Xero alternative
The Xero alternative that includes the rest of the back office.
Most Xero alternatives swap one accounting product for another. XAIO swaps the stack: books, payroll, rosters, employee app and an AI bookkeeper in one subscription, built only for Australia.
What is the best Xero alternative in Australia?
It depends what you run. If you only need books, several products compete on price. If you also roster staff and run payroll, XAIO replaces the whole stack, accounting, payroll, rostering and an AI bookkeeper in one AUD-inclusive subscription from $38/month, with launch pricing at 50% off for 24 months.
Xero alternative
- Roster
- Timesheet
- Export, then sync. The seam
- Pay run
- Ledger
- BAS
Three products · three logins · three bills
XAIO
- Roster
- Timesheet
- Pay run
- Ledger
- BAS
One system · entered once
Side by side.
| XAIO Business Suite | Xero | |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting, GST & BAS preparation | ||
| Payroll with STP Phase 2 | Built in, lodgement launches with ATO DSP registration | Built in on most plans |
| Rosters, timesheets & clock-ins | Built in | Via add-ons such as Deputy or Planday |
| AI that drafts and never auto-sendsPulse proposes; a person approves. Full audit trail. | Pulse, included in every plan | See vendor |
| Products needed for books + payroll + rosters | One | Core product + add-ons |
| Pricing model for extra payroll employees | $20 blocks of 10 on Business Suite | Per plan tier |
| Verified price at 10 payroll employees (August 2026) | $118/mo incl. GST (Business Suite) | $143/mo |
Honest comparison
When Xero is still the right answer
Skip the switch if:
- Multi-currency is core to your business.
- A niche Xero marketplace app is load-bearing for you.
- Your advisor relationship is Xero-first and you value that above consolidation.
Still with us? Then the switch is probably worth a look.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Is XAIO a full alternative to Xero?
For Australian small businesses, yes: XAIO covers the accounting core, invoicing, bank feeds via open banking (CDR), reconciliation, GST and BAS preparation, and includes payroll, rostering, an employee app and Pulse AI in the same subscription rather than as paid add-ons. STP Phase 2 lodgement launches with our ATO Digital Service Provider registration.
Can I import my data from Xero?
Yes. XAIO imports contacts, your chart of accounts and balances from CSV exports, so you can switch mid financial year without losing history.
How is XAIO priced?
Three plans in AUD including GST: Grow $38 · Pro $78 · Business Suite $118 a month. Business Suite adds payroll employees in blocks of 10 for $20 a month. Launch pricing is 50% off for 24 months, and self-serve sign-up is not open yet. You register your interest.
Switch without losing history.
CSV import from Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks, contacts, chart of accounts and balances, without waiting for 30 June.