In this guide
Quick answer
Xero US costs $25, $55 or $90 a month for Early, Growing and Established, billed monthly, with 90% off the first 6 months until 30 September 2026. Payroll adds $36 plus $6 per person. A business with 10 employees on Growing plus Payroll pays $1,812 a year at list price.
Key takeaways
- Cheapest paid option: Early at $25 a month, capped at 20 invoices and 5 bills.
- Most businesses need Growing at $55 for unlimited invoices, bills and auto reconciliation.
- Biggest hidden cost: the 90% promo ends after 6 months, then payroll adds $6 per person.
- Best way to save: pick Growing unless you truly need multi-currency or projects.
Xero's US pricing looks simple: three plans, billed monthly. The catch is in what sits around them, from the steep intro discount that ends after six months to payroll priced per employee and features like multi-currency locked to the top plan.
This guide covers every US plan using prices from Xero's official pricing page, then shows the real annual cost for a small business with staff.
How much does Xero cost?
Early
N/A
$25 monthly
Quotes and 20 invoices, 5 bills, manual bank reconciliation, 30-day cash flow forecast
Growing
N/A
$55 monthly
Unlimited invoices and bills, auto bank reconciliation, automated bill entry, 60-day forecast, custom dashboards
Established
N/A
$90 monthly
Everything in Growing, multi-currency, employee expense and mileage claims, projects, 180-day forecast
Xero Payroll (add-on)
N/A
$36 + $6 per person monthly
Powered by Gusto, $36 a month plus $6 per employee or contractor
Xero US (Early, Growing, Established, plus Payroll add-on). Source: www.xero.com, Prices verified 21 September 2026
Xero US plans are billed monthly with no published annual option, and subscriptions auto-renew monthly until cancelled. New customers who buy by 30 September 2026 get 90% off for the first 6 months, after which Early is $25, Growing $55 and Established $90 a month. The promotional discount does not apply to add-ons, usage or payment fees, and payroll is billed at $36 a month plus $6 per employee or contractor.
What each Xero plan includes
| Feature | Early | Growing | Established |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invoices and quotes | 20 invoices | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Bills | 5 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Bank reconciliation | Manual | Auto with AI | Auto with AI |
| Cash flow forecast | 30 days | 60 days | 180 days |
| Multi-currency | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Employee expense and mileage claims | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Project time and cost tracking | Not included | Not included | Included |
Xero cost calculator
Your estimate
—
per year at list price
- per organization per month
- —
- Billed
- —
- 3 years
- —
List prices only. Taxes, custom quotes and negotiated discounts are not included.
Hidden costs to budget for
| Scenario | Annual cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Growing at list price, 12 months, no payroll (10 employees) | $660 | Headline price |
| Growing plus Xero Payroll at $36 + $6 x 10 employees | $1,812 | +$1,152 |
| Established for multi-currency and expenses, plus payroll (10 employees) | $2,232 | +$420 |
- Promo ends after 6 months. The 90% discount lasts 6 months; from month 7 you pay full list price, which can be 10 times the intro bill.
- Payroll is per person. Xero Payroll costs $36 a month plus $6 per employee or contractor, so it grows with headcount.
- Invoice and bill caps on Early. Early allows 20 invoices and 5 bills; going over means upgrading to Growing.
- Multi-currency needs Established. Billing or paying in foreign currency requires the $90 plan.
- Payment and cross-border fees. Cross-border payments and online payments carry fees, and the promo discount does not cover them.
- Inventory Plus. Advanced inventory is an optional add-on on Growing and Established, priced separately.
Which Xero plan should you choose?
- Early. Choose if you send fewer than 20 invoices and enter fewer than 5 bills a month.
- Growing. Choose if you invoice and pay bills regularly and want automatic bank reconciliation.
- Established. Choose if you need multi-currency, employee expense claims or project costing.
- Xero Payroll. Choose if you want payroll inside Xero; compare against running Gusto directly.
Is Xero worth the price?
Xero is good value for US small businesses that want clean, cloud-based accounting with unlimited invoicing on Growing. The real decision is Growing versus Established: pay the extra $35 a month only if you truly need multi-currency, expenses or projects.
You are likely overpaying if: You are on Established but invoice in one currency and never use projects or expense claims, or you forgot the intro discount ended and never reviewed the plan.
How to pay less for Xero
- Use the launch offer. New subscriptions bought by 30 September 2026 get 90% off for 6 months; Growing costs $5.50 a month in that window.
- Right-size the plan. Drop from Established to Growing if nobody uses multi-currency, projects or expense claims.
- Review payroll headcount. Remove terminated employees and contractors, since each costs $6 a month.
- Switch plans before month 7. If you started on the promo, confirm the right plan before full price applies in month 7, when a plan change costs the most.
- Compare QuickBooks and Zoho Books. QuickBooks Online Simple Start is $38 a month and Zoho Books Standard $15 a month billed annually.
- Cancel unused add-ons. Inventory Plus and payment add-ons are monthly; review them every quarter.
Copy-ready renewal email
Hi [Xero contact], We are reviewing our Xero subscription ahead of [review date]. We are on [plan] with Payroll for [employees] people, and we only use [features used]. We would like to move to [target plan] and confirm there are no add-ons we are paying for but not using. We are also comparing QuickBooks Online and Zoho Books. Can you confirm the options available to us by [date]?
Xero alternatives and what they cost
| Tool | Entry price | Cheaper when |
|---|---|---|
| Zoho Books | $15 per organization per month (Standard, billed annually) | You want 3 users and up to 5,000 invoices a year for less |
| QuickBooks Online | $38 per month (Simple Start) | Your accountant works in QuickBooks |
| Wave | $0 (Starter), Pro $19 per month | You are a very small business that needs basic invoicing and bookkeeping |
The bigger picture: why Xero bills drift
Accounting software is rarely reviewed after setup. The subscription runs monthly on a card, the intro offer quietly expires, payroll grows with every hire, and add-ons stay switched on long after the project that needed them.
Per-employee fees grow quietly
Xero costs rise with headcount and nobody re-checks the rate.
Spend analytics and budget tracking
Spend per vendor tracked against budget as the company grows.
Escalators hide in multi-year terms
Annual uplifts and module fees are buried in the order form.
Contract management with renewal alerts
Terms, escalators and renewal dates in one repository with alerts.
Modules added without approval
Add-ons get switched on and show up on the next invoice.
Purchase requests with approvals
Every upgrade routes through approval before it is bought.
Invoices carry one-off fees
Implementation, off-cycle and support fees are hard to check.
AP automation with PO matching
Invoices matched to POs and receipts; exceptions held before payment.
Vendor records are incomplete
Tax, bank and contract details are scattered across teams.
One vendor record with verified documents and ERP sync.
The bottom line
Growing is the right plan for most US small businesses, and Established only earns its price with multi-currency, projects or expense claims. Put a review on the calendar when the promo ends and every year after. Zapro keeps that review owned and dated for every subscription you run.
Xero pricing FAQs
How much does Xero cost per month in the US?
Xero US costs $25 a month for Early, $55 for Growing and $90 for Established at list price. New customers who buy by 30 September 2026 get 90% off for the first 6 months, so Growing starts at $5.50 a month before rising to $55.
Is there a free version of Xero?
No. Xero does not offer a free plan in the US. Instead it runs an introductory offer of 90% off for the first 6 months for purchases by 30 September 2026. Wave's Starter plan is a free alternative for basic invoicing.
How much does Xero Payroll cost?
Xero Payroll in the US costs $36 a month plus $6 per employee or contractor, and it is powered by Gusto. For 10 people that is $96 a month or $1,152 a year, on top of your Xero plan. The intro discount does not cover add-ons.
Can you get a discount on Xero?
Yes, for new customers: 90% off the first 6 months if you buy by 30 September 2026. The discount does not apply to add-ons, usage or payment fees. After that, savings come from choosing the right plan and removing unused add-ons.
Does Xero offer annual billing in the US?
Xero's US pricing page lists monthly prices only and says subscriptions auto-renew monthly until cancelled. There is no published annual discount, so the main lever is plan choice: Growing at $55 covers unlimited invoices and bills for most small businesses.
What is the cheapest alternative to Xero?
Wave's Starter plan is free, with Pro at $19 a month. Zoho Books has a free plan for businesses under $50K in revenue and a Standard plan at $15 a month billed annually. QuickBooks Online Simple Start lists at $38 a month.