FreshBooks
Beautiful invoicing and accounting for small businesses.
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FreshBooks is a cloud accounting platform designed for service-based businesses, freelancers, and agencies that send client invoices. It excels at the client-facing side of your business: professional proposals, recurring invoices, time tracking, and client portals — all with a polished, easy-to-use interface.
Our Scores
4.6
Ease of Use
4.4
Features
4.0
Value
4.4
Support
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓Best-in-class invoicing with proposals, retainers, and client portals
- ✓Excellent time tracking tied to projects and clients
- ✓Very intuitive interface — easy to learn for non-accountants
- ✓Strong mobile app for iOS and Android
- ✓Responsive customer support via phone and live chat
Cons
- ✗No built-in quarterly tax estimates
- ✗More expensive than QuickBooks for the same base features
- ✗Limited accounting depth for complex business structures
- ✗Reporting is less comprehensive than Xero or QuickBooks
Best For
- →Freelancers who send a lot of invoices
- →Service businesses with recurring clients
- →Consultants who track time by project
- →Agencies with small teams
Not Ideal For
- ✗Gig workers who need Schedule C tax tracking
- ✗Budget-conscious freelancers
- ✗Anyone who needs inventory tracking
Pricing Plans
Lite
$17/month
- ✓5 billable clients
- ✓Unlimited invoices
- ✓Expense tracking
- ✓Time tracking
- ✓Basic reports
Plus
$30/month
- ✓50 billable clients
- ✓Proposals
- ✓Recurring invoices
- ✓Client retainers
- ✓Double-entry accounting
Premium
$55/month
- ✓Unlimited clients
- ✓Project profitability tracking
- ✓Custom email templates
- ✓Business health reports
- ✓Team access
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FreshBooks good for freelancers?
FreshBooks is excellent for freelancers who invoice clients regularly, especially those in consulting, design, or other service businesses. It is less ideal for gig workers or freelancers who primarily need tax tracking.
Does FreshBooks do tax filing?
FreshBooks does not file your taxes directly, but it generates the reports (profit/loss, expense summaries) that you or your accountant need to prepare your Schedule C or other tax forms.
How does FreshBooks compare to QuickBooks?
FreshBooks is better for invoicing and client management. QuickBooks Self-Employed is better for tax tracking and Schedule C prep. If your top priority is professional invoicing, FreshBooks wins.
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Tax Information Notice
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Tax laws change frequently. Always consult a qualified CPA or Enrolled Agent for your specific situation.