Head to head
FreshBooks vs Xero
Both platforms are scored with the same methodology and the same category rubric. Nothing on this page is influenced by advertising.
58/100 | 64/100Higher score | |
|---|---|---|
| Category rank | #4 | #2 |
| Confidence | High confidence | High confidence |
| External Reputation | 80 | 80 |
| AI Authority | 48 | 56 |
| Web Authority | 46 | 56 |
| Expert Assessment | 46 | 57 |
| TOP10 User Score | — | — |
| Pricing | USD $23.00/mo (Lite, 5 billable clients) · free tier: No free plan; 30-day free trial plus a stated full refund available within 30 days of purchase | USD $25/month (Early), rising to $27/month from 1 October 2026 · free tier: No permanent free tier; one month free starting once business setup is finalized, with a reminder 7 days before it ends |
| Pricing model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Best for | Solo consultants, designers and contractors with a stable book of under 50 clients who bill on retainers and proposals, want invoices out in minutes without accounting knowledge, and value reaching a human by phone. | Small businesses that want invoicing inside a full double-entry ledger, teams needing many free user logins, and firms already working with an accountant in the Xero partner ecosystem. |
| Avoid if | You have several team members, a high-client-count low-ticket business that the client cap penalises, a need for non-English invoicing or white-label branding without a sales call, or you cannot tolerate a 10x price jump when the promo expires. | You want a pure invoicing tool, bill only a handful of clients a month, need multi-currency or international payments on a budget, or require phone support when money or access is stuck. |
| Markets | Freelancers, SMB, Agencies, Trades and consultants | SMB, Accountants and bookkeepers, Agencies |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Canada | — |
A higher TOP SCORE means more of the evidence favours that platform on this methodology — it is not a recommendation, and it does not account for your specific requirements. Advertisers are never declared the winner of a comparison.