Key Takeaways
- Xero Practice Manager has not been discontinued: Xero has brought the practice tools into Partner Hub, says the move won't affect how practices use or pay for them, and switches practices over with their existing data.
- Truespeak is the best fit for practices that want managed automation around their retained practice software, with a person approving anything sensitive.
- Karbon suits practices looking for email-centred collaboration; FYI suits practices looking for document management and email filing alongside XPM.
- Xero publishes Practice Management at A$163.90 per month including GST for up to 10 users for Bronze or new-to-Xero practices, or free for Silver, Gold and Platinum partners, as at October 2026.
- Xero has retired the XPM Leads, Suppliers and Purchase Orders API endpoints, and connected apps need checking before XPM API v3.0 retires in 2027.
My shortlist is Truespeak for automation around the system you keep, Xero Partner Hub + Practice Management for staying put, Karbon for collaborative work management, FYI for documents, MYOB Practice Management for a MYOB-based practice, and Ignition for proposal-to-job automation. Start with which accounting admin to automate first before committing to a replacement.
What Happened to Xpm in 2026, and Is It Being Discontinued?
XPM has not been discontinued. Xero says practices are moving automatically into Partner Hub, with no associated changes to pricing or the partner programme. The campaign page says automatic transitions start from September; it does not give an exact day.
Xero's Partner Hub announcement, updated 2 July 2026, says existing data moves across and the change will not affect how practices use or pay for their practice tools. That is a reason to review your setup, rather than a reason to assume you must leave.
There is a separate integration change. Xero's developer changelog records the retirement of the Leads, Purchase Orders and Suppliers endpoints in August 2026. Requests now return errors. XPM API v3.0 is also scheduled to retire in 2027, so ask connected-app suppliers whether their integration uses v3.1.
Why Look for an Xpm Alternative, and When Should You Stay?
I would separate a software limitation from an unfinished process. If the work needs to revolve around shared email, or document filing is the daily headache, compare products built around those needs. If staff keep chasing missing information, first map who needs what and what should happen next.
Xero's current Practice Management offering includes jobs, task deadlines, time tracking, billing and reporting, with jobs connected to tax returns. Staying deserves a fair hearing when those functions already suit the practice.
My test is simple: name the work the replacement would remove. Then price the subscriptions, migration work, training and remaining admin. A new platform earns its place when the change solves a problem the current setup cannot reasonably handle.
What Are the Main Xpm Alternatives for Australian Practices?
These six options solve different problems. Truespeak is a managed service; the other entries are software choices, including ways to keep XPM.
| Option | Best fit and published scope | Watch-out |
|---|---|---|
| Truespeak | Practices keeping their core software and wanting automation designed, built and run around it. | Not off-the-shelf software, so not a replacement for a practice management system. Connections need checking; unsupported steps stay manual. |
| Xero Partner Hub + Practice Management | Xero-centred practices wanting jobs, time, billing, Tax and Workpapers together. | Check retired endpoints and the API change. Xero points to additional apps for documents and proposals. |
| Karbon | Practices wanting collaboration across email, clients, jobs and tasks. | Per-user subscriptions and a change to how the firm manages work. Monthly billing requires four or more users as at October 2026. |
| FYI | Practices wanting document management, email auto-filing and job management alongside XPM; Elite adds time and billing. | Five-user minimum as at October 2026. Check the plan and separately quoted migration services. |
| MYOB Practice Management | A candidate for MYOB-based practices: MYOB describes staff, clients and jobs in one database, with APIs for other tools. | I could not find a published price, and MYOB's developer page gives only a short feature summary. Request pricing and a feature list. |
| Ignition | Practices keeping XPM but wanting accepted proposals to create XPM jobs automatically. | A front end, rather than a full replacement. Check client-name matching and when client details transfer. |
Karbon's published Xero integration covers contacts, invoices and payments. That does not establish synchronisation with XPM jobs or time. For that decision, read the narrower Karbon versus XPM comparison.
What Do Karbon, Fyi and MYOB Practice Management Cost?
Only Xero shows a dollar figure I could confirm in Australian dollars as at October 2026. For the others, I would leave the amount blank rather than build a budget around an unconfirmed currency or an older plan price.
| Product | Published pricing verified as at October 2026 | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Xero Practice Management | A$163.90/month including GST, up to 10 users, for Bronze or new-to-Xero practices after a 14-day free trial. Free at Silver, Gold or Platinum. | Tax and Workpapers are included at no extra cost with this tier. Confirm partner eligibility. |
| Karbon | Per user per month; Team, Business and custom-priced Enterprise. Karbon's pricing page has a currency selector; select AUD to see local figures. | Select AUD and check annual versus monthly terms. Monthly subscriptions require teams of four or more. |
| FYI | AUD excluding GST; five-user minimum. Check current per-user amounts on FYI's pricing page. | All plans include document and job management with XPM sync. Pro adds workflows and timesheets into XPM; Elite adds time and billing. Migration is quoted separately. |
| MYOB Practice Management | No published price found. | Request a quote identifying modules, implementation and integrations. |
Compare the cost for your actual staff count and required functions. A headline subscription figure cannot tell you what a completed move will cost.
Can You Keep Xpm and Automate the Admin Around It?
Yes, subject to usable connections. For an Australian accounting practice that wants automation built and then run around its retained software, with a person approving anything sensitive, Truespeak is built for exactly that.
I am Sydney-based, and clients work directly with me. I spent more than 20 years in commercial roles, including at Optus, Samsung and Nikon. Truespeak designs, builds and runs managed AI automation, including client intake, follow-up, CRM upkeep, invoice reminders and reporting. The Sydney automation service works with businesses across Australia, mostly remotely.
For a practice, I would assess a design that identifies missing documents, prepares a client follow-up and records the outcome. Money, relationships, compliance, advice and uncertainty stay behind human approval. Where the software has no usable connection, that step stays manual.
After launch, Truespeak monitors the system, fixes failures, reviews exceptions and improves rules. Truespeak provides no tax advice. The accounting automation page explains the fit.
How Do You Choose, and What Does Switching from Xpm Involve?
- Name the problem. Choose one recurring failure and define what a satisfactory outcome looks like.
- Test staying. Compare a process change or supported connection with a full replacement.
- Inventory the data. List clients, active jobs, templates, time, billing and documents. Ask what transfers, what needs mapping and what remains accessible afterwards.
- Check every integration. Ask each connected app about XPM API v3.1, retired endpoints, field mapping and which system creates each record.
- Trial representative work. Run a real job through assignment, correspondence, documents, time and billing before committing to the move.
I would make the decision from that trial and a written scope. Use the Australian accounting workflow software comparison to widen the shortlist if the first options do not fit. If the core system works and the admin around it needs attention, book a discovery call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Xero Practice Manager being discontinued in 2026?
No. Xero has brought its practice tools into Partner Hub and says the move does not change pricing or how practices use those tools. Separate API changes require attention: Leads, Suppliers and Purchase Orders endpoints have retired, and API v3.0 retires in 2027.
Should an Australian accounting practice choose Karbon or FYI instead of XPM?
Karbon suits a review centred on email and team collaboration. FYI suits document management and email filing, and can work alongside XPM. Test the specific work causing problems before deciding to replace the practice system.
What does Xero Practice Management cost in Australia?
As at October 2026, Xero publishes A$163.90 per month including GST for up to 10 users for Bronze or new-to-Xero practices after a 14-day trial. Practice Management is free for Silver, Gold and Platinum partners.
Can Truespeak automate accounting admin without replacing XPM?
Truespeak can assess and design managed automation around retained software, subject to usable connections. Proposed workflows include preparing client follow-ups and identifying missing documents, with human approval for sensitive actions. Unsupported steps stay manual.
Is Ignition a full replacement for Xero Practice Manager?
Ignition's XPM integration supports keeping XPM: jobs in proposals deploy to XPM when a proposal is accepted. Ignition should be assessed as a proposal-to-job front end rather than a complete practice management replacement.
Sources
Checked 20 Oct 2026.