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Xero Accounting API
What Xero Accounting API is
The Xero Accounting API lets developers connect a Xero organisation or partner practice with other products and programs. Its Contacts endpoint retrieves, adds, and updates contacts, while Payments retrieves and reverses payments and applies them to approved accounts receivable or payable invoices. Third-party access uses OAuth 2.0, so users authorize integrations without sharing a Xero password. The API supports invoice synchronization, journal entries, webhooks, two-way sync, and sandbox environments. It works with all Xero plans, although available features vary; the Payroll API requires a Payroll plan. Rate limits include five concurrent calls, 60 calls per minute per tenant, 10,000 calls per minute per app, and tier-specific daily limits. The Journals endpoint begins at Advanced and requires security assessment and use-case approval.
Who it suits
It suits developers building integrations around Xero organisations or partner practices. Teams should review plan-specific limits, Payroll requirements, and the restriction on using API data for AI training.
What it does well
- OAuth 2.0 authorization
- Contacts and payment endpoints
- Webhooks and two-way synchronization
- Sandbox environment available
- Developer tools include API Explorer
What to know first
- Rate and daily call limits apply
- Features vary across Xero plans
- Payroll API requires a Payroll plan
- Journals require Advanced-tier approval steps
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced | Monthly tier fee; pricing is tax exclusive · 10,000 connections · 5,000 API calls per day per organisation · Unlimited monthly ingress · 250 GB monthly egress · Journals endpoint subject to security assessment and use case approval | A$1,445 a month |
| Plus | Monthly tier fee; pricing is tax exclusive · 1,000 connections · 5,000 API calls per day per organisation · Unlimited monthly ingress · 50 GB monthly egress | A$245 a month |
| Core | Monthly tier fee; pricing is tax exclusive · 50 connections · 5,000 API calls per day per organisation · Unlimited monthly ingress · 10 GB monthly egress | A$35 a month |
| Starter | Monthly tier fee · 5 connections · 1,000 API calls per day per organisation · Unlimited monthly ingress · Egress not applicable | On request |
| Enterprise | Monthly tier fee; pricing is tax exclusive · No limit on connections · 5,000 API calls per day per organisation · Unlimited monthly ingress · Egress volume on application | On request |
As developer.xero.com lists them, read 30 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Xero’s API provides core accounting endpoints, integration controls, and several developer resources. Plan limits and feature requirements should be checked before implementation, especially for Payroll or Journals access.
Facts from Xero Accounting API's own pages
- AI data use
- Xero’s developer FAQ says data obtained through its APIs may not be used to train or contribute to creating AI or machine learning models. · developer.xero.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Contacts
- The Contacts endpoint lets apps retrieve, add, and update contacts in a Xero organisation. · developer.xero.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Founded
- 2006 · developer.xero.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Wellington, New Zealand · developer.xero.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- Xero says its platform integrates with hundreds of apps, including Stripe, Square, Shopify, GoCardless, and PayPal. · xero.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Journals endpoint
- The Journals endpoint is available starting at the Advanced tier and requires an initial and annual security assessment plus use case approval. · developer.xero.com, 30 Sept 2026
- OAuth authorization
- Xero uses OAuth 2.0 to authorize third-party API access without sharing a Xero password, and users must authorize each third-party integration. · central.xero.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Payments
- The Payments endpoint can retrieve payments, apply payments to approved accounts receivable and payable invoices, and reverse payments. · developer.xero.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Plan compatibility
- The API can be used with all Xero plans, but not all features are available on every plan; the Payroll API requires a Payroll plan. · developer.xero.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Purpose
- The Xero API lets developers create custom integrations between a Xero organisation or partner practice and other products or programs. · central.xero.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Rate limits
- The developer FAQ states limits of five concurrent calls, 60 calls per minute per tenant, and 10,000 calls per minute across an app, alongside tier-specific daily limits. · developer.xero.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Security
- Xero’s API consumer security standard requires OAuth 2.0, TLS 1.2 with AES 256 or higher and SHA-256 in transit, and encryption at rest for repositories holding sensitive information. · developer.xero.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Support and resources
- The developer pricing page lists API Explorer, Postman, Insomnia, Linx, a developer dashboard, and an AI toolkit among developer tools and resources. · developer.xero.com, 30 Sept 2026
Where Xero Accounting API stands on Freedom251
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