Xero vs LiveCosts
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | LiveCosts | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Time to implement |  1 to 5 days |
 1 to 4 weeks depending on setup |
| Quote to PO workflows | AI line-item extraction with automatic coding to projects and cost codes |
Bill capture for accounting |
| Construction forecasting | RFQs, quote comparison, approvals and purchase orders |
Basic project reporting |
| Variations | Built-in variation management |
No dedicated construction variation workflow |
| Retentions and progress claims | Built specifically for construction workflows |
Not built for construction claims and retentions |
| Construction purchase orders | Construction-designed purchase orders with approvals |
Basic purchase orders |
| Mobile site deliveries | Mobile delivery capture linked to purchase orders |
No dedicated site delivery workflow |
| Time and equipment tracking | Labour, plant and equipment tracking by project |
Basic time tracking through Xero Projects |
| Human support | Personal onboarding and implementation support |
Standard accounting software support |
Trusted by construction companies globally
Why teams pick LiveCosts
Job Costing
LiveCosts delivers real-time job costing for labour, materials, plant and subcontractors. Every cost is tracked against the project budget as work happens, giving instant visibility into project profitability before month end.
Procurement
LiveCosts manages the entire procurement process, including purchase requisitions, AI-powered RFQs, supplier quote comparisons, purchase orders, delivery tracking and invoice approvals.
LiveCosts and Xero features compared
Job Costing
LiveCosts is purpose-built for construction companies. It helps project teams control costs before they become financial problems by managing budgets, procurement, labour, subcontractors, invoices and project profitability in real time.
LiveCosts
Monitor labour, materials, plant, subcontractors and overheads against live project budgets. Every cost is tracked as it happens, giving complete visibility of project profitability before month end.Xero
Track project income and expenses through Xero Projects to understand overall project performance. Suitable for basic project accounting but with limited construction-specific functionality.
Budget vs Actual
Xero is an excellent cloud accounting platform designed to manage your company finances, invoicing, payroll, VAT and reporting. It records what has already happened financially.
LiveCosts
Track live budgets against actual costs and committed costs in real time. Instantly identify overspend and take action before it affects project margins.Xer
Compare project costs after transactions have been entered into the accounting system. Visibility is based on historical financial data.
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Implementation timelines
| Product | Typical duration | Typical steps |
|---|---|---|
| LiveCosts |
A few days |
1. Connect Xero 2. Import projects, budgets and contacts 3. Configure cost codes and approval workflows 4. Train office and site teams 5. Go live on your first project 6. Roll out across all projects |
| Xero |
Several weeks |
1. Set up company accounts 2. Configure VAT, chart of accounts and bank feeds 3. Import customers and suppliers 4. Set up users and permissions 5. Configure invoicing and reporting 6. Begin day-to-day accounting |
Implementation timelines vary depending on the size of your business, the complexity of your projects and the quality of your existing data.
Most LiveCosts customers are up and running within a few days. Our onboarding team helps you connect Xero, import budgets and project data, configure workflows and launch your first live project. Once your team is comfortable, it is easy to roll LiveCosts out across the rest of the business with dedicated support every step of the way.
Where LiveCosts fits — and common drawbacks
Where LiveCosts fits
Contractors looking for real-time job costing rather than month-end reporting.
Businesses that want to manage procurement from requisition through to supplier payment.
Project teams that need live budget vs actual reporting with committed cost visibility.
Companies looking to reduce manual administration using AI-powered invoice processing.
Construction businesses that want to improve project profitability while continuing to use Xero for accounting.
Common drawbacks of using Xero alone
Limited visibility of committed costs before invoices are received.
Basic job costing designed for accounting rather than live project management.
No built-in workflows for RFQs, purchase requisitions or construction procurement.
Limited support for variations, retentions and progress claims.
No cost-to-complete forecasting based on live project data.
Manual processes can lead to duplicate data entry between site teams and finance.
Project managers often rely on spreadsheets to track budgets, procurement and site costs outside the accounting system.
This positions LiveCosts as a complementary solution rather than a replacement, highlighting where it adds value for construction businesses already using Xero.
Why Choose LiveCosts
Xero is an excellent accounting platform, but it was not designed to manage the day-to-day operational side of construction projects.
As projects grow in size and complexity, many contractors find they need greater visibility and control over costs before they reach the accounts department.
LiveCosts fills that gap by providing dedicated construction workflows that sit alongside Xero, helping project teams manage budgets, procurement, labour, subcontractors and profitability in real time.
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Frequently asked questions
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