Xero vs MYOB for coworking spaces
Which accounting platform suits an Australian flexible-space operator: Xero or MYOB. How each handles high-volume member invoicing, GST and BAS, payroll, multi-site reporting and the sync with your management platform.
Coworking accounting has an unusual shape: hundreds of small recurring invoices, a long tail of one-off room and pass charges, GST on nearly everything, and a member base that changes every month. Both Xero and MYOB can handle it. They suit different operators.
The short answer
- Xero if you want the simpler interface, the wider app ecosystem and a two-way sync with your workspace platform. This is the usual choice for flex-space operators, and the one Hamlet integrates with.
- MYOB if payroll is the complicated part of your business, or you run several entities and need consolidated reporting across ABNs.
Comparison
| Xero | MYOB | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Cloud first | Desktop heritage, now browser based |
| Learning curve for non-accountants | Shorter | Longer |
| GST and BAS lodgement | Yes | Yes |
| Single Touch Payroll | Yes, on the payroll plans | Yes, strong |
| Multi-entity consolidation | Limited | Strong |
| Tracking categories by site or space type | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party app ecosystem | Larger | Smaller, Australia-focused |
| Hamlet integration | Yes, two-way invoice and payment sync | Not today |
Where the difference actually bites
Invoice volume. A 120-member site raises well over a thousand documents a year once bookings and one-off charges are counted. What matters is not the accounting platform's invoicing screen, it's whether your management platform pushes finished invoices and matched payments across so nobody types them twice. That is where the integration list decides it, and Xero has more of them.
Payroll. If you employ community managers, cleaners and casual reception staff across sites and awards, MYOB's payroll depth is a genuine advantage. If payroll is five salaried people, it isn't.
Multiple entities. Operators who hold each site in its own company get more out of MYOB's consolidation. Operators running one entity with tracking categories per site are better served by Xero.
Your accountant. Whichever one they already use will cost you less in friction. Ask before you decide.
GST and compliance
Both are fully compliant with Australian Taxation Office requirements for GST, BAS and Single Touch Payroll, and both connect to Australian bank feeds. Compliance is not the deciding factor between them; workflow is.
The thing to check on your own setup is that GST is applied correctly at the point of sale in your workspace platform, not corrected later in the ledger. Memberships, room bookings, day passes and one-off charges all need the right tax treatment before they reach the accounts.
How this works with Hamlet
Hamlet runs the billing: it raises the invoices, collects the payment through Stripe or Worldpay, applies credit notes, and syncs invoices and payments into Xero so the ledger matches the platform without manual entry. Your accountant works in Xero, your team works in Hamlet, and nobody reconciles printed spreadsheets.
MYOB is not on the integration list today. If you are on MYOB and want to move to Hamlet, the practical routes are exporting for your bookkeeper, or a custom connector through Hamlet Custom. See the full list on integrations, and how the billing side works on features.
Choosing
- Ask your accountant which they work in.
- Count your payroll complexity, not your headcount.
- Count your entities. One entity points to Xero, several point to MYOB.
- Check the integration with the platform that raises your invoices, because that's where the hours go.
Frequently asked questions
Is Xero or MYOB better for an Australian coworking space?
Xero suits most flexible-space operators: a shorter learning curve, a wider integration ecosystem, and a two-way sync with workspace platforms including Hamlet. MYOB is the better answer when payroll is complex or you consolidate several entities.
Does Hamlet integrate with MYOB?
Not today. Hamlet syncs with Xero, both invoices and payments. MYOB users can export for their bookkeeper, or build a connector through Hamlet Custom.
Do both handle GST and BAS?
Yes. Both are fully compliant with ATO requirements for GST, BAS lodgement and Single Touch Payroll, and both support Australian bank feeds.
Can I switch from MYOB to Xero?
Yes, and it's a common move. Plan it around a BAS period, bring across the chart of accounts, opening balances and outstanding invoices, and keep the old file readable for historical years.
Which is cheaper for a coworking operator?
The subscriptions land close together once you reach the plan tier that handles real invoice volume. The bigger cost is manual data entry, so the platform that syncs with your billing system is usually the cheaper one in practice.
