Xero is a cloud-native accounting platform with superior mobile accessibility and real-time collaboration, while Sage offers more robust on-premise deployment options and deeper customization for larger enterprises. Xero leads in SaaS-first design, whereas Sage provides stronger legacy system integration.
Sage vs Xero — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Cloud accounting software optimized for international businesses and multi-entity management
Cloud-native accounting platform designed for small businesses with intuitive UI and strong mobile-first capabilities.
Cloud Architecture. Mobile App Rating (iOS). Real-time Collaboration. Starting Price (USD/month). API Endpoints Available. On-Premise Deployment. Enterprise Customization
Choose Xero if you prioritize ease of use, mobile accessibility, affordable entry price, and modern cloud-first design for small to mid-market businesses. Choose Sage if you need on-premise deployment, deep enterprise customization, or legacy system integration with existing infrastructure.
Sage: $0 (Unlimited on Enterprise) | Xero: $8-15 (Standard plan)
Sage: Unlimited (All Enterprise tiers) | Xero: 5 (Standard), Unlimited (Premium)
Sage: Dashboard view only | Xero: Full capability with offline mode
Sage: 3 options (AWS, Azure, on-premise) | Xero: N/A
5-Year Total Cost of Ownership (50 users)
Sage: 3.8/5 stars (8,500+ reviews) | Xero: N/A
Sage: 40-168 (varies by plan) | Xero: 168 (24/7)
Sage: Advanced (batch, serial, multi-warehouse) | Xero: N/A
Sage: Unlimited (enterprise) | Xero: Unlimited (all tiers)
Sage: 500 (Sage Intacct) | Xero: 60 (standard tier)
Sage: 999 (Sage Intacct) | Xero: Unlimited organizations
Sage: Sage Business Cloud (limited) | Xero: Yes (Snap Invoice)
Sage: Invoice viewing, basic read-only access | Xero: N/A
Sage: Standard feature on all tiers | Xero: N/A
Sage: No; per-user licensing model | Xero: N/A
Sage: Limited (document comments only) | Xero: Full (multi-user simultaneous editing)
Maximum Company Accounts (Single Subscription)
Certified Professional Partners (Global)
Sage: N/A | Xero: Good but secondary focus
Sage: N/A | Xero: Comprehensive accounting-focused
Sage: N/A | Xero: Standard tools included
Sage: N/A | Xero: Native multi-entity support
Sage: N/A | Xero: Available (Select tier+)
Sage: N/A | Xero: 200+ with live exchange rates
Sage: N/A | Xero: Third-party add-on (Guidepoint, Namely)
Sage: N/A | Xero: $13-62 depending on plan
Sage: N/A | Xero: 50+ customizable reports
Sage: N/A | Xero: Full accounting and expense tracking
Sage: N/A | Xero: Advanced automation saves ~8 hours
Sage: N/A | Xero: Varies by Starter plan
Sage vs Xero — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Sage vs Xero. Contains 97 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Sage vs Xero — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Sage vs Xero.
Which accounting software is cheaper: Sage or Xero?
Xero is significantly cheaper with a Starter plan at $11/month, compared to Sage's minimum $50/month entry point. However, Xero's Starter tier has transaction caps (100 invoices/month), while Sage's Standard plan ($65/month) includes unlimited transactions. For high-volume businesses, costs may converge at higher tiers.
Both offer mobile apps, but Xero has superior mobile ratings (4.6 stars vs Sage's 4.2 stars). Xero's app was designed mobile-first with full real-time collaboration, while Sage's mobile app is more limited and better suited for viewing data rather than data entry.
Does Sage or Xero allow on-premise installation?
Only Sage supports on-premise deployment, which is essential for organizations with strict data sovereignty requirements or those unable to use cloud services. Xero is cloud-only, which means automatic updates but no option to host data locally.
Which has better integration capabilities: Sage or Xero?
Xero has more third-party integrations (800+) and API endpoints (180+) compared to Sage (500+ integrations, 150+ endpoints). Xero's ecosystem is more developer-friendly, while Sage's integrations are more enterprise-focused through its certified partner network.
Is Sage or Xero better for international businesses?
Xero is significantly better for international operations, supporting localized compliance in 190+ countries with multi-currency native functionality. Sage supports 30+ countries with localized compliance but requires more setup for international operations.
Cloud Architecture: Sage has Hybrid (cloud + on-premise), while Xero has Cloud-native only.
Mobile App Rating (iOS): Sage has 4.2 stars, while Xero has 4.6 stars.
Real-time Collaboration: Sage has Limited (document-based), while Xero has Full (multi-user simultaneous editing).
Starting Price (USD/month): Sage has $50, while Xero has $11.
API Endpoints Available: Sage has 150+, while Xero has 180+.
On-Premise Deployment: Sage has Supported, while Xero has Not available.
Enterprise Customization: Sage has Extensive (via Sage Partner ecosystem), while Xero has Moderate (limited custom fields).