FreshBooks
FreshBooks helps small businesses manage invoicing, expenses, payments, and accounting.
Identification marks
- Price
- from $4.60
- Free plan
- No
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android
Switch memo
- Leave your current tool if
- Leave your current tool if you are a freelancer, solopreneur or small service business that bills tracked time and expenses and wants invoicing, expenses, mileage tracking and optional payroll in one app on web, iOS and Android.
- Migration effort
- Moderate. Easy Switch data import is listed only on the quote-based Select plan, so other tiers move data without it. The current promotion includes free onboarding with a FreshBooks specialist, and account data carries over from the 30-day trial to a paid plan.
- You give up
- Lower tiers cap billable clients at 5 (Lite) and 50 (Plus). Team members cost $11/mo each, Advanced Payments $20/mo outside Select, and payroll $40/mo plus $6/mo per user. The trial excludes Advanced Payments.
- You gain
- Invoices that pull in tracked time and expenses and calculate taxes, client payments by card, ACH, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Buy Now, Pay Later, automated reminders, mobile receipt scanning, 100+ AppStore apps, an API, and a 30-day money back guarantee.
The cost check
FreshBooks is paid invoicing and accounting software for freelancers, solopreneurs and small businesses with contractors or employees. It covers invoices, expenses, time tracking, online payments, reports and payroll on web, iOS and Android. Its pricing is tiered by client count, and several useful features cost extra.
Price on record Lite: $4.60 USD/mo for 4 months (80% off), regularly $23.00 USD/mo. Plus: $8.60 USD/mo for 4 months, regularly $43.00 USD/mo. Premium: $14.00 USD/mo for 4 months, regularly $70.00 USD/mo. Select: "Let's Talk" (contact a consultant). Add-ons: Team Members ($11/mo per user), Advanced Payments ($20/mo, included in Select), FreshBooks Payroll ($40/mo plus $6/mo per user). Yearly billing shows an extra 10% off.
What you gain
- Invoices can automatically include tracked time and expenses and calculate taxes
- Clients can pay by card, ACH, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Buy Now, Pay Later
- Web, iOS and Android apps with mobile receipt scanning and mileage tracking
- 30-day free trial and a 30-day money back guarantee
- Account information stays in place when moving from the free trial to a paid plan
What you give up
- Lite caps billable clients at 5 and Plus at 50
- Team members, Advanced Payments and payroll are paid add-ons outside Select
- Easy Switch data import and lower card fees are limited to the quote-based Select plan
- The free trial excludes Advanced Payments
Teams that switch
- Freelancers and solopreneurs who bill a small number of clients
- Service businesses that invoice tracked time and expenses
- Small teams that want invoicing, expenses and payroll in one tool
- Businesses that need client retainers (Plus and up) and project profitability (Premium and Select)
Stay put if
- Teams that need many users on a tight budget, since each team member costs $11/mo
- Businesses with more than 5 clients that want to stay on the cheapest plan
The longer story
FreshBooks calls itself everyday small business software. The core is invoicing: invoices can pull in tracked time and expenses, calculate taxes and offer several payment options. Around that sit billing automation with reminders, expense tracking with mobile receipt scanning and bank imports, mileage tracking, reporting, estimates, proposals, team management and an optional payroll add-on. The company lists an AppStore of 100+ apps and an API for integrations.
The plan structure matters most for cost. Lite allows invoicing 5 clients, Plus 50, and Premium and Select are unlimited. Plus adds financial and accounting reports, receipt scanning, retainers and accountant access. Premium adds project profitability and custom email templates. Select is a quote-based plan with lower card fees, capped ACH fees, dedicated phone support, two included team members and removal of FreshBooks branding.
For switchers, migration help depends on the tier. The Easy Switch data import is listed under Select. The current promotion also mentions free onboarding with a specialist. Team members, Advanced Payments and payroll are add-ons on most plans, so the price you pay after adding staff can be well above the headline rate.
Before you switch
Is there a free trial?
Yes. FreshBooks offers a 30-day free trial with access to all features except Advanced Payments. Paid plans also carry a 30-day money back guarantee.
What is the difference between Lite and Plus?
Lite lets you invoice 5 clients. Plus raises that to 50 and adds proposals, client retainers, financial and accounting reports, expense receipt scanning and accountant access.
Can I import data from another tool?
The pricing page lists data migration with Easy Switch as part of the Select plan. The current promotion also includes free onboarding support with a FreshBooks specialist.
What do Advanced Payments add?
Advanced Payments includes recurring billing and lets you accept credit cards online, bank transfers and payments over the phone. It costs $20/mo on Lite, Plus and Premium and is included in Select.
Does FreshBooks handle payroll?
Yes, as an add-on. FreshBooks Payroll costs $40/mo plus $6/mo per user on every plan.
Checked against
What it does
- Invoice creation
- Expense tracking
- Online payments
- Time tracking
- Tax-time reports
- Accounting reports
- Receipt scanning
- Mileage tracking
- Bank reconciliation
- Project profitability
- Payroll management
- Client retainers