Fortnox vs Xero (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Fortnox if

• Fits if you run a Swedish company and want bank-connected books
• Makes sense if you start a new company and can use the free half year

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you are outside Sweden, because it links to Swedish banks and the tax agency
• Pricey if you send a lot of invoices: 4.90 kr each through the invoice service, 39 kr each when you send them yourself on the simple tier
• Watch out: the Access base fee of 9 to 199 kr a month goes on every package
• Watch out: a 3-month term adds 15% to every list price
• Tight if you want to try before you pay, since there is no trial and the free half year is for new companies only

Pick Xero if

• Fits if your accountant already works in Xero
• Works for businesses where several staff and advisers need to be in the books, as users are unlimited

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you send more than 20 invoices or enter more than 5 bills, since that's where Early stops
• Watch out: the advertised prices are 80% off for 3 months only, then $27, $59 or $97 a month
• Pricey if you need US payroll, at $36 a month plus $6 a person on top
• Pricey if you bill in other currencies, which need Established at $97, or want auto-reconcile on Early, a $5 add-on
• Skip it if you want a free plan to start on, as there isn't one, and taking the free month costs you the discount

Fortnox

• Built for Swedish businesses: it links to Swedish banks and the tax agency, and prices are in kronor.
• Every customer pays the Access base fee: 9 kr a month under 40 vouchers a year, 99 kr at 100 to 999, 199 kr at 1,000 or more.
• Invoices cost extra: 4.90 kr each through the invoice service, and 39 kr each by sending yourself on the simple tier.
• A 3-month term adds 15% to every list price; the prices shown are for a 12-month term.

Xero

• The advertised prices are 80% off for the first 3 months; plans then renew at $27, $59 or $97 a month.
• Early stops at 20 invoices and 5 bills, and its graphs and cash flow forecast are the basic ones.
• US payroll costs $36 a month plus $6 per employee or contractor, and is not offered to Xero's US mobile-only subscribers.
• These are US prices; Xero sells in other countries, including New Zealand, Australia and the UK, on separate regional sites.

Fortnox

Bookkeeping

Reads transactions from connected bank and tax accounts and books most of them automatically, with suggested postings for supplier invoices.

Invoicing

Create and send invoices, track which are paid, and let Fortnox handle distribution, matching and reminders for a per-invoice fee.

Company card and receipts

A free company card sends each purchase and receipt into the books; receipts can also be photographed in the mobile app.

Payroll

A payroll program and a simpler pay-run option both pay out salaries and send payslips, with e-ID sign-in.

Payments from the platform

Pay suppliers inside Fortnox by signing with e-ID; payments are matched and booked automatically.

Mobile app

The Fortnox app, for Android and iOS, handles supplier invoices, mobile invoicing and receipt capture.

Xero

Bank reconciliation

Match bank transactions to invoices and bills. Auto-reconcile is part of Growing and Established, and a $5 a month add-on on Early.

Invoices, quotes and online payments

Send invoices and quotes with a payment service attached, and take card payments in person with Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android.

Bills and Smart Document Capture

Bills and receipts are pulled into Xero from documents, and standard ACH bill payments in US dollars are included on every plan.

Cash flow forecasts and analytics

Forecasts run 30, 60 or 180 days ahead depending on the plan, and Syft analytics, dashboards and health scorecards are built in.

JAX assistant

Xero's AI assistant answers questions about the business's numbers and handles routine bookkeeping tasks.

Xero Payroll, powered by Gusto

Full-service payroll that calculates, files and pays federal and state taxes across all 50 states, without leaving Xero.

Fortnox

• Mini209 kr

  per month on a 12-month term, plus the Access base fee

  Bookkeeping package. A 3-month term adds 15%. New companies pay the first half year free.

• Liten349 kr

  per month on a 12-month term, plus the Access base fee

  Bookkeeping plus Fakturering Plus, the fuller invoicing program.

• Mellan+659 kr

  per month on a 12-month term, plus the Access base fee

  Adds payroll, supplier-invoice approval and unlimited integrations. A Mellan package without the plus lists at 490 kr.

• Stor+919 kr

  per month on a 12-month term, plus the Access base fee

  Adds fixed-asset register and two reporting programs. A Stor package without the plus lists at 710 kr.

Xero

• Early$27

  per month, billed monthly

  Advertised at $5.40 a month for the first 3 months. Quotes, 20 invoices, 5 bills, bank reconciliation, sales tax and a 30-day cash flow forecast.

• Growing$59

  per month, billed monthly

  Advertised at $11.80 a month for the first 3 months. No invoice or bill limits, auto-reconcile, dashboards, budgets and a 60-day forecast.

• Established$97

  per month, billed monthly

  Advertised at $19.40 a month for the first 3 months. Adds multiple currencies, project time and costs, expense claims and a 180-day forecast.

Fortnox

• Startups

  First half year free for new companies

  Fortnox says a newly started company's first six months with the service cost nothing.

Xero

• Other savings

  80% off the first 3 months

  New US customers buying their first organization pay 20% of the base plan price for 3 months, then the regular monthly price. Add-ons are not discounted.

• Other savings

  Two months of Xero Payroll free

  Xero's payroll page offers two months free to try Xero Payroll, which then costs $36 a month plus $6 per employee or contractor.