The MYOB alternative built for the way you actually work
MYOB was built in the 1990s for accountants on desktop computers. PayWren was built in 2024 for sole traders on phones. Same GST. Same IRD compliance. A quarter of the price, and you don't need an accountant to set it up.
Pick MYOB if: you're a small business with employees, need full payroll, run inventory, or have an accountant who insists on MYOB.
Pick PayWren if: you're a sole trader or freelancer doing your own books, want to send an invoice from your phone in 30 seconds, and you're tired of MYOB's interface looking like Windows XP.
Pricing: the honest comparison
MYOB NZ pricing verified May 2026 from myob.com/nz/pricing. Excludes GST.
| Plan tier | MYOB Business (NZ) | PayWren (NZ) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | ❌ Not available | ✅ Unlimited invoices + GST reports |
| Entry | Business Lite $30/mo | Solo $12/mo |
| Mid | Business Pro $50/mo | Pro $29/mo |
| Big | AccountRight Plus $80/mo | Agency $59/mo |
| Top | AccountRight Premier $100/mo | N/A |
| Free trial | 30 days | Free forever |
For a sole trader: MYOB Business Lite at $30/mo gives you what PayWren gives away free. PayWren Solo at $12/mo gives you everything Lite has plus AI invoice drafting, AI receipt scanning, and a faster interface, for 60% less.
Annual savings (Lite → PayWren Solo): $216/year. Annual savings (Lite → PayWren Free): $360/year.
Feature comparison
| Feature | MYOB | PayWren |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing | ||
| IRD-compliant tax invoices | ✅ | ✅ |
| Unlimited invoices on the free plan | ❌ No free plan | ✅ |
| AI invoice drafting from plain English | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom invoice branding (logo, colours) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Quotes / estimates | ✅ | On roadmap |
| Recurring invoices | ✅ | On roadmap |
| Branded email delivery | ✅ | ✅ |
| GST & NZ tax | ||
| Automatic 15% GST (inclusive or exclusive) | ✅ | ✅ |
| GST return with IRD box numbers (5/6/11/13) | ✅ | ✅ Free plan |
| GST anomaly & tax insights | ❌ | ✅ |
| Provisional tax estimate | ❌ | ✅ |
| Withholding tax (RWT/WT) handling | ✅ | ✅ Manual |
| Accountant export pack (PDF/CSV) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Expenses | ||
| AI receipt scanning | ✅ Capture | ✅ |
| Expense auto-classification | Bank rules | ✅ |
| Bank statement import (NZ banks) | ✅ Bank feeds | ✅ Pro+ |
| Mileage / vehicle logbook | Partial | ✅ |
| Payments | ||
| Stripe payment links | ✅ Online pay | On roadmap |
| Paid into your own bank account | ✅ | ✅ |
| Automation & platform | ||
| Automated overdue reminders | ✅ | ✅ |
| NZBN business register lookup | ❌ | ✅ |
| ABN/ABR lookup (Australia) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Native iOS app | ✅ | ✅ |
| Team workspaces with roles | ✅ | ✅ |
| Time tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Multi-currency invoices | ✅ Higher plans | On roadmap |
Why people switch from MYOB
The same three reasons keep coming up:
- "I don't need 80% of it." MYOB Business Lite still gives you the full accounting interface. If you're a sole trader, that's overkill. You don't need general ledger journals, you need to send an invoice and know what GST you owe.
- "Every time MYOB updates, something breaks." MYOB's product mix (Business, AccountRight, Essentials, AE) is famously confusing. People constantly find themselves on the wrong plan, paying for features they don't use.
- "My accountant doesn't actually need me on MYOB anymore." Historically accountants pushed clients to MYOB. Most NZ accountants now happily accept CSV exports or Xero / PayWren exports.
Switching from MYOB to PayWren
- Export your contacts from MYOB as CSV (File → Export → Cards)
- Sign up for PayWren free and import the CSV
- Export your historical invoices from MYOB for your records (you don't need to import them)
- Send your next invoice from PayWren: looks better, sends faster
- Run both for one GST quarter, compare the GST return summaries
- Cancel MYOB when reconciled; keep the export files for your IRD 7-year record-keeping requirement
Frequently asked questions
Will my accountant be upset if I switch from MYOB?
Probably not. Ask them: most modern NZ accountants are happy with CSV exports from any tool. PayWren produces clean, IRD-format reports they can work with.
Does PayWren do everything MYOB does?
No, and that's deliberate. PayWren doesn't do payroll, inventory tracking, or multi-entity consolidation. If you need those, MYOB AccountRight or Xero is the right tool. If you don't, you're paying for features you'll never use.
What about MYOB's bank feeds?
PayWren doesn't have automated bank feeds on the free or Solo plan. The Pro and Agency plans include statement import (upload a CSV from your bank, PayWren matches it against invoices). Full automated bank feeds via Akahu are on the roadmap.
Is PayWren compatible with my MYOB data?
You don't migrate historical data. You start fresh from a date that makes sense (end of GST quarter, end of financial year). Export your MYOB data to keep for IRD records, and use PayWren for everything going forward.
My business is bigger than a sole trader. Is PayWren still right?
PayWren Pro and Agency plans support small teams. But if you have 5+ employees, run payroll, or need inventory, MYOB or Xero is genuinely the better fit.
Stop paying for features you'll never use
Sole traders don't need accounting software. They need invoicing that handles GST.
Get started free, no credit card