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You’ve likely heard of QuickBooks and FreshBooks, but there’s another major player, Xero Accounting, that’s giving both big names a run for their money. Xero is the market’s fastest growing small business accounting software, is easy to use and loaded with features. But it’s a player in a crowded field, so how did it fare in our review?
Article Overview
Xero
Pros
- Unlimited users with every plan and all plans include direct deposit and e-file payroll taxes
- Very intuitive interface that brings items needing attention to the forefront
- Manages basic inventory
- Excellent 24/7 customer support via responsive email, live chat and site support
- Blog, community forums, webinars, social media
Cons
- Time and job tracking only available through integrated apps
- No automated invoice reminders or overdue notices
- Reporting tools have room for improvement
- No phone support
Key Features
- Best for small to mid-sized businesses
- Full-accounting features and tools
- Supports 160+ multiple currencies and tax rates
- 700+ Xero add-ons, including Salesforce, PayPal, Fathom, Square and Stripe
- Excellent site security, with high encryption, Https, multi-factor authentication, multiple-location backups
- Xero payroll tool with Premium Plans allows for up to 200 employees, direct deposit and e-file payroll taxes (Standard Plan allows for 5 employees)
Pricing
Try out Xero Accounting software with their 30-day free trial. Their internal payroll service was retired in 2018 and is now offered through a third party as an optional add-on. The Established plan also includes in-depth analytics.
| Early | Growing | Established | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price Per Month | $12 | $34 | $65 |
| Payroll | 5 Employees | 10 Employees | |
| Invoicing | 20 Invoices | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Pay Bills | 5 Bills | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Bulk Reconcile Transactions |  |
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| Multiple Currencies | |
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| Track Projects | |
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| Claim Expenses | |
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| Payroll (through Gusto) | $39/month+ | $39/month+ | $39/month+ |
Xero Customer Reviews
See below for a balanced selection of Xero customer reviews we’ve found online to give you an idea of real consumer experiences with Xero.
Positive Reviews
After deciding to take the step from spreadsheets to Xero for our business accounting, I couldn’t be happier. An easy to navigate dashboard, and all the tools I need to make the running of our business that much easier, and along with the fantastic help from Ellis, I have no hesitation in recommending Xero to everyone. – Samantha, Trustpilot 8/22/2018
Its an absolutely brilliant piece of software to systematically breakdown your accounting into granular accounting so you know exactly where your making and losing money! I love it! – Administrator, G2Crowd 6/20/2018
Complaints
This software is painful to use for someone like me with no accounting knowledge. It’s hard to understand and nothing balances, support doesn’t help so I’m giving up and finding something easier to use. Sorry Xero, it’s Xero from me. – Wendy, Trustpilot 8/3/2018
Since the software is more entry level it doesn’t allow users as much freedom as a higher level accountant would like. It is hard to assign transactions between the banks and edit the incoming statement information. As well the site is hard to navigate sometimes and switching between pages is a big hassle, the website doesn’t back tab and forward tab nicely. – Michaela B., G2Crowd 7/20/2018
How Does Xero Rank In Our Book?
Xero accounting has some of the most robust features around, and its dashboard makes multi-tasking a breeze. Although they don’t offer phone or live chat customer support (bummer!), Xero’s reps are responsive and helpful in answering any questions you might have.
Read our best small business accounting software comparison to see how Xero stacks up against its competitors. You can also check out our interview with CEO Russ Fujioka to learn more about the inner workings of Xero.
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