What it is
Xero is cloud accounting software for small businesses. It connects to your bank, matches transactions and keeps the records needed for VAT and tax returns.
Who it’s for in private general practice
It suits private GP practices and individual GPs who want their books online, whether they keep them themselves or share them with an accountant. It is general accounting software, not a healthcare product, so it sits alongside your clinical and booking systems.
Key capabilities
- Invoices and quotes, with online payment through Stripe or GoCardless (payment fees apply).
- Bank feeds and reconciliation.
- VAT returns submitted to HMRC under Making Tax Digital, and support for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
- Receipt and bill capture from a photo or upload.
- Payroll, for 1 to 10 people depending on the plan.
- Expense and mileage claims.
- Connections to more than 1,000 other apps through the Xero App Store.
Pricing
Xero publishes four UK plans, billed monthly and excluding VAT: Ignite at £18, Grow at £39, Comprehensive at £55 and Ultimate at £70. Ignite limits you to 20 invoices and 10 bills a month. Payroll starts on Grow, with one person included. An add-on for company accounts and tax costs £120 a year. Extra payroll people, expense users and project users can cost more beyond each plan’s limits. New customers were offered a discount for their first six months when we checked.
NHS integrations
Not applicable.
Things to check
- Whether your clinical or billing system can send invoices and payments to Xero, or whether you will re-key them.
- Which plan covers your invoice volume and the number of staff on payroll.
- How VAT applies to your mix of services, and whether you need the VAT features at all. Ask your accountant.
- What your accountant already uses, as many work with a particular package.
