The best Xero alternative depends on one question: do you need accounting software, or do you mainly need to invoice? If your accountant does your books and you just bill clients, you are paying for bank feeds, payroll and reports you do not use, and Xero Ignite stops you at 20 invoices a month. Below we compare the realistic options for Australian sole traders on cost, limits and what you give up.
The catch most people hit
Xero limits invoicing on this plan. Ignite caps at 20 invoices/month — unlimited requires Grow at AU$78
InvoiceSonic Pro includes unlimited invoices for a flat subscription; check current local pricing.
Create the first PDF without an account, or use a free account for up to three invoices a month. Pro includes unlimited invoices. InvoiceSonic does not take a percentage when a client pays; your chosen bank or payment provider may still charge its own fee.
| Option | Price (regular) | Invoice limit | Bank feeds and BAS | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| InvoiceSonic | Free for 3 invoices a month; Pro A$19/month or A$168/year | None on Pro | No: CSV export with GST split for your accountant | Invoicing and quoting, with your own accountant |
| MYOB Solo | A$99/year (intro offers common) | None | Yes, in a mobile app | Sole traders happy to work only on a phone |
| QuickBooks Online Simple Start | A$33/month | None (recurring invoices need Essentials) | Yes | Full bookkeeping on a smaller budget |
| Rounded | A$23.95/month (GST features on Pro, A$29.95) | None | Expense and tax tracking, no full ledger | Freelancers who want tax set-aside built in |
| Hnry | 1% + GST of income, capped at A$1,500 + GST a year | None | Hnry's accountants handle tax for you | Sole traders who want tax done for them |
| Xero Ignite (for reference) | A$37/month (A$444/year) | 20 invoices a month | Yes | Businesses whose bookkeeper works in Xero |
Prices checked on each vendor's pricing page on 9 October 2026, regular prices after introductory offers, AUD including GST where shown. Check current pricing before you switch.
| Invoices a month | Xero | InvoiceSonic Pro | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 3 | Ignite A$37/month | Free plan, A$0 | A$444 |
| 10 to 20 | Ignite A$37/month | A$19/month (A$14 on annual) | A$216 to A$276 |
| More than 20 | Grow A$78/month | A$19/month (A$14 on annual) | A$708 to A$768 |
Moving from Xero to an invoicing app like InvoiceSonic keeps the parts sole traders use every week: ABN and 10% GST on every invoice, tax invoices when you are registered for GST, quotes clients accept online, automatic payment reminders, recurring invoices and a full client history.
You give up bank feeds and reconciliation, BAS lodgement from the software, payroll and Single Touch Payroll, and Xero's app marketplace. If your accountant needs those, they can work from InvoiceSonic's accountant-ready CSV export, which lists every invoice with GST split out. If you employ staff or reconcile your own bank account, stay with accounting software.
Keep Xero if you reconcile your own bank account, run payroll, track inventory, or your bookkeeper works directly in your Xero file. Xero is excellent accounting software; the point is only that you should not pay for accounting software just to send invoices. Comparing more tools? See the best invoice apps compared, the MYOB alternative and Hnry alternative guides, or start with the invoice generator for Australia.
MYOB is the Australian incumbent for SMB accounting — battle-tested, ATO-integrated, but priced and built like enterprise software. InvoiceSonic is a free, modern invoice generator that ships in secon…
QuickBooks is a complete accounting platform whose US Simple Start plan includes unlimited invoices alongside expense tracking, bank connections, reports and automated bookkeeping. Keep it when those …
Wave is a strong US and Canadian choice when free invoicing should connect to bookkeeping. Starter includes unlimited invoices, while Pro adds automation and bank-import features. InvoiceSonic is the …
FreshBooks is a polished service-business platform with time tracking, expenses, projects and accounting around its invoices. Lite lists a regular US price of $21 a month and supports five billable cl…
Both are Aussie-built. Invoice2go is mobile-first with a paid app model; InvoiceSonic is web-first, free, and faster to use without signup. Invoice2go suits tradies billing on-site from their phone; I…
Hnry and InvoiceSonic solve different problems. Hnry is a managed service — they handle PAYG, GST, super, and tax filings for you in exchange for 1% of income. InvoiceSonic is a free invoice generator…
PayPal makes sense when clients want a PayPal checkout and you value an integrated payment record. Invoice creation is free, but a paid invoice is a commercial transaction with method-specific fees. I…
Zoho Invoice is solid if you already live in Zoho Books or CRM. InvoiceSonic is faster for Australian GST invoices with no suite lock-in — create a compliant PDF in under two minutes with no sign-up u…
Invoice Ninja appeals to developers who want self-hosting or white-label invoicing. InvoiceSonic is simpler for Australian businesses that want ATO-ready invoices instantly without server maintenance.…
Refrens targets freelancers in India and Southeast Asia with free invoicing. InvoiceSonic is built for Australian tax rules — ABN, GST, and ATO tax invoice format out of the box.…
Square Invoices is strongest when invoices belong in the same system as Square point-of-sale and card payments. InvoiceSonic is the focused alternative when you want to offer direct bank or payment-ap…
Harvest excels when you bill by tracked hours on client projects. InvoiceSonic is better when you already know the line items and just need a polished, GST-compliant invoice fast.…
Stripe Invoicing is strongest when invoices and online payments are part of an integrated payment stack. InvoiceSonic is for independent workers who want a visual editor without an extra percentage ch…
Bill.com is enterprise AP/AR workflow software. InvoiceSonic is the opposite end: a free invoice generator for owners who send invoices themselves without a finance ops team.…
Invoicely is a lightweight Australian invoicing app with a restrictive free tier. InvoiceSonic offers a free generator to create and download an invoice with no sign-up, plus stronger templates, with …
Sage bundles invoicing with bookkeeping. InvoiceSonic is invoicing-only — faster setup, no chart of accounts, a free generator (no signup), and unlimited saved invoices on the Pro plan.…
Odoo is a full ERP — invoicing is one module among dozens. InvoiceSonic is a focused invoice tool you can use in two minutes without ERP configuration.…
Reckon is a credible Australian alternative to Xero with local BAS support. InvoiceSonic wins when you only need invoices — no subscription, no BAS lodgement overhead.…
Saasu is Australian cloud accounting software for SMBs. Compare its current transaction limits, bank feeds, payroll and inventory directly with Xero; InvoiceSonic is the narrower option for owners who…
Billdu is popular in Europe for mobile invoicing. InvoiceSonic offers stronger Australian GST/ABN defaults and web-first workflows tradies expect in AU.…
Zervant focuses on European small businesses. InvoiceSonic offers a first PDF without an account, three invoices a month on the free account, and unlimited invoices on Pro.…
Inv24 provides free invoice templates globally. InvoiceSonic adds Australian tax invoice compliance and cleaner branding on the free tier.…
Nutcache combines projects, time tracking, and invoicing. InvoiceSonic is better when you do not need Gantt charts — just a professional invoice PDF.…
Hiveage offers a generous free tier for freelancers. InvoiceSonic removes the 5-client cap concern with unlimited clients on the Pro plan and stronger Australian compliance.…
monday.com is a work management platform — invoicing comes via integrations or workarounds. InvoiceSonic is a dedicated invoice generator without per-seat PM pricing.…
SumUp Invoicing targets merchants already using SumUp card readers. InvoiceSonic works with any payment method — bank transfer, BPAY, Stripe, or SumUp links you add manually.…
Pipedrive is a sales CRM — invoicing is an add-on for closing deals. InvoiceSonic is for after the deal closes: fast, compliant invoice PDFs.…
Clear Books is UK-focused cloud accounting. InvoiceSonic is better for Australian businesses needing ABN/GST tax invoices without UK VAT defaults.…
If your accountant does your books and you mainly need to invoice, an invoicing app such as InvoiceSonic (A$19 a month, no invoice cap) is the cheapest fit. If you need bank feeds and BAS in the software, MYOB Solo (A$99 a year, mobile only) or QuickBooks Simple Start (A$33 a month) are the closest like-for-like options.
For invoicing, yes: InvoiceSonic is free for 3 invoices a month and Square Invoices is free if clients pay through Square. Free full accounting software comparable to Xero is rare in Australia; most accounting tools charge a monthly fee.
Xero Ignite allows 20 invoices a month. Xero counts both approving and sending, and invoices created by connected apps count towards the limit. Above 20 you need the Grow plan at A$78 a month.
Yes. Your accountant or BAS agent can prepare your BAS from your invoice records. InvoiceSonic exports every invoice to CSV with GST split out, and you can lodge through ATO online services or your agent.
Bank feeds and reconciliation, BAS lodgement from the software, payroll and Single Touch Payroll, and Xero's app marketplace. You keep invoicing, quotes, reminders and client records.
For sole traders, usually yes: MYOB Solo is A$99 a year compared with A$444 a year for Xero Ignite after the promotion, but Solo only works in the mobile app.