Freelancers and ZZP’ers in the Netherlands face a unique challenge when it comes to managing finances. From creating professional invoices to staying compliant with VAT (BTW) rules and annual income tax filings, choosing the right tool can make or break your freelancer accounting workflow.
Two popular options are Xolo and Moneybird.
In this comparison, we’ll explore which is the better invoicing platform and admin tool for freelancers in the Netherlands—especially expats—by looking at features, VAT compliance, tax filings, ease of use, pricing and the crucial difference of human accountant support.
Overview: Xolo vs Moneybird for ZZP admin
Xolo is a comprehensive service designed specifically for freelancers and self-employed professionals (ZZP’ers).
It combines an intuitive online platform with expert accountants to cover all your administrative needs, from invoicing and expense management, to accounting and tax compliance. In fact, Xolo’s localized team personally guides you through Dutch tax regulations and handles tasks like obtaining a VAT number, quarterly BTW filings, and annual tax reports on your behalf, all with personal accountant support. A one-stop solution so you can focus on your business with peace of mind.
Moneybird, on the other hand, is a do-it-yourself (DIY) cloud-based accounting software tailored for small businesses and freelancers.
It offers digital tools for invoicing, expense tracking, and bank transaction reconciliation to help you streamline bookkeeping. Moneybird’s platform allows you to generate professional invoices, manage payments, and keep your financial records updated. It integrates with Dutch banks for seamless transaction import and features an intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate without extensive accounting knowledge. However, Moneybird is purely a software tool. Unlike Xolo, it does not include an accountant to give personalized advice or handle filings for you. This fundamental difference (service with human support vs. software-only) is key when deciding between Xolo vs Moneybird.
Invoicing and admin features
Both Xolo and Moneybird cover the basics of invoicing and expense management, but in different ways:
Moneybird invoicing
Moneybird enables you to create and send professional invoices (with your logo, in Dutch or English) and even schedule recurring invoices for regular clients. The software automatically tracks which invoices are paid or overdue.
Moneybird also calculates VAT on invoices and can handle multiple VAT rates, an essential for Dutch compliance. You can connect your bank account to Moneybird, so incoming payments are matched to invoices via bank reconciliation.
In terms of admin tools, Moneybird provides:
- Expense tracking (you can scan receipts and categorize expenses) and…
- Real-time insight into your profit and loss.
All these features require DIY setup—you input the data and manage the process yourself, which does take some initial effort to configure (as users note it “requires some setting up” but is smooth once configured). The upside is that Moneybird’s interface is very user-friendly for a bookkeeping app, so many freelancers can navigate it without an accounting background.
Xolo invoicing
Xolo’s platform takes a more automated approach, offering automated invoicing tools as part of the overall service. You can send VAT-compliant invoices in just a few clicks, ensuring each invoice meets Dutch regulations.
💡 Xolo keeps your client and invoice data organized, similar to Moneybird, but with an important difference: the platform is backed by Xolo’s accounting team.
This means if you’re unsure how to invoice a foreign client or whether to charge VAT, Xolo’s team will guide you. Xolo also tracks your expenses and deductions for you (you’ll log your expenses or even forward receipts) and the system, with human oversight, makes sure everything is recorded correctly).
Essentially, Xolo handles the heavy lifting of admin: freelancers report that using Xolo reduces time spent on administrative tasks to near zero because so much is automated or taken care of by the service itself. While Moneybird provides great tools, Xolo provides tools + service, meaning less manual work on your plate.
VAT compliance and tax filing
Staying on top of VAT returns (BTW aangiftes) and annual taxes is where the gap between Xolo and Moneybird widens further:
Moneybird: Do-it-yourself tax compliance
Moneybird can help you calculate your VAT due each quarter by tallying your invoice VAT and deductible VAT on expenses. It will generate reports so you know how much BTW to pay or reclaim, prefilling your aangifte form so you only click on ‘submit’ to insta-pay.
Moneybird’s service comes with a clever tool that connects with Belastingdienst to submit your VAT as well.
Income tax is handled manually. Moneybird can produce an income statement for the fiscal year (profit/loss), which you or your accountant then use to fill in your annual income tax return. If you’re comfortable with the Dutch tax system, you might handle these filings solo, but many freelancers using Moneybird still end up hiring an accountant or consulting a bookkeeper for peace of mind, especially at year-end.
In short, Moneybird keeps you compliant if you know what needs to be done: it provides the numbers and some submission, but does not provide comprehensive guidance.
Xolo: Full-service tax support
Xolo guides you through obtaining a VAT number when you start out, and then manages your quarterly VAT filings and annual tax reports as an integral part of the overall package.
Instead of just showing you the VAT to pay, Xolo’s accountants prepare your VAT return for you (and in many cases, they can file it on your behalf or give you step-by-step instructions). Xolo ensures all your invoices and expenses are properly accounted for in each BTW return, minimizing errors.
For income tax, Xolo will compile your yearly financial statements and either directly handle the income tax filing or provide the completed figures to submit—guiding you through the entire process. Essentially, you have a professional ensuring you never miss a tax deadline or filing. This level of service is extremely valuable if Dutch tax rules are unfamiliar or if you simply don’t want the stress—Xolo simplifies the tax process by tracking everything for you and helping you understand what taxes you need to pay as a self-employed professional.
The bottom line? Xolo offers peace of mind on compliance that a mostly-DIY software like Moneybird can’t yet match.
Human accountant support vs DIY approach
One of the most important differences in the Xolo vs Moneybird debate is the availability of human accountant support:
With Moneybird, you are essentially on your own for accounting decisions. The platform provides customer support for software issues, and there are help articles, but you do not get a personal accountant to ask country-specific questions.
If you’re unsure about whether to apply the KOR (Kleineondernemersregeling) for VAT or how to classify a certain expense for taxes, Moneybird won’t give you tailored advice – you’d need to consult an external accountant or research on your own. Many freelancers use Moneybird in combination with hiring an accountant for a few hours a year to review their books or file taxes. Moneybird’s approach is DIY: it’s ideal if you feel confident that you “really need [no] accountant to manage [your] finances”, but not everyone is comfortable going fully solo.
Xolo includes human accountants and bookkeepers as part of its service. This means whenever you have a doubt or a complex situation, you can reach out and get expert help.
Xolo’s team provides stellar, personal support to answer your questions and even proactively advise you on optimizing taxes or how to remain compliant. The value here is having an accountant in your corner without the typical high hourly fees. According to Xolo, their model combines an intuitive platform with expert accountants handling the filings in the background.
So you get the flexibility of a modern app and the reassurance of professional oversight. This hybrid approach means Xolo can offer an alternative solution for freelancers who find hiring a traditional accountant too expensive, by providing a DIY-friendly platform backed by professionals. In summary, Xolo is not just software, it’s software + service.
Language and ease of use (expats’ perspective)
For expat freelancers in the Netherlands, the language of your accounting tool and support network is a big consideration:
Xolo: English-language service: Xolo is explicitly geared toward expats and internationally minded entrepreneurs. The entire service is available in English (and their team speaks English), which removes a huge barrier if you’re not fluent in Dutch.
All your communications with Xolo’s support and accountants can be in English, and they’ll translate Dutch tax complexity into plain language for you. Xolo emphasizes localized expertise with English support, meaning they know Dutch laws but will explain and handle them in English for you. This makes Dutch compliance “a walk in the Vondelpark,” as Xolo says, rather than a headache.
Ease of use is not just about software UI, but also about understanding what’s happening. Xolo excels here for non-Dutch speakers. The platform itself is straightforward, focusing only on what you need to input (invoices, expenses) and Xolo handles the rest. Many expats find that using Xolo saves them from having to learn Dutch accounting terminology or hire a translator/accountant.
Moneybird: A primarily Dutch interface: Moneybird is a Dutch company and its primary interface and support are in Dutch. The software may have an English version (Moneybird offers an English UI on moneybird.com for international users), but the full experience—and most online help guides or community tips—are in Dutch.
If you’re a Dutch local or fluent in the language, this is no issue at all, and Moneybird’s interface is indeed clean and modern. However, for an expat who isn’t confident in Dutch, navigating tax concepts in Moneybird could be challenging. For example, figuring out which menu leads to the BTW report or reading error messages might require translation. In terms of pure usability, Moneybird’s design is considered very user-friendly among accounting tools. It’s just that its ease of use assumes a bit of knowledge of Dutch accounting practices (or willingness to learn).
In summary, both platforms score high on usability, but Xolo’s English-language support and guided approach give it an edge for international users and anyone who finds Dutch admin intimidating.
Pricing and overall value
Cost is a significant factor for freelancers choosing between these solutions, and here the contrast is clear: Moneybird is cheaper as a tool, while Xolo delivers more value through services.
Moneybird pricing
Moneybird operates on a subscription model with tiers based on usage. For a solo ZZP’er, plans are very affordable—roughly on the order of a few tens of euros per month (exact pricing depends on the number of invoices/administrations, but for many freelancers it might be around €14-€35 per month for full functionality).
There’s even a limited free tier for very light use. This low cost reflects the fact that Moneybird is software-only. You’re paying for the app development and support, but not for any accounting labor. Compared to hiring an accountant, Moneybird’s cost is almost trivial; it’s one of the best invoicing platforms in the Netherlands in terms of pure price for capability. However, remember that if you need extra help, you might still pay an accountant separately by the hour. That said, if budget is your primary concern and you’re comfortable doing your own admin, Moneybird provides great value.
Xolo pricing
Xolo’s pricing is higher than Moneybird’s, as you’d expect from a full-service accounting solution. Instead of a small monthly fee, Xolo charges a premium monthly subscription that covers the platform and the human support. While Xolo’s Netherlands pricing isn’t publicly listed on their site as of writing, in other countries their plans range roughly from around €75 to €100+ per month (often with some variations or annual packages).
Essentially, you might be investing a few hundred euros per quarter in Xolo. This price, however, bundles all your accounting costs; you likely won’t need to hire an external accountant at year-end or pay extra for tax filings, as it’s all included. When you compare the overall yearly cost of Xolo to the combination of Moneybird + accountant fees + your own time spent, Xolo often comes out favorably.
Xolo saves you countless hours of admin (and the stress of potential mistakes), which can easily justify the higher fee for a busy freelancer. Xolo also occasionally offers promotions (for example, Xolo Netherlands was offering the first 3 months free in early 2025 for new sign-ups as a launch promo) to lower the cost of trying the service.
In terms of overall value, if your freelance business is your livelihood, investing in Xolo can pay off by ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. Moneybird is excellent value for tech-savvy freelancers on a tight budget who are willing to put in the time. Xolo is of greater value for those who prefer to invest a bit more to outsource their tedious accounting tasks and sleep easy knowing compliance is handled.
Why Xolo is the best choice for freelancers in the Netherlands
Both Xolo and Moneybird are powerful ZZP admin tools for invoicing and accounting in the Netherlands, but they cater to different needs.
If you simply need an invoicing app and are prepared to do your own bookkeeping and tax submissions, Moneybird can be a handy solution with its low cost and friendly interface. However, if you value your time, peace of mind, and expert support, Xolo Netherlands stands out as the better option.
Xolo combines the convenience of modern software with the assurance of human accountants, offering English-language support for expats and end-to-end coverage of invoicing, VAT and tax filings. It’s a streamlined, professional service that lets you focus on growing your business instead of wrestling with Dutch paperwork.
Simplify your freelance business today by signing up with Xolo Netherlands and discover how easy accounting for freelancers in the Netherlands can be.