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Accounting · head to head

freee vs Xero

freee logo

freee

Accounting

Japanese integrated cloud accounting software for sole proprietors and corporations

From
980/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Xero logo

Xero

Accounting

Beautiful accounting software

From
$13/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: freee pricing varies significantly across multiple product categories and tiers; Xero the Early plan caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills per month, and the invoice limit counts both approving and sending
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which freee and Xero actually diverge.

Attributes where freee and Xero differ
AttributefreeeXero
Starting price980/month$13/month
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
FoundedUnknown2006

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Accounting).

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 freee

Nothing recorded that Xero does not also cover.

Only in Xero

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

What people use each for

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

freee

  • Filing Japanese tax documents electronically each yearnot Xero
  • Calculating payroll and year-end adjustments automaticallynot Xero
  • Creating opening documents without visiting tax officenot Xero
  • Tracking company expenses across departments centrallynot Xero

Xero

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

Where each one falls short

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

freee

  • Pricing varies significantly across multiple product categories and tiers
  • Some corporate tiers (Advance) reach ¥39,780+/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

freee

980/month
  • freee會計 Starter$980/month
    • Individual business owner accounting tier
  • freee會計 Corporate Solo$2980/month
    • Corporate accounting tier
  • freee人事労務$400/month per employee
    • HR and payroll module per-employee pricing
  • freee勤怠管理$300/month per employee
    • Attendance tracking per-employee

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 freee if

Nothing in the data separates freee from Xero on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

freee 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 freee or Xero better?
Neither clearly leads. freee starts at 980/month and Xero at $13/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, freee or Xero?
freee starts at 980/month and Xero at $13/month.
Does freee or Xero run on more platforms?
freee runs on Web. Xero runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
What is freee best used for?
freee is most often used for filing japanese tax documents electronically each year, calculating payroll and year-end adjustments automatically, creating opening documents without visiting tax office, tracking company expenses across departments centrally. Of those, filing japanese tax documents electronically each year and calculating payroll and year-end adjustments automatically are not what Xero is typically brought in for.
What can freee do that Xero cannot?
Xero covers Bank reconciliation, Invoicing, Bill payment, Expense claims.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

freee: What is freee's accounting software pricing?

Individual business owners start at ¥980/month for Starter, while corporate accounting begins at ¥2,980/month for Solo Corp, with prices extending to ¥39,780+/month for Advance plans.

Source
freee: Does freee charge per employee for HR and payroll?

Yes, freee人事労務 (HR/Payroll) costs ¥400-¥1,100 per employee per month, and freee勤怠管理 (Attendance) costs ¥300 per employee per month.

Source
freee: Are there free freee products?

Several freee products are completely free, including freee開業 (Business Opening), freee請求書 (Invoicing), freeeカード (Card), and certain features like payroll rules creation.

Source
freee: Does freee offer a free trial?

Freee offers a 30-day free trial for its accounting software and provides annual payment discounts on most plans.

Source
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