FreshBooks and PayPal vs Xero and PayPal

Which is better for freelancers and consultants in the UK? It depends on what you care about, so here are both answers and the arithmetic under them.

The short answer

Xero and PayPal takes two of the four lenses to FreshBooks and PayPal's one, and one is too close to call. The difference that decides it is Price as you grow to Xero and PayPal.

FreshBooks and PayPal
1 of 4 lenses
Xero and PayPal
2 of 4 lenses
Which stack leads under each lens
If you care most aboutFreshBooks and PayPalXero and PayPal
Best all-rounderToo close to call, 1 apart (FreshBooks and PayPal is nominally ahead)7372
Best on a budgetXero and PayPal by 66369
Easiest to startFreshBooks and PayPal by 118776
Best as you growXero and PayPal by 146074

How they're built

FreshBooks and PayPal splits the work across FreshBooks and PayPal. Xero and PayPal splits the work across Xero and PayPal.

Which tool does each category in FreshBooks and PayPal and Xero and PayPal
CategoryFreshBooks and PayPalXero and PayPal
Accounting
AccountingFreshBooksFreshBooksXeroXero
Invoicing
InvoicingFreshBooksFreshBooksXeroXero
Taking payments
Taking paymentsPayPalPayPalPayPalPayPal

Greyed-out rows use the same tool on both sides. A category is one job a stack has to do; a tool is one product you sign up for.

Where they differ

Biggest gap first. These ratings don't move between lenses — only how much they count does.

FreshBooks and PayPal and Xero and PayPal compared on the measures they differ on
MeasureFreshBooks and PayPalXero and PayPal
Price as you grow2 steps apart
Price as you grow2 steps apartWeak2 out of 5Good4 out of 5
Quick to set up1 step apart
Quick to set up1 step apartExcellent5 out of 5Good4 out of 5

FreshBooks and PayPal Quick to connect, though recurring templates wait 3-5 business days and a new account can have payments held for up to 21.

Easy day to day1 step apart
Easy day to day1 step apartExcellent5 out of 5Good4 out of 5
Works with the rest1 step apart
Works with the rest1 step apartFair3 out of 5Good4 out of 5

FreshBooks and PayPal A client can pay by card without a PayPal account, but only up to a limit PayPal sets per client; recurring payments need one outright.

Help when stuck1 step apart
Help when stuck1 step apartGood4 out of 5Fair3 out of 5

They rate the same on Price to start, Local fit and Easy to leave.

What you'd live with

The price to actually launch, the catches that come with it, and what you give up by picking one over the other.

  • Choosing FreshBooks and PayPal over Xero and PayPal costs you Price as you grow (weak against good).

FreshBooks and PayPal

The friendliest invoicing of the four, paid through the button clients already trust. Connect a PayPal Business account and you can send the invoice the same day.

What each tool costs

FreshBooks
£16/mo (Lite, 5 clients)
PayPal
2.9% + £0.30 per payment, no monthly fee

Watch out for

The five-client cap, PayPal fees on every payment, and a client who wants to pay you on repeat needs their own PayPal account.

Pick it if

Someone who wants to send a good-looking invoice today and think about bookkeeping later.

Momentum: Stable · Built from 2 tools · Checked Sep 18, 2026

All eight ratings for FreshBooks and PayPal

Xero and PayPal

The same books, with the payment method most clients already have. Clients pay the PayPal link on a Xero invoice without signing up for anything.

What each tool costs

Xero
£18/mo + VAT (Ignite plan)
PayPal
2.9% + £0.30 per payment, no monthly fee

Watch out for

PayPal costs more per payment than Stripe everywhere but Canada, where the two are level.

Pick it if

Working with clients who expect to pay by PayPal, or who pay from abroad.

Momentum: Stable · Built from 2 tools · Checked Sep 18, 2026

All eight ratings for Xero and PayPal
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