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What every guide covers
What transfers, and what doesn’tThe vendor’s own import path, step by step, plus the data you will rebuild by hand. Switching cost estimatorAn adjustable estimate of the hidden labor, cleanup and retraining cost, with its assumptions shown.
Pricing data
Software IndexEvery tool we track in one sortable table: entry price, free plan, AI pricing and source. AI Pricing DatabaseHow each vendor bills its AI features: bundled, add-on, metered or quote.
Original research
The B2B SaaS Sticker Shock IndexCheapest published entry price in 18 categories, ranked.The AI TaxHow 19 AI features are actually billed: bundled, add-on or metered.The Real Cost of a 10-Person Startup StackThree software stacks priced at published entry prices.
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Download the datasetsJSON and CSV under CC BY 4.0. Every value carries its source page and verification date. How we verify pricingThe research method behind every figure on the site.
ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE · MIGRATION GUIDE

Switching from Xero to FreshBooks

FreshBooks imports clients, expenses, items and vendors from CSV files and offers Easy Switch, a paid conversion service that lists Xero as a source. Open invoices and your history need a plan, so export everything from Xero first.

Jump to migration steps Read the full comparison
By Bill Belcamino · Last updated September 18, 2026 · Our methodologyResearched and fact-checked by the HelpCompare team
Switching from Xero to FreshBooksVerified Sep 18, 2026

Quick verdict: Export your contacts, chart of accounts, invoices, bills and general ledger from Xero, then either import clients, vendors, items and expenses into FreshBooks yourself from CSV or use Easy Switch, FreshBooks’ conversion service run by MMC Convert, which moves client details, expenses, invoices and more. Easy Switch is included at no extra cost on some Select plans and discounted on Plus and Premium; FreshBooks does not publish its price. Before you cancel Xero, note that Xero keeps a cancelled subscription’s data for up to seven years, accessible by reactivating it.

Estimate · your inputs

Switching Cost & Friction Estimator

Most buyers only budget for the new subscription. This estimates the hidden labor, data-cleanup, and retraining cost of actually making the switch.

25,000
10

Estimate assumes: 1 hour of data-mapping/cleaning labor per 2,000 records, a blended $75/hr ops rate, tiered migration & cleaning tooling fees, and 4 hours of retraining per seat at a $45/hr fully-loaded rate.

Estimated Migration Time —
Data Friction Rating —
Total Hidden Switching Cost $0

    Why teams move from Xero to FreshBooks

    Lower entry price for one person

    FreshBooks Lite is $23/mo against Xero Early at $25/mo — rising to $27 on October 1, 2026 — and FreshBooks takes 10% off for yearly billing.

    Invoicing built for service businesses

    Estimates, proposals, client retainers and project profitability are central to FreshBooks’ plans.

    Priced by clients, not invoices

    FreshBooks Lite has no 20-invoice monthly cap like Xero Early; its limit is the number of billable clients (5 on Lite, 50 on Plus).

    How the migration actually works

    There is no one-click importer from Xero into FreshBooks, so choose between a do-it-yourself CSV move and FreshBooks’ Easy Switch service before you start.

    StepWhat you do
    1Pick your FreshBooks plan by client count and usersCount your active billable clients (Lite 5, Plus 50, Premium unlimited) and the people who need logins — each extra team member is $11/mo.
    2Export everything from XeroExport contacts, the chart of accounts, invoices, bills, fixed assets and the general ledger (CSV/XLS, PDF or TXT), plus the reports your accountant needs for the year to date.
    3Decide on Easy Switch or DIYEasy Switch, run by MMC Convert, moves client details, expenses, invoices and more from Xero. Ask FreshBooks for a quote via the Talk to a Specialist button on the Select plan page.
    4Import clients, vendors, items and expensesIf you go DIY, import CSV files for clients, vendors, items and expenses in FreshBooks. Other income and taxes are imported by FreshBooks support from your CSV.
    5Reconnect your bank accountsConnect bank accounts in FreshBooks to bring in transactions, or import them from a CSV file.
    6Re-create open invoices and set opening balancesFreshBooks’ self-serve CSV import does not cover invoices, so re-issue unpaid invoices (or have Easy Switch move them) and have your accountant set opening balances.
    7Keep Xero as your archiveKeep the exported ledger and reports. Xero holds a cancelled subscription’s data for up to seven years and you can regain access by reactivating it.

    What this path doesn’t do for you:

    FreshBooks’ own CSV import covers clients, expenses, items and vendors — not invoices, bills or your chart of accounts — so historical transactions stay in your Xero exports unless you pay for Easy Switch. Easy Switch’s price is not published. If you run Xero Payroll, powered by Gusto, confirm with support how your payroll history moves before you switch; FreshBooks Payroll is a separate $40/mo plus $6 per person add-on.

    Pricing side by side

    PlanXeroFreshBooks
    FreeNo — 30-day free trialNo — 30-day free trial, no card required
    Entry paidEarly — $25/mo (20 invoices, 5 bills); $27 from Oct 1, 2026Lite — $23/mo (5 billable clients)
    MidGrowing — $55/mo; $59 from Oct 1, 2026Plus — $43/mo (50 billable clients)
    TopEstablished — $90/mo; $97 from Oct 1, 2026Premium — $70/mo (unlimited clients); Select by quote
    UsersUnlimited on every plan1 included; team members $11/mo each
    Payroll$36/mo + $6 per person (powered by Gusto)$40/mo + $6/mo per person (powered by Gusto)

    List prices checked on xero.com/us/pricing-plans and freshbooks.com/pricing on September 18, 2026. Confirm current rates before you buy.

    Feature parity check

    CapabilityXeroFreshBooks
    Users includedUnlimited1; $11/mo per extra team member
    Plan limitEarly: 20 invoices, 5 bills a monthLite: 5 billable clients; Plus: 50
    Self-serve importContacts, invoices, bills, chart of accounts, bank statements and moreClients, expenses, items, vendors (CSV)
    Assisted conversionConversion Toolbox for accountants (FreshBooks not listed as a source)Easy Switch by MMC Convert (Xero listed as a source)
    Annual discountNone — monthly billing10% off yearly
    AI assistantJAX — currently no additional chargeNone listed on the pricing page

    Going the other direction, or want the full comparison first?

    Read the Xero vs FreshBooks comparison Switching from FreshBooks to Xero instead?

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can FreshBooks import my Xero data automatically?

    Not with a one-click importer. You can import clients, expenses, items and vendors from CSV yourself, or use Easy Switch, FreshBooks’ conversion service run by MMC Convert, which lists Xero as a supported source.

    How much does Easy Switch cost?

    FreshBooks does not publish a price. It is included at no extra cost on some Select plans and offered at a discounted cost on Plus, Premium and other Select plans; ask via Talk to a Specialist.

    Will my Xero invoices come across?

    Not through FreshBooks’ self-serve CSV import, which does not cover invoices. Re-create unpaid invoices or have Easy Switch move them, and keep your Xero exports for history.

    What happens to my Xero data after I cancel?

    Xero says a cancelled subscription’s data can be accessed for up to seven years by reactivating the subscription, unless you ask for it to be deleted. Export what you need before you cancel.

    Will FreshBooks cost less than Xero?

    For one user on Lite ($23/mo) it costs less than Xero Early ($25/mo, $27 from October 1, 2026). Each extra FreshBooks user adds $11/mo, while Xero includes unlimited users.

    Canonical data for the tools on this page

    Every pricing fact, rating, AI billing model and switching guide we hold on each tool, on one page — with the date each figure was last verified.

    FreshBooksPricing, free plan, AI cost & every comparison›XeroPricing, free plan, AI cost & every comparison›
    Xero vs FreshBooksHead-to-head comparisonQuickBooks vs FreshBooksHead-to-head comparisonQuickBooks vs XeroHead-to-head comparison

    Sources

    Prices on this page were recorded from each vendor’s own pricing page on the date shown at the top of the page. Vendors change pricing often — check the live source before you buy.

    Every figure is also in our open dataset (JSON and CSV, CC BY 4.0), with its source page and verification date. See how we research pricing.

    Bill Belcamino, founder of HelpCompare
    About the author

    Bill Belcamino

    Founder and author, HelpCompare

    Bill has worked in software and digital marketing for more than 20 years. He spent nine years as an engineer at HP, served as COO scaling a platform past 200,000 users, and ran Google’s $70M/year search syndication partnership at Alot.com. He has bought, trialled, integrated and cancelled more SaaS tools than he can count, and started HelpCompare because the real cost of switching tools is the part nobody covers.

    “I’ve sat on both sides of the table: the agency recommending the tool and the client paying for it.”

    Researched and fact-checked by the HelpCompare team. Pricing on this page was last verified on September 18, 2026. No paid sponsorships, no affiliate commissions.

    Read Bill’s story How we verify pricingSpot an error? Tell Bill