Xero wins on more features overall (8 vs 2, 9 tied). Below is the full feature-by-feature breakdown.
| Feature | Stripe Invoicing | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan |
✓ Yes
Free to draft; 0.5% when paid
|
✗ No
30-day trial only
|
| Entry paid plan |
— Paid add-on
|
— Paid add-on
AU$35/mo Starter, AU$70/mo Standard
|
| Download PDF without signup |
✗ No
|
✗ No
|
| Feature | Stripe Invoicing | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited invoices |
— Limited
|
— 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 |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Feature | Stripe Invoicing | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| ATO-compliant GST invoices |
— Limited
|
✓ Yes
|
| ABN field built in |
— Limited
Custom field workaround
|
✓ Yes
|
| Australian-focused support |
— Limited
|
✓ Yes
|
| Feature | Stripe Invoicing | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Bank reconciliation |
✗ No
|
✓ Yes
|
| Expense tracking |
— Limited
|
✓ Yes
|
| Payroll |
✗ No
|
— Paid add-on
+AU$10/mo per employee
|
| Inventory tracking |
✗ No
|
✓ Yes
|
| Feature | Stripe Invoicing | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe payments |
✓ Yes
Stripe only
|
✓ Yes
|
| Mobile app |
— Limited
|
✓ Yes
|
| Feature | Stripe Invoicing | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time |
✗ No
Stripe Dashboard + API knowledge
|
✗ 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 →Stripe Invoicing starts at 0.5% on paid invoices (on top of Stripe fees); Xero starts at AU$35/mo (Starter). Stripe Invoicing offers free to create; fees when paid. Xero offers 30-day free trial.
For ATO-compliant GST: Stripe Invoicing = limited, Xero = yes. For native ABN field: Stripe Invoicing = 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 Stripe Invoicing 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.