Xero vs FreshBooks
FreshBooks comes out ahead of Xero on 4 of the 8 things that decide this, going by what each company publishes and what independent review sites report. The one that matters for you may be one the leader loses.
The verdict
FreshBooks takes it, 4–3 on rounds.
On the published figures and the independent review sites, FreshBooks takes 4 of 8 rounds. Treat that as a starting point and check the current figures on both pages, because prices and plans move.
Choose Xero if…
- • You want Xero's edge on how many people can log in and what customers say on trustpilot
Choose FreshBooks if…
- • You want FreshBooks's edge on what it costs to start and who picks up when you are stuck
Round by round
- Round 1What it costs to startFreshBooks winsXero5/10
$27
Early plan, per month at list price (introductory $5.40 for three months)
- $27, against $23
Source: xero.com ↗
FreshBooks8/10$23
Lite plan, per month at list price (billing limited to 5 clients)
Source: freshbooks.com ↗
FreshBooks wins this round on what the company itself publishes.
- Round 2Who picks up when you are stuckFreshBooks winsXero5/10
24/7 online support, callback on request
no support phone line, but they will call you
- 24/7 online support, callback on request, against Phone and email support
Source: xero.com ↗
FreshBooks8/10Phone and email support
free phone and email support, 8am to 8pm Eastern
Source: support.freshbooks.com ↗
FreshBooks wins this round on what the company itself publishes.
- Round 3How many people can log inXero winsFreshBooks5/10
Just you; team members $11 each
Lite includes no team member accounts, extra people are $11 a month each
- Just you; team members $11 each, against Unlimited users
Source: freshbooks.com ↗
Xero wins this round on what the company itself publishes.
- Round 4What customers say on TrustpilotXero winsFreshBooks5/10
3.7 out of 5
TrustScore from 1,045 reviews on Trustpilot
- 3.7 out of 5, against 4.1 out of 5
Source: trustpilot.com ↗
Xero wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
- Round 5Trying it before you payTie
Nothing to separate them here.
- Round 6How many invoices you can sendFreshBooks wins
FreshBooks wins this round on what the published sources say.
- Round 7Snapping receipts into your booksXero winsFreshBooks5/10
Receipt scanning is Plus+
Lite
- Receipt scanning is Plus+, against Smart Document Capture
Source: freshbooks.com ↗
Xero wins this round on what the published sources say.
- Round 8Tracking billable timeFreshBooks winsXero5/10
No project time tracking
Early
- No project time tracking, against Unlimited time tracking
Source: xero.com ↗
FreshBooks wins this round on what the published sources say.
Side by side
- inventory comes from integrations rather than the core plan
- 24/7 online support, callback on request, against Phone support included
- Optional add-on via Gusto, against Own payroll product
- 20 invoices a month, against Unlimited invoices
- $27, against $23
- Built in, powered by Gusto, against Own payroll product
- Receipt scanning is Plus+, against Receipt capture included
- Just you; team members $11 each, against Unlimited users
- 3.7 out of 5, against 4.1 out of 5