FreshBooks vs Xero:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Xero had more branded searches than FreshBooks among small business accounting platforms worldwide. Xero was estimated to have 1.9M branded searches compared to FreshBooks’ 74.9K, and held a 45.6% Share of Search versus FreshBooks’ 1.8%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
Follow FreshBooks vs Xero and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Which is more popular in search, FreshBooks or Xero?
Compare accounting and invoicing software used by small and midsize businesses. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Xero, FreshBooks. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Xero | QuickBooks Online | Zoho Books | FreshBooks | Wave | Sage Accounting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 47% | 30.8% | 16.7% | 2.3% | 2.1% | 1.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 50% | 27.1% | 17.9% | 2% | 1.9% | 1.1% |
| Dec 2025 | 42.3% | 33.9% | 18.4% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 0.96% |
| Jan 2026 | 43.7% | 35% | 15.5% | 2.1% | 2.5% | 1.2% |
| Feb 2026 | 47.4% | 31% | 16.8% | 1.5% | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Mar 2026 | 44.3% | 35.4% | 15.7% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 1.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 47.4% | 31.1% | 16.8% | 1.5% | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| May 2026 | 47.6% | 31.2% | 17% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Jun 2026 | 47.2% | 31.1% | 16.8% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.3% |
| Jul 2026 | 50.7% | 27.5% | 18.3% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Aug 2026 | 45.6% | 30% | 19.9% | 1.8% | 1.6% | 1% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the FreshBooks and Xero comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Xero was ahead of FreshBooks in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, FreshBooks’ estimated Share of Search among small business accounting platforms worldwide moved from 2.3% to 1.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 91.5K to 74.9K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Xero’s estimated Share of Search among small business accounting platforms worldwide moved from 47% to 45.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1.9M.
How did search popularity change for small business accounting platforms worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, FreshBooks overtook Wave to rank 4th among small business accounting platforms worldwide, at 1.8%.

In August 2026, Xero lost estimated Share of Search among small business accounting platforms worldwide, from 50.7% to 45.6%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using FreshBooks’ and Xero’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
FreshBooks
2 branded search terms
- freshbooks
- freshbooks accounting software
Xero
7 branded search terms
- xero
- xero accounting
- xero accounting software
- xero invoicing
- xero payroll
- xero tax
- xero tax software

Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.