Xero

What Xero is

Xero is a strong QuickBooks alternative with a cleaner interface, excellent bank reconciliation, and — importantly for contractors — unlimited users on every plan, so your office manager, bookkeeper, and accountant all get access without extra cost. Project tracking covers basic job costing.

What it does well

• Unlimited users on all plans
• Excellent bank feed reconciliation
• Clean, approachable interface
• Strong international and multi-currency support

Integrates with

Tradify · ServiceM8 · Simpro · Gusto · Stripe

Integration lists change often and "integrates" can mean anything from a real two-way sync to a one-way push through Zapier. Ask the vendor which fields move, in which direction, and how often.

Before you commit

• Pick what your accountant already works in unless you have a strong reason not to. Migration costs real money.
• Job-level profit is the number to chase. Verify labour burden — not just wage — flows into job cost.
• If you run crews across jurisdictions, check multi-state payroll tax handling before you commit.
• Prevailing-wage or public work means certified payroll. Confirm it is supported natively.
• Weekly categorisation habit beats any feature. Software makes bookkeeping faster, not automatic.

How to judge it in a trial

Run one real job through it end to end — not the demo data. Quote it, schedule it, do it, invoice it, take the payment. Then ask the only question that matters on day 400: did the people who have to use this every day find it faster than what they do now? Friction you notice in week one compounds forever, and tool-hopping costs more than any feature gap.