Xero wins Canstar’s 2026 Most Satisfied Customers Award for Small Business Accounting Software in New Zealand

Every small business owner I talk to has a different reason for taking the leap – but not one of them say it’s for the paperwork. What they’re really chasing is the freedom to build something their own way, with more time for the things they love. Xero exists to make this a possibility. 

This is why this award means so much. Canstar’s 2026 Most Satisfied Customers Award for Small Business Accounting Software isn’t decided by a panel – it’s voted for by the small business owners actually running things on Xero. 

For the eighth year running, you’ve named us your top choice. It’s a vote of confidence we don’t take for granted, from the people who know best what it takes to run a business in Aotearoa New Zealand – you, and the advisors that back you. 

What you told us matters to you

When Canstar asked what sets Xero apart, small businesses rated us highest across the market for ease of integration, reporting, ease of use, and functionality. The things valued most are exactly where we continue to invest. Here’s a snapshot of what some of our customers said:

• “Very intuitive layout, seamless bank integration, and excellent invoicing features”
• “Xero is an absolute powerhouse. It saves a lot of time and complex thinking for me. Absolutely brilliant”
• “Very easy to use, intuitive, has all the features you want”
• “It makes linking to my accountant easier”
• “Xero is easy to use day to day. Bank feeds payroll and reporting work well. It gives a clear view of cash flow.”

Ease of integration and reporting topped the list of what matters most, and they’re areas we’re focused on for Kiwi small businesses. Whether it’s connecting bank feeds, payment tools and apps in one place, or turning transactions into reports you can actually use to make decisions, these are the everyday tasks Xero handles so you can spend less time on admin and more time doing what you love.

We’re not done yet

An award like this is a reflection of a moment in time. What’s more important is that Xero keeps improving and making your lives easier. That’s our continued promise.

We’re continuing to enhance our platform in the areas that matter most to you, helping you run smarter, not harder.

• Smart Document Capture, now in beta, reads bills, receipts and invoices the moment they’re uploaded, forwarded or photographed, and turns them into a transaction ready for you to check.
• Industry Benchmarks in Xero Analytics compares your numbers against other businesses in your industry to help you make better informed decisions about your business.
• Auto Bank Reconciliation, also in beta, matches transactions to your bank feed as they come through, rather than leaving you a list to work through at the end of the month. It will soon handle more complex cases, like splitting a single payment across sales and fees.
• Pay by Bank, now in beta for eligible customers powered by Akahu, Aotearoa New Zealand’s open banking network, lets your customers pay an invoice straight from their own banking app – with the payment matched and reconciled automatically.

At the heart of this, is a principle we call Accountable Intelligence. It’s all about letting Xero take the routine heavy lifting off your plate and show it’s working, so you’re always in complete control. AI supports the work, but human judgement and accountability stay firmly with you. 

Whether these features are live today or being built right now, every single innovation comes back to one simple question before released: does this genuinely make life easier for small business owners and their advisors?

To our small business community and the advisors who support them day in and day out – thank you for trusting us. We’re in your corner, working to build a more connected, digitally enabled, and resilient small business economy for Aotearoa New Zealand. Watch this space – there’s so much more to come.