What is the best alternative to Xero?

On listme.name the highest-scored alternative is Zoho Books, followed by Wave. The right choice depends on price, platform and whether you need open source.

Is there a free alternative to Xero?

Yes. Free options include Zoho Books, Wave, ZipBooks.

Alternatives

Best Xero alternatives in 2026

Xero is cloud accounting for small businesses and their accountants. These 8 alternatives come from the same rankings, ordered by editorial score. Connected products carry a small, disclosed lift.

8 alternatives From best accounting software How we rank Share

Ranked alternatives

1
Zoho Books
Has a free option. A free plan for solopreneurs and micro businesses, with inventory and fixed assets on higher editions and apps for iOS and Android. Its ecosystem is strongest inside the Zoho suite.
Best for Growing businesses that want a free start
WebiOSAndroidFree plan, paid upgrades
90.5of 100
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2
Wave
Has a free option. Unlimited invoices and bookkeeping on a free Starter plan, with card and bank payments that carry a fee. It does not track inventory, and payroll is a separate paid service.
Best for Freelancers and very small businesses on a budget
WebiOSAndroidFree plan, paid upgrades
88.5of 100
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3
FreshBooks
A simple invoice and estimate workflow with expense receipt scanning and project profitability. It has no free plan, only a trial, and its accounting depth is lighter than Xero or Zoho Books.
Best for Service businesses that bill many clients
WebiOSAndroidSubscription
84.0of 100
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4
ZipBooks
Has a free option. Bank Connect and time tracking come with the free Starter plan, plus quotes and bookkeeping for freelancers. It has no inventory module, so stock tracking needs a separate tool.
Best for Freelancers who want bookkeeping with bank connections
WebFree plan, paid upgrades
82.5of 100
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5
FreeAgent
Open Banking bank feeds, a practice dashboard for accountants, payroll and Making Tax Digital in one UK product. It has no inventory module, and its pricing and tax features are set for the UK.
Best for UK freelancers and small businesses with an accountant
WebiOSAndroidSubscription
81.0of 100
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6
Akaunting
Has a free option. A free self-hosted edition with invoicing, inventory, payroll and double-entry accounts. Its Business Source License is not OSI open source, and self-hosting means running a web server.
Best for Self-hosted accounting with a web interface
WebSelf-hostedFree plan, paid upgrades
79.5of 100
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7
GnuCash
Has a free option; is open source; also runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Free, open-source double-entry accounting that runs offline on Windows, macOS and Linux. It has no online invoicing, payments or sharing, and it asks more of the user than cloud tools.
Best for Private double-entry books on your own computer
WindowsmacOSLinuxFree and open sourceOpen source
78.0of 100
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8
Odoo
Has a free option; is open source. A free single-app plan and an LGPLv3 Community edition, with accounting linked to inventory and sales. It is a broad business suite, so a bookkeeping-only buyer will find it heavier than Wave or Zoho Books.
Best for Firms that want accounting linked to inventory and sales
WebSelf-hostedFree plan, paid upgradesOpen source
77.0of 100
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About Xero alternatives

What is the best alternative to Xero?: On listme.name the highest-scored alternative is Zoho Books, followed by Wave. The right choice depends on price, platform and whether you need open source.
Is there a free alternative to Xero?: Yes. Free options include Zoho Books, Wave, ZipBooks.