Our verdict

This FreshBooks review covers one of the best-known accounting apps for freelancers and service businesses. FreshBooks is built around the way consultants, agencies, designers, lawyers and other service providers get paid: track time, turn it into a polished invoice, chase payment, and keep expenses tidy. Independent reviewers consistently rate it among the easiest accounting apps to use, and PCMag gives it an Editors' Choice for service-based businesses. The trade-offs are just as consistent: client limits on the cheaper plans, extra fees for each additional team member, and less depth than heavier accounting software for businesses that hold stock or have complex books.

NerdBible has not tested FreshBooks hands-on for this review. This is an editorial assessment drawn from FreshBooks' own pricing, feature and security pages and from independent reviews and user ratings.

What is FreshBooks and who is it for?

FreshBooks is cloud accounting software that started as an invoicing tool and grew into a full double-entry accounting system. It runs in a browser and on iOS and Android apps, and its pages describe dedicated set-ups for consultants, creative agencies, law firms, construction, technology companies and other professional services.

It suits sole traders and small teams that bill clients for time or projects. If your work is measured in hours, retainers or fixed-fee projects, FreshBooks' combination of time tracking, proposals, invoices and a client portal covers the whole cycle from quote to payment. It is a weaker fit for product sellers who need inventory management, and for growing companies that need several staff members in the books without paying for each one.

Key features

  • Invoicing. Branded invoices with automated client emails, automatic payment reminders, online payments through FreshBooks Payments, and the option to remove FreshBooks branding from client emails on higher plans. Clients can store card details for future invoices.
  • Time tracking. Start a timer in the web app, the mobile app or a Chrome extension, or log hours afterwards. Logged time can be pulled straight onto an invoice. FreshBooks also lists time-tracking connections with Asana, Basecamp, Trello and Teamwork.
  • Proposals and estimates. Proposals can include images and attachments, support in-app comments, online approval and e-signatures, and convert into invoices. FreshBooks' pricing table shows proposals and client retainers from the Plus plan upwards, not on Lite.
  • Client portal. Clients can view, print and pay invoices, estimates and proposals from a link without signing up, or create an account to comment and collaborate on projects.
  • Projects and collaboration. Projects group time, expenses and invoices, and team members or contractors can be invited to collaborate.
  • Expenses and mileage. Connect bank accounts, capture receipts and track mileage from the mobile app.
  • Double-entry accounting. Bank reconciliation, a chart of accounts, journal entries and reports such as profit and loss and balance sheet. NerdWallet notes that reconciliation, accountant access and double-entry reports are not included in the entry-level Lite plan.
  • Payroll. In the United States, FreshBooks Payroll is powered by Gusto and runs inside your FreshBooks account as a paid add-on.
  • Accountant access. Accountants can be invited to your books on plans above Lite and can update journal entries and the chart of accounts.

How much does FreshBooks cost?

Our page shows current prices from our own data. FreshBooks' plan structure is straightforward once you know the two limits that matter: billable clients and team members.

  • Lite: invoices for a small number of billable clients, with the core invoicing, expense and time features.
  • Plus: a higher client limit, plus proposals, retainers, accountant access and double-entry reports.
  • Premium: unlimited billable clients, for businesses that have outgrown the Plus client limit.
  • Select: a quoted plan for larger businesses, with two team member accounts included and access to a dedicated support team.

Each plan includes one user (Select includes two extra team member accounts). Additional team members, and payroll, are charged as monthly add-ons on every plan. You can pay monthly or yearly, with a discount for yearly billing. FreshBooks offers a 30-day free trial, and its pricing page also advertises a 30-day money-back guarantee. Introductory discounts appear regularly on the pricing page, so check the renewal price as well as the first-month price.

Is FreshBooks safe?

FreshBooks' security safeguards page says data travelling between your browser and its servers is protected with 256-bit SSL encryption, and that it handles cardholder data in line with the PCI Data Security Standard. It says it maintains PCI DSS Level 1 compliance with an annual independent audit, and uses PCI Level 1 compliant partners where card data must be stored, for example for automatic recurring payments. An attestation of compliance can be requested from its security team.

For accounting data, the most important protections are your own: use a strong, unique password, enable two-step verification where offered, and give accountants and contractors only the access they need. FreshBooks' permission levels for team members make that easier.

What is FreshBooks' customer support like?

Support is one of the reasons FreshBooks wins reviews. TechRadar lists impressive support among its strengths, and PCMag's bottom line credits its excellent support options. The Select plan adds access to a dedicated support team. On Capterra, verified users give FreshBooks about 4.4 out of 5 for customer service across thousands of reviews.

How does FreshBooks compare with other accounting apps?

PCMag's accounting coverage offers a useful way to place FreshBooks. It names FreshBooks its Editors' Choice for small businesses that sell services, Intuit QuickBooks Online its pick for organisations that sell both products and services, and Wave its pick for sole proprietors who do not need payroll. In other words, FreshBooks is not trying to be the deepest accounting system; it is trying to be the most pleasant one for people who bill for their time and expertise.

Compared with Zoho Books, FreshBooks is narrower but more focused. Zoho Books includes several users in each plan, adds inventory from its mid tiers and offers far more customisation, while FreshBooks charges for each extra team member and has no real stock control. In return, FreshBooks' invoicing, proposals and time tracking are tightly joined, and reviewers consistently rank its user experience among the best in the category. If you are choosing between the two, the deciding questions are usually how many people need access, whether you hold stock, and how much set-up time you are willing to invest.

What could be better

  • Client limits. Lite and Plus cap the number of billable clients, so a freelancer with many small clients can be pushed up a tier sooner than expected.
  • Extra cost for each team member. PCMag calls the per-person fees excessive when rivals include several users.
  • Light transaction detail. PCMag notes you cannot split transactions, and some bank imports need extra steps.
  • No real inventory management. Product sellers will find it limited compared with accounting tools built for stock.
  • Price creep. Some Capterra reviewers say costs rose as they added users and features.

Who should choose something else?

If you sell physical products and track stock, an accounting tool with built-in inventory, such as Zoho Books on its higher tiers, is a better fit. If you are a one-person business with very simple needs, a free accounting or invoicing tool may be enough. If you have a growing team that all need access to the books, compare per-user costs carefully, because Zoho Books and others include several users in their plans. And if you need complex multi-entity accounting, look at mid-market software. For questions about how your books should be set up for your tax position, talk to an accountant.

Is FreshBooks worth it?

For freelancers and small service businesses, yes. FreshBooks makes the jobs that service providers do every week, tracking time, sending proposals, invoicing and getting paid, faster and more pleasant than most rivals, and independent reviewers agree on its ease of use. That is why we rank it as our pick for freelancers. The value drops as you add people, clients or products, so model your next year of growth against the client and user limits before choosing a plan. Use the 30-day trial to send real invoices before committing.

What other reviewers found

  • PCMag gave FreshBooks an Editors' Choice for businesses that sell services, praising its user experience and mobile apps but criticising the cost of adding team members.
  • NerdWallet rated it 4.7 out of 5, liking its invoicing, project and time tracking, while warning about client limits and the features missing from the Lite plan.
  • TechRadar called it easy to use with extensive features and strong support, but worried that higher tiers and add-ons make it a premium-priced option.
  • On Capterra, verified users rate it about 4.5 out of 5, praising invoicing and expense tracking, with some saying it feels limiting once a business grows.

The reviewers agree more than they disagree. Every outlet praises ease of use, invoicing and time tracking, and every outlet notes that FreshBooks is aimed at service businesses rather than product sellers. The disagreement is about cost. PCMag focuses on the per-person fees, NerdWallet on client limits, TechRadar on add-ons, and Capterra users on price rises over time. Put together, the message for a buyer is clear: FreshBooks is excellent value for a freelancer or a small team with a modest client list, and gets steadily more expensive as you add people or clients. Choose it for how it works, and check the limits before you sign up.

Frequently asked questions

Is FreshBooks good for freelancers?

Yes. FreshBooks is designed around how freelancers and service providers work, with time tracking, proposals, retainers, invoices and a client portal in one place. Independent reviewers including PCMag and NerdWallet rate it highly for ease of use. The main thing to watch is the billable client limit on the Lite and Plus plans, which can force an upgrade if you have many clients.

Does FreshBooks do double-entry accounting?

Yes. FreshBooks includes double-entry accounting with bank reconciliation, a chart of accounts, journal entries and reports such as profit and loss and balance sheet. NerdWallet notes that the entry-level Lite plan does not include bank reconciliation, accountant access or double-entry reports, so businesses that need full accounting should start on the Plus plan or above.

How many users does FreshBooks include?

The Lite, Plus and Premium plans each include one user, and additional team members are charged as a monthly add-on per person. The Select plan includes two team member accounts at no extra charge. Accountants can be invited for free on plans above Lite. Reviewers point out that rivals such as Zoho Books include several users in the plan price.

Does FreshBooks have a free trial?

Yes. FreshBooks offers a 30-day free trial, and its pricing page also mentions a 30-day money-back guarantee. NerdWallet notes that you can either take the free trial or skip it to receive a promotional discount. Send a few real invoices and track some time during the trial to check that the workflow suits your business.

Does FreshBooks include payroll?

Payroll is a paid add-on rather than part of the base plans. In the United States, FreshBooks Payroll is powered by Gusto and runs inside your FreshBooks account, with payroll transactions recorded in your books automatically. Businesses outside the United States, or those that already use a payroll provider, should check what integrations are available for their country.

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