Xero Project Alternatives gives finance teams more options when they are looking to track expenses and invoicing all within the Xero platform. However, basic project tracking functionality will end up costing you more time and administration when you really need to track your materials, labour, subbies and plant costs all managed and synced with Xero so considering a xero project alternative r for construction firms or any project-led business is an excellent start.
One of the main reasons construction companies explore alternatives to Xero Projects is its limited ability to allocate indirect costs, such as rent, utilities and administration, across individual jobs. This can make project profitability appear healthier than it really is, leaving teams to rely on Excel at month-end to calculate the true profit and loss for each project
Lacks key functionality: that any construction firm needs
Detailed construction budgets
Purchase order management
Committed cost tracking
- Supplier invoice matching
- Cost-to-complete forecasting
- Real-time project profitability
- Labour, materials, plant and subcontractor cost tracking
- Automated invoice capture
- Budget alerts and overspend warnings
- Clear visibility across site, office and accounts teams
According to a recent report, over 60% of construction finance teams still rely on spreadsheets for job costing. The result? errors creep in, margins disappear, and admin piles up.
If you’re serious about protecting margins and controlling costs, it’s time to look beyond Xero Projects. Here are solid Xero Project alternatives, including options for both construction and broader project-led firms.
Xero Alternatives Comparison Table
Software | Best for | Main strength | Xero Integration |
LiveCosts | Real-time Construction Project Cost Control | Real-time job costing, purchase order management and supplier invoice matching. | Partner integration with Xero with excellent rating |
QuickBooks Projects | Businesses changing accounting platforms | Project income, costs and profitability | Alternative to Xero |
Zoho Books and Projects | Businesses using the Zoho ecosystem | Connected project management and accounting | Alternative to Xero |
Scoro | Agencies and consultancies | Project, resource and financial management | Sync Only |
Tradify | Smaller Trade and service businesses | Quoting, scheduling and jobs | Sync Only |
Buildxact | Builders and remodelers | Takeoffs, estimates and job management | Yes |
NextMinute | Residential builders and trades | Site workflows, variations and job costing | Sync Only |
Projectworks | Consultancies and professional services | Resourcing and project forecasting | Yes |
Avaza | Small professional teams | Projects, time, expenses and billing | Yes |
Houzz Pro | Remodelers and design build firms | Client, design and project workflows | Prefer QuickBooks sync |
1) LiveCosts
Best for: Construction firms and trade contractors that need stronger control over project spend, committed costs and margins while keeping Xero for accounting.
Pros:
- Tailored for construction firm (labour, plant, materials, subcontractors)
- Two way sync with Xero
- Seamless integration with Sage, QuickBooks
- AI invoice upload to POs and deliveries
- RFQ and Progress Claims Management
- Live dashboards of job budgets, spend, and profitability
- Fast setup with dedicated human onboarding
- Trusted by 400+ UK and Irish construction firms
Cons:
- Construction-focused; less suited to non-project businesses
- Not a full ERP system (no CRM/HR modules)
LiveCosts is focused on project financial control. Construction firms or tradies are primarily looking for UK compliance software to gain real-time visibility into project profitability.
2) QuickBooks Online Projects
Best for: SMEs already using QuickBooks who want better job cost tracking.
Pros:
- Built into QuickBooks – no extra tools to learn
- Tracks income, expenses, and time by job
- Simple profitability reports
- Familiar interface for finance teams
Cons:
- No committed cost tracking or PO workflows
- Doesn’t suit complex, multi-stage projects
- No real-time collaboration between teams
Quickbooks is an alternative accounting ecosystem rather than a solution that extends Xero. Contractors still need separate tools for procurement, field operations and detailed budget control.
3) Zoho Books + Zoho Projects
Best for: Project firms needing time, billing and project management within the wider Zoho ecosystem
Pros:
- Strong time tracking and forecasting tools
- Integrated billing, tasks, and project budgets
- Custom alerts on budget overruns
- Modular setup – scale as needed
- Competitive pricing and cloud-based
Cons:
- Interface can feel too technical for site teams
- No built-in PO or subcontractor invoice matching
- More setup time required
POs, delivery tracking and subcontractor workflows are not its main focus. And using both products requires more configuration than a single purpose built platform.
4) Scoro
Best for: Project-led firms needing full financial oversight – especially outside of construction.
Pros:
- Real-time dashboards on project profitability
- Forecasting, utilisation, and resource planning
- Xero and QuickBooks integration
- Built-in quoting, tasks, billing, and reporting
- Used by consultancies, creative agencies, and service firms globally
Cons:
- Expensive compared to lighter tools
- Setup and training can take time
- Not designed for construction workflows
Provides a broader functionality platform, which may introduce more setups small teams require.
5) Tradify
Best for: Trade businesses managing short or recurring jobs.
Pros:
- Enquiry and quote management
- Job scheduling
- Digital timesheets
- Staff and subcontractor coordination
- Customer invoicing
- Xero integration
Cons:
- Solo operator focused
- Rigid scheduling dashboard
- Limited reporting capabilities
Its main focus is trade job management rather than detailed construction procurement, committed cost control or complex commercial reporting.
5) Buildxact
Best for: Residential builders and remodelers that need estimating, scheduling and job cost tracking.
Pros:
- Digital takeoffs, estimates and quotes
- Purchase orders, schedules and actual cost tracking
- Tracks project budgets against actual costs
- Connects with Xero and QuickBooks
- Supports supplier pricing and material workflows
Cons:
- Strongest fit is residential building and remodelling
- Limited reporting capabilities
Strongest fit for remodelling rather than detailed commercial construction finance.
7) NextMinute
Best for: Builders and trades that need job management from quote through to invoice.
Pros:
- Quotes, schedules, timesheets and site diaries
- Variations and purchase orders
- Job and stage costing
- Two way sync with Xero
- Mobile workflows for site teams
Cons:
- Strongest market fit in New Zealand
- More focused on residential builders
More focused on Australia and New Zealand, so UK firms should check regional support and workflow fit.
8) Projectworks
Best for: Consultancies and professional services firms that need resource planning and financial forecasting.
Pros:
- Time and expense tracking
- Resource planning and utilisation
- Project budgets and forecasting
- Invoicing and profitability reporting
- Integrates with Xero
Cons:
- Not built for construction procurement or site workflows
- Better suited to time and resource based businesses than trade contractors.
9) Avaza
Best for: Small professional services teams that need project management, time tracking and billing.
Pros:
- Task and project management
- Resource scheduling
- Time and expense tracking
- Quotes, invoices and client collaboration
- Advanced two way Xero sync
Cons:
- General purpose rather than industry specific
- Not designed for construction purchasing, site or subcontractor workflows
10) Houzz Pro
Best for: Residential builders, remodelers and design firms that need project management and client tools.
Pros:
- Lead management, estimates and proposals
- Schedules, tasks and client communication
- Project budgets and job cost tracking
- Links purchase orders, time and expenses to project budgets
- Connects with QuickBooks Online
Cons:
- Its current accounting integration is centred on QuickBooks Online rather than Xero
- Broader client, design and marketing tools may be more than cost focused teams need
- Primarily aimed at residential construction and design
Which alternative should you choose?
The best Xero Projects alternative depends on the gaps in your current workflow. Xero Projects is primarily designed to track project time, costs and profitability, but construction companies often require deeper control over purchase orders, committed costs, subcontractors, materials and cost-to-complete forecasting.
With average pre-tax margins among the UK’s top 100 contractors falling to just 1.7% in 2024, even a small unrecorded cost can wipe out a project’s profit. Construction also accounted for 17% of company insolvencies in the year to July 2025, highlighting the importance of accurate, real-time financial control.
Start by identifying the processes still managed through spreadsheets or disconnected systems, then choose an alternative built around those specific requirements.
- Choose LiveCosts when construction budgets, purchase orders, supplier invoices and committed costs are the priority.
- Choose Tradify when quotes, schedules and field service jobs are the main requirement.
- Choose NextMinute for residential construction and trade job management.
- Choose Buildxact when takeoffs and estimating drive the workflow.
- Choose Houzz Pro for residential projects that involve extensive client communication, selections or design.
- Choose Projectworks or Scoro for resource led professional services businesses.
- Choose Avaza for lighter projects, time and billing management.
- Choose QuickBooks or Zoho when you are open to replacing Xero rather than extending it.
These Xero Project alternatives can give your finance team the control, visibility, and efficiency Xero Projects struggles to deliver.
