Alternative · MYOB
A simpler MYOB alternative for Australian sole traders.
MYOB is one of Australia's accounting heritage brands - powerful, comprehensive, and considerably more software than most sole traders need. VioBusiness is a mobile-first invoice app for the Australian small business that just wants ABN-aware tax invoices, expense tracking, and clean records for the BAS, without paying AUD $30+/month forever.
The short version.
MYOB plans for sole traders start at around AUD $30/mo (MYOB Solo / Business Lite) and scale to AUD $100+/mo for larger plans. Full accounting, payroll, inventory, all included. VioBusiness is AUD $29.99 once, mobile-first, focused on invoicing and expense tracking - perfect for sole traders who hand off the books to a bookkeeper or accountant annually.
i.What MYOB does well
MYOB has been an Australian small-business standard since the 1990s. Strengths:
- Full Australian-tax-compliant accounting (BAS, PAYG, super, FBT)
- Payroll with Single Touch Payroll (STP) compliance
- Bank feeds with all major Australian banks
- Inventory management
- Multi-user team access
- Accountant collaboration via MYOB Practice
- Tight ATO integration for BAS and STP submissions
If you have employees, run inventory, or do your own bookkeeping internally - MYOB earns its monthly fee.
ii.Why "MYOB alternative" is searched
- Price. AUD $30-$100/month for features many sole traders don't use.
- Complexity. The MYOB interface assumes accounting knowledge. Sole traders sending 10 invoices/month find the learning curve frustrating.
- Cloud-only (mostly). Modern MYOB plans are AccountRight cloud or MYOB Business cloud. No genuinely offline workflow.
- Feature drift toward the upmarket. MYOB has steadily focused on mid-market accounting, leaving sole traders feeling overspec'd.
- Subscription fatigue. Five years of MYOB = AUD $1,800+ for a basic plan. Many sole traders feel they get $50/year of actual value.
iii.VioBusiness vs MYOB
| Feature | VioBusiness | MYOB Business Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | AUD $29.99 once | ~AUD $30/mo subscription |
| Tax invoices with ABN | Yes | Yes |
| GST handling | Per invoice | Automated |
| Quote / proposal / contract | All three | Quotes mainly |
| Bank feeds | No | Yes |
| Payroll / STP | No | Add-on |
| Inventory | No | Yes |
| BAS preparation | CSV → bookkeeper | Direct |
| Offline use | Fully offline | Cloud-required |
| Mobile-first | Native iOS + Android | Web-first |
| Multi-currency | 20+ | Limited tiers |
| Account required | Not for basic use | Required |
iv.Cost over five years
- MYOB Business Lite: ~AUD $30/mo × 60 = AUD $1,800
- MYOB Business Pro: ~AUD $60/mo × 60 = AUD $3,600
- VioBusiness Pro: AUD $29.99 once
For a sole trader who uses MYOB for "I send the occasional invoice" and "my bookkeeper sorts the rest", that's nearly $1,800 in unnecessary subscription cost over five years.
v.Who VioBusiness is right for
- Sole traders with no employees
- Service-based businesses without inventory
- Consultants, designers, photographers, tutors, coaches
- Anyone whose accountant or BAS agent works in their own software and just needs your invoice/expense CSV
- Tradies operating as sole traders (though Vyapar-equivalent if you need stock)
- Anyone fed up with rising MYOB subscription costs
vi.Who should stay on MYOB
- Businesses with employees and STP obligations
- Retailers, wholesalers, distributors with inventory
- Multi-user businesses needing shared access
- Businesses where the BAS agent runs MYOB Practice on your behalf
- Businesses requiring bank reconciliation as part of monthly close
vii.Migration from MYOB
- Export your customer list from MYOB as CSV.
- Export historical invoices/transactions for backup if you want.
- Set up VioBusiness with ABN, GST default at 10%, business name.
- Add active customers; archive historical ones.
- Run parallel through one full BAS cycle. Confirm CSV exports give your bookkeeper everything needed.
- Once confirmed, drop MYOB to the cheapest archive tier or cancel.
viii.Frequently asked
Does VioBusiness handle BAS preparation?
Not directly. VioBusiness exports clean CSV records (invoices, expenses) that your bookkeeper or BAS agent uses to prepare and lodge BAS via their own software or via the ATO portal. See our BAS record-keeping guide.
What about Single Touch Payroll?
VioBusiness doesn't do payroll. If you have employees you need a dedicated payroll provider (KeyPay, Xero Payroll, MYOB Business Pro, Employment Hero). VioBusiness focuses on the invoicing-and-expenses half of the picture.
Can my BAS agent or accountant work with VioBusiness?
Yes. VioBusiness's CSV exports are standard format - any BAS agent can ingest them into MYOB Practice, Xero, QuickBooks, or their own tools. No agent has ever refused a CSV.
ix.Try VioBusiness
Free for 5 invoices/month. AUD $29.99 lifetime for unlimited everything.
Related Australian content: Australia page · Xero alternative · ABN tax invoice guide · BAS guide