Bookkeeping is no one’s idea of a good time. But strong bookkeeping is the mark of a good business. Failure to keep good records can lead to payroll issues, vendor disputes, and even a tax audit from the IRS.
That’s why you must ensure that the system entrusted with your business finances has covered you from every conceivable angle. There are a wealth of powerful bookkeeping platforms out there, both free and paid. One of the biggest and most popular names is Xero.
If you’re seeking a Xero alternative service, you’ll be happy to know that plenty of powerful options are available.
But we’re not in the business of just recommending any old Xero alternative to you. Our research team has gone through a wealth of accounting platforms, finding only the very best of the best to include in this exclusive list.
We judge these platforms based on various criteria, including:
- Pricing
- Supported features
- Pros and cons
- How it fares against Xero
- Customer reviews
- Customer service support
- Integrations
- Ease of implementation
Table of Contents
- Why Would Someone Want a Xero Alternative?
- What To Look For in a Xero Alternative
- Top Paid Xero Alternatives
- Top Xero Alternatives With a Free Plan
- Completely Free Xero Alternative`
- Conclusion
Why Would Someone Want a Xero Alternative?
Xero is a well-known and effective accounting system. But there are still a number of reasons why someone would want to look for an alternative service.
For starters, Xero was mostly built for small businesses, and its various subscription plans reflect this. That’s all fine if you’re a small business, but most small businesses aim to grow. If you plan on scaling in the future, you might find yourself outgrowing the capabilities of Xero. When that happens, you’ll have to switch accounting platforms anyway, so finding a service that can grow with you from the start might be better.
If time tracking is an essential feature for you, then Xero’s lower subscription tiers might not be what you’re looking for since it is only available at Xero’s highest level.
Xero’s pricing ranges from $12 to $65 per month. If this is out of your budget, you might want to consider cheaper options or one of the services with a free plan.
Xero’s inventory management is very basic. If you have more advanced needs, one of our alternatives might suit you better.
Finally, if customer service is crucial for you, then Xero might not be the best option. The service is notorious for slow customer service through email only. And even that is only doable after you’ve combed through knowledge base articles. If you want phone and live chat support, then one of our alternative options might be a better fit.
What To Look For in a Xero Alternative
Finding a Xero alternative isn’t easy, considering the many competitors out there. When starting your search, the first thing you should do is consider your specific needs and measure the alternative services on this list against them.
Here are some vital features you should consider when looking for a Xero alternative:
- Invoicing services
- Reporting
- Fast customer support (phone and email)
- Effective pricing
- Scalability
- Integrations with other systems you use
- Ease of use/User interface simplicity
Top Paid Xero Alternatives
Here are the top paid Xero alternatives.
Sage Intacct
Overview
Sage Intacct is a premium accounting software platform that has two different platforms. Sage Accounting is a locally installed accounting software platform, and Sage 50cloud is a cloud-based system that can be accessed from anywhere.
Pricing, Price comparison with Xero
Sage Accounting has two different pricing levels, both of which are less expensive than Xero.
The Sage Accounting Start plan is $10 per month. It allows you to have one user, and the system can create and send invoices, track what’s owed to you, and perform automatic bank reconciliation services.
The Sage Accounting plan is $25 per month, with first-time subscribers able to sign up for $7.50 per month for the first six months. You can have unlimited users on this plan. It can be used to automatically snap and post receipts, send quotes and estimates, forecast your cash flow, and manage purchase invoices.
Sage 50cloud has much different pricing but many of the same features.
(The Pro Accounting plan costs $340 for the first year and $567 per year after that. It only comes with one user. The Premium Accounting plan is $554 for the first year and then $924 per year after. That gets you up to five users.
Popular for
Sage is popular for consolidating multiple companies. If you’re an entrepreneur with multiple companies going simultaneously, Sage has options for you.
Features supported
Some popular features of Sage include:
- Job costing: Wherein you can track the amount of money you make per job
- Bank reconciliation: Running your accounts through an automated bank feed or manually uploading bank statements
- Time tracking: Advanced tracking features through either manual entry or a built-in timer
- Inventory management: Keeps track of your inventory with advanced features that show you what you have in real-time.
Pros and cons
Sage’s pros include:
- Ability to run accounting for multiple companies
- Great inventory management
- Payroll integration
- Detailed reporting
- Integrates with Zapier
- Custom integrations available through API
- Low pricing on locally installed accounting software
Sage’s cons include:
- High pricing for a cloud-based system
- Limited mobile app with poor reviews
- Lack of customization options on invoices
How does it fare against Xero?
Sage is an affordable Xero alternative that exceeds Xero’s abilities through inventory management, customer service, and custom integrations. Sage’s ability to run multiple companies through one account is also a welcome feature that gives it a leg up.
Customer reviews
Sage generally has positive reviews from customers, with a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. A whopping 85% of customers rated the service as “Excellent,” while 7% thought it was “Great.” Only 6% of the reviews classified Sage as “Bad.”
Customer service support
Sage’s customer support options are available for subscribers Monday to Friday, 24 hours per day. Live chat and phone options are available, but only for current customers.
Integrations supported
Sage allows customers to integrate practically any tool through custom integrations created through its API. You can also integrate Sage with Zapier, opening up more than 5,000 different integrations immediately.
Ease of implementation
Sage is a simple system with an open dashboard that most people would have no problem understanding.
The dashboard is clean and contains crucial information from one centralized platform. This includes detailed reports on business financial matters laid out in a way that’s easy to take in.
Quickbooks Online
Overview
Quickbooks Online is a cloud-based version of Quickbooks that you can access from anywhere.
Pricing, Price comparison with Xero
Quickbooks Online has four different pricing options, and you can tell that it is a more expensive option than Xero.
The Simple Start plan is $25 per month. It comes with the ability to track income and expenses, send out invoices and collect payments, apply tax deductions, generate reports, capture receipts, track mileage, track cash flow, apply sales taxes and discounts, create estimates, and bring on contractors.
The Essentials plan is $50 per month. It includes everything from Simple Start, plus enhanced reports, support for three users, bill management, and time tracking.
Quickbooks’s Plus plan costs $80 per month and includes everything from Essentials, plus more comprehensive reporting, inventory management, and project profitability monitoring. You’re also able to have up to five users on this plan.
Finally, the Advanced plan is $180 per month. You can get everything from Plus, in addition to more than five users, Excel business analytics, employee expense tracking, batch invoices and expenses, customized access, premium apps exclusive to this level, a dedicated account team, on-demand training, workflow automation, and data restoration.
Popular for
Quickbooks Online is popular for its massive network of advisors and bookkeepers, creating the largest network in the industry. This far exceeds Xero’s advisor network.
Features supported
Some features enjoyed by Quickbooks subscribers include:
- Inventory management: Allows you to track what you have in stock at all times
- Check printing: A feature that lets you print checks instead of writing them
- Class-based income tracking: Track profit and loss by setting up various classes and locations
Pros and cons
Quickbooks Online’s pros include:
- Class-based activity tracking
- Massive support community
- Highly customizable reporting options
- Excellent mobile app
- Live customer support
The cons of Quickbooks Online are:
- High cost
- Limited number of users
How does it fare against Xero?
Quickbooks has many of the same features as Xero, but it takes them beyond what the smaller platform can do. For example, Quickbooks has more than 130 customizable reports, while Xero only offers around 55.
The ProAdvisors network is also a perk of Quickbooks Online. You can utilize these professionals for one-on-one advice or training. The live customer support and class tracking feature are also big wins for Quickbooks.
However, if you want more than five users, you must subscribe to the highest Quickbooks Online plan, which is $180 per month. Xero gives you unlimited users from its base plan, which is only $12 per month.
Customer reviews
Trustpilot users have rated Intuit Quickbooks 4.5 out of 5 stars. Up to 80% of the 8,934 reviews rated the service as “Excellent,” while only 8% rated it as “Bad.”
Customer service support
Quickbooks Online has a massive resources section. There’s also a support phone number for all Intuit products, including the online accounting software.
Integrations supported
Quickbooks supports over 650 different integrations, including Square, Shopify ecommerce, Amazon Business, PayPal, and more. You can also connect Quickbooks Online through Zapier, which opens up more than 5,000 different integrations.
Ease of implementation
Quickbooks Online has a simple interface with easy-to-understand reports on the dashboard.
There’s also a convenient side menu for simple navigation and a column for bank account information and activities that need attention.
FreshBooks
Overview
FreshBooks is an accounting platform that has become popular with self-employed professionals and smaller-sized businesses. It’s known for excellent customer service and flexible plans with strong pricing options.
FreshBooks is also a viable option for teams, as additional users can be added to plans.
Pricing, Price comparison with Xero
FreshBooks has four different pricing options, one of which is a custom unlimited tier that has to be negotiated directly with the company.
The image above reflects a promotion where new users get 70% off for their first three months.
FreshBooks’s Lite plan is $15 per month and includes up to five billable clients. Under this plan, you can track unlimited expenses, send estimates, receive payments from bank transfers and credit cards, track your sales tax, and access the service via a mobile app.
The Plus plan is $25 per month and allows you to have up to 50 billable clients. It includes automated expense tracking and receipt capture. You’re also able to send unlimited proposals and estimates. It has all of the features offered on Lite, in addition to running business health reports, recurring billing services, double-entry accounting reports, accountant collaboration, and mobile mileage tracking.
Next up is the Premium plan, for $50 per month. This gives you unlimited billable clients. It includes everything from Plus in addition to the ability to track bills, payments, and vendors with accounts payable, tracking profitability on each project, customized email templates, and customizable email signatures.
Finally, the customizable Select plan gives you access to specialized features for unlimited clients. These include lower credit card transaction rates, capped ACH fees, two team member accounts, a dedicated account manager, migration support, custom onboarding, and the removal of FreshBooks branding from emails.
FreshBooks is more expensive than Xero, but only by a few dollars per month. It also has more options for a company looking to scale and doesn’t hit the ceiling in the same way that Xero does.
Popular for
FreshBooks is widely renowned for responsive customer service, which is rare in the software industry. It’s also hailed for its unlimited invoicing feature and mileage tracker.
Features supported
The following features are noteworthy for FreshBooks:
- Project management: Keeps track of all your projects, making it easier to bill clients
- Invoicing: Unlimited options make it easy to communicate pricing with your customers
- Job costing: You can properly price your services by comparing the budget you’ve allocated to the actual expenses accrued through each job
Pros and cons
FreshBooks pros include:
- Affordable plans
- Flexible subscription options
- Custom pricing for high-level service
- Responsive phone support
- Unlimited invoicing
- GPS mileage tracker
The cons of FreshBooks are:
- No inventory tracking feature
- Only one user on each plan, except for Select
- Limited number of clients on lower plans
How does it fare against Xero?
Xero’s unlimited users feature on every plan is great, but FreshBooks’s unlimited invoices feature is more useful when it comes to accounting software.
FreshBooks also has Xero beat on customer service by a wide margin. The service is also more scalable than Xero, with customized pricing options that offer specialized features that a growing company would need.
Customer reviews
FreshBooks has a score of 3.8 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. Out of 707 reviews, 61% of reviewers rated the service “Excellent,” and 12% condemned it as “Bad.”
Customer service support
Customer service is an area where FreshBooks excels. It has dedicated phone support, which is rare in the accounting software industry.
Integrations supported
FreshBooks integrates with a number of apps, boasting over 100 partners on its app store. This is far less than Xero. FreshBooks has partners like Dropbox, Google, Zapier, Squarespace, and many more.
The integration with Zapier means that it has access to over 5,000 apps.
Ease of implementation
Freshbooks has an open and easy-to-use dashboard, which can be viewed in the image below. As you can see, it has several reports right up front.
There’s a side menu with tabs leading to features like expenses, project management, time tracking, invoices, and more. It’s very user-friendly.
FinancialForce Accounting
Overview
FinancialForce is a cloud-based accounting platform designed for companies of all sizes. It’s built on the Salesforce CRM platform, which allows it to share customer records and tools through various departments.
Pricing, Price comparison with Xero
FinancialForce doesn’t make its pricing publicly available. If you want to know more about this company’s pricing options, contact them directly.
Popular for
FinancialForce is popular for its social collaboration features and customization options. It also has an intuitive UI and decent customer support.
Features supported
FinancialForce has many excellent features, including:
- Bank Reconciliation: Keeping track of bank account information in real-time
- Department integration: Connects various departments together with the same data
- Cloud accounting: Access the service from anywhere
- Analytics and Insights: Tracks core services and financial metrics for improvement
Pros and cons
The pros of FinancialForce include:
- Cloud-based service
- Multi-currency support
- Highly customizable
- Eliminates departmental silos
The cons of FinancialForce Accounting are:
- Difficult to manage reports from different platforms
- Doesn’t make pricing publicly available
- Steep learning curve
How does it fare against Xero?
FinancialForce is a fine system, operating off of the cloud and allowing customers to deal in multiple currencies. However, a lot of its features compare to Xero, and Xero is a lot more forthcoming about what you’re paying out and what you’re receiving for that money.
Customer reviews
The review site G2 rates FinancialForce Accounting 4 out of 5 stars. It received a 7.4 out of 10 in ease of use, a 7.6 out of 10 in quality of support, and a 6.5 out of 10 in ease of setup. This is below average for the industry.
Customer service support
FinancialForce Accounting has a dedicated support page, where users can log cases with the community or call in for phone support.
Integrations supported
FinancialForce has several supported integrations listed on its website. It also has RESTful and Web services APIs that will allow you to connect to virtually any third-party platform you work with.
Ease of implementation
FinancialForce Accounting has a busy dashboard that contains a lot of information.
Menu options are small and placed at the top of the page, which might confuse some users.
Netsuite
Overview
Netsuite is actually an enterprise resource planning platform that includes accounting and financial management services. It was designed for midsize businesses and manufacturers and customizes pricing for each individual company.
Pricing, Price comparison with Xero
Netsuite doesn’t make pricing publicly available for its accounting software. It states that it charges an annual license fee composed of the core platform, optional modules, and the number of users you have in your business.
A one-time implementation fee is also charged for the system’s initial setup.
Because of this, it’s not possible to compare it directly with Xero’s pricing.
Popular for
Netsuite is popular for large companies that require an ERP’s full range of services while still needing accounting software.
Features supported
Some of the key features of Netsuite’s accounting platform include:
- Revenue recognition: Helps you comply with accounting standards using a rule-based event-handling framework. You can automate revenue management and reporting
- Automated accounts receivable/payable: Keep track of the money you have going in and coming out in real-time without having to enter anything manually
- Global account management: Manages international transactions in real-time to help you expand on a worldwide scale
- ERP features: Goes beyond typical accounting software with a full ERP suite of features, including supply chain management, production management, order management, warehouse and fulfillment, procurement, human capital management, and more.
Pros and cons
The pros of Netsuite include:
- Helps with globalization efforts
- Eliminates departmental silos
- ERP suite of features
- Great customer service
The cons of Netsuite are:
- Might include more services than a smaller business needs
- Pricing is not made publicly available
How does it fare against Xero?
While Xero is solely an accounting platform, accounting is just one aspect of Netsuite. Since it’s a full ERP, Netsuite has many more features that go above and beyond what’s offered through Xero’s platform.
While some larger companies can see this as a positive, for smaller companies (like those that would be considering Xero in the first place), it can be a lot more than they actually need.
Customer reviews
Netsuite does not have a great customer review score on Trustpilot, with a 2.6 out of 5-star rating. Only 11% of reviewers on the site listed the service as “Excellent,” while 78% considered it “Bad.”
Customer service support
Customer service is an area where Netsuite excels. It has a resource center where users can access information on the platform and reach out to customer support 24/7. Support representatives can be reached via phone, email, or live chat. The live chat features a bot that can connect you with a live agent.
Integrations supported
Netsuite supports several integrations and connections through Netsuite Connector. You can also use the service’s open APIs to create custom integrations with whatever third-party services you use.
Ease of implementation
As you can see in the image below, the Netsuite user interface is busy and crowded.
Menu options are listed at the top, and a lot of information is thrown at you all at once. It might be a bit too busy for non-technical users.
Top Xero Alternatives With Free Plans
Here are the top Xero alternatives with free plans.
ZipBooks
Overview
ZipBooks is a premium accounting platform that offers paid plans and a limited free option for smaller businesses that don’t require a lot of features.
Pricing, Price comparison with Xero
ZipBooks has four pricing tiers, including a free option. There are plans for super small businesses and custom pricing available for accountants that need more specialized features.
The Starter plan is the free plan we mentioned earlier, and it comes with more features than one would normally expect for a free service. Free users can send unlimited invoices, manage unlimited customers and vendors, and accept digital payments through Square or PayPal. They can also connect to a single bank account and view basic reports.
Then you have the Smarter plan. It costs $15 per month, making it more expensive than Xero’s base price. It includes everything in Starter plus the ability to schedule recurring invoices, automate customer reminders, save line items for your invoices, connect multiple bank accounts, track time, add up to five users, and receive account notifications.
The Sophisticated plan costs $35 per month. You get everything included in the Smarter plan, plus the ability to add smart tags to your books, customize your categories, reconcile your accounts, lock your completed books, share your documents, generate reports, and invite unlimited users.
Finally, there’s the Accountant plan, which has custom pricing and is designed specifically for accounting professionals who need to manage their clients through a central platform.
Popular for
ZipBooks is popular for small to midsize companies. It’s hailed for its free plan, which gives solo entrepreneurs and freelancers the ability to keep track of their finances at no cost.
Features supported
Some of the best features offered through ZipBooks include:
- Time tracking: Helps you keep track of the billable hours you’re putting in for your clients
- Accountant collaboration: Lets you share information with your accounting professional
- Recurring billing: Perfect option for SaaS or subscription-based companies
Pros and cons
The pros of ZipBooks include:
- Free plan with decent features
- Time tracking function
- Accountant plan
- Insightful reporting
- Unlimited invoices
The cons of ZipBooks are:
- Unlimited users in the highest plan only
- Knowledge base and chat support only
- No inventory management
- No Android app
- Not many integrations
How does it fare against Xero?
The unlimited invoices offered by ZipBooks in the free plan give it a leg up on Xero. Of course, when you switch to the paid plans, Xero has more of an edge in terms of pricing. But many of the services between the two are comparable.
Xero still holds an edge over ZipBooks regarding the number of users you’re allowed. ZipBooks limits you in all but its highest-priced tier, while Xero allows you to add as many users as you want from the base plan.
Customer reviews
On G2, ZipBooks has an average score of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Its ease of use scored a 9.5, quality of support received a 9.4, and ease of setup got a 9.5. This is well above industry averages.
Customer service support
Customer support is limited to a chat feature within the application and a searchable knowledge base on the ZipBooks website.
Integrations supported
ZipBooks integrates with services like Square and PayPal to be able to accept digital payments. There is no other information available about additional integrations.
Ease of implementation
ZipBooks has a super clean and efficient user interface and dashboard.
It’s very open and contains a lot of information without being overwhelming. The sidebar menu is neat and color-coded for ease of use.
CloudBooks
Overview
CloudBooks is an online invoicing software designed for small businesses. It allows you to easily send estimates, log your expenses, track time, bill clients, and send out professional invoices. It also has a limited free plan.
Pricing, Price comparison with Xero
CloudBooks has an unlimited pricing plan and a number of paid tiers.
The free option gives you only one user, one client, and five invoices, so it’s a very limited option, even for smaller businesses. Thankfully, the paid plans for CloudBooks aren’t super expensive.
The Team plan is $10 per month, making it more affordable than Xero’s base option. With it, you receive unlimited invoices, unlimited clients, up to five users, unlimited expense management and estimates, no CloudBooks branding, the ability to take online payments, unlimited storage, and support via chat and email.
The Agency plan costs $20 per month. It gives you everything available in the Team plan, along with the ability to have unlimited users.
It’s also possible to pay a one-time $1,000 fee to get a lifetime subscription to the Agency plan.
Popular for
CloudBooks is popular for small to midsize businesses. The free plan is so limited that it’s not really worth it unless you’re running a very small business that doesn’t need a lot of accounting work.
Features supported
Some of CloudBooks’ key features include:
- Time tracking: Keeping track of all the time you spend on your projects
- Project management: Tracking everything that’s spent on each project to help determine billing and overall profitability
- Estimates: Send estimates to potential clients
- Invoicing: Send unlimited invoices to your clients on any paid plan
Pros and cons
The pros of CloudBooks include:
- Fairly priced
- Live chat and email support
- Time tracking services
- Unlimited invoices on paid plans
- Lifetime subscription option
Some of the cons of this service include:
- Free plan is far too limited to be practical
- No inventory management feature
How does it fare against Xero?
The free option offered by CloudBooks doesn’t give it an advantage over Xero. It’s so limited that even the smallest business would find it virtually impossible to use. But if you think of it as an extended free trial, it could be considered a bonus.
Xero includes unlimited users from its base plan and has inventory management. That gives it an edge over CloudBooks. But CloudBooks is also a cheaper option than Xero, and it allows for unlimited invoices, clients, expenses, and estimates.
Customer reviews
CloudBooks has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 on G2. It received a 9.5 in ease of use and a 9.7 in ease of setup. These are both above industry averages. However, it got an 8.3 in quality of support, which is just below the average of 8.6.
Customer service support
You can get support through email and live chat when using CloudBooks. There is no knowledge base or phone support.
Integrations supported
Integrations offered for CloudBooks seem limited to payment gateways. It comes with Stripe and PayPal already integrated so that you can accept payments through the platform.
Ease of implementation
The CloudBooks interface is clean and open, with a large menu on the side.
A large invoices and expenses graph is centrally located, and several color-coded options are up at the top for maximum convenience and ease.
Zoho Books
Overview
Zoho Books is a premium Xero alternative with a free plan offered to businesses that make less than $50,000 per year in revenue. This is a service that has options for inventory accounting, project management, and invoicing.
Pricing, Price comparison with Xero
Zoho Books has a lot of different pricing options, starting with a free plan and working its way up to large-scale, expensive plans for huge companies.
The free plan is restricted to businesses that bring in less than $50,000 per year. With it, you’re allowed a single user and accountant. You can use it to manage up to 1,000 invoices per year, online and offline payments, automatic payment reminders, recurring invoices, bank reconciliation, reports, custom invoices, 1099 contractors, a payment gateway, and more.
The Standard plan is $20 per organization per month. It comes with three users and everything that’s available in the free plan. You can also use it to manage up to 5,000 invoices, run recurring expenses, operate bank and credit card account feeds, create predefined user roles, run project management features, make bulk updates, track time, and much more.
The Professional plan is $50 per organization per month and comes with up to five users. It includes everything from the Standard plan, plus sales approval, retainer invoices, recurring bill management, vendor credits, stock trading, exchange rate automation, multi-currency handling, purchase approvals, sales orders, timesheet approvals, custom roles, task management, recurring journals, and more.
The Premium plan, which allows 10 users, is $70 per organization per month. It includes everything from the professional plan, plus a custom domain, a vendor portal, budgeting, validation rules, 10 custom modules, up to 200 workflow rules, custom reports, and more.
The Elite plan is also for 10 users, and it costs $150 per month. You get everything from all previous plans, plus advanced inventory controls and support through email, voice, and live chat.
The Ultimate plan is $275 per month. This plan includes 15 users and 25 custom modules. You get everything from all previous plans, plus advanced analytics.
This is the best free plan on the list in terms of features, but if you’re planning on making more than $50,000 per year for your entire business, then it’s not available for you. It is a lot more expensive than Xero once you get into paid options, but it has many more features.
Popular for
Zoho is popular for startup businesses and side gigs that can make use of the free plan. It’s also great for businesses of all sizes, with plans that can scale along with your company.
Features supported
Some notable features of Zoho Books include:
- Custom invoicing: Make the invoicing process your own with designs and templates
- Inventory management: Track all inventory costs and allocate funds
- Stellar mobile app: Use the full suite of features from a mobile platform like iOS and Android
- Bank reconciliations: Keep track of your accounts in real-time through live, automated feeds
Pros and cons
The Pros of Zoho Books include:
- Great free plan
- Inventory tracking
- Great mobile app
- Scalable service
- Phone, chat, and email support
The cons of the service are:
- Limited number of users on all plans
- Can’t manage multiple companies through one subscription
- Expensive
How does it fare against Xero?
Zoho Books has options that can help your company grow from a tiny side gig into an enterprise business. You can see the full journey of a company mapped out when you look at the free plan up to the Ultimate plan.
However, Xero still has one advantage. It allows unlimited users starting at $12 per month. You can’t get that with Zoho Books, even if you’re paying $250 per month for the Ultimate plan.
Customer reviews
Zoho Books has a 4.5 out of 5 rating on G2. It scored a 9.2 in ease of use, an 8.8 in quality of support, and an 8.7 in ease of setup, all of which are above industry averages.
Customer service support
Zoho Books offers phone, email, and live chat support on more expensive plans. Email support is only offered on lower plans.
Integrations supported
Integrations are available through a number of apps, including GSuite, Office 365, Zapier, Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, OneDrive, Zendesk, Avalara, Twilio, and more.
Ease of implementation
The Zoho dashboard is simple and effective.
You can see your cash flow through the main interface, along with your total receivables and payables.
Akaunting
Overview
Akaunting is a completely free open-source accounting software available online. It was developed specifically for small businesses and freelancers.
Pricing, Price comparison with Xero
Akaunting has a limited free plan with one paid option available.
The free plan gets you one user and accountant, live currency rates, a billing calendar, and community support.
The Premium Cloud plan is $36 per month. It includes unlimited users, premium support, roles and permissions, bank feeds, balance sheets, general ledger, account charts, manual journals, expense claims, two-factor authentication, and a client portal.
Popular for
Akaunting is popular for freelancers and small business owners looking for a no-cost accounting solution.
Features supported
Some of the most popular features offered through Akaunting are:
- Multi-currency support: Able to send invoices and add expenses in any currency. The system converts them to your main currency automatically
- Bulk actions: You can edit large amounts of records together when using batch mode
- Unlimited options: Have unlimited customers, vendors, invoices, and bills
- Commission-free payments: Accept payments from your clients online with no commission or fee charged
Pros and cons
The pros of Akaunting include:
- Free plan
- Unlimited options
- Multi-currency support
- Premium support option
- Open source platform
- Community forum
Akaunting’s cons include:
- Paid plan is expensive
- No inventory management
- No time tracking
- No project management
How does it fare against Xero?
Akaunting has a great free plan that shouldn’t be overlooked. However, even its premium paid option doesn’t have some of the key features offered with Xero. These include time tracking, project management, and inventory management.
Customer reviews
Users on Trustpilot rated Akaunting 2.7 out of 5. Only 16% of users thought the service was “Excellent,” and 69% rated it “Bad.”
Customer service support
The free service gets email support and forum options only. These can be accessed through the dedicated support page. The paid plan comes with premium support options, including dedicated support on installation and configuration.
Integrations supported
Akaunting doesn’t seem to have any official integrations, but since it’s an open-source platform, the users are constantly updating it and bringing it to the next level.
Ease of implementation
Akaunting’s dashboard is nice and simple, with areas for receivables and payables at the top.
There’s also an extensive sidebar menu with dropdown options, making it easy to use and understand.
Completely Free Xero Alternative
Wave is a completely free Xero alternative.
Wave
Overview
Wave is the only completely free Xero alternative on this list. Some of the services offered through the platform are paid, but the accounting, invoicing, and banking features are 100% free all the time.
Pricing, Price comparison with Xero
Wave has a number of different services, some of which cost money. However, the services that we’re covering here are completely free of charge.
The free invoicing plan allows you to create custom invoices to send to clients, along with automated payment reminders. You can also accept payments from your invoices through bank transfers, credit cards, and Apple Pay.
The accounting plan keeps track of your income and expenses with no limits. You can connect an unlimited number of bank accounts and credit cards, access reports, and even add unlimited partners.
Popular for
Wave is popular for smaller businesses looking for a totally free alternative to premium services like Xero.
Features supported
Some of the top features of Wave include:
- Unlimited invoices: Send as many invoices as required
- Unlimited estimates: Create and send estimates to potential clients
- Expense tracking: Capture expense receipts and keep track of what you’re spending
Pros and cons
Some of the pros of this service are:
- It’s completely free
- You can manage multiple businesses
- Unlimited users, invoices, and estimates
- Accepts multiple currencies
The cons of Wave include:
- No project management
- No time management
- No inventory management
- Self-service support only
How does it fare against Xero?
While you can’t beat Wave’s price, it also matches Xero in providing unlimited users. However, if you need more advanced features, like time tracking, project management, and inventory management, you might be better off paying for Xero.
Customer reviews
G2 rated Wave a 4.5 out of 5. It scored a 9.0 in ease of use and an 8.9 in ease of setup, both of which are well above industry averages. However, it scored a 7.8 in quality of support, which is below the average of 8.2.
Customer service support
The Wave help page describes how its customer support services work. If you’re using the free accounting or invoicing software, your only support option is the self-service help center. Live chat and email are only available for those with premium Payroll, Payments, Advisors, or Wave Money services.
Integrations supported
Wave integrates with many tools, such as Shopify, Stripe, Square, PayPal, HubSpot, Slack, Mailchimp, and more.
Ease of implementation
Wave has an easy-to-use central interface, pictured below.
You have cash flow and bank account information in the central dashboard, along with a sidebar menu with many easy-to-understand options.
Conclusion
Xero is a quality accounting platform, but it might not be the right fit for every business. That’s why it’s so important to understand what alternatives there are so that you can take your business needs and apply them to the offerings of each service.
Throughout this list, we’ve discussed Xero competitors that you can turn to based on your needs. Whether you’re looking for a free or paid alternative, or you’re just going to stick with Xero, your financial future will be trackable, manageable, and in good hands.