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Top Accounting & Invoicing like Xero

The most popular alternative to Xero is Zoho Books, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to Xero are Wave, Pennylane, Akaunting, and Invoice Ninja.

Most alternatives to Xero are in the Accounting & Invoicing category, compared here by price, platform and features.

Xero alternatives
AllFreeOpen source
6 apps

All Xero alternatives

  1. Zoho 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 alternatives

    Pros

    • 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 / License
    FreemiumProprietary
  2. Wave 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 alternatives

    Pros

    • 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 / License
    FreemiumProprietary
  3. Pennylane 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 alternatives

    Pros

    • 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 / License
    FreemiumProprietary
  4. Akaunting 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 alternatives

    Pros

    • 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 / License
    FreemiumSource available
  5. Invoice 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 alternatives

    Pros

    • 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 / License
    FreemiumSource available
  6. GnuCash 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 alternatives

    Pros

    • 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 / License
    FreeOpen source

Xero vs its alternatives at a glance

Pricing, platforms and the key features of Xero, compared with its most popular alternatives.

Xero vs its alternatives at a glance
AppPricingPlatformsBank syncExpense trackingIntegrationsInvoicingMulti-currency
XeroFree trialWeb, iPhone, Android
Zoho BooksFreemiumWeb, iPhone, Android
WaveFreemiumWeb, iPhone, Android
PennylaneFreemiumWeb, iPhone, Android
AkauntingFreemiumSource availableWeb, Self-hosted
Invoice NinjaFreemiumSource availableWeb, iPhone, Android, Self-hosted

Xero alternatives: frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Xero?

The most popular alternative to Xero is Zoho Books: Online accounting with invoicing, bank reconciliation and tax compliance. Other great alternatives are Wave, Pennylane, Akaunting, and Invoice Ninja.

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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