Xero

xero.com
Accounting Software
Few Days

Know your numbers. Control your cash flow.

How to Replace Xero

Overview

Xero is cloud-based accounting software designed for small businesses that provides automated invoicing, online payments, bank feeds, and real-time financial reporting. It centralizes all financial records in one secure place and automates routine accounting tasks to save time. The platform includes collaboration tools for working with accountants, bookkeepers, and employees.

Features

35 features across 16 categories

AI(4)

AI Financial Data ExplorationAIPremium

Explore financial data with instant, easy-to-understand answers powered by AI

AI Task AutomationAIPremium

Automate routine tasks like creating and sending quotes and invoices through multiple channels (Xero, WhatsApp, SMS, email)

AI-Powered Business QuestionsAIPremium

Get answers to business questions with access to real-time public information through JAX

JAX AI Financial SuperagentAIPremium

AI assistant that answers business questions, automates tasks like creating invoices and quotes, and provides actionable insights

Also in: monday.com, Notion, Airtable

Accounting(3)

Bill Management

Enter and track bills with limits based on plan level

Multi-Currency SupportPremium

Track and manage transactions in multiple currencies

Paperless Record Keeping

Centralize all financial records in one secure cloud-based location

Also in: Jobber, Melio, Lemonway

Analytics(2)

KPI and Ratio AnalysisPremium

Analyze key performance indicators and financial ratios

Trend Analysis

Analyze financial trends to make confident business decisions

Also in: Hugging Face, Notion, Smartsheet

Automation(4)

Automated Invoicing

Create and send invoices automatically, with limits based on plan level

Bank Transaction Reconciliation

Reconcile bank transactions daily with automatic reconciliation available in higher tiers

Data Capture with Hubdoc

Automatically pull bills and receipts into Xero through Hubdoc integration

Invoice Reminders

Automated reminders for unpaid invoices

Also in: monday.com, Notion, Airtable

Collaboration(1)

Real-time Collaboration

Collaborate online in real-time with employees, bookkeepers, and accountants

Also in: Notion, Airtable, Obsidian

Expense Management(2)

Employee Expense Submission

Allow employees to submit expenses for reimbursement

Expense TrackingPremium

Claim and track business expenses, including mileage

HR(1)

Leave Management

Employees can manage leave requests

Integration(3)

App Store Integration

Access to Xero App Store with hundreds of business apps that integrate seamlessly

Bank Feed Integration

Automatically import bank transactions securely each business day

Data Import from Other Software

Import data from previous accounting software including charts of accounts, invoices, bills, contacts, and fixed assets

Also in: monday.com, Notion, Airtable

Inventory(1)

Inventory ManagementPremium

Optional Inventory Plus add-on for inventory tracking

Mobile(1)

Mobile App

Free iOS and Android app for managing accounting on the go

Payments(2)

Online Bill Payments

Make online bill payments directly through the software with payment processing fees

Online Invoice Payments

Accept online payments directly through invoices with payment processing

Project Management(1)

Project TrackingPremium

Track projects and associated expenses and income

Reporting(5)

Cash Flow ForecastingPremium

Forecast cash flow with 30-day or 180-day visibility depending on plan

Customizable Reporting

Create custom financial reports tailored to business needs

Financial Health ScorecardsPremium

Tailored financial health scorecards for business insight

Performance DashboardsPremium

Visualize business performance with customizable graphs and dashboards

Real-time Reporting

Access up-to-date financial reports and insights instantly

Sales(1)

Quotes and Estimates

Create and send professional quotes, convertible to invoices

Support(2)

24/7 Online Support

Access customer support team any time of day or night

90-Day Onboarding Support

Access to onboarding specialists during the first 90 days of subscription

Tax(2)

Sales Tax Management

Track and manage sales tax obligations

W-9 and 1099 Management

Track and manage W-9 and 1099 tax forms

Pricing

Early

$3.75/month (save $127.50 over 6 months)
  • Track cash flow with the essentials
  • Send 20 invoices
  • Accept online invoice payments
  • Enter 5 bills
  • Make online bill payments
  • Reconcile bank transactions
  • Capture bills and receipts with Hubdoc
  • View real-time reports
  • W-9 + 1099 management
  • Sales tax
  • 30 day cash flow forecast
  • Visualize performance with graphs
  • 24/7 online support
  • One month free

Growing

Popular
$8.25/month (save $280.50 over 6 months)
  • Go beyond the basics - automate tasks and access performance dashboards
  • Send unlimited invoices
  • Accept online invoice payments
  • Enter unlimited bills
  • Make online bill payments
  • Reconcile bank transactions
  • Auto-reconcile (Beta)
  • Capture bills and receipts with Hubdoc
  • View real-time reports
  • W-9 + 1099 management
  • Sales tax
  • 30 day cash flow forecast
  • Visualize performance with graphs
  • Customize performance dashboards
  • Tailored financial health scorecards
  • 24/7 online support
  • One month free

Established

$13.50/month (save $459 over 6 months)
  • Future proof your scaling business - with advanced tools and analytics
  • Send unlimited invoices
  • Accept online invoice payments
  • Enter unlimited bills
  • Make online bill payments
  • Reconcile bank transactions
  • Auto-reconcile (Beta)
  • Capture bills and receipts with Hubdoc
  • View real-time reports
  • W-9 + 1099 management
  • Sales tax
  • 180 day cash flow forecast
  • Visualize performance with graphs
  • Customize performance dashboards
  • Tailored financial health scorecards
  • Analyze KPIs and ratios
  • Use multiple currencies
  • Track projects
  • Claim expenses
  • Inventory Plus (optional)
  • 24/7 online support
  • One month free

Cost Calculator

Keep Paying Xero

Monthly$3.75/mo
Yearly$45/yr
5-Year Total$225

Build It Yourself

Est. Build Time~4 hrs
Hosting$20/mo
DifficultyEasy

Total Cost Comparison

1 Year
SaaS
$45
DIY
$240
3 Years
SaaS
$135
DIY
$720
5 Years
SaaS
$225
DIY
$1.2k

DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 35 features at easy complexity.

Build vs Buy

Should you build a Xero alternative or buy the subscription? Estimate based on 35 features.

Buy Xero

Better Value
Monthly cost$37.5/mo
3-year total$1,350
Time to deployDays

Build Your Own

Development cost$24,000
Maintenance$360/mo
3-year total$36,960
Dev time~2 months

Buying Xero saves ~$35,610 over 3 years vs building.

Estimates based on 35 features and a BuildScore of 4/5. Actual costs vary.

Integrations

6 known integrations

GoCardlessGusto PayrollHubdocShopifyStripeVend