With the increasing demand for efficient and affordable accounting software, many businesses of all sizes seek alternatives that better suit their needs. Xero Cloud is a significant starting step, but it is not suitable for long-term use, especially for businesses looking to grow.
In this guide, we'll learn about some of the top contenders in the market, each offering its own set of features and benefits. So, if you're ready to find the perfect fit for your business's financial management, let's look into the best alternatives to Xero Cloud.
Here’s a curated list of alternatives to Xero Cloud.
ZarMoney is a cloud-based accounting solution that simplifies financial management for businesses of all sizes. With a focus on user-friendly features, it offers tools for invoicing, bill management, advanced inventory, online payments, bank connections, and more.
They aim to improve cash flow and provide deep insights into financial performance through detailed reporting and analytics. ZarMoney is appreciated by thousands of businesses for its adaptability, ease of use, and ability to simplify accounting and financial processes.
Here’s a list of features that make ZarMoney a great cloud-based accounting platform.
ZarMoney provides an intuitive platform for managing your financial data. It offers detailed reporting and analytics, helping businesses understand their financial health. The tool simplifies complex accounting tasks, making tracking income, expenses, and financial reports easier.
ZarMoney's billing software organizes invoicing and payment processing, improving efficiency for growing businesses and its inventory management software offers comprehensive control and visibility across multiple warehouses, refining decision-making with real-time data access. These features support better financial management and operational efficiency.
ZarMoney arranges to create and send professional invoices, coupled with a powerful payment processing system. This ensures timely payments, improves cash flow, and offers customers a variety of payment options, increasing overall satisfaction.
ZarMoney has 3 different pricing plans to choose from:
Each package also has a 15-day free trial that you can avail of before buying the package.
ZarMoney supports multiple relevant integrations with other apps to help its users switch to ZarMoney smoothly. Some of those integrations are as follows.
The average rating of ZarMoney among popular software directories, like GetApp and G2, is 4.7 out of 5.
ZarMoney emerges as an effective alternative for businesses looking to switch from Xero Cloud and seeking an all-encompassing cloud-based accounting solution. With its strong emphasis on user-friendly interfaces, strong inventory management, and efficient invoicing and payment processing, it's well-suited for a variety of business needs.
While it offers a broad suite of features that cater to both small and large enterprises, businesses can benefit from its adaptability and straightforward approach to financial management, making it a strong contender for those considering their options in accounting software.
QuickBooks Online is smart cloud-based accounting software that excels at making financial management tasks more convenient, such as tracking expenses, customizing invoices, and generating detailed reports.
With QuickBooks, you can connect your bank for smooth transactions, manage your business on the go with a mobile app, and enjoy the comfort of automated tax calculations. It's designed to save businesses time and reduce errors, making financial oversight more efficient and less stressful.
Here is a list of features that make QuickBooks Online a worthy cloud-based accounting software for our list of alternatives.
The top features of QuickBooks Online that set it apart from other software are.
QuickBooks helps in managing finances by offering easy bank connections. This feature automatically updates and categorizes transactions, saving time and offering real-time financial insights.
Facilitating compliance with digital tax requirements, QuickBooks allows for flawless tax calculations and submissions directly to the HMRC, ensuring businesses stay on top of their tax obligations without hassle.
With QuickBooks, understanding and predicting cash flow becomes child’s play. It provides detailed forecasts and real-time tracking, improving insights and helping businesses make informed financial decisions.
QuickBooks Online offers four different packages, Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, and Advanced, which you can use for free for a 30-day trial period or buy immediately to avail yourself of 50% off for 3 months.
You can check out what you will get from each package by visiting their pricing page.
QuickBooks Online has many app integrations that can make it easier for you to use. A few of these integrations are.
The average rating given by customers of QuickBooks Online is 4.1 out of 5, gathered from Software Directories like G2 and GetApp.
QuickBooks Online is a user-friendly alternative to Xero Cloud for those seeking an efficient way to manage their finances. With its easy interface, expansive bank connections, and insightful cash flow management tools, it helps businesses stay financially organized. While it may come with a higher price tag and a learning curve for some advanced features, its integration capabilities and real-time financial insights make it a strong contender for businesses aiming to improve their accounting processes.
FreshBooks offers an effortless cloud-based accounting solution known for its ease of use. FreshBooks enables users to send invoices, track time, manage expenses, and get paid online, focusing on simplicity and automation to save time.
It stands out for its excellent customer service and an interface that makes accounting accessible, even to those without a background in finance. Designed to keep your finances in clear view without added complexity, FreshBooks supports businesses in managing their finances with minimal effort.
FreshBooks offers a wide range of features that can be useful for you. Here’s a list of features that can help make your switching decision easier.
Among its various features, listed below are the features that’ll be most useful for businesses looking for a cloud-accounting solution.
FreshBooks allows for easy invoice customization, helping businesses reflect their brand identity. This feature supports a professional appearance while accommodating specific billing details for businesses.
The Time Tracking feature helps accurately log billable hours directly to invoices, ensuring clients are charged appropriately for the work done. It's ideal for freelancers and agencies that bill by the hour.
FreshBooks improves the payment process by allowing clients to pay directly through invoices and supports various payment methods and gateways. This speeds up the payment cycle and improves cash flow.
FreshBooks offers three different packages, Lite, Plus, and Premium, which you can also try for free for a 30-day trial period.
You can also talk to an expert to get the selected package, which includes everything from the Premium package plus more modules to fulfill all your business requirements.
FreshBooks offers a variety of integrations, here’s a list of the main third-party integrations:
FreshBooks has an average rating of 4.5/5 among popular Software directories like G2, GetApp, and Capterra
FreshBooks positions itself as a highly user-friendly and efficient alternative to Xero Cloud. Its strengths lie in easy invoice customization, effortless time tracking, and hassle-free payment acceptance, enriching the financial management experience with minimal issues.
While it might carry a higher cost for expanded team access and focus on simpler accounting needs, its excellent customer support and user-driven design make it a compelling choice for those prioritizing ease of use and efficiency in their accounting software.
Zoho Books is intuitive cloud-based accounting software designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It automates business workflows, facilitates collaboration across departments, and provides a set of comprehensive features, including invoicing, expense tracking, and advanced reporting.
Zoho Books is part of Zoho's ecosystem, allowing perfect integration with over 50 other Zoho apps. This makes it a scalable solution as your business grows. Its user-friendly design ensures you don't need to be an accounting expert to manage your finances effectively.
Here’s a list of features provided by Zoho Books that make it a member of our curated list of alternatives to Xero Cloud.
Among all of its features, the features Zoho Books is most known for are as follows.
Zoho Books improves your billing efficiency with customizable invoices that reflect your brand. Its invoicing system accelerates the payment process through automated reminders and allows for easy tracking of invoice statuses, ensuring you stay on top of receivables.
The online payments feature within Zoho Books makes receiving payments effortless and fast. Offering various payment gateways allows your customers to pay more conveniently, helping you maintain a steady cash flow.
Zoho Books' automation is designed to save valuable time. From automating bank feeds to recurring invoices and payment reminders, this feature minimizes manual effort, allowing you to focus on growing your business while ensuring accuracy in your financial records.
Zoho Books offers five different packages and a free package. The free package is only for businesses with less than $50K in revenue per annum.
You can also compare the differences in offerings of their packages here.
Here’s a list of third-party integrations of Zoho Books that can help you integrate it into your business.
The average rating given to Zoho Books is 4.3 out of 5, among famous software directories like GetApp, Capterra, and G2.
Zoho Books offers a solid alternative to Xero Cloud, particularly for businesses looking for an accounting solution with strong automation and integration capabilities. It provides a user-friendly experience, broad financial management features, and excellent customization options. While it has a learning curve for newcomers and a complicated pricing structure for scaling businesses, its benefits in simplifying accounting processes make it a smart choice for small to medium-sized businesses aiming for efficiency and growth.
Sage Business Cloud is a top-tier cloud-based financial management platform for mid-sized and growing businesses. It's suited for delivering deep financial and operational insights, automating critical processes, and offering comprehensive reporting capabilities.
Sage Intacct's strength lies in its flexibility to support various industries with customized solutions that grow with your business. It ensures finance teams can work more efficiently, giving businesses the agility to respond to changing market demands.
Here’s a wide range of accounting features of Sage Business Cloud that can help you decide whether this is the alternative you were looking for.
Here’s a wide range of accounting features of Sage Business Cloud that can help you decide whether this is the alternative you were looking for.
Sage Business Cloud's reporting feature stands out by providing businesses with specific insights into their financial health. With customizable dashboards and detailed financial reports, companies can access real-time revenue, expenses, and overall performance data and make informed business decisions.
The forecasting feature in Sage Business Cloud allows businesses to plan for the future with confidence. By analyzing historical data and current financial trends, companies can create accurate forecasts that help with budgeting, financial planning, and predicting cash flow needs.
Project tracking within Sage Business Cloud offers detailed management of project timelines, budgets, and profitability. It provides a clear view of each project's financial performance, helping businesses make informed decisions about resource allocation and project planning.
Sage Business Cloud accounting only has two pricing packages, Start and Standard, with a 30-day free trial period.
For 2 users, it costs $22 per month.
For 3 users, it costs $24 per month.
For 4 users, it costs $26 per month.
For 5 users, it costs $28 per month.
For more details and comparisons between the packages, you can visit their pricing page here. There are no predefined packages for Sage Intacct but you can get the quotation for your company by talking to an expert.
Sage Business Cloud offers a variety of integrations. Here’s a list of the primary third-party integrations.
The average rating of Sage Business Cloud Accounting is 4.1 out of 5, while the average rating of Sage Intacct is 4.3 out of 5.
Using Sage Intacct for complex financial management and Sage Accounting for simpler accounting needs, Sage Business Cloud offers a competitive alternative to Xero Cloud. With its deep financial insights, industry-specific customization, and all-inclusive reporting, it caters well to businesses aiming for growth and scalability. While it might present a steeper learning curve and higher cost, its integration capabilities and detailed financial analysis make it a powerful tool for businesses looking for detailed financial functionality and adaptability.
Wave Financial is a free, cloud-based accounting platform designed specifically for small businesses, freelancers, and consultants. It offers various financial services without the monthly subscription fee.
Wave makes managing company finances easy and straightforward, allowing users to create professional invoices, automate payment reminders, and track income and expenses efficiently. Its user-friendly interface and comprehensive financial toolkit make it an excellent choice for small business owners looking to manage their finances without the complexity or cost of other accounting software.
Here’s a list of features of Wave Financials that can help you meet your business needs.
Among the features of Wave Financials, these are the features that you can benefit from the most.
Wave offers effortless invoicing, allowing users to create and send professional invoices with ease. This feature supports customization to fit brand identity and automates the billing process to ensure timely payments from clients.
Wave's accounting feature provides various tools for tracking income and expenses. It helps with financial management, offering clear insights into business performance and helping users make informed decisions based on real-time data.
With Wave, accepting payments becomes uncomplicated, improving the customer experience by offering flexible payment options. This feature integrates smoothly with invoicing, ensuring businesses get paid faster and improve their cash flow.
Wave Financials pricing is divided into a free-to-use Starter Plan and a paid Pro Plan. The Start Plan is perfect for starting businesses, but you can always opt for the Pro Plan later if you need more.
The Pro Plan costs $16 per month billed monthly or $170 per year billed annually.
Listed below are the third-party integrations offered by Wave Financials.
The average rating of Wave Financials among famous software directories, like Capterra and GetApp, is 4.4 out of 5.
Wave Financials is an obvious choice for small businesses and freelancers seeking a no-cost alternative to Xero Cloud. Its strength in providing essential accounting features like invoicing and expense tracking, all for free, makes it particularly attractive.
While it may not offer the advanced features of Xero, Wave's ease of use and affordability present an intriguing option for those needing to manage their finances effectively.
Features |
ZarMoney |
QuickBooks Online |
FreshBooks |
Zoho Books |
Sage BusinessCloud |
Wave Financials |
Invoicing & Payment |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
Expense Tracking |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
Project Management |
✅ |
❌ |
✅ |
❌ |
✅ |
❌ |
Financial Reporting |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
Bank Integration |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
Payroll Management |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
Client Portal |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
Customer Support |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
Inventory Management |
✅ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
To conclude, consider these alternatives as potential paths to achieving organized financial operations, ensuring your business can grow and adapt in an ever-changing economy. The six alternatives to Xero Cloud outlined here each offer unique features to suit different business needs. Some offer user-friendly interfaces and comprehensive features and some provide cost-effective solutions for small businesses, each option has its strengths.
Among these, ZarMoney stands out as a particularly compelling option. It is recognized for its comprehensive array of features, including sophisticated billing, inventory management, and customizable invoicing. ZarMoney's ease of use and affordability make it an attractive choice for businesses of all sizes seeking to organize their financial processes.
The most essential features to look for would be easy invoicing, affordable pricing, user-friendliness, integrations, and software that’ll scale with your business.
There are several alternatives, like ZarMoney, Wave Financials, and FreshBooks, that are well suited for catering to the needs of small businesses at affordable pricing.
Yes, most accounting software provides the ability to migrate data from other software. However, you’ll still have to check with the software provider for specific instructions.
Xero is a great option to start managing your finances, but some users may find it restrictive, especially when your business grows.
ZarMoney provides extensive support to help users transition from other accounting software, like Xero, to ZarMoney.
Xero doesn’t have any automated migration tools, but you can export the data manually from each place where you need the data from Xero Cloud.
ZarMoney stands out as the premier accounting software, offering unparalleled billing, inventory management, and customizable invoicing features. Its ease of use and scalability make it ideal for businesses of all sizes, ensuring it's not just an alternative to Xero Cloud but the best choice.
ZarMoney's extensive feature set, including advanced reporting and analytics, makes it suitable for a wide range of industries beyond retail and e-commerce, including service-based businesses, manufacturing, and more.
Yes, ZarMoney can accommodate businesses with international operations through its multi-currency billing features and global payment processing capabilities, making it a versatile choice for global business management.
ZarMoney provides exceptional customer support with various resources such as live chat, email support, and an extensive knowledge base, ensuring users receive timely assistance and guidance.