The ultimate guide to Xero MCP 2026.
Every serious way to connect an AI assistant to Xero with the Model Context Protocol — official, managed platform, and hosted — with pricing, write access, scopes, permissions, and setup effort laid out plainly. Whether you're a developer, in finance, or trying to give the whole team safe answers, start here.
The basics
What is a Xero MCP server?
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard for connecting AI assistants to outside systems through one common interface. A Xero MCP server exposes Xero data and, on some setups, accounting actions as tools an assistant can call.
In plain terms: instead of exporting a report, pasting rows into a chat, and hoping the assistant reasons from a partial file, the AI can ask Xero for records directly. The practical differences are scope, safety, and audience: can it write, who can use it, and who owns the server and credentials.
The landscape
Three categories of option.
Official & open source
Xero's MCP server runs locally through Node/npm. Free software; you own scopes, secrets, client setup, and support.
Managed cloud platforms
Platforms like Composio, Pipedream, and Zapier host auth and actions when Xero is one app inside a larger agent workflow.
Hosted finance layer
A vendor-run, read-only layer built for finance teams — no code, per-user permissions, audit trail, and team access.
Category 01 · Free server
Official & open-source servers
Best for developers and technical pilots. The server code is free; the real work is Xero app setup, scope review, credential handling, and client configuration.
Official · from Xero Start here if you're a developer Xero official MCP server
XeroAPI/xero-mcp-server ↗The official open-source server from Xero. It runs as a local stdio server through Node/npm, supports Custom Connections for one organisation, and can also run with a bearer token for clients that handle OAuth at runtime. The tool surface covers contacts, accounts, invoices, payments, reports, bank transactions, tracking, items, quotes, credit notes, and selected payroll workflows.
- Transport
- Local stdio
- Write access
- Depends on authorised scopes
- License
- MIT — free & open source
- Setup effort
- High — Xero app, scopes, secrets, MCP client
Wyre Xero MCP
CommunityA community TypeScript server for Xero's Accounting API, also published as @wyre-technology/xero-mcp. It covers contacts, invoices, payments, accounts, and reports, and is worth evaluating when you want a non-official open-source package with a simple npm install path.
- Transport
- Local stdio
- Write access
- Read-write (verify surface)
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Setup effort
- High — Xero app, OAuth, code review
john-zhang-dev xero-mcp
CommunityA smaller community Xero MCP server with Claude/Claude Code setup instructions and Smithery listing support. Treat it as code to audit rather than a managed product: check token storage, tool definitions, scopes, and maintenance before using real company data.
- Transport
- Local stdio
- Write access
- Verify in code
- License
- MIT
- Setup effort
- High — audit required
CData Xero MCP (OSS)
Vendor OSSA read-only MCP server that connects to Xero through CData JDBC drivers and exposes schema-aware SQL-style access. The server is open source, but the underlying driver is the commercial CData piece.
- Transport
- Local Java · JDBC
- Write access
- Read-only (by design)
- License
- Free server + paid driver
- Setup effort
- Medium-high — driver + config
Category 02 · Paid, managed
Managed cloud platforms
Best when Xero is one of many apps an agent touches and you want managed auth. These platforms are usually action-first, so pricing and write access matter.
Composio
composio.dev/toolkits/xero ↗Managed auth and hosted MCP/tool access for agents that need Xero alongside many other apps. Composio positions Xero as a read/write automation toolkit for actions like invoice, bank transaction, report, and contact workflows.
- Model
- MCP gateway / managed auth
- Write access
- Read-write tool-based
- Pricing
- Free 20K calls/mo; $29 and $229 tiers
- Best for
- Agent builders
Pipedream Connect
pipedream.com/apps/xero-accounting ↗A developer platform for adding app integrations and MCP tools to your own product. It is useful when Xero is one integration in a larger embedded agent or workflow system and you want managed end-user auth.
- Model
- Workflow MCP, embeddable
- Write access
- Read-write action-based
- Pricing
- Credits + external users
- Best for
- Embedding integrations
Zapier
zapier.com/apps/xero/integrations ↗Zapier is not a Xero-specific MCP server in the same sense as Xero's official repo. It is an automation platform with Xero actions and broad MCP support, so it fits teams that want AI-driven workflows across Xero and thousands of other apps.
- Model
- Workflow / action platform
- Write access
- Read-write actions
- Pricing
- Plan and task based
- Best for
- No-code automations
CData Connect AI
cdata.com/ai ↗CData's commercial cloud platform exposes Xero and many other sources through a managed MCP endpoint. It is closer to an IT/data access layer than a Xero-only local server, and suits teams standardizing governed query access across systems.
- Model
- Cloud query platform
- Write access
- Query-focused
- Pricing
- Subscription
- Best for
- IT/data teams, many sources
Peliqan
peliqan.io/connector/Xero ↗A warehouse-first MCP gateway that syncs Xero into a managed data layer for SQL, AI agents, and cross-source analysis. It is most relevant when Xero needs to be queried alongside CRM, Stripe, bank, or practice-wide portfolio data.
- Model
- Managed warehouse + MCP
- Write access
- Read/write via governed flows
- Pricing
- Subscription / demo-led
- Best for
- Cross-source analytics and EU practices
Category 03 · Paid, hosted
Hosted finance layer
Best when the users want answers, not tools, and read-only access, permissions, and audit logging are requirements from day one.
Kipper
Hosted · read-onlyKipper connects Xero once and lets the wider team ask governed questions without managing MCP servers or Xero credentials. It is read-only by architecture, permissions are enforced per user or team, and every question and answer is logged. The same Xero connection powers Slack, Teams, SMS, and MCP-enabled AI clients through the Kipper MCP beta.
- Write access
- Impossible by architecture
- Permissions
- Per user / team, per query
- Pricing
- $200/mo — 10 users, 2,000 Qs
- Setup effort
- Low — web portal, no code
Everything compared
10 options, one table.
| Option | Type | Hosting | Write access | Per-user permissions | Audit trail | Cost | Setup effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xero official | Open source | Local (stdio) | Scope-dependent | No | No | Free server + Xero costs | High |
| Wyre Xero MCP | Open source | Local (stdio) | Read-write | No | No | Free | High |
| john-zhang xero-mcp | Open source | Local (stdio) | Verify | No | No | Free + your time | High |
| CData (OSS) | Vendor OSS | Local Java (JDBC) | Read-only | Driver auth | No | Free + driver licence | Med-High |
| Composio | Cloud platform | Composio cloud | Read-write | Managed auth | Platform logs | Free -> $29 -> $229 | Low-Med |
| Pipedream | Cloud platform | Pipedream cloud | Read-write | Managed auth | Platform logs | Credits + users | Low-Med |
| Zapier | Automation platform | Zapier cloud | Read-write | Scoped per Zap/app | Task history | Plan + task usage | Low-Med |
| CData Connect AI | Cloud platform | CData cloud | Query-only | Platform auth | Platform logs | Subscription | Low-Med |
| Peliqan | Data platform | Peliqan cloud | Read-write | Platform auth | Audit logs | Subscription | Low-Med |
| Kipper | Hosted finance layer | Kipper cloud | Impossible | Yes, per query | Every Q&A logged | $200/mo (10 users) | Low (no code) |
Figures from vendor docs, READMEs, and pricing pages, July 2026. This category changes monthly — re-verify before relying on it.
Cost compared
What each option actually costs.
"Free" server code is not the same as a free production connection. Factor in Xero subscription costs, Xero Developer app pricing where applicable, hosting, and support time.
| Option | Software | Hosting / infra | Ongoing cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xero official MCP server | Free (MIT) | Your machine or cloud you run | Xero subscription + developer/app costs where applicable | Custom Connections and API platform pricing are separate from the package |
| Wyre / john-zhang community servers | Free / open source | Your machine or cloud you run | Your time, infra, and review effort | Audit before touching production data |
| CData (OSS server) | Free server | CData JDBC driver licence (trial available) | Driver licence | Read-only, SQL-style access |
| Composio | Free tier | None (Composio cloud) | $29/mo and $229/mo published tiers | Usage-based on tool calls |
| Pipedream Connect | Free development access | None (Pipedream cloud) | Credits + external-user pricing | Tool calls consume credits |
| Zapier | Subscription | None (Zapier cloud) | Plan and task usage | Best for automations, not governed Q&A |
| CData Connect AI | Subscription | None (CData cloud) | Vendor pricing / plan dependent | Many data sources, one endpoint |
| Peliqan | Subscription | None (Peliqan cloud) | Vendor pricing / demo-led | Warehouse-first MCP for cross-source analysis |
| Kipper | Subscription | None (hosted) | $200/mo — 10 users, 2,000 questions | 14-day free trial, no credit card |
Decide faster
Two questions that sort the whole market.
Read or write?
Xero's official server and managed platforms can expose write-capable tools when write scopes are authorised. That is useful for controlled automations, but it is not the default shape you want for broad self-serve finance questions. Start with read scopes, use the Demo Company, and only add write access when the workflow owner is explicit.
One user or the whole team?
A local stdio server is one user, one machine, and one sensitive config. If sales, ops, support, and leadership all need answers, you need central permissions, audit logging, and a way to answer in the tools they already use. That is the boundary between raw MCP tooling and a governed finance layer.
Under the hood
The Xero-specific limitation: scopes and live API calls.
Xero is scope-driven. A tool can only access the areas authorised in the Xero Developer app or Custom Connection, and granular scope requirements changed for newer Custom Connections in 2026. That makes scope review part of the implementation, not an afterthought.
The second limit is operational: raw MCP tools call APIs record by record or report by report. Simple lookups are fine; custom cross-record questions can require several calls plus reasoning in the assistant. A synced, permissioned finance layer changes that shape by querying a prepared copy of the data and logging every answer.
Security & governance
Six questions to ask before you connect.
Tool count is not the buying criterion. For Xero data, these decide it.
- Which Xero scopes are authorised, and do any permit create or update actions?
- Is the connection a one-organisation Custom Connection or a multi-tenant OAuth flow?
- Where are the Client ID, Client Secret, bearer tokens, and refresh tokens stored?
- Is access scoped per employee, or does everyone share one powerful connection?
- Is every question and answer logged for review?
- Can the system answer cross-record questions without making the assistant stitch together many API calls?
The bottom line
Which should you choose?
Developers
Start with Xero's official MCP server. Use the Demo Company, begin with read scopes such as organisation settings, and add broader scopes only when you know the exact tools you need. Compare community servers only after reading their source and auth handling.
Set up Xero MCP locallyAgent & automation builders
Use Composio, Pipedream, Zapier, or Peliqan when Xero is one of many apps your agent needs to touch and you want managed auth. Budget for tool-call, task, or platform usage, and treat write actions as production operations.
Xero MCP options comparedTechnical finance teams
The official server can be a good internal tool when a technical owner can manage scopes, credentials, updates, and client configuration. CData routes fit better when the team thinks in SQL or wants a data-access layer across many systems.
Connect Xero MCP to ClaudeFinance, ops & the whole company
If the users want answers rather than MCP tooling, a hosted finance layer like Kipper is the safer shape: one governed Xero connection, read-only by architecture, per-user permissions, and a full audit trail in Slack, Teams, SMS, and MCP-enabled AI clients.
See Kipper's Xero MCP connectorFAQ
Xero MCP: frequently asked questions
The questions developers, finance teams, and business owners ask most.
Keep reading
Xero MCP servers compared
The practical options, trade-offs, and costs.
ReadSet up Xero MCP locally
Custom Connection, scopes, and Demo Company test.
ReadConnect Xero MCP to Claude
Add the official server to Claude Desktop.
ReadConnect Xero MCP to Codex
Configure the server inside Codex.
ReadConnect Xero MCP to ChatGPT
Remote MCP, developer mode, and safe testing.
ReadXero MCP scopes explained
Read scopes, granular scopes, and write risk.
ReadCustom Connections vs OAuth apps
Pick the right Xero auth model for MCP.
ReadXero MCP troubleshooting
Fix invalid_scope, invalid_client, and setup errors.
ReadSafe Xero AI questions & prompts
Copy-ready prompts within Kipper's supported scope.
ReadKipper's Xero MCP connector
The hosted, read-only route for teams.
ReadWant Xero answers, not tools to maintain?
Kipper is the hosted, read-only route: connect Xero once and let your whole team ask in Slack, Teams, SMS, and MCP-enabled AI clients.
Sources & further reading