Alternatives to Xero

Cloud accounting platform popular with small businesses and accountants

Pricing: $15/mo Starter (limited), $42/mo Standard, $78/mo Premium From $15/mo

Common pain points:

  • Starter plan limits invoices and bills to 20 per month
  • US payroll is an additional cost via Gusto integration
  • Multi-currency support only on Premium plan
  • Mobile app has limited functionality compared to desktop

4 Alternatives to Xero

GnuCash

Free double-entry accounting software for personal and small business finance

Open Source

Completely free and open-source. Desktop application with no subscription or cloud fees.

  • Full double-entry bookkeeping with professional reports
  • Supports invoicing, A/P, A/R, and stock tracking
  • Cross-platform desktop app with no subscription cost

Akaunting

Modern open-source online accounting software for small businesses and freelancers

Open Source

Self-hosted version is free. Cloud premium plan is $39/mo or $399/year for advanced features.

  • Modern web UI with dashboard and financial reports
  • App marketplace for extending functionality
  • Multi-company and multi-currency support

Zoho Books

Cloud accounting software with automation, invoicing, and bank reconciliation

Freemium

Free plan for revenue under $50K/yr. Standard $15/mo, Professional $40/mo, Premium $60/mo.

  • Free plan for businesses earning under $50K/year
  • Automated bank feeds, reconciliation, and recurring invoices
  • Native integration with 40+ Zoho apps (CRM, Inventory, etc.)

ERPNext

Complete open-source ERP with integrated HR, payroll, accounting, and inventory management

Open Source

Free and open-source with no license fees. Optional paid cloud hosting and support available.

  • All-in-one ERP covering HR, payroll, accounting, and CRM
  • Statutory compliance configurable by country and region
  • Active community with 20,000+ developers and 180 partners

Detailed Comparisons