Xero vs QuickBooks Online: Features Comparison, Pros, Cons
If you can’t wait, and you’re in the UK, check out our FreeAgent review for a service that does hourly billing well. The Xero app also has the basic features found in the cloud version, such as invoicing, bank reconciliation, cash flows, profit, and loss. A useful feature is its contact management integration with invoicing. The app also lets you add contacts, and Xero gives you useful information about the person automatically, such as the average days to pay and billing activity. On the other hand, A/P management is one of the strongest points of Xero.
You can also connect your Gmail or Office 365 account to see all your email correspondence with customers and suppliers in one place. So, all you have to do is set up a bank feed so your transactions flow into the platform daily and then reconcile quickly by accepting the suggested match and category. You can sort and group bank transactions, then code groups in bulk. You can quickly know how your entire team is spending their time and get a daily, weekly, and monthly breakdown of the work hours, too. FreshBooks was originally designed as an invoicing tool and evolved into a full-fledged accounting solution over the years.
- There’s a lot to iron out when it comes to these providers, so scroll down to see how they compare on accounting features, price, support options, and more.
- It’s simply a more accurate form of accounting that ensures your books are balanced at the end of the day, and the software itself handles the trickiest parts of double-entry accounting entries.
- FreshBooks was originally designed as an invoicing tool and evolved into a full-fledged accounting solution over the years.
- They offer their starter package for $9/mo which is less than you would pay for Freshbooks’ introductory package.
Track outstanding payments and set-up automatic reminders for late payments. Switch to FreshBooks for real-human, hands-on customer support. Call us and a friendly agent with accounting knowledge picks up. Bookkeep generates accrual-based summaries, posts journal entries, and reconciles payment deposits automatically from multiple sales channels to accounting systems. Our reviewers evaluate products and services based on unbiased research. At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations.
FreshBooks vs Xero: Ease of Use
We’ve noticed several setbacks on Xero that aren’t material per se, and these mainly focus more on practical expediency. We saw that it’s impossible to combine payments received from customers into a single deposit entry, even if they’re all checks or all cash. The problem this creates is your Xero check register will show multiple deposits, whereas your bank statement will show the actual deposit amount which has all the amounts combined. FreshBooks writing the evaluation plan for your grant application offers many more discounts than Xero, and it wins here in terms of pricing since it offers significantly affordable pricing plans compared with Xero. However, since FreshBooks charges $10 per additional user, per month, it can quickly become more expensive than Xero if you need three or more users. FreshBooks focuses on being user-friendly and lacks some of the more sophisticated features included in Xero, such as inventory and fixed assets.
- The complexity of the accounting software, and what it is used for, will greatly affect the overall cost.
- You can let customers pay you with a credit card straight from the invoice using third-party payment services by adding a ‘Pay now’ button for one-click payment.
- Popular categories include payroll, inventory, time tracking, payments and CRM.
- So basically, if you need a robust suite that can do it all, go for Xero.
- FreshBooks provides a software environment that blends accounting and project management, making it ideal for self-managed businesses and freelancers.
As you can see, both FreshBooks and Xero are great choices for small businesses looking to streamline their accounting processes. That being said, both solutions are designed to cater to different types of businesses and needs, so the battle of FreshBooks vs Xero isn’t exactly a fair one. Xero has a somewhat similar pricing structure to FreshBooks, with three tiers of pricing starting at $20/month. For freelance professionals and self-employed folk with basic needs, this plan is available for $15/month and allows you to bill up to 5 clients. You’re also equipped to make fast and informed budget forecasts based on current figures with powerful built-in analytics.
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You can generate traditional financial reports, but they aren’t available with all plans. You’ll need the Plus plan to access a general ledger, trial balance or chart of accounts and the Premium plan to create any accounts payable reports. Xero is an accounting powerhouse that can handle anything from freelancers to big-shot enterprises. With features like invoicing, payroll, and inventory management, it’s got all the bells and whistles. Meanwhile, FreshBooks is perfect for freelancers and small businesses that want simplicity without sacrificing functionality.
Many FreshBooks customers have service-based businesses that have them constantly on the go. And FreshBooks is a unique accounting software program in that it allows you to bring your software along with you while serving billable clients. With Xero, all plans include a bank reconciliation tool that suggests transaction matches for you, making it easy to reconcile bank accounts.
Xero pros and cons
By clicking on the menu categories, a drop-down menu will appear to show related subcategories. If you haven’t used FreshBooks, the setup wizard on the dashboard (see image below) will guide you through the process. Saved payment information can always be removed if you want to opt-out of Recurring Payments at any time. One thing about Xero – when you have a question their first response is to tell you to have your accountant look at it.
FreshBooks Makes Accounting Easy for You, Your Team, and Your Budget
No, it isn’t possible to reconcile bank statements manually in FreshBooks because it doesn’t allow you to upload files of transactions unless you connect your bank account. One thing we recommend while comparing Xero vs FreshBooks is to learn all about the FreshBooks Accountant Partner Program. It’s a unique part of FreshBooks that you won’t get from other cloud based accounting solutions. 95% of users agree that FreshBooks makes it easy to work with your accountant. Xero’ business model is to get people ‘hooked’ and slowly up the price. Sometimes even charging for things that were already part of the product and calling it an add on feature.
The most expensive plan also offers additional features such as automated late payment reminders and financial and accounting reports. FreshBooks users appreciate that it’s one-stop accounting software that’s easy to set up and use. Reviewers also praised its project tracking features and how easy it is to invoice clients if you use the project feature. The software’s biggest drawback is its inability to manage inventory, and users wished that FreshBooks had a live chat feature. It’s built so you can add your clients, connect your bank account, launch new projects and get started with expense management, without having to read documentation or get help from a lawyer.
The FreshBooks design suite allows for more customization and is easier to use compared to Xero. Xero also lacks the seamless integration with time tracking that FreshBooks offers. Xero is the second-most popular accounting software program in the U.S. after QuickBooks, and is the market leader in several countries, such as Australia. Like its competitors, Xero offers double-entry accounting and report features, but with a particular focus on making accounting concepts easy to understand for people unfamiliar with financial jargon.
Million People Have Used FreshBooks
You can also snap and store pictures of receipts in the FreshBooks mobile app (touched upon later). Both FreshBooks and Xero are industry-leading cloud-based accounting tools with huge client bases. While both are similar in many regards, there are some key differences in their features. Now, we bet you’ve come across the names FreshBooks and Xero in most, if not all, of your search results. Sure, they’re not well-known like accounting tool, QuickBooks, however they are both extremely viable options for your accounting solutions. That said, we have to conclude that FreshBooks is generally a better choice than Xero.
FreshBooks’ cheapest plan uses the less-reliable single-entry accounting system, which introduces a higher possibility of accounting errors. Worse, FreshBooks doesn’t include free accountant access with its cheapest plan. Unlike both FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online (and, frankly, nearly every other accounting tool), Xero includes inventory management with each plan. While none of these software solutions offer free versions, Xero FreshBooks and Sage let users test out their products for 30 days, free of charge. Xero offers the strongest free trial, unlocking its full suite of features and 24/7 online support channels to users who sign up.
Higher-tier plans include unique features, like workflow rules, on top of tools that help you measure project profitability. Phone support and live chat support are available 24/5 to all paying customers, but third-party integrations are limited compared to QuickBooks Online and Xero. Easy-to-use invoicing, payments, project management, accounting features, and so much more, is why over 30 million businesses in 160+ countries have used FreshBooks. If you want super user-friendly software that accountants and bookkeepers use daily all over the world, QuickBooks Online is definitely a solid choice. But if you’re looking for more affordable software that still offers comprehensive features and better customer service, FreshBooks and Xero could suit too.