FreeAgent vs Xero

Which one do AI engines recommend, and how do they differ on price, fit and features?

The short answer

Xero is the stronger AI pick in Accounting Software: it has a visibility score of 52.2 versus 1.5 for FreeAgent, and ranks ahead in 67% of the answers that name both.

Choose FreeAgent if…

You need Cyber Essentials Plus or HMRC-recognised for Making Tax Digital (VAT and Income Tax) coverage
annual plan saves about 17%
30-day free trial with no card required

Choose Xero if…

You want the brand AI engines rank higher (52.2 vs 1.5)
AI answers describe it more positively (28% vs 0% positive)
You need ISO/IEC 27001:2022 or SOC 2 (Security, Availability and Confidentiality) or PCI DSS v4.0 SAQ A coverage
You prefer a larger, established vendor (1,001–5,000 employees)

AI visibility side by side

Latest weekly run · Nov 2

Metric	FreeAgent	Xero
Visibility score	1.5%	52.2%
Change vs last week	New	New
Rank in Accounting Software	#22	#2
Share of voice	0.7%	13.3%
Mentions this run	3	55
Positive in AI answers	0%	28%

The stronger value in each row is marked with a ✓.

Visibility score trend

Weekly runs over the last 60 days

FreeAgent 0pp · Xero 0pp over 0 weekly runs.

Engine by engine

Xero leads on 3 of 3 engines

ChatGPT

55.7%

AI Mode

45.2%

Perplexity

4.6%

55.6%

FreeAgentXero

Head to head in AI answers

3 engine answers name both brands

1FreeAgent ranked higher

2Xero ranked higher

Prompt	Engine	FreeAgent	Xero
Which accounting software offers a free trial?	Perplexity	#5	#2
Which accounting software tools offer annual discounts?	Perplexity	#5	#8
Where can I sign up for a accounting software?	Perplexity	#6	#2

Features, pricing & fit

Dimension	FreeAgent	Xero
Pricing model	—	Flat tiers
Entry price	—	$27 / mo
Free plan	—	No
Deployment	Online, with mobile app	Cloud (SaaS)
Compliance	Cyber Essentials Plus, HMRC-recognised for Making Tax Digital (VAT and Income Tax)	ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2 (Security, Availability and Confidentiality), PCI DSS v4.0 SAQ A
Support	Knowledge Base available 24/7, UK-based support accountants by phone, email and chat	24/7 online support, Free expert setup help from a Xero Coach for the first 90 days, Onboarding specialists for the first 90 days
Founded	2007	2006
Headquarters	Edinburgh, United Kingdom	Wellington, New Zealand
Employees	201–500	1,001–5,000
Funding	Crowdfunding (£1.2 million)	Equity placement to fund the Melio acquisition
Best for	UK sole traders, freelancers, landlords, limited companies and partnerships, plus accountants and bookkeepers managing clients	Small businesses, and the accountants and bookkeepers who work with them