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Accounting & Finance · head to head

TaxAct vs Xero

T

TaxAct

Accounting & Finance

Get your maximum refund, guaranteed

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Xero logo

Xero

All industries

Beautiful accounting software

From
$13/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only TaxAct has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: TaxAct free Edition is limited to eligible filers such as W-2 employees and students; anyone with investment income needs Premier starting at $99.99; Xero the Early plan caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills per month, and the invoice limit counts both approving and sending

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which TaxAct and Xero actually diverge.

Attributes where TaxAct and Xero differ
AttributeTaxActXero
Starting priceFree$13/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryAccounting & FinanceAll industries
FoundedUnknown2006

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

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 TaxAct

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.

TaxAct

No use cases recorded yet. See the TaxAct review.

Xero

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

Where each one falls short

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

TaxAct

  • Free Edition is limited to eligible filers such as W-2 employees and students; anyone with investment income needs Premier starting at $99.99
  • Self-Employed tier for gig workers and business owners starts at $109.99, with state filing typically billed as an additional charge

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

TaxAct

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the TaxAct 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 TaxAct if

  • You want to start without paying.
TaxAct 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 TaxAct or Xero better?
Neither clearly leads. TaxAct 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, TaxAct or Xero?
TaxAct has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for TaxAct and $13/month for Xero.
Does TaxAct or Xero run on more platforms?
TaxAct runs on Web. Xero runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use TaxAct for free?
Yes. TaxAct has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Xero starts at $13/month.
What can TaxAct do that Xero cannot?
Xero covers Bank reconciliation, Invoicing, Bill payment, Expense claims.
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