XERO ALTERNATIVE
Enlivy vs Xero
Xero is a genuinely good bookkeeping tool with some e-invoicing infrastructure already built. It just wasn't built for Romania, or for the pipeline, contracts, and billing that come before the invoice.
HOW THEY COMPARE
Enlivy vs Xero, capability by capability
Xero's bank reconciliation is genuinely best-in-class, and unlike most US accounting tools it already has PEPPOL e-invoicing infrastructure in some markets. Enlivy covers the rest: the pipeline, the contract, ANAF eFactura specifically and a dedicated billing engine, linked to each other.
| Capability | Enlivy This page | Xero Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeping & general ledger | Absent | Strong |
| Sales pipeline / CRM | Strong | Absent |
| Proposals & contracts with e-signature | Strong | Absent |
| Invoicing & payment collection | Strong | Strong |
| Recurring billing / subscriptions | Strong | Partial |
| EU e-invoicing (PEPPOL / ANAF eFactura) | Partial | Partial |
| VAT / EU tax automation | Strong | Partial |
| Bank sync & reconciliation | Partial | Strong |
| Client self-service portal | Strong | Partial |
| Payroll records (no payroll runs) | Partial | Partial |
STRENGTHS ON BOTH SIDES
Where each one actually wins
Xero is closer to Enlivy than most accounting tools. The gap that's left is narrower, and worth being precise about.
Where Xero wins
Xero's bank feeds and reconciliation are widely considered the best in the category, backed by a bookkeeper and accountant ecosystem built around its files and over a thousand app integrations. It also already has PEPPOL e-invoicing infrastructure in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, real infrastructure most US-built competitors don't have at all. Every plan includes unlimited users at no extra cost, which is a genuine advantage over per-seat pricing.
Where Enlivy wins
Xero's PEPPOL support doesn't extend to ANAF eFactura for Romania, and it has no native sales pipeline or contracts with e-signature; most teams bolt on a separate CRM and a separate e-signature tool. Its repeating invoices cover simple recurring billing but stop short of a dedicated billing schedule engine, and there's no client-facing portal for accepting proposals or managing a subscription.
In Enlivy, the deal, the contract, the invoice, the payment and the bank transaction stay linked from the first contact onward, instead of Xero plus a CRM plus an e-signature tool.
PEPPOL IS NOT ANAF EFACTURA
Xero reconciles the bank. Enlivy runs the deal.
The pipeline, the e-signed contract, a real billing engine, and ANAF eFactura for Romania, connected instead of stitched to a separate CRM.
Free plan, no card needed · Packs priced per organization · Tasks included
PRICING
Per-organization tiers versus feature packs
Xero prices fairly on seats. The catch is elsewhere.
Xero: three tiers, capped entry plan
Xero has three fixed tiers, roughly $25 to $90 a month, priced per organization with unlimited users included on every plan. The entry tier is capped at 20 invoices and 5 bills a month, a limit a growing service business can hit fast, and multi-currency plus project tracking are reserved for the top tier.
Enlivy: choose the packs you need
Enlivy prices per feature pack: invoicing, contracts, and the sales pipeline are separate packs; payroll is a separate pack and the customer portal is included, plus add-ons for extra bank connections and translation capacity. There's no invoice cap on any pack.
You start free and add what your business actually uses, instead of buying the next tier up to lift a limit. See plans and pricing.
WHO IT FITS
Who each one actually fits
A quick way to self-select before you read the rest of the page.
Xero fits you if
- You or your accountant want best-in-class bookkeeping and bank reconciliation, and don't need a pipeline or contracts in the same tool.
- You already run a separate CRM and e-signature tool and just want Xero to handle the books.
- You operate mainly in the UK, Australia, or New Zealand and want built-in payroll and local e-invoicing support.
Enlivy fits you if
- You run a Romanian company and need ANAF eFactura specifically, not the PEPPOL markets Xero already covers.
- You want the pipeline, contract, and invoice connected in one product instead of stitching Xero to a separate CRM and e-signature tool.
- You want no invoice cap, which the Invoicing pack gives you.
SWITCHING
Switching from Xero
Xero's bank reconciliation is the strongest part of your stack, and it stays. What moves is everything that has to happen before an invoice exists.
What you run today
- Xero Bookkeeping, bank feeds, repeating invoices
- A separate CRM The pipeline Xero has no concept of
- An e-signature tool Contracts living apart from the deal
- A spreadsheet Watching the 20-invoice cap on the entry plan
What it becomes
Enlivy
- Pipeline, proposal and signed contract kept connected
- A real billing engine, not repeating invoices
- ANAF eFactura for Romania, not only PEPPOL markets
- No invoice cap on any pack
What stays where it is
- Xero general ledger, bank reconciliation
- Your accountant tax filing
Xero's reconciliation is genuinely best in class and Enlivy does not ask you to give it up. Most teams run Enlivy as the commercial layer and let Xero keep the books.
How the move works
- 1
Export your customers
Customers come out of Xero as a spreadsheet; open invoices stay there until paid.
- 2
Import your customers
Customers import from a spreadsheet; you add contracts and schedules in Enlivy.
- 3
Invoice from Enlivy
New invoices get eFactura for Romanian clients, with no monthly cap once the Invoicing pack is on.
TRY IT ON ONE DEAL
You can test this without migrating anything
Create an organization, run a single deal from proposal to paid invoice, and decide from there. Xero keeps doing exactly what it does today.
Free plan, no card needed · Packs priced per organization · Tasks included
XERO ALTERNATIVE
Enlivy vs Xero: common questions
Is Enlivy a replacement for Xero, or does it work alongside it?
Most teams that switch use Enlivy as the operations layer Xero doesn't have: pipeline, contracts, billing schedules, and the customer portal, while keeping Xero or a bookkeeper for the general ledger. Enlivy also issues invoices and, with the Banking pack, syncs bank transactions, so for many service businesses it replaces the day-to-day invoicing side of Xero entirely.
Does Xero's PEPPOL e-invoicing cover Romanian ANAF eFactura?
No. Xero has PEPPOL e-invoicing in a handful of markets, mainly the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, but it doesn't cover ANAF eFactura for Romania. Enlivy sends a Romanian organization's invoices to Romanian clients through ANAF eFactura, manually or on a schedule you set, and for other EU markets it can export a PEPPOL BIS 3.0 file you submit yourself.
Does Enlivy have a sales pipeline and CRM like Xero doesn't?
Yes. Prospects is a full pipeline from first contact to a signed contract. Xero has no native CRM; most Xero users connect a separate tool like HubSpot to cover this gap. In Enlivy the pipeline, proposal, contract and resulting invoice stay linked to each other.
What happens to my Xero data if I switch?
You can keep Xero running for bookkeeping while you move invoicing, contracts, and billing into Enlivy; there's no forced cutover. Customers can be imported from a spreadsheet to get started.
Is Enlivy more or less expensive than Xero?
Xero charges a fixed monthly tier, from around $25 to $90 depending on plan, with the entry tier capped at 20 invoices and 5 bills a month. Enlivy starts free, with a monthly invoice allowance; its paid Invoicing pack removes that invoice limit. Contracts, the sales pipeline and Payroll are separate packs.