Xero alternatives
Top Accounting & Invoicing like Xero
The most popular alternative to Xero is QuickBooks. Other great alternatives to Xero are FreshBooks, Zoho Books, Sage, and Wave.
Most alternatives to Xero are in the Accounting & Invoicing category, compared here by price, platform and features.
All Xero alternatives
QuickBooks is Intuit's accounting software for small businesses and self-employed people, offered mainly as the cloud-based QuickBooks Online, with desktop editions for Windows. It handles invoicing, bank feeds, expense and receipt tracking, sales tax, reports and payroll, and connects to many third-party apps and accountants. Intuit Assist adds AI help, and plans are paid after a free trial.
12 QuickBooks alternativesPros
- Widely known by accountants, which eases collaboration
- Large ecosystem of connected third-party apps
- Covers invoicing, bank feeds, sales tax and payroll
Cons
- Subscription costs add up, especially with payroll on top
- Features vary a lot between countries and editions
- Takes longer to learn than simpler invoicing apps
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesFreshBooks is cloud accounting software from Toronto designed for freelancers, consultants and small service businesses. It is centred on invoicing, with time tracking, project billing, expense capture, online payments and bank reconciliation, plus double-entry reports for an accountant. Plans are paid by subscription after a free trial.
11 FreshBooks alternativesPros
- Polished invoicing designed around service businesses
- Time tracking and project billing built in
- Easy to use for freelancers without accounting training
Cons
- No free plan once the trial ends
- Lower plans limit the number of billable clients
- Less suited to inventory-heavy or larger businesses
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesZoho Books is cloud accounting software from Zoho for small and growing businesses. It covers invoicing and quotes, bank feeds and reconciliation, expenses, projects and time billing, multi-currency transactions and local tax reports in supported countries, and connects natively with Zoho CRM, Inventory and other Zoho apps. A free plan is available for very small businesses.
11 Zoho Books alternativesPros
- Native links with Zoho CRM, Inventory and other Zoho apps
- Free plan available for very small businesses
- Handles projects, time billing and multi-currency transactions
Cons
- Best value comes when you already use the Zoho ecosystem
- Local tax features only cover supported countries
- The many settings can feel overwhelming at first
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesSage is a UK software company whose range spans small-business accounting such as Sage Accounting and Sage 50, payroll and HR tools, and Sage Intacct for mid-sized finance teams. Products and features vary by country, covering invoicing, bank feeds, tax returns, payroll and reporting, often used alongside an accountant. Most products are paid subscriptions, some with a free trial.
8 Sage alternativesPros
- Range scales from small-business books to mid-market finance
- Payroll and HR tools available from the same vendor
- Long-established and familiar to many accountants
Cons
- Confusing product lineup that varies by country
- Older desktop products feel dated next to cloud rivals
- Mostly paid subscriptions, with no lasting free plan
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesWave is accounting software for small businesses and freelancers in North America, owned by H&R Block. The free Starter plan covers unlimited invoices, estimates, expense tracking and double-entry bookkeeping, while the Pro plan adds automatic bank imports, receipt scanning and multiple users. Card payments and payroll are offered as paid services.
9 Wave alternativesPros
- Free plan with unlimited invoices and double-entry bookkeeping
- Simple interface for owners without accounting training
- Estimates, invoices and expenses managed in one place
Cons
- Mainly serves businesses in North America
- Automatic bank imports and receipt scanning need the Pro plan
- No real inventory management
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPennylane is a French platform that brings invoicing, supplier bills, bank connections, expense receipts and bookkeeping together in a single tool shared between a business and its accountant. It targets small and mid-sized companies and accounting firms, with cash-flow dashboards and support for France's e-invoicing reform. A free plan covers invoicing for micro-entrepreneurs; other plans are paid.
8 Pennylane alternativesPros
- One workspace shared between a business and its accountant
- Brings together invoicing, supplier bills, receipts and bank feeds
- Ready for France's e-invoicing reform
Cons
- Built for the French market and its accounting rules
- The free plan only covers invoicing for micro-entrepreneurs
- Full value depends on your accountant also using Pennylane
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesAkaunting is web-based accounting software for small businesses and freelancers that can be installed on your own server or used in the cloud. The core handles invoices, bills, expenses, customers, vendors, multiple currencies and reports, while paid apps from its marketplace add features such as payroll, inventory and bank feeds. Its source code is published under the Business Source License.
8 Akaunting alternativesPros
- Can be self-hosted on your own server or used in the cloud
- Core covers invoices, bills, expenses and multiple currencies
- Marketplace apps add payroll, inventory and bank feeds
Cons
- Many useful features are paid add-ons from the marketplace
- Business Source License code is not open source in the strict sense
- Self-hosting requires technical skills to install and maintain
Cost / LicenseFreemiumSource availableCategoriesPlatformsInvoice Ninja is an invoicing and billing platform for freelancers and small businesses, offered as a hosted service or as software you can install on your own server. It creates quotes, invoices and recurring billing, tracks time, tasks and expenses, supports many currencies and connects to dozens of payment gateways through a client portal. The source code is available under the Elastic License.
8 Invoice Ninja alternativesPros
- Self-hostable or available as a hosted service
- Connects to dozens of payment gateways through a client portal
- Recurring invoices, quotes, time and expense tracking included
Cons
- Not a full double-entry accounting system
- Elastic License code is not open source in the strict sense
- Many settings make the initial setup time-consuming
Cost / LicenseFreemiumSource availableCategoriesPlatformsGnuCash is a free, open source desktop accounting program for tracking personal finances or keeping small-business books with double-entry accounting. It manages bank and credit card accounts, investments, multiple currencies, customers, vendors, invoices and bills, and can import QIF, OFX and CSV files or fetch transactions online. It runs offline on Windows, macOS and Linux and is licensed under the GPL.
7 GnuCash alternativesPros
- Free, open source double-entry accounting
- Works offline, with your data kept on your own computer
- Imports QIF, OFX and CSV files from banks
Cons
- Dated interface that feels clunky next to modern apps
- Double-entry concepts can confuse non-accountants
- No built-in cloud sync between devices
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategories
Xero vs its alternatives at a glance
Pricing, platforms and the key features of Xero, compared with its most popular alternatives.
| App | Pricing | Platforms | Bank sync | Expense tracking | Integrations | Invoicing | Multi-currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Xero | Free trial | Web, iPhone, Android | |||||
 QuickBooks | Free trial | Web, Windows, iPhone, Android | |||||
 FreshBooks | Free trial | Web, iPhone, Android | |||||
 Zoho Books | Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android | |||||
 Sage | Free trial | Web, Windows, iPhone, Android | |||||
 Wave | Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android |
Xero alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Xero?
The most popular alternative to Xero is QuickBooks: Intuit's accounting software for small businesses. Other great alternatives are FreshBooks, Zoho Books, Sage, and Wave.
Is there a free alternative to Xero?
Yes, 6 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including Zoho Books, Wave, Pennylane, and Akaunting.
Is there an open source alternative to Xero?
Yes, one open source alternative is listed: GnuCash.
Is Xero free?
Xero is a paid app that offers a free trial.
Compare Xero with its alternatives
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