Best for: Small businesses in the US, UK, Canada and Australia
✓ Large accountant and app ecosystem
✓ Strong reporting
Best Xero alternatives
Xero is best for small businesses and accountants in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. If that is not you — or price, features or availability in your country do not fit — these 17 alternatives are worth a look.
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| Software | Best for | Free plan | Origin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small businesses in the US, UK, Canada and Australia | No (trial may exist) | US | Visit | |
| Freelancers and service businesses billing clients for time | No (trial may exist) | CA | Visit | |
| Very small businesses in the US and Canada on a tight budget | Yes | CA | Visit | |
| Freelancers who want an open-source invoicing option | Yes | US | Visit | |
| GST-registered small businesses that want accounting and invoicing together | Yes | IN | Visit | |
| Freelancers and service businesses who just need professional invoices | Yes | IN | Visit | |
| Established Indian SMEs and accountants who already work in Tally | No (trial may exist) | IN | Visit | |
| Small retailers and traders who bill from a phone or desktop | Verify | IN | Visit | |
| Indian SMBs wanting quick GST billing on mobile | Verify | IN | Visit | |
| Pharma, FMCG and distribution businesses in India | No (trial may exist) | IN | Visit | |
| Indian SMEs who want fast GST invoices and e-invoices from phone or web | Verify | IN | Visit | |
| Shopkeepers tracking customer credit (udhaar) and payments | Yes | IN | Visit | |
| Small shops replacing the paper credit book | Yes | IN | Visit | |
| Freelancers and agencies sending GST and export invoices | Yes | IN | Visit | |
| Traders, distributors and manufacturers needing GST accounting with inventory | No (trial may exist) | IN | Visit | |
| Growing businesses that want one modular ERP | Yes | BE | Visit | |
| Growing businesses that want an open-source ERP they can customise | Yes | IN | Visit |
Best for: Freelancers and service businesses billing clients for time
✓ Very easy invoicing
✓ Time tracking built in
Best for: Very small businesses in the US and Canada on a tight budget
✓ Free core invoicing and accounting
✓ Simple to learn
Best for: Freelancers who want an open-source invoicing option
✓ Self-hosting option
✓ Free tier
Best for: GST-registered small businesses that want accounting and invoicing together
✓ GST-compliant invoices and returns support
✓ Integrates with Zoho CRM, Inventory and Payroll
Best for: Freelancers and service businesses who just need professional invoices
✓ Free to use
✓ Clean invoice templates
Best for: Established Indian SMEs and accountants who already work in Tally
✓ Very familiar to Indian CAs and accountants
✓ Strong GST and statutory reporting
Best for: Small retailers and traders who bill from a phone or desktop
✓ Simple for non-accountants
✓ Works on mobile
Best for: Indian SMBs wanting quick GST billing on mobile
✓ Fast mobile billing
✓ Indian GST formats
Best for: Pharma, FMCG and distribution businesses in India
✓ Strong inventory and batch tracking
✓ Industry-specific versions
Best for: Indian SMEs who want fast GST invoices and e-invoices from phone or web
✓ Quick GST invoices on mobile and desktop
✓ E-invoice and e-way bill support
Best for: Shopkeepers tracking customer credit (udhaar) and payments
✓ Very easy for first-time digital users
✓ Available in many Indian languages
Best for: Small shops replacing the paper credit book
✓ Free and simple
✓ Works in regional languages
Best for: Freelancers and agencies sending GST and export invoices
✓ Good for service businesses
✓ Multi-currency invoices for export clients
Best for: Traders, distributors and manufacturers needing GST accounting with inventory
✓ Strong GST and inventory
✓ Many industry reports
Best for: Growing businesses that want one modular ERP
✓ Modular — add apps as you grow
✓ Open-source community edition
Best for: Growing businesses that want an open-source ERP they can customise
✓ Free open-source edition
✓ Indian GST support
Widely used cloud accounting software with invoicing, expenses, bank feeds and an accountant ecosystem.
Pros
- Large accountant and app ecosystem
- Strong reporting
- Good bank integrations
Cons
- Availability and features vary by country
- Costs rise with add-ons
- Free plan
- No (trial may exist)
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software, Accounting Software
Invoicing-first accounting software with time tracking, expenses and client portals.
Pros
- Very easy invoicing
- Time tracking built in
- Good client experience
Cons
- Pricing tiers limit billable clients
- Less suited to inventory businesses
- Free plan
- No (trial may exist)
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software, Accounting Software
Free-to-start invoicing and accounting for small businesses, with paid payments and payroll add-ons.
Pros
- Free core invoicing and accounting
- Simple to learn
Cons
- Best suited to US/Canada
- Fewer integrations
- Free plan
- Yes
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software, Accounting Software
Open-source invoicing, quotes, time tracking and client portal; can be self-hosted.
Pros
- Self-hosting option
- Free tier
- Flexible templates
Cons
- Self-hosting needs technical skills
- Interface less polished than paid rivals
- Free plan
- Yes
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software
5
Visit site
Zoho Books Made for India
Best for: GST-registered small businesses that want accounting and invoicing together
Cloud accounting from Zoho with GST invoicing, e-way bills, bank feeds and integration with the wider Zoho suite.
Pros
- GST-compliant invoices and returns support
- Integrates with Zoho CRM, Inventory and Payroll
- Mobile apps and multi-user access
Cons
- Advanced features sit in higher plans
- Can feel heavy for very small shops that only need billing
- Free plan
- Yes
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software, Accounting Software
6Visit site
Zoho Invoice Made for India
Best for: Freelancers and service businesses who just need professional invoices
A focused invoicing app for quotes, invoices, time tracking and payment reminders.
Pros
- Free to use
- Clean invoice templates
- Recurring invoices and reminders
Cons
- No full bookkeeping
- Upgrade to Zoho Books for accounting
- Free plan
- Yes
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software
7
Visit site
TallyPrime Made for India
Best for: Established Indian SMEs and accountants who already work in Tally
Desktop-first business management software widely used by Indian accountants for accounting, GST, inventory and payroll.
Pros
- Very familiar to Indian CAs and accountants
- Strong GST and statutory reporting
- Works offline
Cons
- Desktop-centric workflow
- Learning curve for beginners
- Remote access needs add-ons
- Free plan
- No (trial may exist)
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software, Accounting Software
8
Visit site
Vyapar Made for India
Best for: Small retailers and traders who bill from a phone or desktop
Billing, inventory and GST app aimed at Indian small businesses, with mobile and desktop versions.
Pros
- Simple for non-accountants
- Works on mobile
- Covers billing, stock and reports
Cons
- Limited for complex multi-branch operations
- Check which features need a paid licence
- Free plan
- Verify
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software, Inventory Management Software
GST billing and accounting app for small businesses with inventory, payment reminders and reports.
Pros
- Fast mobile billing
- Indian GST formats
- Multi-device access
Cons
- Accounting depth is limited compared with full ERP
- Verify plan limits before buying
- Free plan
- Verify
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software, Inventory Management Software
Inventory-heavy ERP and billing software popular with distributors, pharmacies and retailers.
Pros
- Strong inventory and batch tracking
- Industry-specific versions
- GST support
Cons
- Dated interface
- Needs setup and training
- Free plan
- No (trial may exist)
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software, Accounting Software
11
Visit site
Swipe Made for India
Best for: Indian SMEs who want fast GST invoices and e-invoices from phone or web
GST billing and invoicing app with e-invoicing, e-way bills, inventory and payment links.
Pros
- Quick GST invoices on mobile and desktop
- E-invoice and e-way bill support
- Shareable invoices on WhatsApp
Cons
- Advanced accounting is limited
- Check which features need a paid plan
- Free plan
- Verify
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software, Inventory Management Software
12
Visit site
Khatabook Made for India
Best for: Shopkeepers tracking customer credit (udhaar) and payments
Digital ledger app for recording credit, sending payment reminders and simple billing.
Pros
- Very easy for first-time digital users
- Available in many Indian languages
- Payment reminders
Cons
- Not a full accounting system
- Free plan
- Yes
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software
Simple digital khata for customer and supplier credit, with reminders.
Pros
- Free and simple
- Works in regional languages
Cons
- Ledger-focused
- limited invoicing
- Free plan
- Yes
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software
14
Visit site
Refrens Made for India
Best for: Freelancers and agencies sending GST and export invoices
Invoicing and accounting platform for freelancers and small businesses, with quotations, expenses and client management.
Pros
- Good for service businesses
- Multi-currency invoices for export clients
- Free tier to start
Cons
- Inventory features are basic
- Free plan
- Yes
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software, Accounting Software
15
Visit site
BUSY Accounting Made for India
Best for: Traders, distributors and manufacturers needing GST accounting with inventory
Desktop accounting and inventory software widely used by Indian SMEs for GST, MIS reports and multi-location stock.
Pros
- Strong GST and inventory
- Many industry reports
- Works offline
Cons
- Desktop-first
- Interface takes time to learn
- Free plan
- No (trial may exist)
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Billing & Invoicing Software, Accounting Software
Open-source modular ERP covering inventory, accounting, CRM, POS, website and more.
Pros
- Modular — add apps as you grow
- Open-source community edition
- Very broad feature set
Cons
- Implementation can be complex
- Customisation may need a partner
- Free plan
- Yes
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Accounting Software, CRM Software
17
Visit site
ERPNext Made for India
Best for: Growing businesses that want an open-source ERP they can customise
Open-source ERP from Frappe covering accounting, inventory, manufacturing, HR and CRM, with Indian GST localisation.
Pros
- Free open-source edition
- Indian GST support
- Highly customisable
Cons
- Implementation needs expertise
- Hosted plans are paid
- Free plan
- Yes
- Pricing
- See provider
- Also in
- Accounting Software, Inventory Management Software