Xero vs RefreshMe: Which Accounting Software is Best in 2025?

Are you trying to figure out which accounting software is the right fit for your business?

It can be a tough decision.

Both Xero and RefreshMe are popular choices, but they have different strengths.

Choosing the incorrect one can lead to headaches on the road.

Let’s examine Xero vs RefreshMe and their offerings in more detail to help you decide which accounting software is best.

Overview

We’ve spent time exploring both Xero and RefreshMe.

Putting them through their paces with everyday business tasks.

This hands-on experience allows us to bring you a clear, side-by-side comparison to help you understand their key differences and similarities.

What is Xero?

So, what’s the deal with Xero?

Well, it’s a popular online accounting software.

Lots of small businesses use it. It helps you manage your money stuff.

Think invoices and bills. It connects to your bank, too. Pretty handy.

Also, explore our favorite Xero alternatives…

Key Benefits

• Automatically imports daily bank transactions.
• Send professional invoices and get paid faster.
• Run over 50 types of financial reports.
• Connect with over 1000 other business apps.

Pricing

• Starter: $2.90
• Standard: $4.60
• Premium: $6.90

What is RefreshMe?

So, what about RefreshMe? It’s another accounting software option.

It focuses on simplicity for small teams.

Think easy expense tracking. Plus, it helps manage your customers.

It covers the basic accounting needs. Simple and straightforward, you know?

Also, explore our favorite RefreshMe alternatives…

Key Benefits

RefreshMe stands out with its:

• Affordable starting price of just $10 per month.
• Simple interface that’s easy to learn.
• Good features for tracking expenses.
• Basic customer relationship management (CRM) tools are included.

Pricing

• Individual: $24.99/month
• Couple: $44.99/month

Feature Comparison

Now, let’s dive into the specifics.

Understanding the features each platform offers is crucial in deciding which best fits your business needs.

We’ll break down key areas to give you a clear side-by-side look.

1. Core Accounting & Bookkeeping

• Xero: Offers comprehensive accounting with features for managing accounts payable and receivable, general ledger, and robust bookkeeping tools. You can easily track every transaction.
• RefreshMe: Provides fundamental bookkeeping and transaction tracking. While it covers the basics, it might lack some of the more advanced accounting features found in Xero.

2. Expense Management

• Xero: Offers solid expense management features, allowing you to track bills, capture receipts, and manage supplier payments efficiently. It can integrate with tools like Dext for enhanced data extraction.
• RefreshMe: Focuses on straightforward expense management, making it easy to record and categorize business costs. However, it may not have the same level of automation or integration capabilities as Xero.

3. Invoicing and Sending

• Xero: Excels in helping you create and send invoices professionally. It offers customizable templates & the ability to track invoice status, reminding customers of payments to streamline your workflow.
• RefreshMe: Allows you to send invoices to clients. While functional, its invoicing features might not be as feature-rich or customizable as Xero’s, particularly for service-based businesses with strong invoicing needs.

4. Integrations and App Marketplace

• Xero boasts a vast app marketplace with 1,000+ integrations, allowing you to seamlessly integrate with various business tools, including e-commerce platforms and specialized solutions like Synder, which specializes in synchronization.
• RefreshMe: Offers some integrations, but its app marketplace is significantly smaller compared to Xero. This might limit your ability to connect with other crucial business software.

5. Mobile App Capabilities

• Xero: Has a well-regarded mobile app that allows you to manage key financial management tasks on the go, such as sending invoices, reconciling bank accounts, and viewing your financial data.
• RefreshMe: Offers a mobile app for basic tasks like expense tracking and viewing account balances. However, its mobile capabilities might not be as extensive as Xero’s.

6. Automation and AI-Driven Features

• Xero: Incorporates automation to streamline tasks like bank reconciliation and offers some AI-driven features through integrated apps like Dext, excels in data capture and workflow automation for data entry of invoices.
• RefreshMe: It has some basic automation for routine tasks, but it generally lacks the advanced AI-driven capabilities found in Xero’s ecosystem.

7. Reporting and Financial Health Overview

• Xero: Provides robust reporting features, giving you a clear view of your financial health. You can generate various financial reports to help you understand your business performance and track your financial goals.
• RefreshMe: Offers basic financial reports, allowing you to monitor your income and expenses. However, its reporting capabilities might not be as detailed or customizable as Xero’s for gaining a deep understanding of your financial health.

What to Look For When Choosing Accounting Software?

Here are some key things to consider:

• Scalability: Can it grow with your various business needs?
• Ease of Use: Is the interface intuitive and easy to navigate?
• Specific Features: Does it offer what your service-based businesses with strong invoicing or other unique needs require?
• Budget: Does the pricing align with your current financial situation? Consider long-term costs.
• Customer Support: Is help readily available if you encounter problems?
• Security: How well does it protect your sensitive financial data and ensure online privacy?

Final Verdict

We’ve checked out Xero and RefreshMe.

For growing businesses needing many ways to tailor things, Xero wins.

It has more finance tools and connects to lots of apps.

RefreshMe is simpler and cheaper for basic needs or personal finances.

But Xero gives you more power as you grow.

Trust us, Xero is the better pick for most businesses needing more than Quicken offers.

Even with cool tools like Xero vs Synder, Xero provides a more complete solution.

More of Xero

• Xero vs Puzzle IO: Offers project management integrated with accounting.
• Xero vs Dext: Excels in automated data capture and expense management.
• Xero vs Synder: Specializes in seamless e-commerce and payment platform synchronization 
• Xero vs Easy Month End: Streamlines and automates month-end closing tasks.
• Xero vs Docyt: Employs AI for intelligent financial data extraction and categorization.
• Xero vs Sage: Provides a broad range of accounting solutions for various business sizes.
• Xero vs Zoho Books: Offers a comprehensive suite with strong CRM integration.
• Xero vs Wave: Delivers free basic accounting software, ideal for startups.
• Xero vs Quicken: Quicken is primarily for personal finance, lacking robust business features.
• Xero vs Hubdoc: Focuses on automated data capture and document management for bookkeeping.
• Xero vs Expensify: Excels in expense reporting and management with mobile capabilities.
• Xero vs QuickBooks: A strong competitor offering a wide range of accounting features.
• Xero vs AutoEntry: Automates the data entry of invoices and receipts efficiently.
• Xero vs FreshBooks: Tailored for service-based businesses with strong invoicing features.
• Xero vs Netsuite: Netsuite is a comprehensive ERP system for larger enterprises.

More of RefreshMe

• RefreshMe vs Puzzle IO: Puzzle IO focuses on integrating project management with accounting tools.
• RefreshMe vs Dext: Dext specializes in automating data capture from receipts and invoices.
• RefreshMe vs Synder: Synder automates e-commerce sales data synchronization.
• RefreshMe vs Easy Month End: Easy Month End streamlines month-end closing procedures for accountants.
• RefreshMe vs Docyt: Docyt uses AI to automate financial document workflows.
• RefreshMe vs Sage: Sage offers comprehensive accounting solutions, particularly for larger businesses.
• RefreshMe vs Zoho Books: Zoho Books provides online accounting with strong inventory management features.
• RefreshMe vs Wave: Wave offers free accounting software, mainly for very small businesses.
• RefreshMe vs Quicken: Quicken is primarily for personal financial management.
• RefreshMe vs Hubdoc: Hubdoc automates data extraction from bills and receipts.
• RefreshMe vs Expensify: Expensify automates expense reporting for businesses of all sizes.
• RefreshMe vs QuickBooks: QuickBooks is popular for small business accounting with a wide feature set.
• RefreshMe vs AutoEntry: AutoEntry automates data entry from various financial documents.
• RefreshMe vs FreshBooks: FreshBooks is tailored for service-based businesses, focusing on invoicing.
• RefreshMe vs NetSuite: NetSuite is a comprehensive ERP for enterprise-level companies.

Frequently Asked Questions