Xero Pricing Plans 2026 (US): Early, Growing and Established Explained

So, you’ve decided to look at Xero, and now you’re staring at three plans with names that don’t tell you much. Early, Growing, Established. Which one do you actually need?

Don’t worry. By the end of this guide you’ll know which plan fits, what you’ll pay after the discount ends, and which extras could quietly push the bill up.

I’m an accountant and I use Xero myself. Everything below is from Xero’s US pricing page, which I checked on 16 October 2026.

Xero US prices at a glance

Plan	First 3 months	Then (per month)	Invoices and bills	Best for
Early	$5.40/mo	$27	20 invoices, 5 bills a month	Very small businesses with few transactions
Growing	$11.80/mo	$59	Unlimited	Most small businesses
Established	$19.40/mo	$97	Unlimited	Multi-currency, projects, expense claims

Every plan includes unlimited users. Xero doesn’t charge per person, which is the biggest pricing difference from QuickBooks.

Not sure Xero is right for you at all? Read my Xero review first, then come back for the plan choice.

What’s in each plan

Early: $27 a month

• Send quotes and up to 20 invoices a month
• Enter up to 5 bills a month
• Bank reconciliation, including bulk reconciliation
• Smart Document Capture for receipts and bills
• Real-time reports, W-9 and 1099 management, and sales tax
• Basic graphs and a 30-day cash-flow forecast
• Free standard ACH bill payments

The catch: the 20-invoice limit counts invoices you approve as well as send, and invoices created by connected apps can count too. Auto-reconcile is a $5-a-month add-on on this plan.

Growing: $59 a month

Everything in Early, plus:

• Unlimited invoices, quotes and bills
• Auto-reconcile transactions, included
• Customisable performance dashboards and financial health scorecards
• A 60-day cash-flow forecast
• Budgets with smart suggestions (up to 3)

Established: $97 a month

Everything in Growing, plus:

• Multiple currencies
• Project time and cost tracking
• Employee expense and mileage claims
• A 180-day cash-flow forecast
• KPI and ratio analysis, and industry benchmarking
• International online bill payments

What you will really pay: year one and year two

The intro offer is great for three months. But the year-two price is the one you’ll live with, so here’s both.

Plan	Year 1 (3 months at 80% off + 9 at full price)	Year 2 (full price)	Two-year total
Early	$259.20	$324	$583.20
Early + auto-reconcile ($5/mo)	$319.20	$384	$703.20
Growing	$566.40	$708	$1,274.40
Established	$931.20	$1,164	$2,095.20

How I worked out Growing: three months at $11.80 is $35.40, and nine months at $59 is $531. That gives $566.40 in year one. The auto-reconcile add-on isn’t discounted, because the offer only covers the base plan.

Extra costs to budget for

Extra	Cost	Which plans
Auto-reconcile	$5/month	Add-on on Early; included on Growing and Established
Xero Payroll, powered by Gusto	$36/month + $6 per employee or contractor	Optional on every plan
Inventory Plus	Priced separately	Optional on Growing and Established
Online invoice payments	Payment fees per transaction	Every plan
Bill payments	Standard ACH free; same-day ACH and international payments cost extra	Every plan (international on Established)
Sales tax	Added to your subscription based on your billing address	Every plan

Payroll is the one that adds up. For five people it’s $36 + (5 × $6) = $66 a month, or $792 a year, on top of your plan.

Which Xero plan should you choose?

Answer these four questions in order:

1. Will you send more than 20 invoices, or enter more than 5 bills, in any month? If yes, or if you’re not sure, skip Early and choose Growing.
2. Do you invoice or pay suppliers in another currency? If yes, choose Established.
3. Do you need to track time and costs by project, or reimburse staff expenses? If yes, choose Established.
4. None of the above? Growing is the right plan for most small businesses.

Three quick examples

• Freelance designer, 8 invoices and 3 bills a month, US clients only: Early works. Add auto-reconcile if your bank feed is busy.
• Local service business, 40 invoices and 20 bills a month: Growing.
• Online store selling in USD, EUR and GBP: Established, for multi-currency. Read Xero for ecommerce too.

You can upgrade any time. If you upgrade and then want to drop back down, Xero only lets you move to a cheaper plan one month after upgrading.

The intro offer and free trial

Xero’s US page gives new customers two routes: 80% off for the first 3 months when you buy, or a free month to try it first.

The fine print on the 80% offer, as of 16 October 2026:

• It’s for new US customers buying their first organisation on xero.com.
• It covers the base plan only, not add-ons, payroll or payment fees.
• After three months the regular price applies, and the subscription renews monthly until you cancel.
• It can’t be combined with other offers, and Xero can change or end it at any time.

My Xero promo code guide tracks the current offer, and Xero free trial explained covers what to set up during the trial.

How Xero pricing compares

Here’s Xero next to the plans a three-person business would usually compare it with (US list prices, checked October 2026):

Software	Plan	Monthly price	Users included	Full pricing guide
Xero	Growing	$59	Unlimited	This page
QuickBooks Online	Essentials	$85	3	QuickBooks pricing
FreshBooks	Plus	$43 + $11 per extra team member	Owner + paid team members	FreshBooks pricing
Zoho Books	Professional	$50 ($40 billed annually)	5	Zoho Books pricing

For a team of three or more, Xero Growing is usually cheaper than QuickBooks once the intro offers end, because you never pay per user. Head-to-head: Xero vs QuickBooks, Xero vs FreshBooks and Xero vs Zoho Books.

Prices in other countries

Xero prices, plan names and offers are set country by country, so the US figures above won’t match your local page. Check your country’s current offer here:

• Xero in the UK
• Xero in Australia
• Xero in New Zealand

Frequently asked questions

How much does Xero cost per month?

In the US, $27 for Early, $59 for Growing and $97 for Established, plus sales tax. New customers get 80% off the first three months.

Does Xero charge per user?

No. Every plan includes unlimited users, so your bookkeeper and accountant can log in at no extra cost.

Is there a free Xero plan?

No, but you can try it free for a month. If you need free software for now, see the best free accounting software.

Is payroll included?

No. US payroll is Xero Payroll, powered by Gusto, at $36 a month plus $6 per employee or contractor.

Can I switch plans later?

Yes. You can upgrade at any time. To move to a cheaper plan, you have to wait one month after upgrading.

Why do other sites show different Xero prices?

Most likely they were written before Xero’s 1 October 2026 US price change ($25, $55 and $90 before), or they’re quoting another country’s prices.

My take

For most small businesses, Growing at $59 a month is the right Xero plan. Early’s limits are tighter than they look, and Established only earns its price if you need multi-currency, projects or expense claims.

Whatever you pick, budget for the year-two price, not the three-month offer.

More on Xero: my full Xero review, Xero alternatives, and everything else on the Xero Resource Center. Comparing across products? See the best accounting software for small business.