Xero Accounting Solution Reviews

“expense tracking done right”

Pros

Submitting expenses is really easy and it's simple to sort them into categories and keep an eye on the status of each one you've sent in. Being able to handle all of that directly in the app makes the whole process even better.

Cons

There isn't anything in particular that I dislike about this software. It's very user friendly and I'd definitely recommend it.

“helpful tools, confusing support paths”

Pros

Getting started with this software was a really positive experience. Even without any accounting background, I was able to set up fairly advanced accounting features without much trouble. The bank reconciliation worked exceptionally well and back when payroll was included, that was one of my favorite parts too. Once my issue finally made it through to tech support, the person helping me was incredibly patient and genuinely helpful. They never seemed bothered by spending extra time sorting out the strange problems I had created. I also really appreciated that quarterly tax filings were handled for me although that benefit disappeared when payroll was removed.

Cons

One frustrating part of this accounting software is that when you ask a question, the first suggestion is often to check with your accountant. Since I was using the software to avoid paying for an accountant in the first place, that answer was not very useful. Looking for help online created another problem as it supports multiple English-speaking countries like New Zealand, Australia, the UK, the USA and Canada. Because each of those has different tax laws, business structures and even accounting terminology, searching for answers often led me to the wrong country's guidance. A lot of the time I would think I had found the solution, only to realize I was reading UK instructions that did not apply to my situation.

“accounting on the go”

Pros

Having this app with me means I can handle accounting wherever I am. It makes it really simple to keep up with invoices and monitor profits without any hassle.

Cons

The thing that could make it more enjoyable is having music play while using the app and checking the numbers.

“affordable but unprofessional invoicing”

Pros

It's easy to use, even for people without an accounting background and the pricing is affordable.

Cons

One frustrating issue is that invoices, purchase orders and similar documents are sent from messaging-service@post.xero.com instead of your own email address. That comes across as unprofessional and can look like spam. I have even had customers reply by copying and pasting that address, only for the message to be discarded by it. On top of that the email body cannot be formatted at all like no bold, no italics, nothing. Another problem is that administration staff cannot access the inventory list for products and services unless they're given full access to financial reports. Because of that, the accountant or business owner ends up having to make minor inventory changes, even though they may not know the product descriptions, pricing or other details very well. That setup is quite poor.

“support is practically absent”

Pros

The software itself is easy to use, comes with great core features and generally runs without many issues.

Cons

Dealing with customer support is extremely frustrating. The only option is to go through an online form and after submitting it, there's no confirmation to let you know your request was even received. Response times drag on for days like our most recent case took 3 days to get an answer and when someone finally replied, it was clear the support rep had very little understanding of the problem we had raised. Overall the support is very poor.

“Easy to learn and use”

Pros

This software seems very logical and learning it doesn't take long thanks to the training resources in Xero Central. Their customer support is outstanding as well. Like they genuinely seem to care about users and take real pride in making sure customers enjoy the product. The bank feed and reconciliation tools work extremely well and are very easy to use. Also it remembers recurring transactions which saves time. On top of that the reporting keeps improving and produces useful reports for management decisions and year-end accounting.

Cons

It may be a bit pricey for some businesses but overall it feels like you get good value for what you pay.

“powerful reconciliation and find-record tools”

Pros

Handling large batches of transactions and line items during cash reconciliation works really well and the find and record feature is both simple to use and very capable.

Cons

Deleting transactions or line items can be frustrating especially when something is imported by mistake and has to be removed one at a time. It's also limiting that payments for accounts payable and accounts receivable cannot be cleared against the cash account which makes write-offs harder to manage.

“powerful reports and simple workflow”

Pros

I find everything about it very user friendly and the functionality is excellent. Exporting the reports I need is also very easy.

Cons

It can be a bit hard to locate a specific report because some of the report names differ, such as debtors being listed as receivables.

“simple site that gets it done”

Pros

Everything about it is simple and it handles exactly what you need it to. The website is simple too so getting to the section you need doesn't take much effort.

Cons

At times entering details into a new purchase order and then trying to save that information as an item for later use can be a bit finicky.

“bank feeds and invoicing win”

Pros

One of the best parts for me is how simple it is to sync bank feeds and reconcile transactions. The rules feature is also a huge help since I can assign my routine transactions to the right chart of accounts automatically. On top of that the invoicing tools make it much easier to stay on top of outstanding payments.

Cons

The only part that can be frustrating at times is that customer support is handled strictly through online written communication. Whenever I have needed help, my issues have been resolved quickly but I still wish there were an option to speak with someone directly by phone if needed.

“reliable and user friendly accounting”

Pros

Right from the start the platform seems very user friendly and dependable. It's been extremely stable and features like cash coding work really well in day to day use. The Zapier connection is a big plus and the API integration with other apps makes it even more useful.

Cons

One area that still needs improvement is customization for the Canadian market especially when it comes to the sales tax modules designed for Canada.

“helpful dashboard, confusing workflow”

Pros

The dashboard was definitely useful since it let me view income, receivables and balances all in one place at a glance.

Cons

At the same time it felt very time-consuming, confusing and not easy to use at all.

“Allows broad integrations”

Pros

Coming from zero accounting experience, I was able to get started with Xero almost immediately. The layout is user friendly and logical, transaction reconciliation is also easy and the built-in features really help with productivity. The reporting tools are also quite diverse. On top of that the team is very supportive and works closely with other software providers to make integrations and the overall customer experience better. With more than 800 app integrations, our clients can build a complete system without duplicating transactions.

Cons

The only downside is that it still is not very well known in North America.

“reliable accounting that delivers”

Pros

After trying a lot of accounting platforms, Xero is the one that simply gets the job done. It has been the most simplest and dependable software I have used.

Cons

The 1099 reporting feels pretty limited and the tracking categories could use more flexibility too. Support can seem a bit surface-level at first but when you schedule time to speak with someone, they end up being very helpful.

“simple navigation clients love”

Pros

The software is very easy to use and it's really user friendly overall. Clients also seem to understand it quickly and pick it up without much trouble.

Cons

I don't really have any complaints. If I had to mention one small thing, it would be that the PayPal connection doesn't always work the way I'd want it to.

“reliable features and active updates”

Pros

Not having to deal with upgrades or backups has been a huge plus. The feature set is amazing, the platform keeps improving with active development around both usability and new capabilities and the API is quite decent as well.

Cons

Honestly I can barely think of any downsides. It has met and in some cases even exceeded, what we needed from it.

“mixed bag with bank feed issues”

Pros

One thing Xero does well is transaction processing through the bank feed which is set up very effectively just as they advertise. When I first started using it, it also felt like a welcome alternative to Intuit and brought some much-needed competition to the small business accounting software market.

Cons

That said I also work with QBO and Wave and in my view both of them outperform it overall. Even with the bank feed being one of its stronger areas, it still fails to connect with quite a few banks. On top of that transactions sometimes disappear from the feed without any warning to the business owner or bookkeeper. Since there is no reconciliation process tied closely to hard numbers, those missing items can lead to errors building up in the registers over time. Accessing register data is also more awkward than it is in either QBO or Wave and editing transactions is noticeably more complicated than in QBO. At times the way it compares bank statement lines with the account register was confusing to work through. I also ran into some strange reporting glitches over time though I do not remember every detail now since I only have one client still using it. In the end it has some genuinely impressive capabilities but they are paired with some very real weaknesses.

“all-in-one accounting hub”

Pros

Everything my small businesses need for accounting is kept together in one convenient place.

Cons

The cloud-based hosting does make me a little concerned about security.

“User friendly with good integrations”

Pros

Even team members without an accounting background can get comfortable with this software quickly because the wording and overall layout are simple to follow. The wide range of integrations available also makes the whole solution feel complete.

Cons

One area that still needs work is the bank feeds. They could use some refinement, along with a simpler setup process for integrations and broader support for standard integrations.

“clear, reliable accounting favorite”

Pros

Having worked with Xero in a previous role, it's still my favorite accounting software out of all the ones I have used. The system is clear, thorough and easy to work with. Their support team has also been excellent as they helped me get everything set up at the start and whenever I have had a question, they've been quick to reach, friendly and able to sort things out fast. Another big plus is that it's cloud-based which makes sharing information between users really convenient.

Cons

I honestly didn't have any issues to share.