To become a Xero partner as an accountant or bookkeeper, sign your practice up on Xero's partner program page. It's free, you need at least one registered accountant, and one staff member has to pass Xero's Level 1 certification within 30 days. Status then runs from partner through Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum, based on points Xero calculates daily from the client subscriptions you manage.
That covers most people searching "Xero partner". Software companies have a separate door: the Xero App Store, where an app partner lists an integration and can move up to a premium tier. And a smaller group of developers who build custom Xero integrations for clients can apply as Developer Partners.
PartnersWatch isn't affiliated with Xero. Everything below comes from Xero's own pages, read on 8 October 2026: the US partner program page, Xero's US partner terms, the certification page, the UK programme page for regional differences, and two developer documents. Xero runs the program country by country and changes it, so check your own region's page before you plan around anything here.
The three ways to partner with Xero
| Program | Partner types | Terms | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xero | Integrator / MSP, Referral partner | On request | — |
| Route | Who it's for | What you get | Where you apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner program (practices) | Accounting and bookkeeping practices | Free Xero for the practice, status tiers, directory listing, client discounts | Xero's partner program sign-up page |
| App partner | Software companies with a Xero integration | App Store listing, more connections, marketing at premium tier | developer.xero.com, under My Apps |
| Developer Partner | Developers building custom Xero integrations for clients | Developer Center access and developer support | Xero's Developer Partner program |
Our Xero partner program listing tracks the practice route, which is the one with tiers and the one most firms mean.
None of the three is a cash affiliate program. The pages we read don't describe a commission for sending sign-ups to Xero. If you're a publisher looking for cash per referral in accounting software, our accounting software partner programs guide lists the ones that pay money, such as FreshBooks' referral track.
Requirements and cost for accounting practices
Xero's US page sets two conditions. Your firm has to be "an accounting practice with at least one registered accountant", and at least one staff member has to commit to finishing Xero certification within 30 days. The FAQ on the same page says accountants and bookkeepers in a practice can become recognized partners.
The US partner terms are more exact than the marketing page, and they're what you actually sign:
- On joining (clause 2.2): at least one staff member completes the L1 Xero Associate Certification within 30 days.
- To stay in (clause 3.1): at least one staff member completes or renews that certification within 12 months, and that person has to be actively serving clients, which Xero measures as logging into client organizations within the past 60 days.
That last condition catches firms out. If your one certified person moves into a management role and stops opening client files, the practice no longer meets the requirement, even though the certificate is still valid. Certify two people.
On cost, the page says "the Xero partner program is free and there are no ongoing costs." You do still pay for client subscriptions you bill through, under Xero's normal terms (clause 14.2 points to them), but the partnership itself has no fee.
Xero certification: what the 30-day requirement means
Xero certification is free. You can take a self-paced course, join a live webinar, or go straight to the assessment if you already know the product. There are three levels, and you take them in order:
| Level | Name | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xero Certified Associate | Entering basic financial information |
| 2 | Xero Certified Professional | Complex features and period-end reporting |
| 3 | Xero Certified Specialist | The full suite of advanced features and tools |
Level 1 is all the partner program asks for. Certification lasts 12 months. To renew, you pass an annual recertification assessment for your highest level, which is scenario-based with an 80% pass mark and a 24-hour wait before a retake. Let it lapse and recertifying isn't enough: you repeat the full course and assessment. Xero sends reminders about 90, 30 and 2 days before expiry.
There are also specialist badges for payroll and for migrations, each with its own annual recertification. They aren't required for partner status. If you're moving clients off desktop software, the migration badge is the one that actually helps you win work.
For accountants who need CPD or CPE credit: Xero says points need both the learning content and the assessment. Skip straight to the test and you get the certificate but no credit.
How Xero partner status works
Xero lists five status levels: partner, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. The terms explain the mechanism, though not the thresholds.
- Partners earn partner points "based on the number of subscriptions and other activities" (clause 5.1), and your points decide your tier.
- Points are calculated daily against criteria published on Xero Central (clause 5.2).
- If you earn points by being invited into a client's subscription as an advisor, you must have logged into that client organization within the last 120 days (clause 5.3).
- Xero can offer bonus points at its discretion, and they expire as set out in each offer (clause 5.6).
The point thresholds for each level live on Xero Central, Xero's help site, and we couldn't load that article when we checked. We've seen thresholds quoted on accounting firms' blogs, but we won't repeat a number Xero hasn't confirmed to us. Your current points and tier show inside Xero, so the quickest way to know where you stand is to sign up and look.
The 120-day rule is worth planning around. Many practices get invited into dozens of client files for a one-off job and never return. Those files stop counting. If status matters to you, the clients that keep you on the tier are the ones you work in every quarter.
What each tier gets you
On the US page, every tier from Bronze to Platinum includes the same core set:
- a free Xero subscription to run your own practice
- 24/7 support and access to a Xero representative
- Xero Partner Hub for managing your client portfolio
- a listing in the Xero advisor directory
- access to Syft Analytics (on eligible plans, the page says)
The one US difference by tier is Partner Hub plus Practice Management, for jobs, time and billing, which starts at Silver. Bronze doesn't get it. The UK page draws the same line and adds Xero Tax for preparing and filing client returns, also from Silver up. So in practice, Silver is the first tier where Xero starts replacing some of your other practice software.
Bronze partners and above are eligible for discounts on Xero business edition subscriptions. The UK page says the discount grows with each tier and that it applies to business plans only, not Xero Simple or Xero Ledger. Neither page gives the discount percentages in text (they're in images), so we don't quote them.
Of all these, the directory listing is the one that brings in clients. Small businesses looking for a Xero bookkeeper search that directory by location, and your tier badge is what they see next to your name. For a two-person firm, moving from Bronze to Silver can matter more for new-client calls than the subscription discount does.
How to apply as a practice
- Check you qualify. You need a practice with at least one registered accountant. A solo bookkeeper without one should check their own country's page, because eligibility wording differs by region.
- Pick who gets certified. Choose two people if you can, both of them people who log into client files every week.
- Sign up on the partner page. It's the "Sign up for free" link from the listing. Xero also offers a demo booking if you want a walkthrough first.
- Finish Level 1 inside 30 days. Book the time on the calendar the day you join.
- Move existing clients into your Partner Hub. Invite yourself into the files you already work on so they count toward points.
- Fill out your advisor directory profile. List services, software you support and the industries you work with.
Firms that already run a few Xero clients usually do steps 3 to 6 in a couple of weeks. The certification is the slow part, and it's slow mainly because people put it off.
The app partner route for software companies
If you build software that connects to Xero, you don't join the practice program. You become an app partner through the Xero App Store. Xero's "Grow with the Xero App Store" document sets the baseline:
- follow the Xero App Store terms
- be listed on the Xero App Store
- meet Xero's technical and security standards
The steps it gives are to build your app on a free developer account, get certified (you need at least three customers who use your app), publish on the App Store, then grow from there. Certification is what lifts the default connection limit: the document lists connecting more than 25 tenants as an app partner feature.
There are two app tiers, Connected and Premium. Premium requires:
- consistent subscription growth through the App Store until you reach $10k MRR
- at least 50 App Store reviews with a 4-star average
- a connection to Xero App Launcher
Premium adds the things a growing app actually wants: an assigned partner manager, quarterly business reviews, App Store analytics, co-funded marketing and a chance to present to Xero's sales teams. You don't apply for Premium. Xero says tiers are evaluated on an ongoing basis and adjusted automatically. The document carries no date, so confirm the criteria with Xero's developer team (api@xero.com) before you plan a launch around them.
Developer Partners
Xero also runs a Developer Partner program for people who build custom integrations rather than a product. Its terms ask for at least two Xero API integration projects with customers willing to act as references, a website landing page describing your services, and a case study. Xero can accept or decline any applicant. Benefits listed in the terms are access to the Xero Developer Center and developer support.
Xero vs QuickBooks partner programs
Most accounting firms end up holding both, because clients arrive already on one or the other. The two programs are built differently.
| Xero partner program | QuickBooks Solution Provider (QSP) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who joins | Accounting practices with a registered accountant | Solution providers, accountants, developers, franchises and business affiliates |
| Cost | Free, no ongoing costs | Not stated on the page we list |
| Tiers | Partner, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum | Not stated on the page we list |
| Countries | Separate programs by region (we track the US page) | Mainly US, plus Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, India, Mexico and the UK |
| Listing | Xero | QuickBooks QSP |
The QSP program takes a wider range of partner types, including affiliates, while Xero's practice program is for accounting firms only. Don't pick by program features. Count which ledger your current and prospective clients already use, join that program first, and add the other when a few clients ask for it. Holding status in both costs you two sets of certification time, so only do it when the client mix pays for it. You can see both side by side on the Xero alternatives page.
Other accounting partner programs to look at
| Program | Partner types | Terms | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xero | Integrator / MSP, Referral partner | On request | — |
| Intuit QuickBooks | Reseller, Integrator / MSP, Referral partner | On request | — |
| FreshBooks | Affiliate, Referral partner, Reseller | Referral: $100 account credit per paid upgrade; affiliates paid per trial signup and paid upgrade (amount not stated) | One-time |
| Dext | Affiliate, Referral partner | 50%+ of the first 6 months of revenue (about GBP 70-500 per referral) | Revenue share |
| Zoho | Reseller, Distributor, Integrator / MSP | On request | — |
| Wave | Affiliate | Commission per new signup (rate not stated) | One-time |
If you advise clients on software and want to be paid for introductions rather than in status, the referral partner programs for consultants guide covers programs that pay cash for warm introductions. For the general mechanics of applying anywhere, see how to join a partner program.
FAQ
How do I become a Xero partner?
Sign your practice up through Xero's partner program page. You need at least one registered accountant, and one staff member must complete Level 1 Xero Associate certification within 30 days. Software companies take a different route, through the Xero App Store on developer.xero.com.
Is the Xero partner program free?
Yes. Xero's US page says the partner program is free with no ongoing costs. Certification is free too. You still pay for any client subscriptions you're billed for under Xero's normal terms.
What are the Xero partner tiers?
Xero lists five status levels: partner, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Your level depends on partner points, which Xero calculates daily from the client subscriptions you own or are invited into, plus other activities set out on Xero Central.
How many points do you need for Xero Gold or Platinum?
Xero publishes the thresholds on Xero Central, its help site, rather than on the program page, and they can differ by region. We couldn't load that article when we checked in October 2026, so check your current points and the thresholds inside your Xero account.
What certification does a Xero partner need?
At least one staff member needs an active Level 1 Xero Certified Associate certification. It lasts 12 months and is renewed by passing an annual scenario-based assessment with an 80% pass mark. That person must also be logging into client files within the past 60 days.
Does Xero have an affiliate program?
The Xero partner pages we read don't describe a cash affiliate or commission program. Practices are rewarded with free software, status and directory placement. Publishers who want per-referral payouts should look at accounting programs that pay cash, such as FreshBooks or Dext.
How do you become a Xero app partner?
Build your integration on a free developer account, find at least three customers who use it, pass Xero's app certification and publish on the Xero App Store. Premium tier follows automatically once you reach $10k MRR through the App Store and at least 50 reviews averaging 4 stars.