Xero wins on more features overall (9 vs 4, 6 tied). Below is the full feature-by-feature breakdown.
| Feature | Hiveage | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan |
— Limited
5 clients on free
|
✗ No
30-day trial only
|
| Entry paid plan |
— Paid add-on
Plus AU$16/mo
|
— Paid add-on
AU$35/mo Starter, AU$70/mo Standard
|
| Download PDF without signup |
✗ No
|
✗ No
|
| Feature | Hiveage | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited invoices |
✓ Yes
|
— Limited
Starter plan caps at 20 invoices/month
|
| Custom logo & branding |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Recurring invoices |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Email invoices to clients |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Multi-currency |
✓ Yes
|
— Paid add-on
Premium plan only
|
| Client management |
— Limited
5 clients free
|
✓ Yes
|
| Feature | Hiveage | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| ATO-compliant GST invoices |
— Limited
Configurable tax rates
|
✓ Yes
|
| ABN field built in |
— Limited
Custom field workaround
|
✓ Yes
|
| Australian-focused support |
— Limited
|
✓ Yes
|
| Feature | Hiveage | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Bank reconciliation |
✗ No
|
✓ Yes
|
| Expense tracking |
— Limited
|
✓ Yes
|
| Payroll |
✗ No
|
— Paid add-on
+AU$10/mo per employee
|
| Inventory tracking |
✗ No
|
✓ Yes
|
| Feature | Hiveage | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe payments |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Mobile app |
— Limited
|
✓ Yes
|
| Feature | Hiveage | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time |
— Limited
Account signup required
|
✗ No
Days — requires chart of accounts setup
|
Neither tool fits your invoicing-only workflow? Try InvoiceSonic — free for unlimited ATO-compliant tax invoices, no signup required.
Create a free invoice now →Hiveage starts at Free; Plus from AU$16/mo; Xero starts at AU$35/mo (Starter). Hiveage offers free for 5 clients, unlimited invoices. Xero offers 30-day free trial.
For ATO-compliant GST: Hiveage = limited, Xero = yes. For native ABN field: Hiveage = limited, Xero = yes. If you operate in Australia and either tool falls short here, InvoiceSonic handles both natively — and it's free.
Most freelancers want fast invoicing without paying for full accounting. Between these two, Xero wins more categories overall. But if you're a freelancer who just wants ATO-compliant tax invoices for free, InvoiceSonic is purpose-built for that workflow.
Both Hiveage and Xero let you export client lists and invoice history (usually as CSV). Migration takes an afternoon for most small businesses. If you're considering switching anyway, it might be worth evaluating InvoiceSonic as a free alternative for invoicing while keeping your accountant's tool of choice for bookkeeping.
Both tools are accounting-first platforms; their invoicing modules are a subset of what they do. If invoicing is your only need, a free dedicated invoice generator like InvoiceSonic is usually faster, cheaper, and more focused — without paying for bookkeeping, payroll, or inventory features you won't use.
Yes — InvoiceSonic is free for unlimited Australian-compliant invoices with no signup required for PDF download. You can run it alongside or instead of paid accounting platforms.