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Clockify vs Xero

Clockify logo

Clockify

All industries

Free time tracker for teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Xero logo

Xero

All industries

Beautiful accounting software

From
$13/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Clockify has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Clockify the free plan stops at 5 users; 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: Clockify covers Timer & manual time entry, Xero covers Bank reconciliation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clockify and Xero actually diverge.

Attributes where Clockify and Xero differ
AttributeClockifyXero
Starting priceFree$13/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Browser-extensionWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20172006

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 Clockify

  • Timer & manual time entry
  • Timesheets
  • Calendar view
  • Projects & tasks
  • Reports & analytics
  • Team dashboard
  • Kiosk mode
  • Offline mode

Only in Xero

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

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • ISO27001

What people use each for

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

Clockify

  • Employee time trackingnot Xero
  • Project time budgetsnot Xero
  • Client billingnot Xero
  • Productivity analysisnot Xero
  • Payroll calculationnot Xero

Xero

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

Where each one falls short

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

Clockify

  • The free plan stops at 5 users
  • Free accounts are throttled to 30 API requests per hour and 3 webhooks
  • Reporting on the free plan only covers a 1 month range
  • Invoicing needs Standard at $5.49 per seat per month and GPS tracking needs Pro at $7.99
  • SSO, SCIM provisioning, a custom subdomain and the audit log are Enterprise only at $11.99 per seat per month

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

Clockify

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited projects
    • Time tracking
  • Basic$3.99/user/month
    • Bulk edit
    • Billable rates
    • Rounding
  • Standard$5.49/user/month
    • Timesheet approvals
    • Invoicing
    • Scheduled reports
  • Pro$7.99/user/month
    • Profit & loss
    • GPS tracking
    • Screenshots

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 Clockify if

  • You need timer & manual time entry.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Browser-extension.
  • You also want timesheets.
Clockify 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 Clockify or Xero better?
Neither clearly leads. Clockify 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, Clockify or Xero?
Clockify has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Clockify and $13/month for Xero.
Does Clockify or Xero run on more platforms?
Clockify runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Browser-extension. Xero runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Clockify for free?
Yes. Clockify has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Xero starts at $13/month.
What is Clockify best used for?
Clockify is most often used for employee time tracking, project time budgets, client billing, productivity analysis. Of those, employee time tracking and project time budgets are not what Xero is typically brought in for.
What can Clockify do that Xero cannot?
Clockify covers Timer & manual time entry, Timesheets, Calendar view, Projects & tasks. Xero covers Bank reconciliation, Invoicing, Bill payment, Expense claims. Both handle SOC2, ISO27001.
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