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XO Report vs
Manual Export

Exporting from Xero is free, but every new month means another export. Here is what that costs you, and when an add-in pays for itself.

Try FreeThe short answer

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Excel with a Profit and Loss inserted from Xero for Demo Hotels Ltd, September 2026, and a Month summary beside it where =XO.BALANCE returns Sales 412,751, the same figure as the report
XO Report in Excel: a Profit & Loss straight from Xero on the left, your own live formulas on the right. Scroll sideways to see the whole sheet.Demo company data

The short answer.
It depends on how you work.

Both get Xero figures into Excel. Here is when each way makes sense.

Choose Manual Export if:

  • You only need Xero data once or twice a year
  • Your reports are simple: one company, one period

Choose XO Report if:

  • You update reports every week or month
  • You report on several Xero companies
  • You want figures you can trust without re-checking a paste

The fair view
of manual export.

What this way of working does well, and what to know before you rely on it.

Strengths

  • No subscription cost
  • Built into Xero: most reports have an Export button
  • Fine for a report you need once or twice a year

Limitations

  • Takes several minutes per report, every time you need fresh figures
  • Figures go out of date as soon as Xero changes
  • Copy and paste can introduce mistakes
  • No formulas: each export is a static copy

Where XO Report
is different.

Reports as live tables in Excel and Google Sheets, formulas in any Excel cell, one company or many. Refresh when Xero changes.

The same Profit and Loss table after a Refresh with October dates: Sales 437,208.36 and net profit 106,955.67, labelled Now October, from Xero
No new export: change the dates, click Refresh, and the same table shows October.Demo company data

Why choose XO Report

  • Build a report once, then click Refresh for new figures
  • Formulas like =XO.BALANCE in any cell; click Refresh in the task pane for the latest Xero figures
  • Compare several periods in one report, ready to filter or pivot
  • Several Xero companies in one table
  • No copy and paste

Pricing: Manual export is "free" but costs your time. At $50/hour, 2 hours/month of export work is $100/month, 10 times the cost of the XO Report Solo plan.

See XO Report
at work.

Pictures of XO Report with demo company data. Each one opens a guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is manual export from Xero really free?

There's no subscription cost, but your time has value. If you spend 2 hours/month on exports at $50/hour, that's $100/month, 10 times the cost of XO Report's Solo plan.

When does manual export make sense?

Manual export works well if you only need Xero data once or twice a year, or for very simple one-time reports. For regular reporting, automation saves significant time.

All comparisons →Compare Xero Excel add-ins →Xero to Excel guide →Pricing →

Try XO Report free

Add it to Excel or Google Sheets, connect Xero, and compare for yourself. 14-day free trial, no credit card required.

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