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

Pick Wafeq if

• Fits if you run a small business in the Gulf and need e-invoicing for the tax authority
• Makes sense if you want inventory and payroll in the same product as the books

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you only need basic invoicing at $26 and expect books, as fuller accounting starts at Plus
• Not for you if you want phone apps, since none were found
• Watch out: Enterprise is yearly only and sold through sales
• Tight if you want a free plan, as there is only a 14-day trial
• Watch out: monthly billing costs $32 against $26 yearly

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

Wafeq

• Feature lists per plan sit behind a Show All Features control and were not read; check what each tier includes.
• Starter is an invoicing-only plan; fuller accounting starts at Plus.
• Enterprise is yearly only and priced through sales.
• Quarterly billing is also offered at 12% off, and the page says yearly means 12 months for the price of 10.

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.

Wafeq

Invoices, quotes and purchase orders

Send invoices, quotes and purchase orders from one account, with e-invoicing that the site says is ready for ZATCA phase 2.

Inventory and manufacturing

Inventory tracking and a manufacturing module are listed among the product features.

Payroll

Manage payroll alongside the books; the homepage lists payroll with the other core modules.

Financial reports

Generate more than 40 financial reports to follow how the business is doing.

Tax authority support

The site shows ZATCA and UAE Federal Tax Authority logos and a free ZATCA invoice QR scanner.

API and accountant tools

Public API documentation, plus accountant perks and a way to hire a Wafeq-certified accountant.

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.

Wafeq

• Starter$26

  per month, billed annually ($32 billed monthly)

  For small businesses that only need invoicing; $312 a year.

• Plus$32

  per month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly)

  Everything in Starter, for businesses that want to control their finances; $384 a year.

• Premium$55

  per month, billed annually ($67 billed monthly)

  Everything in Plus, for a complete accounting solution; $660 a year.

• EnterpriseCustom

  For medium and large companies; yearly subscription only, sold through sales.

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.

Wafeq

• Annual discount

  12 months for the price of 10 on yearly plans

  The pricing page says yearly billing gives two months free, and a quarterly option takes 12% off.

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.