Sole vs Xero: Why pay for tools you don’t use?
Xero is built for accountants and big businesses. Sole is built for you.
Feature
Xero (Ignite Plan)
Sole App
Monthly Cost
~$30.00 / mo
$14.99 / mo
Invoices
Limited (20 / mo)
Unlimited
Bank Feeds
Yes
Yes
Interface
Desktop-First (Complex)
Mobile-First (Simple)
Best For
Growing SME with Staff
Sole Traders & Freelancers
Did you know Xero’s starter plan (Ignite) caps you at 20 invoices and quotes per month?
If you are a busy tradie, cleaner, or freelancer, you might hit that limit by week two. To get unlimited invoicing on Xero, you are forced to upgrade to the “Grow” plan, which costs ~$65/month. That is a massive “success tax” just for doing more work.
With Sole, there are no ceilings:
Unlimited Invoices: Send 5 or 500. We don’t punish you for being busy.
Unlimited Quotes: Quote as many jobs as you like without worrying about plan limits.
One Price: Get every feature you need for a flat $14.99/mo. No surprises, no forced upgrades.
Simplicity vs. Complexity
Built for a Phone, Not a Desk
Xero is powerful, but it’s heavy. It’s packed with “bloatware” features like Payroll, Inventory Management, and Fixed Asset Depreciation tools that clutter your screen and confuse your bookkeeping if you’re a one-person show.
Sole cuts the noise and focuses on speed:
No Jargon: We speak “Business Owner,” not “CPA.” No confusing accounting terms.
30-Second Invoicing: Create and send a professional invoice from your van, the job site, or the couch before you even leave the driveway.
Swipe to Reconcile: Match bank transactions with a single tap. It’s as easy as a dating app, but for your money.
“I was previously using Xero, but it had more features than I needed. Sole provided everything I was looking for at a great price.” - Tyla (Verified User).
Savings Calculator
How much is “brand loyalty” costing you?
Timeframe
Xero Cost (Grow Plan)
Sole Cost
You Save
1 Month
$65.00
$14.99
$50.01
1 Year
$780.00
$179.88
$600.12
5 Years
$3,900.00
$899.40
$3,000.60
Will my accountant be mad?
Short answer: No. Your accountant doesn’t need you to use complex software; they just need your data to be accurate and organized. While accountants are trained on Xero, Sole makes their job just as easy:
Easy Export: Generate and send a complete transaction report in Excel or CSV format instantly.
Invite Them In: You can give your accountant free guest access to your Sole account so they can pull the reports they need for tax time without bothering you.
Moving from Xero is Easy
Don’t let the fear of “moving data” trap you in an expensive contract. You can be up and running on Sole in under 5 minutes:
Export your client list from Xero as a CSV file.
Upload it directly into your Sole App dashboard.
Start invoicing immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions
Why is Sole considered better for Australian Sole Traders than Xero?
Xero is an enterprise-grade tool built for accountants and businesses with staff. For a one-person show, Xero often includes “bloatware” like payroll and complex depreciation schedules that you simply don’t need. Sole is mobile-first, jargon-free, and costs less than half the price of Xero’s basic plan while offering unlimited invoicing.
Does Xero really limit the number of invoices I can send?
Yes. As of 2026, Xero’s entry-level Ignite Plan (approx. $32/mo) caps you at just 20 invoices and quotes per month. Busy tradies or freelancers often hit this limit by week two. To get unlimited invoicing on Xero, you must upgrade to the Grow Plan (approx. $65/mo). Sole offers unlimited invoicing for a flat $14.99/mo.
Will my accountant be unhappy if I switch from Xero to Sole?
Not at all. Accountants care about accuracy and organisation, not specific brand names. Sole allows you to generate professional Excel/CSV transaction reports instantly. You can even give your accountant Free Guest Access to your Sole account so they can pull the data they need for tax time without needing to message you.
How much can I actually save by switching to Sole?
The savings are significant. Compared to the Xero “Grow” plan (required for unlimited invoicing), switching to Sole saves you approximately $50 per month. Over a year, that’s over $600 in your pocket, and over five years, you save more than $3,000 money better spent on tools, marketing, or your offset account.
Is it difficult to move my data from Xero to Sole?
It takes less than 5 minutes. You simply export your client list from Xero as a CSV file and upload it directly into your Sole App dashboard. You can then start invoicing immediately without losing your database.
Can I reconcile my bank transactions as easily as I do in Xero?
Sole features a “Swipe to Reconcile” interface that is actually faster than Xero for simple businesses. It uses secure bank feeds to pull your transactions, and you simply tap to match them with invoices.