Xero Online
Bill Payments
Your supplier bill is already in Xero. Now the payment can stay there too.
Xero Online Bill Payments gives eligible Australian businesses another way to prepare and pay supplier bills without exporting an ABA file and moving between Xero and online banking.
But switching on the payment feature is only one part of the story.
The bills still need to be right. The approvals need to be clear. And the right person still needs to control the money.
This is the payment step — not the whole accounts payable system.
Xero Online Bill Payments can bring another part of your supplier payment process into Xero. But we don't start your accounts payable process at the payment button.
Before money is released, your business should already know what it owes, whether the supplier bill belongs to the business, whether it has been recorded correctly, when it is due and who has approved it.
What does it actually do?
Xero Online Bill Payments allows eligible Australian businesses to process payments for supplier bills from within Xero using Xero's payment partner, Airwallex.
Instead of approving the bills in Xero, exporting payment information and then rebuilding the next part of the process in online banking, more of the payment journey can remain connected to the accounting file.
Select the approved supplier bills you intend to pay.
Create the payment and check how your suppliers will be paid.
Payment details are subject to applicable security checks, including Confirmation of Payee.
The user with the appropriate payment authority completes the payment.
Up to 200 bills
Xero currently allows up to 200 supplier bills to be added to an Online Bill Payment batch.
Your bank's own payment limits still apply.
Australian payments
The current Australian service is designed for eligible Australian business payments in Australian dollars.
Powered by Airwallex
Xero uses Airwallex as the payment provider behind its Online Bill Payments service.
Can my bookkeeper prepare the payment while I approve it?
Yes — and depending on your business, this may be one of the most useful parts of the feature.
Preparing a payment does not automatically have to mean giving that person final authority to release money from your business.
Your bookkeeper can prepare
Your bookkeeper or accounts person may prepare the payment from the supplier bills that have already been checked and approved.
They do not necessarily need to be the person who can release the funds.
Your authorised person approves
If the preparer does not hold the required payment permissions, the payment can be sent to an appropriately authorised Xero user to complete.
Your business can retain final control over the money.
PayTo, direct debit, PayID and BPAY — what is what?
There are two sides to the payment: how the money leaves your business bank account and how the supplier receives it.
Funding your payment
Your eligible Australian business bank account is connected to the Online Bill Payments process.
- PayTo may be available
- Direct debit may be available
- Your bank's limits still apply
- The appropriate bank authority is required
Paying your supplier
Depending on the supplier and payment details, the supplier may receive the payment by:
- Bank transfer
- PayID
- BPAY
You don't have to work all of this out yourself.
“I want to use it. I just want somebody to help me get it set up properly.”
That's where My Great Bookkeeper can help.
We can work through the Xero side with you and look at the accounts payable system surrounding it — because there is not much point introducing a quicker way to pay bills if the process before the payment is still messy.
We can help establish who handles the bills, who checks them, who approves them, who prepares the payment and who keeps final authority over the business's money.
We can help with:
- Reviewing your current supplier payment process
- Checking how supplier bills reach Xero
- Reviewing Xero user permissions
- Establishing who prepares and who authorises payments
- Working through the Xero setup with you
- Reviewing your supplier workflow
- Testing the payment process
- Training the people who will use it
- Connecting the process with Hubdoc where appropriate
- Ongoing Accounts Payable support if required
We'll discuss the work required and the cost with you before proceeding.
We can help with the setup. Some authority still belongs to you.
Connecting an accounting system to a service capable of moving money involves business verification and banking authority. Your bookkeeper should not simply take over every part of that process.
My Great Bookkeeper can help
- Review the Xero organisation
- Review your supplier bill workflow
- Review appropriate Xero permissions
- Work through the Xero setup process
- Design your payment preparation workflow
- Establish approval responsibilities
- Test the process
- Train your team
The authorised person still handles
- Required identity verification
- Required business-owner or director verification
- Authority over the connected bank account
- PayTo authority where required
- Additional bank signatory approval where applicable
- Final payment approval under your business controls
What does Xero charge?
Some Australian Xero plans currently include a number of Online Bill Payments each month. Once the relevant allowance has been used, additional payment fees can apply.
$0.35As at 10 September 2026, Xero states that its additional Online Bill Payment fee is $0.35 AUD including GST per payment.
The number of payments included in your subscription depends on your Xero plan.
Rather than copy Xero's entire pricing table here and risk leaving you with outdated information later, you can check Xero's current pricing directly.
Xero controls its own plan allowances, transaction fees, promotions and pricing and these may change. Xero payment fees are separate from My Great Bookkeeper's bookkeeping, setup or training fees.
We don't change a working system just because Xero added a new button.
The better question is whether Online Bill Payments improves the way your business controls, prepares and records supplier payments.
It may be worth considering if you:
- Process regular supplier payment runs
- Have a bookkeeper or staff member preparing payments
- Want the owner to retain final payment authority
- Currently export and upload ABA files
- Want fewer manual steps
- Want a clearer payment preparation and approval process
Your existing process may still be fine if:
- You only pay a small number of suppliers
- Your current ABA process is already efficient
- Your banking arrangements do not suit the feature
- You regularly need payment types not currently supported
- The change would add complexity rather than remove it
Faster payments should not mean faster mistakes.
A supplier emails you with new bank details.
Don't simply change the supplier details and release the payment because the email looks genuine.
Independently verify any change to supplier banking details using contact information your business already knows to be genuine.
Don't rely solely on the phone number, email address or contact details contained in the bank-detail change request itself.
Software can make paying legitimate suppliers easier. Your controls should still make paying the wrong account difficult.
What doesn't Xero Online Bill Payments currently do?
Xero currently describes Online Bill Payments in Australia as an early-access feature, so functionality may continue to develop.
Domestic AUD payments
The current Australian feature is designed for eligible Australian bills and payments in Australian dollars.
No future scheduling yet
Scheduled future-dated payments are not currently available as part of the feature.
No card funding yet
Credit and debit cards are not currently supported for funding Australian Online Bill Payments.
Xero has indicated further functionality is planned. Check Xero's current feature information before building a permanent payment process around functionality that may change.
Xero Online Bill Payments
Bunny has the answers. Tap a question to open it.
Can My Great Bookkeeper help me set up Xero Online Bill Payments?
Yes. We can help with the Xero setup, accounts payable workflow, user permissions, payment preparation process and training.
Identity verification and banking authorities still need to be completed by the appropriate owner, director or authorised bank signatory where required.
Can my bookkeeper prepare Xero payments while I approve them?
Xero supports workflows where one user prepares a payment and another appropriately authorised user completes the payment.
This can help separate payment preparation from final payment authority.
How many bills can I pay in one batch?
Xero currently allows up to 200 supplier bills to be included in an Online Bill Payment batch.
The actual amount you can process can still be affected by your bank's transaction and daily payment limits.
How much does Xero Online Bill Payments cost?
As at 10 September 2026, Xero states that additional Online Bill Payments cost $0.35 AUD including GST per payment after the applicable allowance for your Xero plan has been used.
Xero controls these prices and plan allowances, so we recommend checking Xero's current pricing page for the latest information.
Do I need a separate Airwallex subscription?
Airwallex is the payments provider operating behind Xero's Online Bill Payments service. The bill payment process itself is accessed through Xero.
Does Xero Online Bill Payments replace ABA files?
No. Businesses can continue using their existing ABA payment process if that remains the best fit.
The best option depends on your bank, payment volume, permissions and approval process.
Can I pay international suppliers?
The current Australian feature is focused on eligible domestic Australian-dollar payments.
Can Xero Online Bill Payments be scheduled for a future date?
Scheduled future-dated payments are not currently available as part of the Australian early-access feature.
Does this replace Accounts Payable bookkeeping?
No.
Supplier bills still need to be captured, supported by appropriate documentation, coded correctly, reviewed, approved, paid and reconciled.
Online Bill Payments changes part of the payment process. It doesn't replace the bookkeeping around it.
Can you train our staff to use Xero Online Bill Payments?
Yes. My Great Bookkeeper provides remote Xero training and can help your staff understand the supplier bill, approval and payment workflow rather than simply showing them which button to press.
Don't just connect the bank. Connect the whole process.
If Xero Online Bill Payments looks like the right fit for your business, we can help you work through the setup and build the accounts payable process around it.
And if your supplier bills, aged payables or payment process are already messy, we can start there first.
Clear books. Strong systems.
Your business. Your numbers. Your story — clearly told.
Your Flight Pass to getting started is ready.
You've seen how this part of the system can work. If you're ready for help putting the right bookkeeping, people and processes around your business, this is where your next chapter starts.
