MYOB vs Xero — Which Is Better for Outsourcing to India?
Both platforms are cloud-based and fully accessible from India. The difference comes down to architecture. Xero is cloud-native — every feature is in the browser. MYOB has two products: MYOB Business (cloud-only, formerly Essentials) and MYOB AccountRight (desktop software with a cloud sync option). That distinction matters for outsourcing.
| Feature | Xero | MYOB Business (cloud) | MYOB AccountRight (desktop) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote access from India | ✅ Full browser access | ✅ Full browser access | ⚠️ Requires cloud file or VPN |
| User invitation (no password sharing) | ✅ Built-in roles | ✅ Built-in roles | ⚠️ Limited user management |
| Australian GST & BAS tools | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Good | ✅ Good |
| Bank feeds | ✅ Direct feeds | ✅ Direct feeds | ✅ Direct feeds |
| Payroll (STP Phase 2) | ✅ Included | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Indian bookkeeper familiarity | ✅ Very high | ✅ High | ⚠️ Medium |
| Best for outsourcing? | ✅ First choice | ✅ Good choice | ⚠️ Workable with setup |
Bottom line: If you are already on Xero or MYOB Business, stay there — both work well. If you are on MYOB AccountRight desktop and want to outsource, either migrate to MYOB Business or switch to Xero. Running AccountRight desktop with a remote Indian bookkeeper adds unnecessary friction.
How to Give Your Indian Bookkeeper Access to Xero
Never share your Xero password. The correct method is the built-in user invitation — it takes under two minutes and gives you full control over what your bookkeeper can see and do.
- Log in to Xero and go to Settings → Users
- Click Invite a User
- Enter your bookkeeper's email address
- Select their role — Standard for day-to-day bookkeeping, Advisor if they need full access including chart of accounts changes
- Click Send Invite — your bookkeeper receives an email and creates their own Xero login
- They access only your organisation — your password is never involved
You can restrict access further using Xero's Business Edition user roles, which let you limit visibility to specific modules (e.g. purchases only, no payroll). To remove access at any time, go to Settings → Users and click Remove. The bookkeeper immediately loses access to your organisation.
How to Give Your Indian Bookkeeper Access to MYOB
The process differs slightly depending on which MYOB product you use.
MYOB Business (cloud)
- Go to Business Settings → Users
- Click Invite User
- Enter your bookkeeper's email address
- Select their role — Standard User gives full bookkeeping access; Viewer is read-only
- Your bookkeeper accepts the invitation and creates their own MYOB login
- They can access your business from any browser — including from India
MYOB AccountRight (desktop)
If your file is stored in the MYOB cloud (not locally), your bookkeeper can access it via the MYOB AccountRight desktop app installed on their own computer. They will need their own MYOB login and you will need to share the company file with their account via File → Share Company File. If the file is only on your local machine, remote access requires either a VPN or migrating the file to MYOB cloud storage — both add complexity. For most SMEs outsourcing to India, migrating to MYOB Business or Xero is simpler.
What Your Indian Bookkeeper Can Do in Xero or MYOB
A qualified Indian bookkeeper with Australian experience can handle the full scope of day-to-day bookkeeping remotely. Here is a clear breakdown of what to delegate and what to keep in-house:
| Task | Delegate to Indian Bookkeeper? |
|---|---|
| Categorise and code daily transactions | ✅ Yes — core task |
| Bank reconciliation (weekly or monthly) | ✅ Yes — core task |
| Accounts payable — enter supplier invoices, mark as paid | ✅ Yes |
| Accounts receivable — raise customer invoices, chase overdue | ✅ Yes |
| Payroll processing under Australian PAYG rules | ✅ Yes (with ATO setup done by you) |
| STP (Single Touch Payroll) event submission | ✅ Yes |
| BAS preparation — draft GST and PAYG figures | ✅ Yes — you review and approve before lodgement |
| Monthly P&L, balance sheet, cash flow reports | ✅ Yes |
| Year-end workpapers for your accountant | ✅ Yes |
| BAS lodgement with the ATO | ❌ No — you or your BAS agent lodge after review |
| Responding to ATO correspondence | ❌ No — you or your Australian accountant |
| Business strategy and tax planning | ❌ No — Australian CPA or accountant |
For businesses that want to go further, our dedicated accountant hire service places a full-time Indian accountant on your books who can also assist with management reporting and basic tax compliance.
What to Set Up Before Your Indian Bookkeeper Starts
A smooth handover saves hours of back-and-forth in the first month. Before your Indian bookkeeper logs in for the first time, make sure these are in place:
- ☑ Bank feeds connected and up to date in Xero or MYOB
- ☑ Chart of accounts set up correctly for your industry
- ☑ Australian GST tax codes configured (GST, GST-free, BAS Excluded, Input Taxed)
- ☑ Your financial year confirmed as 1 July–30 June
- ☑ Outstanding bank reconciliations cleared — hand over a clean starting point
- ☑ Payroll employee records set up with correct TFNs and super funds (if delegating payroll)
- ☑ NDA and engagement letter signed before any access is granted
- ☑ Communication method agreed — email, WhatsApp, or shared task tool
- ☑ BAS lodgement deadline calendar shared so your bookkeeper plans around ATO due dates
Cost Comparison — Outsourcing to India vs Local Australian Bookkeeper
Your Xero or MYOB subscription cost does not change — you pay the same software fee regardless of where your bookkeeper is located. What changes dramatically is the labour cost.
| Engagement Type | India Rate | Local Australian Rate | Annual Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly (ad hoc) | A$12–A$22/hr | A$45–A$90/hr | ~A$16,000–A$35,000/yr* |
| Small business package (up to 150 txns/mo) | A$300–A$450/mo | A$1,000–A$1,800/mo | ~A$8,400–A$16,800/yr |
| Medium business package (150–400 txns/mo) | A$500–A$900/mo | A$2,000–A$3,500/mo | ~A$18,000–A$31,200/yr |
| Dedicated full-time bookkeeper | A$2,200–A$3,500/mo | A$6,500–A$9,000/mo | ~A$51,600–A$66,000/yr |
* Based on 20 hours/month. Actual saving depends on your transaction volume.
See a full breakdown of what is included at each tier on our Australia bookkeeping services page, or contact us for a quote based on your actual transaction count and software.
Common Mistakes Australian SMEs Make When Setting Up
Most problems with offshore bookkeeping come from poor handover, not from the quality of the bookkeeper. These are the mistakes to avoid:
- Sharing your login password — always use the platform's user invitation. Sharing a password means you cannot revoke individual access and creates an audit trail problem.
- Not explaining Australian GST codes — Indian bookkeepers know Australian GST in principle, but your specific industry may have non-obvious tax treatments. Spend 30 minutes on a video call walking through how you currently code transactions.
- Handing over a messy Xero file — outstanding reconciliations, uncoded transactions going back months, or a broken chart of accounts will multiply the setup time. Clear the backlog first or pay to have it cleared.
- No agreed turnaround times — without SLAs, you will not know when to expect the monthly reconciliation or BAS draft. Set deadlines in the engagement letter: e.g. reconciliation by the 5th of each month, BAS draft 10 days before the ATO due date.
- Expecting lodge-and-forget on BAS — you must review and approve every BAS. Build 30 minutes into your calendar before each lodgement date.
- Hiring a generalist Indian accountant instead of an Australian-specialist — not all Indian accountants know Australian tax rules. Always confirm Australian GST, BAS, and STP experience before engaging.
Written by Sharma Jyoti, CA (ICAI) — Founder, Sharma Jyoti and Co. We are Xero and MYOB certified, ICAI-registered, and serve 20+ Australian SMEs across retail, professional services, trades, and hospitality. Learn more about our firm →
Related Reading