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Software · head to head

Fathom vs Xero

Fathom logo

Fathom

Software

Free AI meeting assistant

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Xero logo

Xero

Software

Beautiful accounting software

From
$13/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Fathom has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fathom team plan requires minimum 2 users; cannot purchase single seat at team pricing; 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: Fathom covers Auto-recording, Xero covers Bank reconciliation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fathom and Xero actually diverge.

Attributes where Fathom and Xero differ
AttributeFathomXero
Starting priceFree$13/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft TeamsWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20202006

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

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 Fathom

  • Auto-recording
  • AI summaries
  • Transcription
  • Highlight clips
  • Zoom
  • Google Meet
  • Salesforce
  • Web support

Only in Xero

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

Both cover

  • HubSpot

What people use each for

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

Fathom

  • AI-powered meeting transcription and automatic note-taking for sales teams and professionalsnot Xero
  • Meeting analysis with AI scorecards and action item generation that syncs to CRMsnot Xero

Xero

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

Where each one falls short

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

Fathom

  • Team plan requires minimum 2 users; cannot purchase single seat at team pricing
  • CRM field sync and deal view summaries available only on Business plan ($34/user/month) and above

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

Fathom

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Fathom 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 Fathom if

  • You need auto-recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.
  • You also want ai summaries.
Fathom 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 Fathom or Xero better?
Neither clearly leads. Fathom 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, Fathom or Xero?
Fathom has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Fathom and $13/month for Xero.
Does Fathom or Xero run on more platforms?
Fathom runs on Web, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams. Xero runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Fathom for free?
Yes. Fathom has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Xero starts at $13/month.
What is Fathom best used for?
Fathom is most often used for ai-powered meeting transcription and automatic note-taking for sales teams and professionals, meeting analysis with ai scorecards and action item generation that syncs to crms. Of those, ai-powered meeting transcription and automatic note-taking for sales teams and professionals and meeting analysis with ai scorecards and action item generation that syncs to crms are not what Xero is typically brought in for.
What can Fathom do that Xero cannot?
Fathom covers Auto-recording, AI summaries, Transcription, Highlight clips. Xero covers Bank reconciliation, Invoicing, Bill payment, Expense claims. Both handle HubSpot.
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