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All industries · head to head

Basecamp vs Xero

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

All industries

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Xero logo

Xero

All industries

Beautiful accounting software

From
$13/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Basecamp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; Xero the Early plan caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills per month, and the invoice limit counts both approving and sending
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Xero covers Bank reconciliation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Xero actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Xero differ
AttributeBasecampXero
Starting priceFree$13/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20042006

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (All industries).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

Only in Xero

  • Bank reconciliation
  • Invoicing
  • Bill payment
  • Expense claims
  • Financial reporting
  • Inventory tracking
  • Project tracking
  • Mobile apps

Both cover

  • 2FA
  • SOC2

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot Xero
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Xero
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Xero
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot Xero

Xero

  • Small business bookkeeping, invoicing and bank reconciliationnot Basecamp
  • Bill payment and purchase order managementnot Basecamp
  • Sharing books with an accountant or bookkeepernot Basecamp

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

Xero

  • The Early plan caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills per month, and the invoice limit counts both approving and sending
  • Invoices created by connected app partners count against the Early plan invoice limit
  • Multiple currencies, project time and cost tracking, employee expense and mileage claims and industry benchmarking are restricted to the top Established plan at $90 per month
  • Cash flow forecasting is capped at 30 days on Early and 60 days on Growing, with 180 days only on Established
  • Payroll is not included in any plan and costs an extra $36 a month plus $6 per employee or contractor through Gusto
  • Inventory Plus is a paid optional add-on rather than part of any plan
  • The advertised 90% off applies only to the first 6 months, after which the regular $25, $55 or $90 monthly price auto-renews
  • The introductory discount excludes add-ons, usage charges and payment fees
  • Payment fees apply to online invoice payments and to bill payments other than standard domestic ACH, and are billed on top of the subscription
  • Subscriptions are billed monthly with no annual payment option, and after upgrading you must wait one month before downgrading to a cheaper plan
  • Xero states subscription prices are increasing from October 1, 2026

Pricing, plan by plan

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

Xero

$13/month
  • Early$13/month
    • Send 20 invoices
    • Enter 5 bills
    • Reconcile bank transactions
  • Growing$37/month
    • Unlimited invoices & bills
    • Bulk reconcile transactions
    • Short-term cash flow
  • Established$70/month
    • Everything in Growing
    • Use multiple currencies
    • Track projects

Which should you pick?

Choose Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.
Basecamp review

Choose Xero if

  • You need bank reconciliation.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want invoicing.
Xero review

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or Xero better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and Xero at $13/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Xero?
Basecamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Basecamp and $13/month for Xero.
Does Basecamp or Xero run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. Xero runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Yes. Basecamp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Xero starts at $13/month.
What is Basecamp best used for?
Basecamp is most often used for project management for a small team in one place, message boards and chat alongside to-dos, client collaboration, since guests are not charged, flat-rate project management for a larger team on pro unlimited. Of those, project management for a small team in one place and message boards and chat alongside to-dos are not what Xero is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Xero cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Xero covers Bank reconciliation, Invoicing, Bill payment, Expense claims. Both handle 2FA, SOC2.
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