Sage Intacct
Cloud financial management and ERP for mid-market firms.
Alternatives · 2026
Alternatives to Xero
Cloud accounting for small businesses and their advisors.
5 hand-curated alternatives from MintedSaaS's directory. See the Xero listing →
Xero is a cloud accounting platform designed for small businesses, sole traders, and their accountants or bookkeepers. It handles invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, and basic reporting through a web-based interface and mobile apps. Xero charges per user per month, typically ranging from $13 to $80 depending on the tier, and targets businesses in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and North America that want a modern alternative to desktop software like QuickBooks.
Xero's workflow suits businesses that need to share access with accountants or bookkeepers, track multiple bank accounts in one place, and file tax returns without switching tools. It's popular with freelancers, small agencies, and professional service firms that want their advisors to log in and collaborate directly. The product assumes you're running a lean operation where accounting gets done online and you want visibility into cash flow without hiring a full-time accountant on staff.
What we offer that competes
Zoho Books
Online accounting tied to the wider Zoho business suite.
Wave
Free accounting and invoicing app for very small businesses.
FreshBooks
Accounting and invoicing built for freelancers and small teams.
What to look for
- Whether the platform supports multi-currency and multi-country tax compliance without paying extra for localization modules
- Whether accountants and bookkeepers can access client data with role-based permissions without adding per-user costs
- Whether bank feeds work with your specific banks in your country, not just US institutions
- Whether the platform exports financial statements in formats your accountant or tax advisor actually asks for
- Whether you can invite clients to pay invoices directly without them creating an account or logging in
- Whether inventory tracking, project costing, or time tracking are included in base pricing or require add-on subscriptions
FAQ
What are the best free alternatives to Xero?
Wave is completely free for invoicing, expense tracking, and basic reporting. If you need multi-user access or more advanced features like inventory management, you'll need to move to a paid tier with Wave, Zoho Books, or FreshBooks.
Is there a free alternative to Xero for small business accounting?
Wave offers free accounting features with no seat limits, making it the cheapest option for sole traders. For small teams that need collaboration, Zoho Books has a free tier that supports up to two users.
Which accounting software is best for freelancers and small agencies?
FreshBooks is purpose-built for freelancers and agencies with project tracking, time logging, and expense categorization baked in. If you want lower cost, Wave handles invoicing and expense tracking for free, though it has fewer collaboration features than FreshBooks.
How do I choose between Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage Intacct?
QuickBooks (online) and Xero are both aimed at small businesses under $5M revenue, while Sage Intacct serves mid-market companies that need multi-entity accounting and advanced automation. Xero and QuickBooks are cheaper per user; Sage Intacct costs more but handles complexity that growing businesses outgrow the other two with.
Can I move my data from Xero to another accounting platform?
Most accounting platforms support CSV exports of transactions and customer lists, but the process is manual. Sage Intacct, Zoho Books, and QuickBooks all accept imported data, though you may lose custom fields or require a data cleanup step before the import works correctly.
Which Xero alternatives integrate with Shopify or WooCommerce?
FreshBooks, Zoho Books, and Wave all connect to Shopify and WooCommerce through native integrations or Zapier. Sage Intacct and QuickBooks require more setup or third-party connectors for e-commerce sync.
Are there Xero alternatives for UK, Australian, or NZ-based businesses?
Xero, Sage Intacct, QuickBooks, and Zoho Books all support multi-country tax rules and compliance. If you're in one country, Wave and FreshBooks work too, but they have fewer local tax features than Xero or Sage Intacct.
What's the difference between Zoho Books and Xero?
Zoho Books is cheaper per user and includes a free tier, while Xero has stronger multi-country support and accountant collaboration features. Both offer invoicing, expense tracking, and reporting; Zoho Books is better if cost is primary, Xero if you work cross-border or with advisors.