Harvest
Xero
| Feature | Harvest | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $10.8/mo | From $15/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | agencies, consultants, freelancers, professional-services | small-businesses, accountants, international-companies, uk-businesses |
| Founded | 2006 | 2006 |
| Time Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Invoicing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Expense Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Project Budgets | ✓ | ✗ |
| Reports | ✓ | ✗ |
| Team Capacity | ✓ | ✗ |
| Integrations | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bank Reconciliation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reporting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payroll Addon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Projects | ✗ | ✓ |
| Expenses | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi Currency | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Harvest Pros
- Integrated invoicing from tracked time
- Project budget tracking with alerts
- Excellent reporting for team utilization
- Simple one-click timer interface
✗ Harvest Cons
- Limited project management features
- Only one project on free plan
- No built-in scheduling or resource planning
✓ Xero Pros
- Beautiful, modern interface
- Unlimited users on all plans
- Strong in UK, Australia, NZ markets
- Excellent bank reconciliation
✗ Xero Cons
- Fewer integrations than QuickBooks in US
- Payroll is a paid add-on
- Inventory management is basic
The Verdict
Harvest is built for agencies and consultants, with a focus on time-tracking and invoicing. Xero targets small businesses and accountants and leads with invoicing and bank-reconciliation.
Pricing is close: Harvest starts at $10.8/mo versus $15/mo for Xero — not a deciding factor on its own.
Harvest has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Xero requires a paid subscription from day one.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.