FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online
FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online are both accounting & finance tools. FreshBooks is aimed at freelancers and small businesses, while QuickBooks Online is aimed at small businesses. FreshBooks costs less, from $23/mo versus $38/mo for QuickBooks Online. Only QuickBooks Online has a free plan.
Invoicing and accounting for service businesses
Small-business accounting standard in the US
| Pricing | Paid · $23 | Freemium · $38 |
| Starting price | $23/mo | $38/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | 30 days | 30 days |
| Built for | Freelancers, Small businesses | Small businesses |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Country | CA · 2003 | US · 2001 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose FreshBooks if
Freelancers and service businesses that bill clients for time and projects.
- Easiest invoicing experience
- Time tracking built in
- Clean, friendly interface
Look elsewhere if: Product businesses with inventory or companies needing complex accounting.
Choose QuickBooks Online if
US small and mid-size businesses that work with an accountant.
- Most accountants in the US know it
- Huge integration ecosystem
- Comprehensive feature set
Look elsewhere if: Businesses outside the US/UK or with local e-invoicing rules (Xero, Paraşüt).
FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online pricing
FreshBooks
- Lite$23/mo5 billable clients; intro promo 80% off for 4 months
- Plus$43/mo50 billable clients, receipt scanning, accountant access
- Premium$70/moUnlimited billable clients, project profitability
- SelectCustomUnlimited clients, 2 team members, Advanced Payments included
QuickBooks Online
- Free$01 user
- Simple Start$38/mo1 user; promo 50% off for 3 months
- Essentials$85/mo3 users
- Plus$140/mo5 users
- Advanced$340/mo25 users
FreshBooks · Key features
- Invoices, estimates and proposals with branding
- Time tracking linked to projects and invoices
- Expense tracking with receipt capture
- Online payments and recurring billing
- Client portal and project collaboration
- Double-entry accounting and reports
Cons
- Billable client limits per plan
- Weak inventory features
- Pricing rises quickly
QuickBooks Online · Key features
- Invoicing, estimates and online payments
- Bank feeds with rules and AI categorization
- Bills, expenses and receipt capture
- Sales tax tracking and reports
- Inventory and project profitability (Plus)
- Payroll add-on and accountant collaboration
Cons
- Repeated price increases
- User limits per tier
- Support quality is inconsistent
FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online: FAQ
Which is cheaper, FreshBooks or QuickBooks Online?
FreshBooks starts at $23/mo and QuickBooks Online at $38/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online have a free plan?
FreshBooks has no free plan, a 30-day free trial. QuickBooks Online has a free plan.