QuickBooks is one of the world’s most-used accounting platforms: bookkeeping first, invoicing as part of it. Sendinvo is invoicing only, built around the UK construction rules that QuickBooks handles generically: CIS deductions, the VAT reverse charge, deposits and stage payments. Here is where each wins, and how to tell which one your business actually needs.
- QuickBooks is full accounting: books, VAT returns, payroll, receipts.
- Sendinvo is the getting-paid half: CIS, reverse charge, stages, reminders.
- QuickBooks does invoicing well, but generic, not construction-specific.
- CIS deduction statements are the daily job of a UK subcontractor.
- Some trades need both, invoicing engine plus an accountant’s ledger.
What each tool is
| Sendinvo | QuickBooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Invoicing and payment collection | Full accounting platform |
| Core loop | Quote → deposit → stages → invoice → reminder → paid | Books → bank feeds → VAT return → reports |
| UK construction rules | CIS deductions and VAT reverse charge built in | Invoicing is general-purpose; CIS is accountant-territory |
| Chasing money | Automatic reminders, statements, statutory interest | Reminders available; construction-specific chasing is not the focus |
| Best known for | Getting UK trades paid on construction jobs | Bookkeeping and compliance for small businesses |
QuickBooks is a serious product: if you already run your books in it, that fact matters more than any feature table. The question is not which is better in the abstract, but which half of your admin you want the software to own.
Where QuickBooks wins
- The whole ledger. Bank feeds, expenses, payroll and VAT returns: your accountant lives there at year end, and self-assessment is a much shorter conversation.
- Invoicing depth. Estimates, recurring invoices, payment links, mobile app, the generic invoice toolset is complete.
- Accountant ecosystem. Most UK accountants know it, can log in, and will tell you so.
Where Sendinvo wins
- CIS deductions on the labour element after VAT, with payment and deduction statements generated per payment: see the worked example. In a general ledger product this is a manual routine or an accountant’s job.
- VAT reverse charge wording for construction invoices between registered businesses: what the invoice must show.
- Deposits, stage payments, valuations and retention as first-class invoice types: the stage payment template.
- Automatic chasing. Reminders, customer statements and statutory interest run without diary entries: the reminder wording.
- Simplicity and cost. No books to maintain, no monthly reconciliation habit. The invoice is the record.
How to decide
- Invoicing contractors under CIS every week? The deduction maths and statements are Sendinvo’s core loop: the CIS software comparison.
- Need VAT returns, payroll or an accountant inside your system? QuickBooks, an invoicing tool deliberately does not do the books.
- Both? They are not substitutes: a focused invoicing tool for the payment chain, QuickBooks for the ledger. Check what exports before doubling up; the QuickBooks alternatives piece covers the field.
- No VAT, no CIS, domestic work only? Either works, pick on price and chasing features.
The failure modes are symmetrical: QuickBooks on its own leaves the subcontractor calculating CIS on a calculator; an invoicing-only tool on its own leaves year-end books nowhere. Match the tool to the half of the job that hurts.
FAQ
What is the difference between Sendinvo and QuickBooks?
QuickBooks is a full accounting platform: books, VAT returns, payroll, plus general-purpose invoicing. Sendinvo is invoicing only, built around UK construction: CIS deductions, the VAT reverse charge, deposits, stage payments and automatic reminders.
Does QuickBooks handle CIS deductions?
QuickBooks’ invoicing is general-purpose; CIS deduction calculation and payment and deduction statements are not built into the standard invoice flow the way they are in CIS-focused tools. Most subcontractors on QuickBooks handle deductions manually or via their accountant.
Which is cheaper?
Sendinvo runs on a low monthly subscription aimed at invoicing alone. QuickBooks is paid at accounting-platform prices, which buys the ledger, VAT returns and accountant access, not just invoicing.
Can Sendinvo replace QuickBooks?
Not entirely, deliberately. Sendinvo covers the getting-paid chain but not the books: no ledger, no VAT returns, no payroll. Businesses with VAT returns or accountants still need an accounting system of some kind.
Can I use both together?
Yes, invoice in a focused tool, keep books in QuickBooks. Check the export format before committing so invoice records flow into the ledger without retyping.
Which is better for a UK subcontractor?
For the daily invoice (CIS deduction on the labour element after VAT, reverse-charge wording, stage payments) a construction-focused tool fits better. For overall business accounts, QuickBooks. Many run both.
One last thing
QuickBooks is what your accountant wants; Sendinvo is what your unpaid-invoice list wants. If CIS and the reverse charge are on most invoices, the invoicing tool earns its keep daily: the ledger can come later, and often does.