Review · Plans and prices checked in 11 markets, 18–19 October 2026
Xero Review 2026: Plans, Prices by Country, Pros & Cons
Disclosure: The Xero buttons in this review are affiliate links (marked “partner link”). If you click through and buy, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The pros, cons and limits below are the same either way. Learn more.
Our take
Xero is a strong choice for small businesses that expect more than one person in the books: there are no per-user licence fees on any plan, it’s sold in more countries than most rivals, and its regional plans include local tax tools (GST and BAS in Australia, MTD in the UK, sales tax and 1099s in the US). The trade-offs are entry plans that cap invoices and bills, and features like multi-currency and projects that sit on the top tier.
How this review works: every price, limit and feature is taken from Xero’s official pricing and product pages for each country, read on 18–19 October 2026. We haven’t run a hands-on test, so you won’t find a star rating or speed claims here. See how Xero ranks against other small business accounting software for your country.
Xero at a glance
| Best for | Small businesses with several people using the books, and businesses outside the US that want local tax tools |
|---|---|
| Price (US) | Early $27 · Growing $59 · Established $97 a month |
| Users | No per-user licence fees on any plan |
| Free plan | No |
| Trial / offers | Discounts of 50–90% for 3–36 months depending on country, or one month free; 30-day free trial listed in Canada, South Africa and Singapore |
| Regional plans | US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Singapore, Ireland, Hong Kong, Malaysia, plus global plans in USD |
| Billing | Monthly; subscriptions auto-renew until cancelled |
Xero pricing in 11 markets
Xero prices each region separately, so plan names, prices and features differ by country. Regular monthly prices:
| Market | Plans and regular monthly prices | Offer when checked |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Early $27 · Growing $59 · Established $97 | 80% off for 3 months, or one month free |
| United Kingdom (excl. VAT) | Simple £7 (non-VAT) · Ignite £18 · Grow £39 · Comprehensive £55 · Ultimate £70 | 90% off for 6 months, or one month free |
| Australia | Ignite A$37 · Grow A$78 · Comprehensive A$107 · Ultimate 10 A$143 · Ultimate 20 A$180 · Ultimate 50 A$250 | 90% off for 3 months (until 2 Nov 2026), or one month free |
| New Zealand (excl. GST) | Ignite NZ$37 · Grow NZ$89 · Comprehensive NZ$117 · Ultimate NZ$135 | 80% off for 3 months, or one month free |
| Canada | Starter C$25 · Standard C$60 · Premium C$80 | 80% off for 3 months; 30-day free trial |
| South Africa | Starter R450 · Standard R795 · Premium R1,095 | 80% off for 3 months; prices rise from 1 Nov 2026 |
| Singapore | Starter S$39 · Standard S$70 · Premium S$95 | 90% off for 3 months; prices rise from 1 Nov 2026 |
| Ireland (billed in USD) | Starter $29 · Standard $50 · Premium $75 | 90% off for 3 months (until 5 Jan 2027) |
| Hong Kong (USD) | Starter $29 · Standard $50 · Premium $75 | 80% off for 3 months |
| Malaysia (USD) | Lite $7 · Starter $29 · Standard $50 · Premium $75 | 50% off for 36 months (bought before 31 Dec 2026) |
| Other countries (global, USD) | Starter $29 · Standard $50 · Premium $75 | 80% off for 3 months on Starter and Standard |
Compare Xero against other tools for your country in our comparison table.
How the plans are structured
Every region follows the same idea: an entry plan with caps, a middle plan that removes them and adds automation, and a top plan for multi-currency and deeper analysis. In the US:
- Early ($27): quotes and 20 invoices, 5 bills, bank reconciliation, Smart Document Capture, sales tax, W-9 and 1099 management, and a 30-day cash flow forecast.
- Growing ($59): unlimited invoices and bills, automated bill entry, dashboards, 3 budgets and a 60-day forecast.
- Established ($97): multi-currency, project time and cost tracking, expense claims, KPI analysis and a 180-day forecast.
Outside the US the plans are richer in places. In the UK, every plan from Simple (£7, for non-VAT businesses) up is MTD for Income Tax ready and automates CIS calculations. Ignite (£18) adds VAT returns to HMRC.
In Australia, every plan tracks GST, lodges BAS, automates super and includes payroll, from 1 person on Ignite up to 50 on Ultimate 50. New Zealand’s plans track and file GST returns, with payroll from Grow.
Key features
- Invoicing and payments: quotes, invoices and online invoice payments on every plan. On its US page, Xero lists tap-to-pay on Android and iPhone, powered by Stripe.
- Bank reconciliation: on every plan, with auto-reconcile on mid-tier plans (an optional add-on on some entry plans). The Australian page describes JAX automatically categorising and matching high-confidence transactions on Grow.
- Smart Document Capture: on every plan (basic extraction on some entry plans).
- Reporting and forecasting: real-time reports everywhere, cash flow forecasts of 30 to 180 days depending on plan, and on the US page “rich, visual analytics on every plan with Syft”.
- Payroll: included in Australian, UK (from Grow) and NZ (from Grow) plans, sized by number of people paid. In the US it’s Xero Payroll powered by Gusto at $36 a month plus $6 per person.
- Inventory: in the US, Xero Inventory Plus connects Shopify and Amazon (FBA) as an add-on for Growing and Established; see our ecommerce guide.
- Onboarding: the US page offers free, personalised onboarding from a product specialist for your first 90 days.
Limits and extra costs
- Entry caps: 20 invoices and 5 bills on US Early, and similar caps on most entry plans (10 invoices on UK Simple; 20 invoices and 10 bills on UK Ignite).
- Top-tier features: multi-currency needs Established (US), Comprehensive (UK, AU, NZ) or Premium (CA, ZA, SG, global).
- Add-ons: US payroll via Gusto ($36 + $6 per person), UK CIS return submission (£5/month), and projects and expenses on entry plans in Canada, South Africa and Singapore.
- Price changes: Xero lists price rises in South Africa and Singapore from 1 November 2026, and US prices are higher than many older reviews quote.
- Plan changes: Xero’s terms say you can move to a cheaper plan one month after upgrading.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No per-user licence fees on any plan
- Regional plans with local tax tools in 10 markets, plus global USD plans elsewhere
- Payroll included in Australian plans, and from Grow in the UK and NZ
- W-9 and 1099 tools on every US plan
- Large discounts for new customers in most regions
Cons
- Entry plans cap invoices and bills
- Multi-currency and projects need the top plan
- No free plan
- US payroll and inventory cost extra
- Prices rising in some regions
Who should use Xero (and who shouldn’t)
Good fit: small teams where several people need access, businesses in Australia, New Zealand or the UK that want GST/BAS or MTD built in, and growing companies outside the US that want a recognised, regional product.
Probably not: very price-sensitive sole traders who need a free plan (see our free software guide), freelancers whose main job is billing time (see freelancer guide), and US sellers who want inventory in the base price.
See Xero’s current offer (partner link, opens in a new tab)
Xero alternatives
The short version is below; the full guide, by reason and by country, is best Xero alternatives.
- QuickBooks Online: see our QuickBooks Online review. Cheaper entry in Canada, Australia and Singapore, with inventory on Plus. See Xero vs QuickBooks.
- Zoho Books: free plan and lower prices across 18 country editions; see our Zoho Books review and Zoho Books vs QuickBooks.
- MYOB: the local Australian and New Zealand alternative; see our Australia guide.
- Sage, FreeAgent: UK options covered in our UK MTD guide.
FAQ
How much does Xero cost in 2026?
In the US, Xero costs $27 (Early), $59 (Growing) or $97 (Established) a month. In the UK it runs from £7 (Simple) to £70 (Ultimate) excluding VAT, and in Australia from A$37 to A$250. Countries without a regional site use global plans at $29, $50 or $75 USD.
Does Xero have a free plan?
No. Xero offers new-customer discounts (50–90% off for 3 months or more depending on country) or one month free, and its Canadian, South African and Singapore pages list a 30-day free trial.
Does Xero charge per user?
No. Xero says it has no per-user licence fees on any plan.
Does Xero include payroll?
In Australia, every plan includes payroll (1 person on Ignite up to 50 on Ultimate 50). In the UK and New Zealand, payroll is included from Grow. In the US, payroll is Xero Payroll powered by Gusto at $36 a month plus $6 per person.
