Skip to content

Side-by-side comparison · Legal, Finance & HR

Teal vs Xero

Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.

Teal

4.0

From $0

Xero

4.0

From $27/mo

Comparing 2 tools. Add one more if you like.

At a glance

Teal4.0
Best valueEasiest to use

Pick it if: Job seekers applying for lots of roles who want a tailored resume for each one and a tidy way to track applications.

Xero4.0

Pick it if: Small businesses, sole traders and their accountants, especially in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

Overview

AttributeTealXero
In one lineAI resume builder and job tracker that tailors your resume to each job you apply for.Online accounting for small businesses, with an AI helper, JAX, that does the busywork.
Pricing modelFreemiumPaid
Starting price$0$27/mo
Free plan Yes No
Works with Claude Code No Yes

Rating breakdown

Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.

AttributeTealXero
Overall rating4.04.0
Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.
4.5
4.0
FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together.
4.0
4.5
Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them.
3.5
4.0
Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan.
4.0
3.5
Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over.
4.0
4.0

Feature comparison

A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.

AttributeTealXero
Access & platform
Free plan Yes No
Mobile app No Yes
Desktop app No No
Browser extension Yes No
API access No Yes
Teams & business
Team workspace No Yes
Enterprise plan or SSO No No
Connects to other apps No Yes
Open source or self-hosted No No
AI abilities
Works with your files Yes Yes
Understands images– Yes
Makes images No No
Makes video No No
Writes code No No
Runs agents or automations No Yes
Learns your brand or style No–
Works in many languages No No
Capabilities score3/ 177/ 17

Pricing

Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.

AttributeTealXero
Plans

Free

$0

Building a resume and tracking jobs.

Early (US)

$27/mo

New businesses with only a few invoices a month.

Teal+Our pick

$13/week, $29 per 30 days or $79 per 90 days

An active job search with many applications.

Growing (US)Our pick

$59/mo

Most small businesses with regular sales and bills.

Established (US)

$97/mo

Businesses with projects, staff expenses or overseas customers.

Australian plans

From A$37/mo (Ignite) to A$250/mo (Ultimate 50)

Australian businesses, priced by how many people you pay.

Which plan to pickStart free to build your resume and track jobs. When you're applying to several roles a week, take Teal+ for 30 days, or the 90-day option if you expect a longer search, and cancel once you land the job.In the US, start on Growing unless you send fewer than 20 invoices a month. In Australia, pick the plan that covers the number of people on your payroll. New customers get a large discount for the first 3 months, so check the current offer before you buy.

Key features

AttributeTealXero
Standout features
  • AI resume builder
  • Job description matching
  • AI writing
  • Job tracker
  • Email templates
  • Bank feeds and reconciliation
  • Invoices and quotes
  • JAX AI
  • Bills and expenses
  • Reports and cash flow
  • Claude connector

Pros and cons

AttributeTealXero
Pros
  • Free plan is useful for building resumes and tracking jobs
  • Clear keyword matching against each job ad
  • Job tracker keeps a big search organised
  • Short billing periods suit a short job search
  • Accountants in Australia, New Zealand and the UK already know it
  • Bank feeds and suggested matches cut bookkeeping time
  • No per-user fees, so your whole team and accountant can log in
  • Huge app marketplace for payments, inventory and payroll
  • Official Claude connector for asking questions about your books
Cons
  • Very few AI credits on the free plan
  • Weekly and monthly billing costs more for long searches
  • AI writing is generic until you add your own detail
  • US prices rose sharply, to $27 to $97 a month
  • The cheapest plan caps invoices at 20 a month
  • The Claude connector can only read, not create or change anything
  • US payroll is an extra $36 a month plus $6 per person
  • JAX's claims of fewer mistakes come from Xero, not independent tests

Who each one is for

AttributeTealXero
Best for
  • Tailoring your resume to each job ad
  • Finding the keywords a job ad is looking for
  • Tracking dozens of applications in one place
  • Writing cover letters and resume bullet points
  • Keeping your books up to date without a full-time bookkeeper
  • Sending invoices and getting paid faster
  • GST, BAS and payroll for Australian businesses
  • Sharing one set of books with your accountant
  • Asking Claude questions about your numbers
You'll find it used by
  • Job seekers
  • Career changers
  • Graduates
  • Career coaches
  • Small businesses
  • Sole traders
  • Accountants
  • Bookkeepers
  • Tradies

Questions people ask

Which is better, Teal or Xero?

They tie on our overall rating (Teal 4.0/5 and Xero 4.0/5). Teal is best for tailoring your resume to each job ad and finding the keywords a job ad is looking for. Xero is best for keeping your books up to date without a full-time bookkeeper and sending invoices and getting paid faster.

Which is cheaper, Teal or Xero?

Teal: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $0. Xero: There's no free plan. Paid plans start at $27/mo.

Which is easier to use, Teal or Xero?

Teal rates highest for ease of use in our scores. Job seekers applying for lots of roles who want a tailored resume for each one and a tidy way to track applications.

How we compare

Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.

Swap in another tool

More tools from Legal, Finance & HR in the library.