Xero and FreshBooks: So Long and Thanks for All the Fish

On September 1, 2016 Xero discontinues direct data synchronization with FreshBooks, thus marking the end of an over 6-year long cooperation. This is a huge blow to many business owners, as both solutions were unbeatable with their powers combined: Xero gave unlimited users, over 400 third-party app integration and the 1099 feature, while FreshBooks has a fantastic time-tracker and one of the best apps on the market. However, everything must come to an end, and you should start thinking about alternatives. Although FreshBooks came up with its own solution (OneSaas), we decided to share two other possible options: using data syncing software or leaving one of the software for good.

Just keep swimmin’ – by using a third-party app

The only way of keeping data syncing between your Xero and FreshBooks accounts is by using other software to do it for you. And how do they work?

For instance Zapier and Workato require you to create tasks that will be executed within Xero and FreshBooks simultaneously, in the same way like you were programming a robot. However, creating a task and the steps is not rocket science: you determine a trigger, which is the action that starts a predetermined process, then you create the next steps or actions. Let’s see an example: a new invoice is created in Xero and you create a task within the third-party app that orders FreshBooks to create a new invoice as well in case of a new Xero invoice (the trigger). So basically you can do tasks in both accounting solutions while you are actually using just one.

The only problem with this solution is that you have to pay a monthly or an annual fee to use these extra services. However, like online accounting software, these third-party apps also let you try out their solutions for free for a limited time (7–14 days), therefore you can always pick the best and most fitting solution for data integration.

FreshBooks’ life boat: onesaas

On June 30, 2016 FreshBooks notified its customers that it has found a temporary solution by teaming up with OneSaas, which basically provides the same services as Zapier and Workato. The only difference is that if you are on a paid plan at FreshBooks and you want to use the FreshBooks–Xero integration after September 1, you just have to contact FreshBooks and they will send you a coupon for a free OneSaas account. The costs of your new OneSaas account will remain completely free of charge until FreshBooks comes up with a better solution.

If you truly want to keep the Xero–FreshBooks integration option, we recommend you considering this irresistible offer as in normal cases the cheapest OneSaas subscription is $26 per month, excluding the 7-day free trial, which is twice as expensive as FreshBooks’ most cost-friendly subscription plan, Sprout.

Let it go: data migration for good

And unfortunately it leads us to something we would never recommend to our readers, but we have to do it here anyway. No matter how much you love both solutions – and we can only confirm how good they are – sooner or later you have to choose, and you have to eliminate one of the two solutions. Think about it: if you prefer Xero, but you want to keep the time-tracking features of FreshBooks, why not simply try a time-tracking add-on like Harvest? And if you prefer FreshBooks and you keep Xero for its 1099 feature, why not subscribe to a solution that lets you create your 1099s? And last, but not least, if both these software are full-fledged online accounting solutions with countless integrating options and they provide many good, unique features on their own, why would you keep both of them creating a completely needless expense for your business?