registered business | Solo, £14.99 | Ignite, £18.00 | Start, £20.00 |
| Cheapest plan of any kind | Self Assessment, £6.99 | Simple, £7.00 (10 invoices, no VAT, no payroll) | Sole Trader Free, £0.00 (one user, no VAT) |
| A small limited company: invoicing, VAT, CIS and payroll for two* | £14.99 | £45.50 on Grow (£26.00 on Ignite, if 20 invoices a month is enough) | £44.85 |
*Xero: Grow £39.00 (Ignite caps sales invoices at 20 a month) + £1.50 for the second payroll person + £5.00 for CIS returns = £45.50; on Ignite, £18.00 + £3.00 payroll for two + £5.00 = £26.00. Sage: Standard £43.00 (the plan Sage names for CIS) + £1.85 for the second employee = £44.85. Quarvex: Solo £14.99, everything included, one company, no user limit. Sources: xero.com/uk/pricing-plans, xero.com/uk/pricing-plans/simple-business, sage.com/en-gb/pricing and sage.com/en-gb/sage-business-cloud/accounting/pricing, all read 16/10/2026. Competitors change their prices; this page is dated. We have no view on whether their products suit you, only on what they cost.
The charges from the table above, dropped in. You can pick them up and move them about.
Xero. Grow, then payroll by the person, CIS by the month, expenses by the user, and automatic matching as an extra on the entry plans.
Sage. Standard for CIS, then the second employee. Payroll is in the box, and that is the honest cheap end of this market.
Quarvex. One price. Everything else is in it.
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