Chaser vs Xero
Xero is great for accounting. Chaser is great for getting paid.
Xero is the favourite accounting tool in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. It's powerful, polished, and genuinely beloved by accountants. But Xero's invoice reminders are manual — you still have to remember, log in, and click send. Every. Single. Time.
| Feature | Xero | Chaser ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice follow-up automation | Manual reminders only | 4-stage automated sequence |
| Escalation stages | None — same reminder every time | Day 3 / 7 / 14 / 30 (escalating tone) |
| Auto-send follow-up emails | No — requires manual trigger each time | Yes — fully automated |
| Payment link in reminder emails | Invoice link only (view, not pay-now) | Direct Stripe payment link |
| Price | $15–78/mo | Free–$15/mo |
| Setup time | Hours (bank feeds, chart of accounts) | Under 5 minutes |
| Overdue risk scoring | No | Yes — per-invoice risk badge |
| AR aging dashboard | Yes (full accounting reports) | Yes (focused on freelancers) |
| Client unsubscribe handling | No | Yes — automatic opt-out |
| Best for | Accountants & small businesses (UK/ANZ) | Freelancers who need to get paid faster |
The real problem with Xero for freelancers
Xero is an accounting platform, not a payment recovery tool. Its invoice reminders are a checkbox in a much larger software suite built for businesses with bookkeepers — bank reconciliation, multi-currency accounting, payroll, tax returns.
For freelancers in the UK, Australia, or New Zealand, Xero is often recommended by accountants. That's fair — it's excellent accounting software. But when it comes to chasing the 3-5 overdue invoices you have right now, you're on your own. Xero will show you they're overdue. It won't chase them.
Chaser doesn't replace Xero — it works alongside it. Add your overdue invoices to Chaser, and it handles the awkward follow-up automatically while Xero handles your books.
How Chaser automates the chase
Chaser stops automatically the moment the invoice is paid.
Xero for accounting. Chaser for getting paid.
Many Chaser users still use Xero for their accounts — they just add overdue invoices to Chaser too. Two minutes of setup, and the follow-ups run themselves.
- 1.Xero creates and sends the invoice
- 2.Invoice goes overdue → add it to Chaser in 30 seconds
- 3.Chaser sends escalating follow-ups automatically
- 4.Client pays → Chaser marks it paid, stops emailing
- 5.Your Xero records stay up to date
Free tier: 3 invoices. Pro: $15/mo — no contracts.