Docket vs Xero
Built for the trader Xero left behind.
We won't pretend Xero is bad. It's a great product for accountants, agencies, and businesses with a bookkeeper. We don't think it's the right tool for a sole trader who works from a phone and just needs the BAS to be right.
This page is the honest version. Where Xero is genuinely better, we say so.
Pricing
Plan structure
Docket ·
One tier covers everything Docket does. No invoice caps, no transaction caps, no surprise upgrades when your bank-feed transactions cross a threshold.
Xero
Three tiers — Starter, Standard, Premium. Starter caps you at 20 invoices, 5 bills, and a handful of bank transactions a month. Most sole traders end up paying for Standard whether they need it or not.
Cancel
Docket
Self-serve in app. 30-day data export. Pro-rata refund on annual.
Xero
In app, but the data export workflow is its own thing.
Mobile
Feature parity
Docket ·
Every feature works from your phone. The pay page, BAS preview, recurring schedules, receipt capture — phone-first.
Xero
The mobile app is a useful adjunct to the web app. Some features (rules, BAS, full reports) live on the web only.
Receipt capture
Docket ·
Snap, OCR, code, done. Works offline; syncs when you're back on signal.
Xero
Hubdoc add-on. Decent but a separate product flow.
Banking & BAS
Bank feeds
Docket
CDR-native via Basiq. Open Banking everywhere it exists in AU.
Xero ·
Yodlee + direct feeds. Comprehensive coverage, longer history, but not CDR-native.
BAS preview
Docket ·
Real-time. Anytime in the period: 'if you lodged today you'd owe $X'.
Xero
Period-end BAS report. Solid; not real-time.
ATO lodgement
Docket
Coming. DSP accreditation in progress.
Xero ·
Direct ATO lodgement, today.
Payments
Customer pays the invoice
Docket ·
Public link, Stripe Connect under the hood, no bookkeeper needed. SMS or email it.
Xero
Stripe + GoCardless integrations. Solid but a bit Frankenstein.
Recurring
Docket ·
Set the cadence + the action. 'Auto-charge a saved card' is a first-class option, not a separate subscription product.
Xero
Repeating invoices + Stripe subscription as a separate flow.
Developer surface
Public API
Docket ·
On day one. No usage caps for normal app use, no per-call billing.
Xero
Public API exists. Rate-limited and partner-tier-gated for some endpoints.
Data egress
Docket
Free. Always.
Xero
Free for most exports.
MCP / agents
Docket ·
MCP server bundled with the platform.
Xero
Not a thing yet.
Where Xero is the right call
If your bookkeeper or accountant lives in Xero, switching is a real cost. If you have payroll, inventory, or multi-currency needs, Xero is way ahead — Docket is sole-trader first and not pretending otherwise. If you need ATO lodgement today, Xero has it and we don't (yet).
We'll ship migration tooling that takes a Xero export and lands it cleanly in Docket. If you've moved off Xero before, you know the half-day reconciliation pain — we're trying to make that an hour.
Sounds like the right fit?
Join the waitlist on the home page — we open access in waves.