The Best Free Alternative To Xero Go For Small Businesses

Xero Go… Going… Gone…

If you’re affected by Xero Go's discontinuation in September 2024, don’t worry—we’re here to offer support and point you to an alternative built specifically for the needs of the self-employed. 

What is happening to Xero Go? 

Xero has dropped a bombshell on some of its self-employed customers by announcing that its entry-level mobile app, Xero Go, will be discontinued and removed as of the 12th of September 2024. Until it is removed from the Play and iOS stores, the app can still be downloaded – but you won’t be able to sign up for a new user account. 

Xero claims the decision was made after realising more investment was required to serve the needs of small business customers. Instead, it asks users to sign up for the core Xero platform. However, a more comprehensive and expensive platform might not be the right option for you.

What do you need to do?

If you’re a Xero Go customer, you can continue using the app until it is discontinued. However, all data will be deleted when the app is removed – so you must take action now to avoid losing it.

How to export your data from Xero Go 

• Make sure your Xero Go app is updated to the latest version. 
• In the app dashboard, you’ll see a notification informing you that Xero Go is being discontinued. Below it, there’s an ‘export my data’ button. 
• Click the button, and you can export your data in a .zip file. 
• Save the .Zip file in a secure location, preferably to a cloud-based storage system like Google Drive. 

Remember, you must do this before 12th September 2024, or risk losing access to your financial records. To stay compliant with tax rules and regulations, you should keep records for five years, so you really can’t risk losing your Xero Go data if you used it at any point between its launch in 2022 and its discontinuation. 

What did Xero Go get right for sole traders? 

Introduced in 2022, the app aimed to simplify accountancy tasks for sole traders and small business owners. It made it simple for you to:

• Track your business expenses and log receipts
• Send and create invoices – though at an additional charge
• Get an at-a-glance idea of your business finances via a reporting dashboard
• Manage customers and suppliers via a contacts database
• Set up payments to help you get paid

The handy mobile app was free until March 2023, when it began charging customers £4 per month. This was in addition to other charges added for common accountancy needs such as reconciling banks and sending invoices. 

The best alternative to Xero Go: CrunchOne

It doesn’t matter how technically minded you are; having to change systems can feel like a chore. Xero's decision to discontinue Xero Go puts its customers at a disadvantage, as the expectation is that you sign up for the Xero platform. 

If you’d rather take your business elsewhere and choose a product that simplifies accountancy for sole traders, we have a great alternative. CrunchOne is built specifically for the self-employed and helps you handle all of the standard accountancy and bookkeeping tasks you’ll need to perform. 

If you enjoyed Xero Go, CrunchOne offers similar tools with added bonuses:

• Invoicing: Create, send and track invoices as regularly as needed – our pricing model isn’t based on how many invoices you create. 
• Expenses: Save time on expenses by automating them and easily scan receipts from your smartphone. 
• Open banking: Connect your bank and reconcile transactions without an additional charge. 

But that’s not all – our software offers far more flexibility than Xero Go. Give CrunchOne a try, and you’ll enjoy a whole host of new benefits, such as:

• Powerful insights: We’ll build a dashboard that grants instant insight into your business’s financial performance, giving you an up-to-date overview of money in and out. 
• Business mileage: Use our app to record mileage and put your business motoring expenses on cruise control. 
• Ask an accountant: Hit a snag? With this feature, you can get genuine advice from real accountants, cutting out the costs of hiring a traditional accountancy firm. 
• Tax returns: Use CrunchOne, and we’ll file your tax and VAT returns. As part of the unique charge only 1% of the money you receive, every user gets one free self-assessment filed each year. 
• Data security: All data is stored securely in a cloud-based system, but we’ll never hold it hostage – it’s free to access and export at any time. 
• UK-based: Crunch is housed right here in the UK and always will be, so you’ll get the support you need whenever you need it. 

Our pricing system is far more transparent, too! You won’t be charged for common actions like bank reconciliation and invoicing; our costs are instead based on your earnings. You’ll only pay 1% of your total earnings, capped at £300 + VAT per annum. 

How to switch to CrunchOne

If you’re a Xero Go customer, download your records before uninstalling the app. Once you have, click here to visit our CrunchOne page, where you can sign up in just a few minutes. 

If you’ve never used Xero Go but found this page because you’re looking for a simple accountancy solution for your small business, you’re in the right place! CrunchOne offers a more comprehensive way to manage your accounts in a lightweight package similar to the now-defunct Xero app. 

However you might have found us, give CrunchOne a try today and forget about accountancy-related worries, including the dreaded tax return.