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A clear look at what Xero and FreshBooks actually cost — every plan, every price, promo rates called out separately.
Pricing Comparison Table
| Tool | Plan | Regular Price | Promo Price | Billing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xero | Early | $25/month | $2/month | Billed monthly |
| Xero | Growing | $55/month | $5/month | Billed monthly |
| Xero | Established | $90/month | $9/month | Billed monthly |
| FreshBooks | Lite | $23/month | $1/month | Billed monthly |
| FreshBooks | Plus | $43/month | $8.60/month | Billed monthly |
| FreshBooks | Premium | $70/month | $14/month | Billed monthly |
| FreshBooks | Select | — | Contact sales | — |
Promo note: Promo prices are time-limited introductory rates and will revert to the regular price. Treat them as a short-term discount, not the ongoing cost.
Per-Tool Pricing Breakdown
Xero
Xero publishes three flat monthly tiers with full price transparency.
- Early — $25/month (billed monthly). A promo rate of $2/month is currently available.
- Growing — $55/month (billed monthly). A promo rate of $5/month is currently available.
- Established — $90/month (billed monthly). A promo rate of $9/month is currently available.
So at regular pricing, Xero runs from $25/month to $90/month depending on the plan you choose. The promo window drops those entry prices dramatically — but plan for the standard rates once the introductory period ends.
Captured features across Xero’s plans include bank connections, paying bills, claiming expenses, accepting payments, tracking projects, and profit and loss reports, balance sheets, and cash flow forecasts. The Xero Accounting app and JAX (described as an AI financial superagent) are also listed product-wide.
Some users report friction around invoicing and payments, ease of use, and price/value — worth keeping in mind when evaluating which tier fits your budget.
FreshBooks
FreshBooks publishes pricing for three of its four plans, with the fourth requiring a sales conversation.
- Lite — $23/month (billed monthly). A promo rate of $1/month is currently available, with a separate promo price also listed at $23/month — check the FreshBooks pricing page directly for the current active offer.
- Plus — $43/month (billed monthly). A promo rate of $8.60/month is currently available, with a separate promo price also listed at $43/month.
- Premium — $70/month (billed monthly). A promo rate of $14/month is currently available, with a separate promo price also listed at $70/month.
- Select — pricing requires contacting the FreshBooks sales team directly; no public price is available.
At regular rates, FreshBooks runs from $23/month to $70/month across its three published tiers. The Select plan sits above Premium but its cost is only available through a sales conversation.
Captured features across FreshBooks’ plans span invoicing, billing and payments, expenses, and payroll. The Lite plan notes a cap of up to five clients; the fact sheet describes Plus as “our most popular plan,” Premium as having “lots of advanced features,” and Select as “a customizable plan for growing businesses” — those descriptions come directly from FreshBooks’ own captured data.
Some users report friction around invoicing and payments, customer support, and price/value.
Transparent Pricing vs. Sales-Quoted Pricing
Both tools lean toward published, transparent pricing — which makes side-by-side comparison straightforward for most plans. Xero shows all three of its tiers publicly. FreshBooks shows three of four, with the Select plan hidden behind a sales call.
If you’re evaluating at the Select level — or if your needs outgrow FreshBooks’ Premium tier — budget extra time to get a quote and negotiate terms, since there’s no public anchor price to work from.
For all other plans across both tools, the prices above are what’s captured from their public pricing pages as of mid-to-late 2026. Always verify current rates directly on each vendor’s site, especially if a promo is a factor in your decision — introductory pricing changes frequently.