March 2026 · 6 min read

THEBRICKBOOK VS MYOB: SIMPLE JOB TRACKER VS FULL ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE

MYOB is one of Australia's oldest and most recognisable business software brands. It's been around since 1991, and for many tradies, it's the first name that comes to mind when someone says "accounting software." Your accountant probably uses it — or at least used to.

But does a solo tradie actually need MYOB? Or is there a simpler, cheaper way to stay on top of your numbers?

WHAT IS MYOB?

MYOB (Mind Your Own Business) is a full cloud accounting platform. Like Xero, it handles invoicing, bank reconciliation, BAS reporting, payroll, expense management, and financial statements. It's designed for businesses that need proper accounting — double-entry bookkeeping, chart of accounts, profit and loss reports.

For sole traders, the relevant plan is MYOB Business Lite at $25/month ($300/year). Higher tiers with payroll and multi-user access go up to $65/month.

MYOB is deeply embedded in the Australian business landscape. Many accountants are trained on it, and it has strong integrations with the ATO for BAS and STP reporting.

WHAT IS THEBRICKBOOK?

TheBrickBook is a free iOS app for Australian tradies and solo operators. It's not accounting software — it's a profit clarity tool. It tracks jobs, logs expenses per job, has a built-in timer, creates invoices with ABN and GST, and calculates your real hourly rate. No monthly fee, no limits, no accounting degree required.

HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON

WHERE MYOB WINS

MYOB is a powerful platform with clear advantages for certain businesses:

• Full accounting: Proper double-entry bookkeeping, financial statements, and reporting. If your business needs formal accounts, MYOB delivers.
• BAS and ATO integration: MYOB calculates your GST, generates BAS reports, and can lodge directly with the ATO. For tradies registered for GST, this saves time.
• Bank feeds and reconciliation: Transactions import automatically from your bank. Match them to invoices and expenses without manual entry.
• Payroll and STP: If you have employees, MYOB handles wages, superannuation, and Single Touch Payroll reporting to the ATO.
• Accountant familiarity: Many Australian accountants know MYOB inside out. Some prefer it over Xero, especially older firms. Direct accountant access can save you money at tax time.
• Australian heritage: MYOB was built for Australian businesses from day one. Tax rules, super rates, and ATO requirements are native, not adapted from an overseas template.

WHERE THEBRICKBOOK WINS

• Price: Free vs $300/year. For a solo trader, that's a meaningful saving.
• Simplicity: MYOB requires setup: chart of accounts, tax codes, bank connections. TheBrickBook works immediately — open the app, log a job, start tracking.
• Job-level profit tracking: MYOB tells you your overall business performance. TheBrickBook tells you how much you made on each specific job. Was the Smith bathroom reno worth doing? TheBrickBook answers that. MYOB gives you a quarterly P&L.
• Real hourly rate: TheBrickBook automatically calculates what you earned per hour on every job. MYOB doesn't have this concept built in.
• Built-in timer: Start tracking time the moment you arrive on site. MYOB doesn't have a timer.
• Mobile-first: TheBrickBook is designed for phone use on a job site. MYOB has a mobile app, but it's a companion to a desktop-focused platform.

THE ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE TRAP

If you're paying $300/year for MYOB and only using it for invoicing, you're essentially paying $300/year for an invoice app. TheBrickBook does invoicing for free — and gives you job tracking and profit visibility on top.

The features that justify MYOB's price — bank feeds, BAS automation, payroll, financial reporting — are only valuable if you actually use them. Most solo operators don't. They hand a shoebox of receipts to their accountant once a year and call it done.

WHEN YOU SHOULD USE MYOB

• You have employees and need payroll/STP
• You lodge your own BAS and want automated GST calculation
• You want bank feeds and automatic reconciliation
• Your accountant requires MYOB access
• You need formal financial statements (for loans, leases, or growth)

WHEN YOU SHOULD USE THEBRICKBOOK

• It's just you — no employees
• Your accountant handles BAS and you just give them your records
• You want to know your profit on every job, not just your annual total
• You want something simple that works on your phone, on site
• You'd rather save $300/year and put it toward tools, fuel, or marketing

CAN YOU USE BOTH?

Absolutely. Many tradies use TheBrickBook for daily job tracking and profit visibility, while their accountant uses MYOB (or Xero) at tax time. You get the real-time profit clarity you need without paying for accounting software yourself. Your accountant gets the records they need. Everyone wins.

OUR RECOMMENDATION

MYOB is serious accounting software for businesses that need serious accounting. If you have employees, lodge your own BAS, or need formal financial reporting — it's worth the investment.

But for the average solo tradie who just wants to track jobs, send invoices, and know what they actually earn — MYOB is more than you need. TheBrickBook does exactly that, for free, with zero setup and zero complexity.