What Xero alternatives cost at one, three and six users
Table of Contents
On 11 September 2026, Xero’s US page priced Growing at $55, rising to $59 on 1 October. Growing is the plan a sole trader needs once they pass Early’s 20-invoice monthly cap. On the same date, Wave Starter offered unlimited invoicing for $0 and QuickBooks Solopreneur Lite for $20. Zoho Books Free allowed 1,000 invoices a year under $50,000 revenue. Users, payroll and accountant access decide the fit.
Why Xero users start looking for an alternative
Three changes push Xero subscribers to price the field.
The October price change
Xero’s US update notice, retrieved 11 September 2026, raises all three plans from 1 October 2026. The rise covers new and existing subscribers.
For the full breakdown, see what the Xero price increase adds to your next bill.
The Early-plan invoice cap
Xero’s US pricing page, retrieved 11 September 2026, caps Early at 20 invoices and 5 bills a month. One invoice over moves you up a tier.
Here is how Early’s invoice and bill caps are counted.
The multi-organization discount
The same notice begins phasing out the multi-organization discount on 1 October 2026. Xero doesn’t publish the discount’s size.
Our guide to what Xero costs on each plan covers the rest of the bill.
Six Xero alternatives and what each is built for
Each of these sells to US small businesses from a published price list, as retrieved on 11 September 2026.
- QuickBooks Online sells four accounting software tiers, each with a fixed number of users.
- QuickBooks Solopreneur is Intuit’s one-person product. Its Free and Lite plans exclude accountant access.
- FreshBooks is invoicing-led, and its tiers are capped by billable clients.
- Zoho Books prices per organization and has a free plan below a revenue threshold.
- Wave is free on Starter, but bank-feed automation needs Pro.
- Sage 50 is Sage’s US product, sold on a one-year minimum commitment.
The one still listed that no longer exists in the US
A price tracker we checked on 11 September 2026 still lists Sage Accounting as a Xero alternative. But Sage retired its US cloud accounting product on 31 December 2024, and access ended on 31 January 2025.
What each alternative costs at your business size
At one person, the cheapest options are free, with limits:
- Wave Starter is $0 with unlimited invoices.
- Zoho Books Free is $0 under $50,000 revenue and 1,000 invoices a year.
Both prices were retrieved 11 September 2026.
| Product | 1 person, past Xero’s cap | 3 people | 6 people | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xero | Growing $55; $59 from 1 Oct 2026 (verified 11 Sep 2026) | Growing $55; $59 from 1 Oct — users unlimited (11 Sep 2026) | Growing $55; $59 from 1 Oct — users unlimited (11 Sep 2026) | Invoice and bill caps, not headcount |
| QuickBooks Online | Simple Start $38, 1 user (11 Sep 2026) | Essentials $85, 3 users (11 Sep 2026) | Advanced $340 — Plus stops at 5 users (11 Sep 2026) | Users included per tier |
| QuickBooks Solopreneur | Lite $20, no accountant access (11 Sep 2026) | Not offered — one user only | Not offered | Built for one person |
| FreshBooks | Lite $23 for 5 clients; Plus $43 for 50 (11 Sep 2026) | Plus $43 + $11 per team member (11 Sep 2026) | Plus $43 + $11 per team member (11 Sep 2026) | Billable clients and paid seats |
| Zoho Books | Free $0 under $50K revenue; Standard $20 (11 Sep 2026) | Standard $20, 3 users included (11 Sep 2026) | Professional $50 + $3 sixth user = $53 (11 Sep 2026) | Included users; Free’s revenue cap |
| Wave | Starter $0; Pro $19 (11 Sep 2026) | Pro $19 — user count not stated (11 Sep 2026) | Pro $19 — user count not stated (11 Sep 2026) | Card fees; automation on Pro |
| Sage 50 | Pro: $128.67 on plan card, $124.42 in FAQ (11 Sep 2026) | Premium — multi-user price not captured | Quantum — multi-user price not captured | Users; one-year minimum |
🗓️ Pricing verified 11 September 2026. Software pricing changes frequently — confirm on the vendor’s site before purchasing.
About the table:
- All figures are monthly list prices in USD, excluding tax and promotions.
- Totals are our arithmetic from vendor-published parts.
- Each source is linked in the sections above.
One person, past Xero’s cap
Five of the six cost less than Xero Growing at one user. Wave Starter charges 2.9% + $0.60 per card payment, per its page on 11 September 2026.
QuickBooks Solopreneur Lite allows no accountant access.
Three to six people
Xero’s unlimited users keep it on one plan. QuickBooks Plus stops at five users.
FreshBooks’ page doesn’t say whether the owner counts as a paid seat, so we haven’t totalled it. Sage’s page shows two Pro prices without labelling the billing basis, so we report both.
Where payroll adds to the bill
Two payroll add-ons were listed on 11 September 2026:
- Xero Payroll: $36 a month plus $6 per person.
- FreshBooks Payroll: $40 plus $6 per user.
We didn’t capture QuickBooks or Zoho payroll prices. Wave’s page shows two starting figures, so we list neither.
What you gain and lose against Xero’s features
Three features decide whether a cheaper tool can replace Xero.
Accountant access and bank reconciliation
FreshBooks adds accountant access, bank reconciliation and double-entry reports only from Plus. Wave imports bank transactions automatically only on Pro. Both come from pages retrieved 11 September 2026.
Multi-currency and multiple companies
Xero keeps multi-currency for Established. Zoho Books offers it from Professional, and Sage 50 lists multiple companies from Premium, per pages retrieved 11 September 2026.
Tax features aren’t tax advice
Xero, Zoho Books and QuickBooks Solopreneur list 1099 contractor tools on pages retrieved 11 September 2026. Whether a plan covers your filing obligations is a question for your accountant.
Which Xero alternative fits which business
Each verdict follows from the evidence above, not from using the products.
Solo, invoicing often
Start with Wave Starter or Zoho Books Free. QuickBooks Solopreneur Lite fits only if no accountant needs a login.
Service business billing clients
FreshBooks, if your client count fits a tier. Its FAQ counts archived clients toward the cap too.
Small team or several companies
Zoho Books: Standard includes three users, and each organization is priced separately. Sage 50 Premium lists multiple companies, on a one-year minimum.
When staying on Xero is right
Six or more people in one company. There, unlimited users keep Xero on one plan while QuickBooks moves up a tier.
What it costs to switch away from Xero
Leaving Xero takes a month and costs a month.
Xero’s notice month
Xero’s US offer terms, retrieved 11 September 2026, require one month’s notice to cancel. You are charged for that month.
See how Xero’s cancellation notice is billed.
Export before you cancel
🛟 Back This Up First: Export your reports, invoices, contacts and bank transactions from Xero before you give notice, and keep the copies outside Xero.
Zoho Books offers free migration support from Xero. For QuickBooks, check what doesn’t move when you switch.
Commitments on the other side
All terms below come from vendor pages retrieved 11 September 2026.
Sage 50:
- It requires a one-year minimum commitment.
- It refunds in full within 30 days of the initial purchase.
- After that, cancelling needs 30 days’ notice for a pro-rated refund.
- A lapsed subscription leaves read-only access to your data.
FreshBooks offers a 30-day free trial and a 30-day refund.
QuickBooks Online lists no annual contract.
Wave cancels at the end of the billing period.
🧾 Not Tested: We hold no subscription to Xero or any alternative here, so nothing describes using them. Every figure comes from public US vendor pages retrieved 11 September 2026. Where a page conflicted with itself or omitted a figure, we said so.
Xero alternatives questions, answered
1. What is the cheapest alternative to Xero?
Wave Starter and Zoho Books Free, both $0 on 11 September 2026. Zoho’s free plan requires revenue under $50,000.
2. Is QuickBooks cheaper than Xero?
At one user past Xero’s cap, yes: $38 against $55. At six users, no: $340 against $55. Both 11 September 2026.
3. Which accounting software charges per user?
QuickBooks Online by tier. FreshBooks charges $11 per team member. Zoho Books charges $3 beyond included users. All three verified 11 September 2026.
4. Is Sage Accounting still available in the US?
No. Sage retired its US cloud accounting product on 31 December 2024, and access ended on 31 January 2025.
5. Does Zoho Books have a free plan?
Yes. It costs $0 for one user plus an accountant while revenue stays under $50,000, per 11 September 2026 pricing.
6. Does FreshBooks have a free plan?
No. FreshBooks offers a 30-day free trial and a full refund within 30 days of purchase.
7. Is Wave really free?
Wave Starter costs $0. Card payments cost 2.9% plus $0.60 each, per Wave’s page on 11 September 2026.
8. Which Xero alternatives include payroll?
None in the base price. FreshBooks Payroll adds $40 a month plus $6 per user, verified 11 September 2026.
9. How much notice does Xero need to cancel?
One month, and Xero charges for that month, per its US offer terms retrieved 11 September 2026.
10. Can I move my Xero data to another program?
Export it before giving notice. Zoho Books offers free migration support for businesses leaving Xero.
The short answer, and what to check before you switch
- Solo and under $50,000 revenue: start free.
- Billing clients: check FreshBooks’ client caps first.
- Small team: Zoho Books Standard includes three users.
- Six or more people in one company: Xero likely stays cheapest on list price.
Whichever you pick, export from Xero before giving notice.
