SumUp vs Xero is really payments-first versus accounting-first. SumUp Invoices is free to use and charges a transaction fee when a customer pays by card; Xero is an accounting subscription that also sends invoices. Many businesses want both, which is why "SumUp Xero integration" is such a common search.
Xero wins on more features overall (9 vs 3, 7 tied).
| Question | SumUp | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Card readers, POS, payment links and free SumUp Invoices | Cloud accounting with invoicing, bank feeds, GST and BAS |
| How you pay | No monthly cost for SumUp Invoices; transaction fees on card payments (from 1.40% in Australia) | Monthly subscription; card payments go through a connected payment provider |
| Best for | Face-to-face sales and simple invoices you want paid by card | Businesses whose accountant works in Xero |
Sources: SumUp Invoices (AU) · Xero AU pricing. Checked 10 Sep 2026.
Availability depends on your country and SumUp product, so check the Xero App Store and SumUp's integrations page for your account before you build a workflow around it. Without a direct connection, the usual approach is to record SumUp payouts against invoices from the Xero bank feed.
Use SumUp Invoices if most of your customers pay by card and you do not need full accounting. Use Xero if you need bookkeeping and BAS in the same place. If you just want professional invoices paid by bank transfer or PayID without card fees, a dedicated invoice tool avoids both the subscription and the transaction fee.
Related: SumUp Invoices alternatives · Xero alternatives · Stripe vs SumUp · InvoiceSonic vs SumUp Invoices · InvoiceSonic vs Xero
| Feature | SumUp Invoicing | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan |
✓ Yes
Free for SumUp merchants
|
✗ No
30-day trial only
|
| Entry paid plan |
— Paid add-on
|
— Paid add-on
US$25/mo Early; AU$37/mo Ignite, before promotions
|
| Download PDF without signup |
✗ No
|
✗ No
|
| Feature | SumUp Invoicing | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited invoices |
— Limited
|
— Limited
Ignite caps at 20 invoices/month — unlimited requires Grow at AU$78
|
| 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 | SumUp Invoicing | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax, GST and VAT fields |
— Limited
|
✓ Yes
|
| Country-ready business ID fields |
— Limited
|
✓ Yes
|
| Country-specific invoice setup |
— Limited
|
✓ Yes
|
| Feature | SumUp 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 | SumUp Invoicing | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Choice of payment method |
✗ No
SumUp payments
|
✓ Yes
|
| Mobile app |
— Limited
|
✓ Yes
|
| Feature | SumUp Invoicing | 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 →SumUp Invoicing starts at Free (card fees apply); Xero starts at US$25/mo Early; AU$37/mo Ignite. SumUp Invoicing offers free invoicing for sumup merchants. Xero offers 30-day free trial.
For ATO-compliant GST: SumUp Invoicing = limited, Xero = yes. For native ABN field: SumUp 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.
Do not assume a one-click migration. Confirm each product's current export and import formats, then test contacts, opening balances, unpaid invoices, tax codes, attachments and reconciliations before cancelling the old account. Keep statutory records outside both systems.
Both tools include more than invoicing. If invoicing is your only need, a dedicated generator can be faster and more focused than a full accounting subscription.
Yes — InvoiceSonic lets you create and download an invoice without signup. Its account plans have separate limits and pricing, so compare current official plans before deciding.