Harpoon vs Xero
Xero is a full-featured accounting platform popular with small businesses worldwide. Harpoon is a focused alternative for agencies and freelancers who need revenue goal tracking and dynamic financial forecasting without full accounting complexity.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Harpoon | Xero |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Goal Tracking | Yes | No |
| Dynamic Revenue Forecasting | Yes | No |
| Time Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Invoicing | Yes | Yes |
| Expense Management | Yes | Yes |
| Project Management | Yes | Yes |
| Analytics & Reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Online Payments | Yes | Yes |
| Peppol E-Invoicing | Yes | Yes |
| Double-Entry Accounting | No | Yes |
| Payroll | No | Yes |
| Bank Reconciliation | No | Yes |
| Tax Filing | No | Yes |
Key Differentiators
Agency-Focused Revenue Planning
Xero is built for general small business accounting. Harpoon is built specifically for agencies and freelancers who want to set revenue goals and forecast income.
Dynamic Revenue Forecasting
See whether your scheduled projects will hit your yearly goal. Xero has financial reporting but no forward-looking revenue targets tied to project pipelines.
Project-Level Profitability
Predict whether each project will be profitable before it begins. Harpoon tracks hours, costs, and revenue per project.
Simpler for Creative Teams
Xero offers full double-entry accounting, payroll, and tax filing. If you don't need all that, Harpoon gives you the financial tools agencies actually use day-to-day.
Pricing Comparison
Xero
- Accounting
- Invoicing
- Bank reconciliation
- Payroll (add-on)
- Tax filing
Harpoon
- Financial planning & forecasting
- Time tracking
- Invoicing
- Expense management
- Project management
- Analytics & reporting
- Online payments
Which Tool Is Right for You?
Choose Xero if you...
- Need full double-entry accounting
- Want payroll and tax filing
- Need bank reconciliation
- Run a product-based or general small business
Choose Harpoon if you...
- Run an agency or freelance business
- Want revenue goal tracking and dynamic forecasting
- Need project-level profitability tracking
- Prefer simple, agency-focused tools over complex accounting
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Harpoon a Xero alternative?
- For agencies that bill for their time, Harpoon can replace the time tracking, invoicing, and project management parts of your workflow. For payroll, tax filing, and full accounting, you'll still want Xero or a similar tool.
- Does Xero have revenue goal tracking or forecasting?
- Xero has financial reporting and budgeting, but doesn't offer dynamic revenue goal tracking or project-pipeline forecasting the way Harpoon does.
- Can I use Harpoon and Xero together?
- Yes. Many agencies use Xero for accounting, payroll, and taxes, and Harpoon for revenue goal tracking, time tracking, and project profitability.
- How does Harpoon's pricing compare to Xero?
- Harpoon starts at $9/month with all features. Xero starts around $15/month for its Starter plan, with more expensive tiers for additional features.
- What does Harpoon do that Xero doesn't?
- Harpoon lets you set a yearly revenue goal, breaks it into dynamic monthly targets, and forecasts whether your project pipeline will get you there. Xero is powerful for accounting but doesn't offer this kind of forward-looking revenue planning.
"Harpoon has been a game changer for us! We absolutely love the schedule of projects and estimated cash flow and the dashboard has all my important information right there when I log in."
Leigh Landeche, Owner
Compare Harpoon with Other Tools
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Ready for agency-focused financial planning?
See why agencies and freelancers choose Harpoon over Xero for revenue goal tracking and forecasting. Try it risk-free for 14 days.
