Xero is accounting software: double-entry books, bank reconciliation, bills and payroll, built for a small business and the accountant who works in it. BrassWell is for a business of one: what came in, what the IRS will want, and what is yours to spend. Which fits depends on whether you need books, or answers.
Side by side
| BrassWell | Xero | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99/mo Core, $29.99/mo Pro; $199/yr Core, $299/yr Pro | Early $27/mo, Growing $59/mo, Established $97/mo (US list prices) |
| Free option | 14-day trial, no card | Introductory discounts on the first months, from time to time |
| Invoicing | Core: 5 a month. Pro: unlimited | Early: 20 a month. Growing and Established: no cap listed |
| Tax estimate | Every plan: income and self-employment tax, 2026 brackets, W-2 wages, state rate, quarterly reminders | Sales tax on every plan; no income tax estimate listed |
| Mileage | Pro: IRS-ready log, 2026 mid-year rate by date | Established only |
| Bookkeeping | No double-entry ledger; CPA-ready export | Full double-entry books and bank reconciliation |
| Bank connections | Pro (via Plaid); CSV import on every plan | Every plan; auto-reconcile is a $5/mo add-on on Early |
| Bills | Not offered | Early: 5 a month. Growing and up: no cap listed |
| Payroll | Not offered | Add-on: $36/mo plus $6 per person |
| Budgets | Yes, with goals | Growing: 3. Established: included. Early: none |
| Projects and multi-currency | Time tracking on Pro; US dollars | Established only |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Android, web | Web, iPhone, Android |
Where Xero is the better choice
Real books. Xero keeps double-entry accounts with a chart of accounts and bank reconciliation, which is what most accountants want to work in. BrassWell has no ledger; if your accountant needs one, keep Xero and send them BrassWell’s CPA export too.
A business that is growing. Bills, payroll as an add-on, inventory, projects and multi-currency are all there when you take on staff or suppliers. BrassWell is built for a business of one.
An accountant’s ecosystem. Many bookkeepers and CPAs already work in Xero and can log in to your file. BrassWell has no accountant login; you send them the files.
Where BrassWell is the better choice
Your income tax, worked out. Xero handles sales tax, but its pricing page lists no income tax estimate. BrassWell estimates self-employment and income tax on the 2026 brackets, stacked on any W-2 wages, with your state rate, and turns it into a set-aside percentage, a quarterly payment and a reminder before each date. Our quarterly tax calculator runs the same math in public.
Mileage without the top plan. Xero’s mileage claims come with Established at $97 a month. BrassWell Pro keeps an IRS-ready mileage log at $29.99 a month, with the 2026 mid-year rate applied to each trip by its date.
Price for one person. Core costs less than Xero Early and includes the tax estimate, receipts with AI, budgets and goals; Early caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills a month.
A year of each, in dollars
At list prices, Xero Early is $324 a year, Growing $708 and Established $1,164. BrassWell Core is $199 and Pro is $299. If you need books for an accountant, payroll or inventory, Xero is the right tool and the cost buys that. If you are one person who mainly needs to know what to set aside, BrassWell does that part for less.
Switching from Xero
Export your contacts, invoices and bank transactions from Xero as CSV files. BrassWell imports a CSV of income and expenses, matches the columns to your file’s headers and skips likely duplicates. Some people keep Xero for their accountant and use BrassWell day to day for the tax set-aside; if you leave, download your reports and attachments first.
Questions, answered
Is BrassWell a good Xero alternative for freelancers?
Yes for a business of one that wants a tax estimate, a set-aside for every payment, quarterly reminders, invoicing and a mileage log. Xero is the better fit if you need double-entry books for an accountant, payroll, bills or inventory.
How much does Xero cost in the US?
Xero’s US list prices are $27 a month for Early, $59 for Growing and $97 for Established. Early allows 20 invoices and 5 bills a month. Payroll is an add-on at $36 a month plus $6 per person.
Does Xero estimate my self-employment tax?
Xero’s pricing page lists sales tax on every plan but no income or self-employment tax estimate. BrassWell estimates both on every plan and sets money aside for them.
Does Xero track mileage?
Mileage and expense claims are on Xero’s Established plan, $97 a month. BrassWell Pro keeps an IRS-ready mileage log for $29.99 a month.
Sources
- Xero pricing plans (US) — Xero. US list prices, limits and add-ons by plan, checked October 30, 2026.
- BrassWell pricing — BrassWell. Core and Pro, line by line.
