Best Accounting Software for NZ Electricians 2025: Complete Comparison
Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks, and Hnry — compared for NZ electrical businesses. What each handles well, where each falls short, and which one is right for your situation.
Quick Answer
For most NZ electricians, Xerois the right choice — it's NZ-built, handles GST and payday filing natively, integrates directly with TPT Electrician, and your accountant almost certainly already uses it. Hnry is a good option for simple sole traders who want taxes handled automatically without setup complexity.
NZ GST Requirements for Electricians
Before choosing software, it's worth understanding what NZ GST compliance actually requires for electrical contractors. Your accounting software must handle all of this correctly.
Register at $60k turnover
GST registration is compulsory once annual turnover exceeds $60,000. Most full-time electricians hit this quickly.
Tax invoices under $1,000
Invoices under $1,000 NZD need: supplier name, date, description, price, and a note that GST is included.
Tax invoices over $1,000
Larger invoices must also include: your GST number, buyer name, and the GST amount shown separately.
GST return frequency
Most small businesses file two-monthly. Monthly filing is available (often better for cash flow). Annual filing is only for low-turnover businesses.
GST invoicing errors are the most common compliance issue for trade businesses in NZ. Good accounting software prevents this by applying the correct GST rate automatically and formatting invoices correctly for IRD requirements.
The Options: 2025 Overview
Xero
RecommendedXero is the dominant accounting platform for NZ small business and the most common choice for electricians. Built in New Zealand, it handles GST, payday filing, payroll, and bank feeds natively. Integrates directly with TPT Electrician — invoices, job costs, and payments sync automatically.
Watch for: The Starter plan limits monthly invoices — check the cap before committing.
MYOB
MYOB is widely used in NZ and handles GST, payroll, and invoicing well. Less popular than Xero for new businesses, but solid if you already have staff familiar with it. MYOB AccountRight is more feature-rich but also more complex.
Watch for: MYOB has fewer integrations with NZ trade job management platforms than Xero. Check that your job management software connects to MYOB before committing.
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online (QBO) works in NZ but is less common and less well-supported locally. GST handling is functional but NZ-specific features like payday filing and NZ bank feeds are not as seamless as Xero. Better suited to businesses with US connections.
Watch for: QBO does not natively support NZ payday filing. You would need a payroll add-on or workaround for NZ-compliant payroll.
Hnry
Hnry is a tax and invoicing service built for NZ sole traders and contractors. It automatically calculates and pays tax (income tax, GST, ACC) on every invoice. No complex setup, no end-of-year scramble. Very simple but limited — not suited for teams, employees, or complex job costing.
Watch for: Hnry is not accounting software in the traditional sense — it cannot do payroll for employees or integrate with job management platforms. Best for simple sole traders only.
TPT Electrician integrates directly with Xero
Invoices, payments, and job costs sync automatically. No double entry.
| Feature | Xero | MYOB | QBO | Hnry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZ GST returns (GST 15%) | ||||
| IRD payday filing | ||||
| Invoicing with GST | ||||
| Job management integration | ||||
| Bank reconciliation | ||||
| Multi-user access | ||||
| Payroll (NZ compliant) | ||||
| Subcontractor payments | ||||
| Purpose-built for sole traders |
Who Should Choose What
Sole trader — simple jobs, no employees
Xero Starter or Hnry
Xero gives more flexibility and grows with you. Hnry is simpler if you just want taxes handled automatically.
Small team with employees
Xero
Xero's payroll is NZ compliant, integrates with job management software, and handles multi-user access well.
Already using MYOB
Stay on MYOB
Switching accounting platforms has migration costs. If MYOB is working, the gains from switching to Xero may not justify the disruption.
Growing commercial contractor
Xero + TPT Electrician
The integration between TPT Electrician and Xero eliminates double entry and gives you real-time job costing against your accounts.
The Bottom Line
For most NZ electricians, Xero is the practical default. It's NZ-built, your accountant is almost certainly already using it, and it has the best integration with job management platforms like TPT Electrician. The Starter plan handles invoicing and GST for most sole traders; step up to the Standard plan when you need payroll or need to send more than 20 invoices per month.
If you're a sole trader who wants to avoid accounting complexity entirely, Hnry handles GST and income tax automatically on every invoice. It's not a full accounting platform, but it removes the end-of-year scramble for simple contractors.
Connect TPT Electrician to Your Accounting Software
TPT Electrician integrates with Xero, QuickBooks, and FreshBooks. Invoices, job costs, and payments sync automatically — no manual entry.