The numbers behind the choice
Small Business Accounting Statistics 2026
This page collects figures that matter when a small business picks or replaces accounting software: which tools firms use and what they cost, how owners rely on accountants and bookkeepers, how late payments strain cash flow, how AI is entering finance work, and which tax and payment rules force a software decision. Most data covers the United States in 2025 and 2026, with EU, UK, Canadian and Australian figures where they add something US data lacks. Each figure names its publisher and the year it describes.
By the KeenVerdict research desk · Updated November 4, 2026 · 46 figures from 20 sources
50 of 50 source quotes re-checked against the original pages on November 4, 2026
The short answer
Late payment is the core cash problem: Intuit QuickBooks found 59% of US small businesses had invoices more than 30 days overdue in 2026, up from 47% a year earlier, and Atradius found late payments touched 22% of US business-to-business receivables. Finance software is still far from universal, with Eurostat counting ERP use at 41.08% of small EU enterprises in 2025, while the Federal Reserve Banks found 46% of US employer firms used AI.
Key figures
- 59%59% of US small businesses had invoices overdue by 30 days or more in the QuickBooks 2026 Small Business Late Payments Report, up from 47% a year earlier.Intuit QuickBooks
- 22%Late payments affected an average of 22% of B2B receivables at US businesses in Atradius' 2026 survey.Atradius
- 41.08%Among small EU enterprises (10 to 49 employees), 41.08% used ERP software in 2025, against 69.93% of medium and 88.71% of large enterprises.Eurostat
- 46%46% of US employer firms said the business or its employees currently used AI in the Federal Reserve Banks' 2025 Small Business Credit Survey, and another 15% planned to start within 12 months.Federal Reserve Banks
- 58%58% of US small businesses said they used generative AI in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's 2025 survey, up from 40% in 2024 and 23% in 2023.U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- 54%54% of US business owners skipped or reduced their own pay at least once in the past year to keep employees paid and bills covered, in a QuickBooks survey of 1,305 owners in December 2025.Intuit QuickBooks
- 20%In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 (May to July 2026), Intuit's QuickBooks Online Accounting revenue grew 20%, which Intuit attributed to higher effective prices, customer growth and mix shift.Intuit Inc.
- 6%BLS projects US employment of bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks to decline 6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1.5 million jobs in 2025.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Our reading of the data
Late payment is the problem most small business finance tools are bought to solve. The QuickBooks 2026 Small Business Late Payments Report found 59% of US small businesses had invoices overdue by 30 days or more, up from 47% a year earlier, with $17.7K owed on average. Atradius, which surveys US companies of all sizes, found late payments affected 22% of business-to-business receivables in 2026 and that 55% of suppliers saw customers delay payment. Payment terms matter: QuickBooks found 55% of businesses on net-30 terms had overdue invoices, against 26% of those asking for immediate payment.
The strain lands on owners personally. In a December 2025 QuickBooks survey, 39% of US owners said one late payment made payroll or bills hard to cover, and 54% skipped or reduced their own pay at least once. The Federal Reserve Banks' 2025 Small Business Credit Survey found meeting operating expenses was the top reason employer firms sought financing, and that 64% of nonemployer firms used the owner's personal funds to handle financial challenges.
Software adoption is uneven. Eurostat counts ERP use at 46.45% of EU enterprises in 2025, but only 41.08% of small ones. QuickBooks found 74% of US small businesses lacked fully automated bill pay, and US accounting firms ran 8 apps for core work. AI is spreading fast: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found 58% of small businesses used generative AI in 2025, and the Federal Reserve Banks put any AI use at 46% of employer firms, with accuracy the top concern.
Prices and people both cost more. Intuit said QuickBooks Online Accounting revenue grew 20% in its fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, partly on higher effective prices, and Xero's average revenue per customer in its International segment rose 28%. The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median accountant wage at $83,680 and projects bookkeeping clerk jobs to fall 6% by 2035. Rules add pressure too: the UK's Making Tax Digital for Income Tax began in April 2026 and the UK plans a 60-day cap on large firms' payment terms.
Software use, vendors and pricing
- 1.
46.45% of enterprises in the EU used enterprise resource planning (ERP) software in 2025, according to Eurostat.
Eurostat, Digital economy and society statistics - enterprises (Jan 2026)
Source quote
The percentage of EU enterprises that used ERP software applications reached 46.45% in 2025.
- 2.
Among small EU enterprises (10 to 49 employees), 41.08% used ERP software in 2025, against 69.93% of medium and 88.71% of large enterprises.
Eurostat, Digital economy and society statistics - enterprises (Jan 2026)
Source quote
The share of small enterprises using ERP software applications was 41.08%, and it was more than one and a half times lower than the percentage recorded for medium (69.93%) and more than 2 times lower than the percentage for large enterprises (88.71%).
- 3.
84% of US small businesses surveyed for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 2025 planned to increase their use of technology platforms.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Empowering Small Business: The Impact of Technology on U.S. Small Business (2025) (Aug 2025)
Source quote
84% of small businesses plan to increase their use of technology platforms.
- 4.
In a 2025 FreshBooks survey of about 1,300 US self-employed people, freelancers and small business owners, 35% handled their taxes mainly through software and 33% mainly by hiring an accountant.
FreshBooks, Hidden Tax Challenges for Small Businesses: FreshBooks 2025 Tax Trend Report (Mar 2025)
Source quote
Small business owners and freelancers primarily manage their taxes through software (35%) or by hiring accountants (33%).
- 5.
74% of US small businesses did not have a fully automated process for managing and paying bills, according to the QuickBooks 2026 Small Business Late Payments Report.
Intuit QuickBooks, 2026 Small Business Late Payments Report (Jul 2026)
Source quote
Most businesses don't have a fully automated bill-pay process Nearly 3 in 4 businesses (74%) aren't fully automated when it comes to managing and paying bills.
- 6.
US accounting firms used 8 different apps for core operations on average in April 2025, and 44% named high total subscription costs as a problem, according to a QuickBooks survey of 700 accounting professionals.
Intuit QuickBooks, Accountants embrace AI and strategic advisory services to fuel growth, despite tech and talent challenges, according to 2025 Intuit QuickBooks Survey (Jul 2025)
Source quote
On average, firms are using 8 different apps for core operations, leading to a host of challenges, including high total subscription costs (44%), integration difficulties (41%), time-consuming data entry (41%), and staff training burdens (33%).
- 7.
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 (May to July 2026), Intuit's QuickBooks Online Accounting revenue grew 20%, which Intuit attributed to higher effective prices, customer growth and mix shift.
Intuit Inc., Intuit Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2026 Results; Sets Fiscal 2027 Guidance (Aug 2026)
Source quote
QuickBooks Online Accounting revenue increased 20 percent driven by higher effective prices, customer growth, and mix shift.
- 8.
Average revenue per customer in Xero's International segment rose 28% to NZ$63.74 in the fiscal year to March 2026, with customers growing to 2.2 million.
Xero Limited, Xero delivers strong FY26 results (May 2026)
Source quote
International — Strong growth continued in Xeroʼs International markets, with revenue increasing 47% to $1.4 billion or 25% on an organic basis excluding Melio, ARPC rising 28% (26% in CC) to $63.74, and customers growing to 2.2 million.
- 9.
Xero's average monthly customer churn was 1.14% in the fiscal year to March 2026, which the company said remained below pre-pandemic trends.
Xero Limited, Xero delivers strong FY26 results (May 2026)
Source quote
Average monthly churn (1.14%) 10 remained below pre-pandemic trends, underscoring Xeroʼs durability and the ongoing value customers place in the platform.
Chart
Problems accounting firms report with their app stack, 2025
Share of 700 US accounting and bookkeeping professionals citing each challenge, QuickBooks Accountant Technology survey, April 2025.
- High total subscription costs44%
- Integration difficulties41%
- Time-consuming data entry41%
- Staff training burdens33%
Source: Intuit QuickBooks, Accountants embrace AI and strategic advisory services to fuel growth, despite tech and talent challenges, according to 2025 Intuit QuickBooks Survey
Accountants, bookkeepers and financial skills
- 10.
35% of Australian small business owners surveyed by Xero in 2026 said they don't often know whether they made a profit in the previous month.
Xero, More than 1 in 3 Australian small business owners don't know if they made a profit last month (Sep 2026)
Source quote
The research found more than one in three (35%) small business owners don’t often know whether they made a profit in the last month.
- 11.
In the same 2026 Xero survey in Australia, 90% of accountants and bookkeepers said small business owners lack the skills to manage their finances effectively, while 85% of owners said they were confident handling financial issues.
Xero, More than 1 in 3 Australian small business owners don't know if they made a profit last month (Sep 2026)
Source quote
While many (85%) small business owners say they are confident in handling financial issues, 90% of accountants and bookkeepers believe small business owners lack the skills to manage the financial side of their business effectively.
- 12.
77% of Canadian small business owners said financial management causes stress, but only 10% sought advice from an advisor when under pressure, according to Xero research released in February 2026.
Xero, Canadian small business owners lose 31 working days of productivity to stress annually (Feb 2026)
Source quote
While more than three-quarters (77%) of small business owners report that financial management causes stress, only 10% seek advice from an advisor when they feel the pressure, leaving them exposed to costly mistakes and tax shock.
- 13.
The median annual wage for US accountants and auditors was $83,680 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accountants and Auditors: Occupational Outlook Handbook (Sep 2026)
Source quote
The median annual wage for accountants and auditors was $83,680 in May 2025.
- 14.
BLS projects US employment of accountants and auditors to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accountants and Auditors: Occupational Outlook Handbook (Sep 2026)
Source quote
Employment of accountants and auditors is projected to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations.
- 15.
The median annual wage for US bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks was $50,670 in May 2025.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks: Occupational Outlook Handbook (Sep 2026)
Source quote
The median annual wage for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks was $50,670 in May 2025.
- 16.
BLS projects US employment of bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks to decline 6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1.5 million jobs in 2025.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks: Occupational Outlook Handbook (Sep 2026)
Source quote
Employment of bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks is projected to decline 6 percent from 2025 to 2035.
Late payments, cash flow and financing
- 17.
59% of US small businesses had invoices overdue by 30 days or more in the QuickBooks 2026 Small Business Late Payments Report, up from 47% a year earlier.
Intuit QuickBooks, 2026 Small Business Late Payments Report (Jul 2026)
Source quote
Nearly 3 in 5 businesses (59%) say at least some of their invoices are overdue by 30 days or more, up from 47% last year.
- 18.
US small businesses waiting on unpaid invoices were owed $17.7K on average in the 2026 QuickBooks report, roughly the same as the $17.5K reported a year earlier.
Intuit QuickBooks, 2026 Small Business Late Payments Report (Jul 2026)
Source quote
The money waiting to come in averages $17.7K per business, roughly consistent with last year's $17.5K.
- 19.
39% of US small business owners said one late payment made it hard to cover payroll or bills in the past year, in a QuickBooks survey fielded in December 2025.
Intuit QuickBooks, 2026 Small Business Late Payments Report (Jul 2026)
Source quote
Nearly 2 in 5 owners (39%) say one late payment made it hard to cover payroll or bills in the past year.
- 20.
55% of US small businesses on net-30 payment terms had overdue invoices in the 2026 QuickBooks report, compared with 26% of those requiring immediate payment.
Intuit QuickBooks, 2026 Small Business Late Payments Report (Jul 2026)
Source quote
More than half (55%) of businesses on net-30 terms have overdue invoices, compared to 26% of those on immediate terms.
- 21.
54% of US business owners skipped or reduced their own pay at least once in the past year to keep employees paid and bills covered, in a QuickBooks survey of 1,305 owners in December 2025.
Intuit QuickBooks, 2026 Business Owner Report: Success, Cash Flow, AI, Taxes by Demographics (Feb 2026)
Source quote
To keep employees paid and bills covered, 54% of owners skipped or reduced their own pay at least once in the past year.
- 22.
On average, US businesses made 45% of their business-to-business sales on credit in Atradius' 2026 survey, with the rest paid upfront.
Atradius, B2B payment practices trends in the US 2026 (Sep 2026)
Source quote
Businesses in the US conduct, on average, 45% of their business-to-business (B2B) sales on credit, with the remainder paid upfront.
- 23.
Late payments affected an average of 22% of B2B receivables at US businesses in Atradius' 2026 survey.
Atradius, B2B payment practices trends in the US 2026 (Sep 2026)
Source quote
In the US, late payments affect an average of 22% of B2B receivables, also broadly in line with the wider region.
- 24.
55% of US suppliers in Atradius' 2026 survey said their B2B customers delay invoice payments.
Atradius, B2B payment practices trends in the US 2026 (Sep 2026)
Source quote
In the US, 55% of suppliers report B2B customers delay invoice payments.
- 25.
US companies in Atradius' 2026 survey often reported losing 1% to 2% of their B2B invoices as bad debt.
Atradius, B2B payment practices trends in the US 2026 (Sep 2026)
Source quote
US companies often report losing 1% to 2% of their B2B invoices as bad debt.
- 26.
55% of UK small business owners surveyed by Xero struggled with cash flow management, and 28% did not know whether they were profitable the previous month, according to research published in January 2026.
Xero, Low financial confidence is 'locking the door' on British entrepreneurial ambition (Jan 2026)
Source quote
The financial confidence gap hinders growth Nearly two in five (28%) small business owners surveyed said they are unaware if they were profitable last month and more than half (55%) struggle with cash flow management, according to Xero’s research .
- 27.
Meeting operating expenses was the most common reason US employer firms sought financing in the Federal Reserve Banks' 2025 survey, cited by 56% of firms that sought it.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (2026)
Source quote
The most common reasons firms sought financing were to meet operating expenses (56%) or to pursue an expansion or new opportunity (46%).
- 28.
US nonemployer firms relied on their owners' personal funds to address financial challenges more often than employer firms in the Federal Reserve Banks' 2025 survey, 64% against 54%.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Chartbook on Nonemployer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey with Trends over Time (2026)
Source quote
Nonemployer firms were more likely than employer firms to rely on their owners’ personal funds to address financial challenges (64% and 54%, respectively).
Chart
Bill-pay tasks where US small businesses see the most room for AI, 2026
Share of US small businesses naming each bill-management task as an AI opportunity, QuickBooks 2026 Small Business Late Payments Report.
- Bill reminders40%
- Data entry37%
- Spending insights33%
- Fraud detection32%
- Matching bills to payees32%
- Cash-flow recommendations29%
- Making payments28%
Source: Intuit QuickBooks, 2026 Small Business Late Payments Report
AI in small business finance
- 29.
46% of US employer firms said the business or its employees currently used AI in the Federal Reserve Banks' 2025 Small Business Credit Survey, and another 15% planned to start within 12 months.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (2026)
Source quote
Use of artificial intelligence Nearly half of firms (46%) reported that their business or its employees currently use AI, while an additional 15% planned to begin using it in the next 12 months.
- 30.
Accuracy was the top AI challenge among US employer firms using AI in the Federal Reserve Banks' 2025 survey, cited by 46%, followed by adapting tools to business needs at 43%.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (2026)
Source quote
For AI users, the top challenges were accuracy (46%) and adapting tools to meet business needs (43%).
- 31.
71% of US employer firms using AI said it increased productivity in the Federal Reserve Banks' 2025 survey, while most reported no change in labor costs.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (2026)
Source quote
While the vast majority of firms that use AI experienced no change in their labor costs because of AI, 71% said its use led to increased productivity, 39% noted improved quality of goods and services, and 31% reported higher sales.
- 32.
58% of US small businesses said they used generative AI in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's 2025 survey, up from 40% in 2024 and 23% in 2023.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Empowering Small Business: The Impact of Technology on U.S. Small Business (2025) (Aug 2025)
Source quote
58% of small businesses self-identified they use generative AI—up from 40% in 2024 and more than double compared to 2023 (23%).
- 33.
46% of US accounting professionals surveyed by QuickBooks in April 2025 used AI daily, nearly double the 28% daily rate QuickBooks reported among small businesses.
Intuit QuickBooks, Accountants embrace AI and strategic advisory services to fuel growth, despite tech and talent challenges, according to 2025 Intuit QuickBooks Survey (Jul 2025)
Source quote
Further, 46% of respondents report using AI daily, nearly double the rate of daily AI use among small businesses (28%), demonstrating a technical prowess that can help accountants better serve their clients.
- 34.
In a QuickBooks survey of 1,305 US business owners in December 2025, 37% said they trust a human expert for cost-cutting and growth advice, against 20% who would trust AI alone.
Intuit QuickBooks, 2026 Business Owner Report: Success, Cash Flow, AI, Taxes by Demographics (Feb 2026)
Source quote
Most owners (37%) trust a human expert for cost-cutting and growth advice, compared with 20% who would trust AI alone.
- 35.
Xero said its AI assistant JAX had reconciled more than 40 million transactions with a reported accuracy of 97% by the end of its fiscal year to March 2026.
Xero Limited, Xero delivers strong FY26 results (May 2026)
Source quote
In addition, Xero scaled JAX (beta) globally with automated bank reconciliation — reducing time spent on manual entry, with more than 40 million transactions already reconciled and a reported accuracy of 97% — as well as real-time personalised insights and business-plus-web search.
- 36.
Among early-adopter organizations in a fall 2025 global survey of 1,735 executives by AICPA and CIMA with NC State University's ERM Initiative, 73% said AI was providing strategic advantage.
AICPA & CIMA, Global Survey Reveals Growing AI Adoption Gap As Organizations Struggle with Talent, Technology, and Governance Readiness (Feb 2026)
Source quote
Among the 453 “early adopter” organizations reporting “mostly” or “extensively” that AI is already impacting their business model: 73% say AI is providing strategic advantage.
- 37.
Across the same fall 2025 AICPA and CIMA executive survey, only 24% to 27% of organizations reported adequate AI-skilled talent, IT system readiness or regulatory preparedness.
AICPA & CIMA, Global Survey Reveals Growing AI Adoption Gap As Organizations Struggle with Talent, Technology, and Governance Readiness (Feb 2026)
Source quote
Only 24 - 27% report having adequate AI‑skilled talent, IT system readiness, or regulatory preparedness.
Chart
What US small employer firms use AI for, 2025
Share of AI-using US employer firms with 1 to 499 employees, Small Business Credit Survey fielded in late 2025.
- Writing or marketing83%
- Individual productivity61%
- Planning or analysis51%
Source: Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey
Taxes, compliance and payment rules
- 38.
Only 26% of US small business owners, freelancers and self-employed people in a 2025 FreshBooks survey felt completely confident about their taxes.
FreshBooks, Hidden Tax Challenges for Small Businesses: FreshBooks 2025 Tax Trend Report (Mar 2025)
Source quote
Key Takeaways Confidence gap : Only 26% of small business owners and freelancers feel completely confident about their taxes.
- 39.
46% of respondents to the 2025 FreshBooks tax survey said fear of penalties motivated their tax compliance, and 37% cited worry about audits.
FreshBooks, Hidden Tax Challenges for Small Businesses: FreshBooks 2025 Tax Trend Report (Mar 2025)
Source quote
Tax compliance : Tax compliance is primarily motivated by fear, with 46% concerned about penalties and 37% worried about potential audits.
- 40.
US business owners surveyed by QuickBooks in December 2025 were nearly twice as likely to fear underpaying taxes (23%) as overpaying (12%).
Intuit QuickBooks, 2026 Business Owner Report: Success, Cash Flow, AI, Taxes by Demographics (Feb 2026)
Source quote
Tax pressure: Owners are nearly twice as likely to fear underpaying taxes (23%) as overpaying (12%).
- 41.
53% of Canadian small business owners surveyed by Xero had been surprised by a tax outcome, according to research released in February 2026.
Xero, Canadian small business owners lose 31 working days of productivity to stress annually (Feb 2026)
Source quote
The data also identified an interesting cycle small business owners experience: over half (53%) have been surprised by a tax outcome, and yet, many small business owners’ stress leads them to put off financial management.
- 42.
UK sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 in 2024 to 2025 had to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax from 6 April 2026, with the threshold falling to £20,000 by April 2028.
HM Revenue & Customs, Check if you're eligible for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (2026)
Source quote
If your qualifying income is over: £50,000 for the 2024 to 2025 tax year, you should’ve started using Making Tax Digital for Income Tax from 6 April 2026 — you can still sign up or sign up your client , if you have not already done so £30,000 for the 2025 to 2026 tax year, you will need to use it from 6 April 2027 £20,000 for the 2026 to 2027 tax year, you will need to use it from 6 April 2028 Partnerships will also need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax in the future.
- 43.
Under IRS rules for 2026, US payment apps and online marketplaces must send a Form 1099-K when a seller's payments for goods or services total over $20,000 in more than 200 transactions.
Internal Revenue Service, Understanding your Form 1099-K (2026)
Source quote
A payment app or online marketplace is required to send you a Form 1099-K if the payments you received for goods or services total over $20,000 in more than 200 transactions.
- 44.
The UK government's late payment bill, introduced in May 2026, sets a 60-day cap on payment terms when large firms pay smaller suppliers and mandatory late payment interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate.
UK Department for Business and Trade, Largest crackdown on late payments in over 25 years as landmark Bill enters Parliament (May 2026)
Source quote
Reforms include a clear 60-day cap on payment terms on all large firms paying smaller suppliers, mandatory interest on late payments, set at 8% above the Bank of England base rate, and a ban on the practice of withholding retention payments under construction contracts.
- 45.
The UK Business Secretary said in May 2026 that late payments cost the UK economy £11 billion every year.
UK Department for Business and Trade, Largest crackdown on late payments in over 25 years as landmark Bill enters Parliament (May 2026)
Source quote
Costing the UK economy £11 billion every single year, late payments choke growth, cost jobs, and force too many good businesses to close.
- 46.
The UK Department for Business and Trade says late payments close 38 businesses every day, the equivalent of 266 a week.
UK Department for Business and Trade, Largest crackdown on late payments in over 25 years as landmark Bill enters Parliament (May 2026)
Source quote
Late payments close 38 businesses every single day because they are not paid on time.
Questions readers ask
- How common are late payments for small businesses?
- Very common and rising. Intuit QuickBooks found 59% of US small businesses had invoices overdue by 30 days or more in its 2026 report, up from 47% a year earlier, with $17.7K owed on average. Atradius found late payments affected 22% of US business-to-business receivables in 2026.
- What share of small businesses use accounting or ERP software?
- It depends on firm size and definition. Eurostat found 41.08% of small EU enterprises used ERP software in 2025, against 88.71% of large ones. In the US, QuickBooks found 74% of small businesses did not have a fully automated bill-pay process in 2026.
- Are small businesses using AI for bookkeeping and finance?
- Many use AI in some form. The Federal Reserve Banks found 46% of US employer firms used AI in 2025, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found 58% of small businesses used generative AI. Owners stay cautious with money decisions: in a QuickBooks survey, 37% trusted a human expert for cost-cutting advice against 20% who would trust AI alone.
- Is accounting software getting more expensive?
- The vendors' own results point that way. Intuit said QuickBooks Online Accounting revenue grew 20% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, driven in part by higher effective prices, and Xero's average revenue per customer in its International segment rose 28% to NZ$63.74 in the year to March 2026.
- How much does an accountant or bookkeeper cost?
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual wage at $83,680 for US accountants and auditors and $50,670 for bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks in May 2025. BLS projects accountant jobs to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035 while clerk jobs fall 6%.
- What tax rules affect small business software choices in 2026?
- In the UK, HMRC requires sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax from 6 April 2026, with lower thresholds in later years. In the US, the IRS says payment apps must send a Form 1099-K when payments total over $20,000 in more than 200 transactions.
How these figures were chosen
We chose figures that bear on choosing or running accounting software and read each one on the publisher's own page. Several surveys are run by vendors on their own panels (Intuit QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks), which can lean toward software users; we cap them and balance them with official statistics from Eurostat, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the IRS, HMRC and the UK Department for Business and Trade, the Federal Reserve Banks' Small Business Credit Survey, Atradius' trade credit survey and research from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and AICPA and CIMA. Definitions differ: Eurostat's ERP figures cover EU firms with 10 or more employees, Atradius covers US companies of all sizes, and AI use is measured differently by each publisher. Xero financial results are in New Zealand dollars. Where a figure comes from outside the US, the text says so. Every quote was copied from the publisher's page and re-checked by our source checker. Read the methodology.
Sources
- AICPA & CIMA. Global Survey Reveals Growing AI Adoption Gap As Organizations Struggle with Talent, Technology, and Governance Readiness (Feb 2026).
- Atradius. B2B payment practices trends in the US 2026 (Sep 2026).
- Eurostat. Digital economy and society statistics - enterprises (Jan 2026).
- Federal Reserve Banks. 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (2026).
- Federal Reserve Banks. 2026 Chartbook on Nonemployer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey with Trends over Time (2026).
- FreshBooks. Hidden Tax Challenges for Small Businesses: FreshBooks 2025 Tax Trend Report (Mar 2025).
- HM Revenue & Customs. Check if you're eligible for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (2026).
- Internal Revenue Service. Understanding your Form 1099-K (2026).
- Intuit Inc.. Intuit Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2026 Results; Sets Fiscal 2027 Guidance (Aug 2026).
- Intuit QuickBooks. 2026 Small Business Late Payments Report (Jul 2026).
- Intuit QuickBooks. Accountants embrace AI and strategic advisory services to fuel growth, despite tech and talent challenges, according to 2025 Intuit QuickBooks Survey (Jul 2025).
- Intuit QuickBooks. 2026 Business Owner Report: Success, Cash Flow, AI, Taxes by Demographics (Feb 2026).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accountants and Auditors: Occupational Outlook Handbook (Sep 2026).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks: Occupational Outlook Handbook (Sep 2026).
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Empowering Small Business: The Impact of Technology on U.S. Small Business (2025) (Aug 2025).
- UK Department for Business and Trade. Largest crackdown on late payments in over 25 years as landmark Bill enters Parliament (May 2026).
- Xero. More than 1 in 3 Australian small business owners don't know if they made a profit last month (Sep 2026).
- Xero. Canadian small business owners lose 31 working days of productivity to stress annually (Feb 2026).
- Xero. Low financial confidence is 'locking the door' on British entrepreneurial ambition (Jan 2026).
- Xero Limited. Xero delivers strong FY26 results (May 2026).
How to cite
Link to this page or to a single figure. Name the original publisher where you can.
KeenVerdict. (2026, November 4). Small Business Accounting Statistics 2026. https://keenverdict.com/small-business-accounting-statistics
Questions or corrections: editorial@keenverdict.com. Next scheduled review: January 3, 2027.