FreshBooks vs. Xero

It’s expected that accountants have recommendations when choosing your cloud accounting tool. Accountants feel comfortable with Xero because it’s built for them. Business owners, on the other hand, might not have the in-depth accounting knowledge needed to make Xero work for them. When choosing software vendors you need to prioritize the one that fits your business needs.

FreshBooks cloud based accounting software is built for non-accountants running small and medium sized businesses - making it easy to create invoices and get paid. And you can always give your accountant immediate access to FreshBooks to get support during tax season and key financial decisions.

95% of users agree that FreshBooks makes it easy to work with your accountant.

The short answer is YES!

The long answer is:
When setting up a FreshBooks account, you can start fresh, or transfer over existing data from any previous accounting software solutions like Xero, QuickBooks Online, Zoho Books, or Invoice2Go. If you're not a fan of manual entry, Clients, Expenses, and Items can be imported by you with the steps below. For Taxes, you can email our excellent customer support the details below and we'll take care of it for you.

NOTE: If you choose a Select Plan, your information will be migrated for you by one of our account specialists.

Below are the types of data FreshBooks can import:

Clients: Clients can be imported using the steps here yourself.

Expenses: You can now import Expenses yourself with the steps here.

Items: Import Items using the steps outlined here.

VAT: For VAT, you can put together a CSV file for each type of data with the required columns below first. Then send this from your account with written permission for us to upload.

Required Fields
- Tax Name - i.e. 'VAT'
- Percentage - i.e. '13' for a 13% VAT

Optional Fields
- VAT Number - Government-registered tax number

Vendors: Import Vendors using the steps outlined here.

There are 2 main differences between FreshBooks and Xero pricing.

Unlimited customized Invoices, Estimates and Proposals, and Project features:
Included with FreshBooks Lite ($17/mo USD) vs Xero Growing ($37/mo USD).

Add-ons:
We don’t charge extra for basic features. FreshBooks offers essential features on all plans.
- Project Management - Included with FreshBooks Lite (Available only on higher-tiered plans with Xero, at $70/mo USD)
- Late Fees - Included with FreshBooks Lite (charged as an add-on with Xero, at $19/mo USD)
- Unlimited Time Tracking - Included with FreshBooks Lite (available only on higher-tiered plans with Xero, at$70/mo USD)

You can also check out how FreshBooks compares to other programs and details about its function as a viable alternative on our comparison page.

Absolutely. It’s built so you can add your clients, connect your bank account, launch new projects and get started with expense management, without having to read documentation or get help from a lawyer. And if you need a hand, our phone support with a live rep extends to both you and your accountant, with no additional fees.

Absolutely - as FreshBooks is a cloud based accounting solution. 

Many FreshBooks customers have service-based businesses that have them constantly on the go. And FreshBooks is a unique accounting software program in that it allows you to bring your software along with you while serving billable clients. 

FreshBooks offers mobile access with iOS (iPhone Mobile) and Android Mobile apps that let you painlessly invoice your clients and track expenses wherever and whenever you need to. FreshBooks also has mileage tracking on iOS (coming soon to Android).
Now you can bring your account everywhere. It can be easily accessed from any device, from your PC (Windows desktop) or Mac desktop to your mobile phone. 

Being able to create and send invoices on the go means no delays and no accounting headaches waiting for you. You can use the FreshBooks automated bookkeeping software wherever you have access to the internet, so let FreshBooks take care of your invoicing worries while you sit back and relax. 

With automated bookkeeping software like FreshBooks, you can take it easy as you travel and rely on real-time notifications to keep you updated on billing and invoicing. From business trips to business lunches, keeping track of your payments will be a piece of cake. This mobile access is all part of your free trial too!

There are a number of payment processors and payment options you can choose through FreshBooks. FreshBooks integrates with a number of payment processors so that you can choose the payment method that works best for you and your business (and can deal with multiple currencies). Whether you want to accept online credit card payments, set up bank transfers, or get paid through FreshBooks Payments, you can easily set up the method you prefer. You can also set up different payment methods for different clients, depending on what suits them best.

The payment providers we utilize are Barclaycard, Stripe, and PayPal in order to provide the following payment methods:
- Major credit cards
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- PayPal
- Stripe
- Bank Transfer

As a client, receiving a FreshBooks invoice with line items for subscription-based products or services, it's easy to pay. All you have to do is save your credit card, banking or other payment details online in the FreshBooks application so you're automatically billed each time an invoice comes due. Imagine doing this without invoicing software—dealing with paper invoices and receipts and having to keep track of phone and address records separately.

Automatic Recurring Invoices in FreshBooks combined with Recurring Payments makes it simple for clients to pay and for you to accept payments for products or services rendered—hands-free. Recurring Payments works together with Recurring Templates to automatically bill clients every time an invoice is generated and sent.

Saved payment information can always be removed if you want to opt-out of Recurring Payments at any time.

Customizable invoices packed with billable hours and expenses, using advanced features like recurring subscription billing and online payments make it easy for self-employed professionals to get paid faster.

When it comes to making payments easy for you and your clients and comparing FreshBooks vs Xero it's easy to see why people choose FreshBooks.

You can import expenses from our expense tracker by uploading a CSV file as well as having FreshBooks automatically track them by connecting your bank accounts or credit cards.

If you want to import your expenses in bulk with a CSV file, you just need to ensure your file is populated with the necessary fields, and then select "Import Expenses from a File" from the "More Actions" button in the Expenses section of your FreshBooks account.

You can also connect your bank account and credit cards to your FreshBooks account to automatically track your expenses. Plus, use bank reconciliation to ensure your accounts are accurate and up to date.

You can easily test out expense tracking, team expense claims, and expense importing during your 30-day free trial.

Related articles:
4 Reasons You Should Track Your Business Expenses Daily
Capture Expenses and Invoices on Project Pages in FreshBooks

The safety of your private data is our top priority, that’s why it’s protected by 256-bit SSL encryption—the gold standard in internet security. You can even connect your bank accounts for automatic bank reconciliation trusting your data will always be private and secure. FreshBooks is a cloud accounting solution that uses industry-leading secure servers.

FreshBooks is a super-easy-to-use accounting software built specifically for small business owners, letting you easily do everything yourself. However, when it comes to using all the tools available to you as a small business owner, your accountant should definitely be part of your toolbox.

Sending customizable invoices and managing billing and invoicing for several businesses in FreshBooks might be right up your alley, but leveraging insights from accounting reports and accounting features might be something you want a second set of eyes on.

Not only does FreshBooks allow small businesses to add their accountant to their account, but FreshBooks also has an Accountant Partner Program that pairs small business owners with accountants. This ensures that businesses are matched with accountants that suit their specific needs, and gives them access to the financial and accounting reports they need.

Talk to your accountant and start a free trial to see how easy it is to work together. And if you need a hand our phone support with a live rep extends to both you and your accountant with no additional fees.

One thing we recommend while comparing Xero vs FreshBooks is to learn all about the FreshBooks Accountant Partner Program. It's a unique part of FreshBooks that you won't get from other cloud based accounting solutions.

Want to hear what it’s like to be part of the Accountant Partner Program? Here’s a great article: How FreshBooks’ Accounting Partner Program Helps CMA Lindsay Support Clients