A free Xero alternative
Xero has no free plan in Canada. Spark Books is free bookkeeping for Canadian small businesses. Here's how they compare, honestly, and how to switch if Spark suits you.
What Xero costs in Canada
Checked on xero.com/ca in October 2026. Prices in Canadian dollars, before any introductory discount. Xero offers a 30-day free trial and doesn’t charge per user.
Starter
$25 a month
Quotes and 20 invoices, 5 bills, bank reconciliation, document capture and a 30-day cash flow forecast.
Standard
$60 a month
Unlimited invoices and bills, automatic reconciliation and a 60-day cash flow forecast.
Premium
$80 a month
Everything in Standard, plus multiple currencies and a 180-day cash flow forecast.
When we checked, new customers in Canada were offered 80% off for the first 3 months. Prices and offers change; Xero’s own pricing page has today’s.
Side by side
| Spark Books | Xero (Canada) | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, $0 with no card | No; 30-day free trial |
| Paid option | $350 a month, with a Spark bookkeeper doing your books | $25, $60 or $80 a month |
| Getting transactions in | Upload bank and card statements (CSV, OFX/QFX/QBO, PDF) | Bank feeds where your bank supports them; PDF statement import where it doesn't |
| Sorting transactions | AI sorts each one into a Canadian chart of accounts and asks you when it's unsure | Auto-reconcile on Standard and Premium |
| Invoices | Included free, in your business name, with payments matched | 20 on Starter; unlimited on Standard and Premium |
| Bills | Included free | 5 on Starter; unlimited on Standard and Premium |
| GST/HST | Return figures, regular or quick method, with due dates. You file. | See Xero's site |
| Cash forecast | 13 weeks | 30, 60 or 180 days, by plan |
| App integrations | No | Xero App Store |
| Year-end | Package mapped to GIFI (corporations) or T2125 (sole proprietors) | See Xero's site |
Xero details are from xero.com/ca as of October 2026. “See Xero’s site” means we didn’t confirm the detail there, not that it’s missing.
What Spark doesn’t do
If you need any of these, Xero may suit you better.
No live bank feed
Xero pulls transactions in through bank feeds, where your bank supports them. Spark doesn't yet: you download statements from your bank's website and upload them.
No payroll
Spark doesn't run payroll. If you pay employees, you'll need a payroll service alongside it.
No inventory
Spark doesn't track stock. If you sell from inventory, Spark isn't the right fit today.
No app marketplace
Xero has an app store for connecting other software. Spark doesn't connect to other apps.
What Spark does do is on the Spark Books page. If you’d rather not do the books yourself, the Bookkeeping plan is $350 a month and a Spark bookkeeper does them for you.
Moving from Xero
- 1Export from XeroDownload your trial balance as at the day you want to switch, plus your customer and supplier lists.
- 2Bring them into SparkSpark sets your opening balances from the trial balance and adds your customers and suppliers.
- 3Upload statements from that day onDownload statements from your bank's website and upload them. Spark sorts each transaction from there.
- 4Keep your old recordsSpark doesn't bring your full history across. Before you cancel Xero, save the reports you or your accountant may need later.
Questions
- Is Xero free in Canada?
- No. As of October 2026, Xero has no free plan in Canada. It offers a 30-day free trial, then Starter at $25 a month, Standard at $60 or Premium at $80. New customers were being offered 80% off for the first 3 months when we checked.
- What's a free alternative to Xero for a Canadian small business?
- Spark Books is free, with no card and no trial that ends. It sorts your transactions into a Canadian chart of accounts with GST/HST split out, keeps double-entry books, sends invoices and produces a year-end package for your accountant. It doesn't have a live bank feed, payroll, inventory or app integrations.
- How does Xero's Starter plan compare with Spark's free plan?
- As of October 2026, Xero's Starter plan is $25 a month and includes 20 invoices and 5 bills, with bank reconciliation. Spark's free plan includes invoices and bills and costs nothing, but you upload bank statements rather than connecting a bank feed.
- Can I move from Xero to Spark?
- Yes. Export your trial balance and your customer and supplier lists from Xero, and Spark brings the balances and names across. Spark doesn't import your full transaction history, so your old history stays in Xero.
- Does Spark file my GST/HST return?
- No. Spark works out the figures for your GST/HST return, regular or quick method, with the date it's due. You or your accountant file it with the CRA.
More comparisons
Free software
- Spark BooksEverything Spark Books does, and the two plans.
- Free bookkeeping software in CanadaWhat's actually free, and the catch with each.
- Free accounting software in CanadaWhat it has to do for the CRA, and when you still need an accountant.
- AI bookkeepingWhat it gets right, what it gets wrong, and why Spark asks.
Switching from
- A free QuickBooks alternativeWhat Spark does and doesn't do next to QuickBooks Online.
- A Wave alternativeWhat changed on Wave's free plan, and your options.
- A free FreshBooks alternativeFreshBooks' Canadian plans next to Spark Books.
Head to head
- QuickBooks Online vs XeroPlans, prices, GST/HST and payroll in Canada.
- Wave vs QuickBooks OnlineFree with manual work, or paid with a bank feed.
Xero is a trademark of Xero Limited. Spark Finance isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by Xero.
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