Xero
Cloud accounting for small businesses, with invoicing, bills and bank matching.
What Xero does
Xero is online accounting software. It records money in and out, sends invoices, tracks bills, matches your bank transactions and produces the reports an accountant needs.
It has three plans, Early, Growing and Established, and the higher plans add more bills, forecasts and multi-currency.
It is popular with small businesses and accountants because many people can work in the same books at the same time.
Setup and learning curve
Most small businesses connect a bank and send a first invoice in a day. Cleaning up past records and building a full chart of accounts takes longer, often with an accountant.
Xero pricing
Early
- Quotes and up to 20 invoices
- 5 bills
- Bank reconciliation
- Sales tax and 1099 management
Growing
- Everything in Early
- Invoices and quotes with no cap stated
- Automated bill entry
- Budgeting and auto-reconcile
Established
- Everything in Growing
- Multiple currencies
- Project time and cost tracking
- Employee expense claims
The introductory offer is 80% off the base plan for the first 3 months. It does not apply to add-ons or payment fees.
Subscriptions renew monthly until you cancel.
Xero Payroll, powered by Gusto, is an add-on at $36 a month plus $6 per employee or contractor. Inventory Plus is an add-on on Growing and Established.
Free onboarding help is included for the first 90 days.
Currency: Prices are in USD from Xero's US pricing page. Other countries have their own pricing.
Source: Xero pricing page (Vendor page), checked 16 Oct 2026.
Is there a free plan?
No No. Xero has no free plan. The page shows an offer of 80% off for the first 3 months, but it does not describe a free trial.
Early limits you to 20 invoices and 5 bills a month, so busier businesses will need Growing.
Key features
Xero integrations
Xero says it connects to more than 1,000 apps. Payroll is available as an add-on powered by Gusto.
1,000+ connected apps. Commonly used:
Who is Xero best for?
Small businesses that want online accounting that they and their accountant can both use
Small and mid-size businesses
Small businesses, services, retail, accountants and bookkeepers
Choose Xero if…
- You want online accounting you can share with an accountant
- You want to connect other business apps
- You are a small to mid-size business
Look elsewhere if…
- You need a free plan
- You only send a handful of invoices a year
- You need very deep, industry-specific accounting
Xero pros and limitations
Pros
- Easy for owners and accountants to share
- Clear three-plan ladder
- Big app marketplace
- Strong bank matching
- Free onboarding help for 90 days
Limitations
- No free plan
- Early limits invoices and bills
- Payment and payroll cost extra
- Introductory price rises after 3 months
- Multi-currency only on the top plan
How teams use Xero
Xero alternatives
Online accounting with a free plan and six paid plans that grow with the business. Best for: very small businesses that want free accounting and a clear path to bigger plans, especially if they use other Zoho apps.
See Zoho Books details →Pricing comparison: Xero and similar tools
| Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Trial | Price source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xero | No | $27 /mo (regular price, Early) | Not shown | Company page |
| Zoho Books | Yes | $15 /mo (Standard, billed yearly) | Yes | Company page |
Prices show in your local currency where a company lists them. Tools without a local price stay in USD, so do not compare those rows number for number.
Entry prices are for the cheapest paid plan and use each company's own billing basis (annual or monthly, local currency), so compare them as a guide, not a quote.
Xero user reviews
We only publish reviews from signed-in users with a real profile. We never write or buy reviews. If you use Xero, be the first to share how it works for you.
Sign in to reviewXero FAQ
Is Xero free?
No. There is no free plan. The pricing page offers 80% off the base plan for the first 3 months.
How much does Xero cost?
On our check date, the regular prices on the US page were $27 a month for Early, $59 for Growing and $97 for Established. The first 3 months are 80% off.
Is Xero good for small business?
Yes. It is built for small and mid-size businesses and works well with accountants.
Does Xero do payroll?
Yes, as an add-on powered by Gusto, at $36 a month plus $6 per employee or contractor.
Xero or Zoho Books?
Xero has a bigger app marketplace and no free plan. Zoho Books has a free plan for very small businesses and cheaper entry prices.
Last updated: 16 Oct 2026. Spotted a mistake? See how we handle corrections.