What Xero's terms say about your data

Who owns the data the customer puts in?

The customer · covers all data the customer enters or uploads

1. Headline Every plan covers all data the customer enters or uploads

   The customer

   When you enter or upload your data into our services, we don't own that data but you grant us a licence

   Xero Terms of Use (updated 26 October 2026) (terms), read 2026-10-26 · link to this fact

   Terms of Use, section 20 'Use of data'. The licence is "to use, copy, transmit, store, analyse, and back up all data you submit to us through our services", including to "allow us to improve, develop and protect our services".

Does the vendor train AI on it?

The terms don't say · covers all customer data

1. Headline Every plan covers all customer data

   The terms don't say

   Xero Terms of Use (updated 26 October 2026) (terms), read 2026-10-26 · link to this fact

   The Terms of Use (updated 26 October 2026) and the responsible data use commitments say nothing about training models on customer data. The privacy notice says Xero uses personal data to "provide, maintain and deliver our services (including using AI/ML)" and to develop new products, which is use, not training. Xero's data processing terms were not found at a readable URL.

2. Supporting Every plan covers personal data Xero processes

   Other models: the terms don't say

   provide, maintain and deliver our services (including using AI/ML) in accordance with our terms of use

   Xero Privacy Notice (updated 26 October 2026) (privacy policy), read 2026-10-26 · link to this fact

   Privacy notice, section 5. The sentence describes using AI/ML to deliver services; it does not say whether customer data trains the models.

Does the vendor keep a right to use it aggregated, de-identified or as usage data?

Reserved · covers anonymised statistical data from customer data and usage

1. Headline Every plan covers anonymised statistical data from customer data and usage

   Reserved

   we may create anonymised statistical data from your data and usage of our services, including through aggregation.

   Xero Terms of Use (updated 26 October 2026) (terms), read 2026-10-26 · link to this fact

   Terms of Use, section 23 'Anonymised statistical data'. Next: "Once anonymised, we may use it for our own purposes". The commitments page: "we take a rigorous approach to aggregating and anonymising data to share insights that benefit the small business community".

What can the customer export, and who can run it?

Part of it by any member through a self-serve screen^* · covers reports and data, exported from inside the organisation

1. Headline Every plan covers reports and data, exported from inside the organisation

   Part of it by any member through a self-serve screen^*

   Yes, you can export your data from Xero at any time.

   Frequently asked questions (Xero AU): cancelling, data and export (help article), read 2026-10-26 · link to this fact

   Reading: the FAQ confirms export but not what it covers; Xero Central's export articles render only in the browser and were not read, so 'partial' and the empty formats list stand until they are.

How much history does the plan keep?

All of it^* · covers all data while the subscription runs

1. Headline Every plan covers all data while the subscription runs

   All of it^*

   We retain it for a period of time consistent with our data retention policy

   Xero Terms of Use (updated 26 October 2026) (terms), read 2026-10-26 · link to this fact

   Reading: no plan sets a history limit; Terms of Use section 62 covers retention after the subscription ends, and nothing read deletes older data during it.

How long is data kept after the account ends, and can it still be exported?

Kept 2555 days (7 years), no export^* · covers the organisation's data after the one-month notice period

1. Headline Every plan covers the organisation's data after the one-month notice period

   Kept 2555 days (7 years), no export^*

   While archived, data held within the subscription cannot be accessed by anyone.

   Frequently asked questions (Xero AU): cancelling, data and export (help article), read 2026-10-26 · link to this fact

   Reading: the FAQ says the data is archived for up to seven years (2,555 days) and can be reached again by getting in touch or reactivating, not by exporting from the archived state, so export_window is false; export before the notice period ends. Terms of Use section 62: "the data submitted or created by you is no longer available to you."

2. Supporting Every plan covers archived data within seven years of cancellation

   2555 days (7 years) to export

   you will still be able to get access to the data in the future for up to seven years, unless you request it to be deleted.

   Frequently asked questions (Xero AU): cancelling, data and export (help article), read 2026-10-26 · link to this fact

   FAQ 'What happens to my data if I cancel my subscription?'. Access again means reactivating the subscription.

3. Detail Every plan covers the organisation after cancellation

   None, export before the account ends

   After you've cancelled your subscription you won't be able to access that organisation

   Frequently asked questions (Xero AU): cancelling, data and export (help article), read 2026-10-26 · link to this fact

   The same answer recommends you export your data first. One month's notice applies to paid plans.

What the read couldn't settle

• Xero Central help articles render only in the browser and returned no text to a plain fetch, so export steps and formats come from the xero.com FAQ, not from the export articles. The data processing terms the Terms of Use (22) refer to were not found at a readable URL.
• The terms were updated on the day of the first read (26 October 2026) and apply to current customers from 28 December 2026.
• Plans are the US names (Early, Growing, Established); other regions use different names for the same tiers.
• The FAQ says archived data 'cannot be accessed by anyone' and also that you can 'get access to the data in the future for up to seven years'; read as reactivation (see finding xero-after-cancel).
• First read 2026-10-26; second read pending.

Documents

5 of 5 read. Each fact above names the one it comes from.

1. Xero Terms of Use (updated 26 October 2026) Terms · version 2026-10-26 · read 2026-10-26
2. Xero Privacy Notice (updated 26 October 2026) Privacy policy · version 2026-10-26 · read 2026-10-26
3. Responsible data use at Xero (commitments) AI policy · read 2026-10-26
4. Frequently asked questions (Xero AU): cancelling, data and export Help article · read 2026-10-26
5. Xero pricing plans (US) Plans page · read 2026-10-26