Xero

Updated on Nov 5, 2024

Introduction

Xero accounting software allows its customers to connect with 800+ smart business apps, including third-party apps like Stripe and Vend in the Xero app marketplace and add-ons like Xero Expenses and Xero Projects.

The company has plans starting from R435 per month. Business owners can sync their bank and financial information, automate tasks like invoicing and reporting, and reconcile their bank transactions daily.

Business owners can also use Xero accounting software to communicate and work with their accountants, bookkeeper, or employees, including leaving comments and discussing business data in real time. Employees are able to submit expenses, manage leave, and send invoices.

Xero offers a free 30-day trial.

Main Features

All Xero plans (Starter, Standard and Premium) have the following features: bank connections, inventory, reporting, accept payments, purchase orders, files, contacts and smartlists, and VAT returns.

Starter package features 

  • Send quotes and 20 invoices
  • Enter five bills
  • Reconcile bank transactions
  • Capture bills and receipts with Hubdoc
  • Short-term cash flow and business snapshot

 Standard package features (Includes all Starter package features)

  • Send an unlimited amount of invoices and quotes
  • Enter bills 
  • Reconcile bank transactions

Premium package features (Includes all Standard package features)

  • Send an unlimited amount of invoices and quotes
  • Enter bills
  • Reconcile bank transactions
  • Use of multiple currencies

Pricing

  • Starter package (for sole traders, new businesses, self-employed) R435 p/m
  • Standard package (growing businesses) –  R695 p/m
  • Premium package (established businesses of all sizes)R955 p/m

The following optional add-ons are available for all plans: Claim expenses from R69 per month, Project tracking from R120.75 p/m and optional Analytics Plus available to try for free for four months. 

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Pros

  • You are able to connect with over 800 smart business apps, including third party apps, as well as add-ons.

Cons

  • More expensive than comparable cloud accounting software brands with similar features.

FAQs

Xero takes security very seriously. They utilize industry-standard data encryption and employ multi-factor authentication to protect user accounts. Additionally, Xero regularly undergoes security audits to ensure their systems remain robust.

Xero boasts a vast app marketplace with hundreds of integrations. These integrations allow you to connect Xero with CRM software, inventory management systems, e-commerce platforms, payroll services, and more. This streamlines your workflow and eliminates the need for manual data entry across different platforms.

Xero offers different user permission levels, allowing you to grant access and control specific functionalities for each team member. This ensures that only authorized personnel can view or modify sensitive financial data.

Xero can manage multi-currency transactions, allowing you to track income and expenses in different currencies. You can also set up automatic exchange rate updates for accurate calculations. However, it’s important to note that Xero itself may not handle international payments directly. You might need to integrate a separate payment processing solution.

Xero automatically backs up your data daily on secure servers. This ensures you can access your financial information even in case of hardware failure or accidental data deletion.