An accounting software comparison
Chart and Xero: Which option fits your business?
Chart and Xero are not identical products. Chart focuses on core bookkeeping, GST records and financial reporting. Xero provides a broader feature set, including connected bank feeds, payroll and a large integration ecosystem.
Explore Chart at A$240 a yearSubscription structure
Published pricing, with product scope kept in view.
Chart costs A$240 per organisation for one year, including GST. Xero offers several Australian plans, including Ignite at A$37 per month with invoice and bill-entry limits, and Grow at A$78 per month. The products cover different scopes, so price should be considered alongside the workflow each business needs.
Prices include GST and were checked on 12 August 2026. Xero's temporary promotional pricing is excluded. Xero Ignite allows up to 20 invoices to be sent and 5 bills to be entered each month; Grow is used in the detailed table because it does not have those entry limits. Feature scope differs. See the current Xero Australia pricing page.
Compare the fit
Choose the product that matches the file—not the longest feature list.
Chart may be a better fit when
- A$240 annual price with GST included
- One plan with the core accounting workspace
- Built from Australian accounting-practice workflows
- Clear records for both the business and its accountant
- Accountant access included in the Chart subscription
- Accounting-data export for authorised users
Xero may be a better fit when
- Connected bank feeds
- Payroll and automated superannuation
- More than 1,000 app integrations
- A broader set of business tools
- A large, established user and adviser ecosystem
Feature and fit comparison
Chart and Xero, side by side.
| What matters | Chart | Xero (Grow unless noted) |
|---|---|---|
| Published subscription price | A$240 per organisation, per year, including GST | Ignite: A$37 per month with invoice and bill-entry limits; Grow: A$78 per month. Prices include GST |
| Bank transactions | CSV import, cash coding, possible-match review and reconciliation | Connected bank feeds and bank reconciliation, with auto-reconcile listed as beta |
| Sales and purchases | Invoices, bills, credit notes, payments and refunds included | Invoicing, bill entry, bill tracking and online payment options included |
| GST and BAS | Cash or accrual GST records and BAS figure preparation; Chart does not lodge BAS | Tracks GST and supports BAS lodgement |
| Financial records | Profit and loss, balance sheet, general ledger drill-down, journals, fixed assets and period locks | Real-time reports and a broader set of accounting and business tools |
| Payroll | Not included | Grow includes payroll for two people and automated superannuation |
| Integrations | Focused standalone accounting workspace | Established ecosystem with more than 1,000 connected apps |
| Best fit | Straightforward Australian files that need the accounting core at a predictable annual price | Businesses that value connected feeds, payroll, integrations and a broader feature set |
The practical decision
Which workflow is closer to yours?
Your file needs the accounting core.
Your business does not need payroll or inventory inside the ledger, your accountant helps manage the file, and CSV bank imports are acceptable for the current workflow.
Your workflow depends on the broader ecosystem.
Automated bank feeds, payroll, specialised integrations or other advanced tools are central to the way the business operates.
Explore Chart
See whether Chart fits your accounting workflow.
Core accounting for one organisation at A$240 a year, GST included.