Keepr vs Xero for UK sole traders
MTD free with unlimited invoicing, against Xero's £18 entry plan and its 20-invoice cap.
Keepr files MTD for Income Tax on its free plan, with unlimited invoices. Xero lists MTD on all four of its UK plans, the cheapest being Ignite at £18 a month plus VAT, which caps you at 20 invoices and 10 bills a month. Pass either cap and you are on Grow at £39 plus VAT, so £46.80. That is the number to compare, because 20 invoices and 10 bills is a low ceiling if you bill per project or per client.
Price compared
| Keepr | Xero | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to file MTD | £0. It is on the free plan. | Ignite £18 + VAT = £21.60, capped at 20 invoices and 10 bills a month |
| Unlimited invoicing | Free | Grow £39 + VAT = £46.80 |
| Paid plan | Pro £9/month or £84/year | Comprehensive £55, Ultimate £70, both + VAT |
| Introductory offer | 14-day Pro trial, no card. The free plan never expires. | 90% off for six months, then the full rate |
Feature by feature
| Keepr | Xero | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan £0. Pro £9/month or £84/year. | Ignite £18, Grow £39, Comprehensive £55, Ultimate £70 - all per month + VAT. |
| Free tier | Yes - unlimited invoices, expenses, time tracking, projects and clients, permanently free. | Their pricing page lists a free trial and no free plan. |
| MTD for Income Tax | Yes, for sole trader self-employment income. Included on the free plan. | All four plans listed as MTD for Income Tax ready, per their pricing page. |
| Invoicing | Unlimited, on both plans. | Capped at 20 a month on Ignite; unlimited from Grow upwards. |
| Expenses | Yes, with receipt capture. | Yes. Their pricing page lists expense claims from the Grow plan, for one user. |
| Time tracking | Yes, included free. | Xero Projects, first included on Ultimate at £70 + VAT. |
| Project profitability | Yes, included free. | Xero Projects, first included on Ultimate at £70 + VAT. |
| Mileage | Yes, free. Enter from and to, it works out the miles and the claimable amount at HMRC rates. | Yes. Their pricing page lists mileage claims from the Grow plan, for one user. |
| Mobile apps | No native app yet - the web app works on a phone. | Yes, iOS and Android. |
| Bank feeds | No automatic feeds. Upload a PDF bank statement to reconcile. | Yes, automatic bank feeds. |
| VAT on top | None added. £9 is £9. | Add 20%. £18 is £21.60. |
| Built for | Sole traders and freelancers only. Nothing to switch off. | Full small-business accounting, from payroll to inventory, so most of it is aimed elsewhere. |
Where Keepr is stronger
For a sole trader, almost everything about the fit. Keepr costs nothing to file MTD quarterly updates, has no invoice cap on its free plan, and includes time tracking, project profitability and mileage. Xero first includes Projects on Ultimate, at £70 a month plus VAT. Xero's power is aimed at businesses with staff and stock, and a freelancer invoicing a few clients still pays £21.60 to £46.80 a month for it.
Who each one is for
Xero fits someone with employees, stock or several trading currencies, and anyone whose accountant works in it daily.
Keepr fits a sole trader invoicing clients and tracking expenses who wants MTD handled without paying for an accounting platform they will use a tenth of.
Common questions
Prices checked against xero.com/uk/pricing-plans on 5 September 2026. Software pricing changes often, so treat anything older than a few months as indicative.
No card needed. The free plan is permanent, not a trial.