Billo vs Xero
Simple invoicing vs comprehensive accounting. Find the right solution for your UK business.
Two Different Philosophies
Billo Invoicing is a specialised invoicing platform built for UK businesses that want to create professional invoices quickly and efficiently. Starting at £7/month with a free plan, Billo focuses exclusively on invoicing workflows, making it perfect for freelancers, consultants, and small service businesses.
Xero is a cloud-based accounting platform that provides comprehensive financial management, from invoicing to payroll, inventory, and financial reporting. Starting at £15/month, Xero is designed for businesses that need complete accounting functionality.
The fundamental question is: Do you need a full accounting system, or just a way to invoice clients? Many UK businesses, especially freelancers and small service providers, only need invoicing but end up paying for accounting features they never use.
Focused vs Comprehensive
Billo Invoicing: Simplicity First
Billo Invoicing believes that invoicing shouldn't be complicated. By focusing solely on invoicing, we've created a platform that's:
- More affordable: £7/month with a free plan vs £15/month starting price - save £8/month (£96/year)
- Faster to learn: Get started in minutes, not days
- Easier to use: No overwhelming menus or complex workflows
- UK-specific: Built-in CIS support for construction businesses
- Free plan: Try before you commit
Perfect for: Freelancers, consultants, small service businesses, and anyone who primarily needs to invoice clients and track payments.
Xero: Complete Accounting
Xero is a powerful accounting platform that handles your entire financial workflow:
- Full accounting: P&L, balance sheets, cash flow statements
- Bank feeds: Automatic transaction import from banks
- Payroll: Integrated payroll management (extra cost)
- Inventory: Track products and stock levels
- Multi-user: Team access with different permission levels
Perfect for: Businesses that need full accounting, inventory management, payroll, and comprehensive financial reporting with team collaboration.
Key Differences for UK Businesses
Pricing & Value
Billo Invoicing: Starting at £7/month with a free plan available. You only pay for invoicing features you'll actually use.
- • Free: 10 invoices/month
- • Starter: £7/month - Unlimited invoices
- • Professional: £15/month - Unlimited invoices
Xero: Starting at £15/month with no free plan. You pay for accounting features even if you only need invoicing.
- • Starter: £15/month - 20 invoices
- • Standard: £30/month - unlimited invoices
- • Premium: £45/month - multiple currencies
Bottom line: If you only need invoicing, Billo saves you £8-38/month compared to Xero. That's £96-456 per year!
UK-Specific Features
For UK businesses, especially in construction, Billo offers unique advantages:
Billo Advantages
- CIS Support: Built-in Construction Industry Scheme compliance with automatic deduction calculations (0%, 20%, 30%)
- UK-Based: Company and support team based in the UK, understanding local needs
- GDPR Compliant: Data stored in UK/EU servers
Xero Features
- No CIS support for construction businesses
- NZ-based company with strong UK presence
- Excellent VAT support for UK businesses
Learning Curve & Setup Time
Billo Invoicing is designed for simplicity. Most users are creating invoices within 2-5 minutes of signing up.
- • Intuitive interface focused on invoicing
- • Minimal setup required
- • No accounting knowledge needed
- • Quick onboarding process
Xero is comprehensive but requires time to learn and set up properly.
- • Steeper learning curve
- • More setup and configuration needed
- • May require accounting knowledge
- • Extensive training resources available
Which Solution Fits Your Business?
Choose Billo If...
- You're a freelancer or consultant
You primarily need to invoice clients and track payments. You don't need full accounting features.
- You work in UK construction
Billo is the only platform with built-in CIS support. Xero doesn't offer this essential feature for construction businesses.
- You want to try before buying
Billo offers a free plan with 5 invoices/month. Xero requires payment from day one.
- You have an accountant
Your accountant handles the books. You just need to generate invoices and track payments.
- Budget matters
Save £10-30/month compared to Xero while getting everything you need for invoicing.
Choose Xero If...
- You need full accounting
You want P&L statements, balance sheets, and comprehensive financial reporting in one platform.
- You manage inventory
You sell products and need to track stock levels and cost of goods sold.
- You need automatic bank feeds
You want transactions automatically imported from your bank accounts.
- You handle your own books
You're comfortable with accounting software and want everything in one place.
- You have multiple users
You need team access with different permission levels (Billo is single-user focused).
Quick Feature Comparison
| Feature | Billo Invoicing | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ||
| Starting Price | £7/mo | £15/mo |
| UK CIS Support | ||
| Invoice Creation | ||
| Quote Management | ||
| Client CRM | ||
| Full Accounting | ||
| Bank Feeds | ||
| Expense Tracking | ||
| Payroll | ||
| Inventory | ||
| Multi-User | ||
| Ease of Use |
Need Just Invoicing? Start with Billo
If you only need invoicing, why pay for accounting features you won't use? Try Billo free and see how simple invoicing can be.
14-day free trial • Cancel anytime