AI bookkeeping · BAS · STP Phase 2 · Multi-currency every plan · Verified 2026-07-22
Xero is AU's home turf with the largest advisor network, and now ships its own JAX agentic AI. Honest concession. The case for HelloBooks: multi-currency on every plan (Xero gates it to Comprehensive $107/mo or Ultimate 10 $143/mo), native India GST and TDS that Xero does not offer, and a fraction of the cost of Xero Grow with unlimited features.
1. Xero is AU's home turf — the difference is price and compliance breadth
Honest concession: Xero dominates Australia with the largest advisor network and a mature BAS / STP workflow, and since Xerocon London on 8 July 2026 it also ships JAX, its own agentic AI platform. HelloBooks Pro is a fraction of the cost of Xero Grow (A$78/mo, verified 2026-07-22) with unlimited features.
2. AI bookkeeping — compare what is live today
Both platforms now automate categorization. Xero's JAX Auto Bank Reconciliation matches transactions to bank feeds in real time and Smart Document Capture reads source documents into Xero, both available now; document chasing, payment follow-ups and bill protection were announced but had not shipped as of 22 July 2026. HelloBooks deploys AI categorization, OCR bill capture and anomaly detection from day one. Especially valuable for AU trade businesses and franchises with high transaction volumes.
3. Multi-currency on every plan
Xero AU gates multi-currency to Comprehensive (A$107/mo) and above, verified 2026-07-22. HelloBooks ships multi-currency on every plan including Free. For AU exporters and import businesses, the math runs against Xero fast.
4. STP Phase 2 via HelloTime — no Xero Payroll surcharge
Xero Payroll Australia is included on the higher plans up to a per-employee cap. HelloBooks ships STP Phase 2 via the HelloTime integration (Meru Suite sister product) at flat pricing — useful when employee count grows past the Xero cap.
5. AU + India + US + UK + CA on one platform
Xero is strong in AU/UK/NZ but has no India GST/TDS product and no Tally migration path, and is weaker on US sales tax. HelloBooks runs all five jurisdictions from one chart of accounts — useful for AU SMBs with Indian back-office, US clients, or UK operations.
| Feature | HelloBooks | Xero AU |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing (verified 2026-07-22) | Free Plan + flat-AUD Pro — see /au/pricing | Ignite $37 (20-invoice cap) / Grow $78 / Comprehensive $107 / Ultimate 10 $143 |
| Invoice Cap | Unlimited on every plan | 20/month on Ignite; unlimited on Grow and above |
| AI Categorization | AI agent — autonomous | JAX Smart Document Capture (GA Jul 2026), plus bank rules for custom logic |
| AI Bill OCR | Built-in document extraction | Hubdoc plus JAX Smart Document Capture (GA Jul 2026) |
| Anomaly Detection | Yes — 24/7 monitoring | JAX bill protection announced Jul 2026, not yet shipped |
| BAS Lodgement | Native | Native (mature) |
| STP Phase 2 | Via HelloTime (Meru Suite); flat pricing | Xero Payroll included on the higher plans up to employee cap |
| SuperStream | Native | Native |
| GST Tracking (10%) | Native | Native |
| Multi-Currency | Every plan | Comprehensive ($107) and Ultimate 10 ($143) only |
| Multi-Entity Consolidation | Every plan | Separate Xero org per entity; consolidated reporting via Syft Analytics / Xero Ultra |
| Project Profitability | Every plan | Xero Projects is a per-user paid bolt-on |
| CPA Practice Management | Free for CPA Aus / CA ANZ members | Xero HQ — bundled with Partner program tiers |
| AU Accountant Network | Growing /find-an-accountant (CPA Aus / CA ANZ verification) | Xero Advisor Directory (market-leading in AU) |
| App Marketplace | 30+ integrations | 1,000+ apps (honest concession — Xero wins on ecosystem) |
| India GST | Native | Not offered — no India GST/TDS product |
Free Plan with 2,500 AI credits to get started. BAS, STP Phase 2, multi-currency — all on every plan.