Xero is great — at accounting.
This isn't a knock on Xero.
Xero is strong, popular accounting software, and many Cobalt customers keep using it. The gap is that Xero doesn't run sales orders, purchasing workflows or live operational stock, so trading businesses add an inventory/orders app — and then maintain two systems that have to stay in sync. Cobalt runs the operation and exports clean, VAT-ready data for accountant handoff, so Xero stays your books.
Best fit in one line.
Choose Cobalt ERP if…
You want sales orders, purchasing, stock and invoicing in one operational system — and to keep Xero (or any accountant) for the books via clean handoff.
Choose Xero alone if…
Your accountant runs your books in Xero and your operational/stock needs are light enough to manage in spreadsheets or basic tools.
How they compare.
Cobalt runs operations; Xero runs accounting. They're complementary.
| What you need | Xero + inventory app | Cobalt ERP |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory accounting & filing | Yes — Xero's core strength | No — operational finance + handoff |
| Sales orders & approvals | Needs a separate inventory/orders app | Built in |
| Purchasing & 3-way match | Needs a separate app | Built in |
| Live stock & multi-location | Via the bolt-on app | Built in |
| Customer portal & WhatsApp ordering | Not in Xero; varies by add-on | Portal built in; WhatsApp ordering |
| Number of systems to run | Two (Xero + inventory app) to keep in sync | One operational system |
| VAT-ready invoices | Yes (in Xero) | Yes (operational, exports to Xero) |
| Pricing | Xero subscription + the add-on app | Flat monthly for the operational system |
When Cobalt is the better call.
Run orders, purchasing and stock in one place instead of syncing Xero with a separate inventory app.
Real sales-order and purchasing workflows with customer and WhatsApp ordering, not just invoices.
Cobalt hands Xero (or your accountant) tidy, VAT-ready exports — keep the accounting you trust.
Pricing and implementation, plainly.
Cost and effort matter as much as features for a small team.
Cobalt is flat monthly pricing with no per-seat surprises, and most teams are live in under a week with no consultants needed — see the pricing page for current plans. With Xero you pay the Xero subscription plus a separate inventory/orders app to get operational features. Cobalt is one flat monthly price for the operational system, and you keep Xero for the books. For a like-for-like cost comparison of the operational tooling, the pricing page breaks it down for a team of 15.
Frequently asked questions.
Is Cobalt ERP a replacement for Xero?
No — they're complementary. Xero is accounting software; Cobalt is operational ERP for sales, purchasing and stock. Most customers keep Xero for the books and use Cobalt to run the operation, handing clean data back to Xero.
Why do Xero users add an inventory app?
Because Xero has no real sales-order, purchasing or live-stock workflows. Trading businesses bolt on an inventory/orders app — which means two systems to keep in sync. Cobalt runs the operation in one system instead.
Does Cobalt export to Xero?
Cobalt produces VAT-ready invoices and clean CSV exports structured to import into Xero (and QuickBooks or Sage). This is clean handoff by design — structured export rather than a direct live API integration.
Can I keep my accountant if I use Cobalt?
Yes. Cobalt is designed for accountant handoff — your accountant keeps doing the statutory accounts in Xero while you run trading in Cobalt.
Is Cobalt cheaper than Xero plus an inventory app?
Cobalt is one flat monthly price for the operational system; with Xero you pay the Xero subscription plus a separate inventory app. The pricing page shows the operational-tooling comparison.
Related pages.
Keep Xero. Run the operation in Cobalt.
One operational system for orders, purchasing and stock — with clean, VAT-ready handoff to Xero. Sign up and see it on your data.
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