Why TrulySmall is the Best Xero Alternative For Freelancers

You didn’t trade your career in freelance marketing or design just to spend your weekends fighting with complex accounting software. While Xero is often praised for its wide range of features, it often masks a maze of settings and reconciliation tasks built for businesses far larger than yours. 

If you feel like you’re paying a premium for a massive ecosystem of apps and features that you’ll never actually touch, it’s time to move toward a leaner, faster way of working. At TrulySmall, we believe your financial tools should work for you, not the other way around. Which is why we’ve stripped away the bloat to focus on pure, hands-off automation.

Why Choose TrulySmall Instead?

While Xero is known for its “beautiful accounting”, it was built for accountants and large firms that require payroll management. However, TrulySmall Accounting was built specifically for you, the freelancer.

• Focused on Automation: TrulySmall Accounting uses Auto Post to automatically import and categorize your bank transactions. You can create your own category rules and the system will remember them going forward.
• Zero Learning Curve: You don’t need a CPA to understand our dashboard. The learning curve is very minimal, making it an excellent choice even for individuals with no prior accounting knowledge.
• Accept Payments Online: You can create and send professional invoices directly from the platform. It supports recurring invoices and online payments to help speed up cash flow.
• Scan Your Receipts: Uploaded receipts are scanned and automatically converted into an expense ready for you to review or edit.
• Save Time: Most of our clients finish their monthly bookkeeping in under thirty minutes.
• Accessible and Affordable: TrulySmall is extremely simple to set up, highly affordable, and works seamlessly on mobile devices, while providing all essential financial reports.

Who It’s For

TrulySmall is designed specifically for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners.

• Freelancers & Solopreneurs: Consultants, Writers, Designers, Online Coaches, Bookkeepers, Digital Marketers, Drop Shippers
• Service-Based Businesses: Construction and Skilled Trades, Landscapers, Repair Shops, Cleaners and Movers, Landlords
• The “Automation” Seekers: People who are seeking an automated accounting solution so they can focus on growing their business.

Who It’s Not For

We’re all about honesty. TrulySmall Accounting is a specialized tool, and it’s not for everyone:

• High-Volume E-commerce: If you’re processing thousands of transactions a month through complex Shopify or Amazon integrations, you might need the heavy lifting of a larger platform.
• Large Teams with Payroll: If you have 10+ employees and need deep, integrated HR and project management suites, we might be too “small” for you.
• Advanced Inventory Management: Businesses that need to track raw materials, assemblies, and multi-warehouse stock should stick with enterprise-level software.

The Simple Comparison

How to Migrate (It’s Easier Than You Think)

Think you’re “locked in” to Xero? Think again. Moving your data to TrulySmall is a simple two-step process:

1. Connect Your Bank Accounts: This is where the magic happens. In TrulySmall, connect your business bank and credit card accounts. We recommend starting at the beginning of your current fiscal year. Your Customers, Vendors, and Accounts will automatically be created.
2. Reconcile Your Accounts: Our system will automatically begin matching your incoming bank transactions to your customers and vendors. All you need to do is review your opening balances and reconcile your connected accounts.

Pro Tip: You don’t need to move years of historical data. Most of our successful switchers keep a copy of their Xero data for “historical reference” while they start their fresh, automated books in TrulySmall at the beginning of the fiscal year.

Try TrulySmall Accounting for free today and see what it feels like to have your business bookkeeping automated.