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Xero vs FreshBooks
Both sit in accounting & finance. Here is how they differ on the things you can actually check.
On price: FreshBooks starts $2 a month cheaper than Xero ($23 against $25) on its Lite tier. Both figures were read from the vendors' own pricing pages on the dates shown below.
Xero
xero.com
Double-entry accounting, bank reconciliation and reporting with unlimited users on every plan and a large integrations marketplace.
Accounting & Finance
Visit XeroFreshBooks
freshbooks.com
Built around invoices, estimates, time tracking and expenses for service businesses, with accounting features layered on.
Accounting & Finance
Visit FreshBooks| Xero | FreshBooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $25/mo | $23/mo |
| Entry plan | Early | Lite |
| Paid annually | — | — |
| Price checked | 6 Sept 2026 | 21 Sept 2026 |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Free trial |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Category | Accounting & Finance | Accounting & Finance |
| Around since | 2006 | 2003 |
Every price here was read from the vendor's own pricing page, most recently on 21 Sept 2026. Entry tier only — vendors change pricing without notice.
Xero vs FreshBooks, answered
- Is Xero cheaper than FreshBooks?
- No — FreshBooks is the cheaper entry point, at $23 a month against Xero's $25, 8% less.
- Do Xero or FreshBooks have a free plan?
- Neither publishes an ongoing free plan. Check each vendor for a trial.
- What is the difference between Xero and FreshBooks?
- Xero: Double-entry accounting, bank reconciliation and reporting with unlimited users on every plan and a large integrations marketplace. FreshBooks: Built around invoices, estimates, time tracking and expenses for service businesses, with accounting features layered on.