Xero alternative
A Xero alternative with your books on your own computer
This page is for a business on Xero's Early or Growing plan that has hit the invoice cap, added payroll and watched the monthly bill double, or simply wants the books on a computer it controls.
AcboBooks is a Windows desktop program with a one-time price. Unlimited invoices and bills, payroll with W-2 and T4 included, inventory and jobs, multi-user on the office network, and a company file that is yours.
No card, no account. Windows 10 and 11. Xero prices and features checked October 2026.
Xero pricing, October 2026
Early
20 invoices and 5 bills a month
$27 a month
Growing
unlimited invoices and bills
$59 a month
Established
adds multi-currency, expenses, projects
$97 a month
Payroll add-on
Xero Payroll, powered by Gusto
$36 a month plus $6 per employee
AcboBooks Pro
$399.99 once
Why people leave
What Xero users tell us, and what changes
Twenty invoices a month is not a business plan
The entry plan allows 20 invoices and 5 bills a month; the first busy month pushes you to Growing. AcboBooks has no document limits at all.
Payroll doubles the bill
Payroll is a separate monthly charge plus a fee per employee, through a third party. AcboBooks includes payroll with federal and state tables, W-2 and 1099, and CPP, EI and T4 for Canada.
Multi-currency sits on the top plan
Invoicing a customer in another currency means Established at $97 a month. AcboBooks includes multi-currency with dated rates and foreign bank accounts.
A bank feed that stops is a day lost
Live feeds depend on the bank and on Xero's connection to it; when one breaks, reconciliation waits. AcboBooks imports the OFX, QFX or CSV statement the bank already gives you, every time, offline.
Your records are on someone else's servers
Cancelling means exporting what Xero lets you export, by a deadline. The AcboBooks company file is on your drive from day one, encrypted with your password.
Side by side
AcboBooks and Xero, row by row
Xero answers are from its own published plans and documentation, checked October 2026.
| AcboBooks Pro | Xero | |
|---|---|---|
| Your data | ||
| Where your books live | A file on your computer | Xero's servers |
| Works without internet | Yes, fully | No |
| Account or sign-up required | None | Yes |
| Take your data with you | It is a file, encrypted with your password | Exports within a window after cancelling |
| Doing the books | ||
| Enforced double-entry | Yes, enforced | Yes |
| Closing date and audit trail | Closing date, password, audit trail | Lock dates, history |
| Bank feeds | OFX/QFX and statement import | Live connections (bank permitting) |
| Payroll | Included: W-2, 1099, T4, direct deposit | Add-on: $36 a month plus $6 per employee |
| Multi-currency | Included, dated rates | Established plan only |
| Inventory, jobs and classes | Included: inventory, jobs, classes | Basic inventory; projects on Established |
| Invoice and bill limits | None | 20 invoices, 5 bills a month on Early |
| Working together | ||
| Multi-user | Office network, record locking, 2 computers per licence | Unlimited users, over the internet |
| Accountant access | Free: copy the file or add a user | Invite an advisor |
| Runs on | Windows 10 and 11 | Any browser; phone apps |
| Cost | ||
| How you pay | Once, $399.99 | Monthly, by plan |
| Price can rise next year | No, you own it | Yes, periodically |
| Updates and support | 12 months included, then optional renewal | Included while subscribed |
Three years
What the same three years cost
Early caps you at 20 invoices a month, so most trading businesses are on Growing. Multi-currency needs Established at $97. Payroll is $36 a month plus $6 per person on top of any plan.
| Xero (Growing) | AcboBooks Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $708.00 | $399.99 |
| Year 2 | $708.00 | $0.00 (updates renewal optional) |
| Year 3 | $708.00 | $0.00 (updates renewal optional) |
| Total | $2,124.00 | $399.99 |
At Xero's list price as of October 2026, before any add-ons, and assuming no price rise. AcboBooks includes 12 months of updates and support; renewing updates after that is optional and the software keeps working either way.
Being fair
Who should stay with Xero
Stay with Xero if your team is spread across cities and everyone needs to post from a browser or phone, if you rely on its app marketplace, or if you run on a Mac. AcboBooks is Windows, multi-user on an office network, and imports statements rather than holding a live bank connection.
What AcboBooks does not do
· No phone app and no Mac version; it is a Windows desktop program.
· No live bank connection; it imports the OFX, QFX or CSV statement your bank provides.
· Card payments go through a Stripe payment link on the invoice, not a built-in processor.
Moving your books
From Xero to AcboBooks
Xero exports every list and report as a spreadsheet. AcboBooks rebuilds the chart of accounts, contacts and items from those and starts the new books at a date you choose.
In Xero, export the chart of accounts, contacts and inventory items, and run a trial balance as of your start date.
In AcboBooks: File → Import, choose each spreadsheet; account types and contact details map automatically.
Enter opening balances from the trial balance and recreate open invoices and bills so ageing reports are right from day one.
Import bank statements (OFX, QFX or CSV) for the history you want to keep, then compare the trial balance in both programs.
Payroll history comes across as year-to-date opening balances; run the next pay in AcboBooks.
Invoices with items, taxes and terms; no monthly limit.
Reconcile from the statement file your bank already provides.
Questions people ask
Leaving Xero: the practical questions
How much does Xero cost over three years?
At the October 2026 US list prices, Growing is $59 a month, or $2,124 over three years, before payroll at $36 a month plus $6 per employee. AcboBooks Pro is $399.99 once, with optional update renewals after the first year.
Does AcboBooks limit invoices or bills?
No. There are no document, customer or transaction limits on the licence.
Is payroll really included?
Yes. Federal and state withholding for the US, CPP, EI and provincial tax for Canada, pay stubs, direct deposit files, W-2, 1099, T4 and T4A, with no per-employee fee.
Can my accountant work on the file?
Yes, without a paid seat. Send a backup, add them as a user on your network, or use the accountant invite. Their adjusting entries import back without double-posting.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. The trial runs for 15 days with every feature, no card and no account. If you buy, nothing is re-entered; the file you were working in simply stops counting down.
What does the licence cover?
$399.99 buys AcboBooks Pro for one business on two computers, for as long as you like, with 12 months of updates and email support. After that the software keeps working; renewing updates is optional.
Is my data safe on my own computer?
Each company file is encrypted inside the database with your password (AES-256), so a copied or stolen file cannot be read. Back it up like any file; the app can do that automatically each time it closes.
Can my accountant get in?
Yes, without paying for a seat. Give them a backup copy, or add them as a user on your network, or use the accountant invite from inside the app. Their adjusting entries import back without double-posting.
Other comparisons
Leaving something else?
Get started
Try it against your real Xero books.
Download the 15-day trial, bring your lists across, and run one month-end in both. Then decide.
No card. No account. Nothing to cancel.
Xero is a trademark of Xero Limited. AcboBooks is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Xero. Prices and features are quoted from Xero's US pricing page as of the date shown and may have changed.