Wix vs Xero: Founders, CEOs and History
Wix was founded in 2006 by Avishai Abrahami, Nadav Abrahami, Giora Kaplan and is led by Avishai Abrahami. Xero was founded in 2006 by Rod Drury, Hamish Edwards and is led by Sukhinder Singh Cassidy.
Company facts
Founders
Wix
Avishai Abrahami
Avishai Abrahami co-founded Wix in 2006 and has been its CEO since. He led the company through its 2013 Nasdaq IPO and, more recently, its shift toward AI products, including the 2025 purchase of Base44 and the 2026 restructuring. Avishai Abrahami was born in…
Nadav Abrahami
Nadav Abrahami co-founded Wix in 2006. As the critical core technical architect, he built the incredibly complex early Flash-based drag-and-drop interface, absolutely revolutionizing how small business owners built websites without knowing a single line of cod…
Giora Kaplan
Giora Kaplan co-founded Wix in 2006. A brilliant visionary with a deep obsession for user interface design, he fiercely drove the absolutely critical requirement that Wix templates must look incredibly beautiful and professional out-of-the-box, ensuring users…
Xero
Rod Drury
Rod Drury is a New Zealand software entrepreneur who co-founded Xero in Wellington in 2006 and served as its chief executive until 2018. Before Xero he built software businesses including AfterMail, which he sold to Quest Software.
Hamish Edwards
Hamish Edwards co-founded Xero in 2006 alongside Rod Drury. Working as an accountant, he was deeply furious at how incredibly terrible, slow, and outdated legacy desktop accounting software was.
CEOs and their tenures
Wix
- Avishai Abrahami2006–present
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Has led Wix since its founding, through the 2013 IPO, the Base44 acquisition and the 2026 AI-focused restructuring.
Source - Lior Shemesh2010–present
Chief Financial Officer
Runs Wix's finances, including its share buybacks and the 2026 margin outlook.
Source
Xero
- Rod Drury2006–2018
Co-Founder & Former Chief Executive Officer (2006-2018)
As Co-Founder and legendary CEO, he was the absolute visionary who completely revolutionized the deeply boring accounting software industry by making the software beautiful, cloud-native, and highly integrated with banking APIs.
Source - Sukhinder Singh Cassidy2023–present
Chief Executive Officer
Under her leadership revenue grew from ~$812 million (NZ$1.40 billion) in FY23 to ~$1.59 billion (NZ$2.75 billion) in FY26, and Xero moved from a net loss to a net profit.
Source
Timeline: Wix and Xero side by side
2006Wix
Wix founded
Avishai Abrahami, Nadav Abrahami and Giora Kaplan start Wix to make website building possible without code.
2006Xero
Rod Drury and Hamish Edwards found Xero in Wellington, New Zealand.
2007Xero
Xero lists on the NZX.
2010Xero
Peter Thiel Invests
Peter Thiel's Valar Ventures invested in Xero in 2010.
2012Wix
HTML5 editor released
Wix moves its editor from Adobe Flash to HTML5.
2012Xero
Xero lists on the ASX.
2013Wix
Nasdaq IPO
Wix lists on Nasdaq under the ticker WIX in November 2013.
2014Wix
OpenRest Acquired
Wix bought the restaurant-ordering company OpenRest in 2014.
2016Wix
Wix ADI Launched
Wix launched Wix ADI, an artificial-intelligence website builder, in 2016.
2017Wix
DeviantArt acquired
Wix buys the online artist community DeviantArt for about $36 million.
2018Xero
Steve Vamos succeeds Rod Drury as CEO; Xero buys Hubdoc and delists from the NZX.
2020Wix
Editor X Launched
Wix launched Editor X, a design tool for agencies and professionals, in 2020.
2020Xero
Waddle Acquired
Xero bought the invoice-lending platform Waddle in 2020.
2021Xero
Acquired Planday A/S
Xero acquired Planday A/S for $184 million.
2023Wix
Wix Studio launched
Wix launches Wix Studio, a platform for agencies and freelance web professionals.
2023Xero
Sukhinder Singh Cassidy becomes CEO.
2025Wix
Base44 acquired
Wix buys the AI app builder Base44 for $80 million in cash, plus earn-outs through 2029.
2025Xero
Claire Bramley becomes CFO on 1 April; Xero completes the Melio acquisition on 15 October.
2026Wix
Restructuring and guidance cut
Wix cuts about 20% of its workforce and lowers its 2026 revenue and bookings outlook.
2026Xero
Matan Bar named CEO of Xero US; FY26 revenue reaches ~$1.59 billion (NZ$2.75 billion).
Acquisitions
Wix
- Base442025$80M
- Modalyst2021Undisclosed
- DeviantArt2017$36M
- OpenRest2014Undisclosed
Questions about Wix vs Xero
Who is the CEO of Wix and Xero?
Wix is led by Avishai Abrahami and Xero is led by Sukhinder Singh Cassidy. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Wix founded vs Xero?
Both Wix and Xero were founded in 2006, making them the same age.
How many employees does Wix have compared to Xero?
Wix employs approximately 4,371 people, while Xero employs approximately 4,400. Xero has the larger workforce at 4,400 employees, compared to Wix's 4,371. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Wix and Xero headquartered?
Wix is headquartered in Israel and Xero is headquartered in New Zealand. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Wix and Xero?
Wix was founded by Avishai Abrahami, Nadav Abrahami, Giora Kaplan. Xero was founded by Rod Drury, Hamish Edwards.
Which company has a longer operating history — Wix or Xero?
Wix has been operating for approximately 20 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Xero has been in operation for around 20 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Wix vs Xero overview