Our verdict · 8.1/10 Excellent
A pleasant, easy tool for service businesses that bill by time or project. Product-based or larger businesses will outgrow it.
Key takeaways
- Best for: Freelancers and consultants.
- Strongest area: Ease of use (9.0/10). Weakest: Features & fit (7.6/10).
- Price: From around $19–23 / month — free trial available.
- Watch out for: Client limits on lower plans.
What is FreshBooks?
FreshBooks began as an invoicing tool and still excels at it: polished invoices, time tracking, expenses and client retainers. It has grown into full double-entry accounting suited to freelancers, consultants and small agencies.
FreshBooks is made by FreshBooks and is reviewed here as a accounting tool. It is priced on a subscription basis, and our editorial score is 8.1 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.
Who it’s for — and who should skip it
Choose FreshBooks if
- Freelancers and consultants
- Agencies billing by time
- Owners new to accounting
Not for you if
- Inventory-heavy businesses
- Larger finance teams
Key features
Professional invoices with reminders and payments.
Track billable hours and add them to invoices.
Capture receipts and categorise spending.
Send estimates and convert them to invoices.
- Stripe
- Gusto
- Shopify
- Zapier
Pros & cons
What we like
- Excellent invoicing and time tracking
- Very easy to learn
- Client portal and retainers
- Responsive support
Watch out for
- Client limits on lower plans
- Fewer advanced accounting features
- Team members cost extra
Pricing & true cost
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | ≈ $19 / mo | Up to 1 user |
| Plus | ≈ $33 / mo | Up to 1 user |
| Premium | ≈ $60 / mo | Up to 1 user |
| Team member add-on | ≈ $11 / user / mo | Per additional team member |
Pricing watch-out: Plans limit billable clients; extra team members cost more.
True cost at 5, 10 and 25 seats
Cheapest paid plan that fits each team size, from indicative list prices checked October 30, 2026. Excludes tax, add-ons, onboarding fees and promotional discounts.
Contract questions to ask before you sign
- Does the plan auto-renew, and how many days’ notice do you need to cancel?
- Is the advertised price for annual billing? What is the month-to-month price?
- Is the first-year price a promotion? What will renewal cost, and is it capped?
- Is there a minimum number of seats, or a charge for inactive users?
- Are onboarding, implementation or premium-support fees extra?
- How do we export all our data if we leave, and in what format?
General questions for any vendor — not findings about this product. Build a full checklist with our requirements builder.
Indicative USD pricing, last checked October 30, 2026. Vendors change prices and promotions often — always confirm on their website. Model your own numbers with our SaaS TCO calculator.
Score breakdown
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features & fit | 25% | 7.6 | 1.90 | |
| Ease of use | 20% | 9.0 | 1.80 | |
| Value for money | 20% | 7.9 | 1.60 | |
| Support & reliability | 10% | 8.4 | 0.80 | |
| Security & privacy | 10% | 8.2 | 0.80 | |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 15% | 7.8 | 1.20 | |
| Overall | 100% | Weighted for business software products | 8.1 | |
Security & compliance facts
| Item | Status | Question to ask FreshBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authenticationStops most account takeovers from reused or phished passwords. | Not verified by us | Can admins enforce MFA for every user, on every plan? |
| Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Lets you remove a leaver’s access everywhere from one place. | Not verified by us | Is SSO included on the plan we are buying, or only on enterprise tiers? |
| SOC 2 Type II reportIndependent audit of the vendor’s security controls — often required by larger customers. | Not verified by us | Can we see your current SOC 2 Type II report (under NDA if needed)? |
| ISO/IEC 27001 certificationInternational standard for running an information-security programme. | Not verified by us | Which legal entity and services does your ISO 27001 certificate cover? |
| GDPR data processing agreementNeeded if you handle personal data of people in the EU/UK. | Not verified by us | Do you offer a signed DPA and list your sub-processors? |
| HIPAA business associate agreementRequired before US healthcare businesses store protected health information. | Not verified by us | Will you sign a BAA, and on which plans? |
We have not yet verified these items for FreshBooks against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check FreshBooks’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.
Before you buy any accounting tool
Check FreshBooks against the same list we use for every accounting tool — and confirm each point on the plan you intend to buy, not the top tier.
- Supported bank feeds for your accounts
- Invoicing with online payments
- Sales tax / VAT handling for your regions
- Accountant or bookkeeper access
- Reports: P&L, balance sheet, cash flow
See every ranked option in Accounting Software.
FreshBooks alternatives
Pick an alternative by what matters to you
- CheaperZBZoho Books≈ $15/mo vs $110/mo at 10 users (cheapest paid plans, indicative)
- Has a free planZBZoho BooksFreshBooks has no free plan; Zoho Books does
- Better integrations
QuickBooks OnlineIntegrations score 9.4 vs 7.8 - Higher overall scoreQuickBooks OnlineOverall 8.5 vs 8.1
Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as FreshBooks. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.
Editor’s picks
The accounting platform most US accountants already know.
Cloud accounting with unlimited users and a clean, modern interface.
Head-to-head comparisons
Featured in: Best Accounting Software for Small Business, Best Accounting Software for Freelancers, QuickBooks vs Xero vs FreshBooks vs Wave
Review history
- Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).
FreshBooks FAQ
Is FreshBooks double-entry accounting?
Yes, FreshBooks supports double-entry accounting with reports your accountant can use.
Does FreshBooks have a free plan?
No, FreshBooks does not offer a permanent free plan, but a free trial is available. Pricing starts at From around $19–23 / month (indicative).
Who is FreshBooks best for?
FreshBooks is best for: freelancers and consultants; agencies billing by time; owners new to accounting.
How much does FreshBooks cost for a team of 10?
On indicative list prices, the cheapest paid plan that fits 10 users (Team member add-on) works out at roughly $110 per month, or about $1,320 per year, before tax, add-ons and discounts.
How is the FreshBooks score calculated?
The 8.1/10 overall score is a weighted average of six sub-scores — features & fit, ease of use, value, support & reliability, security & privacy, and integrations — using the published weights for software products. Affiliate relationships have no input. See our methodology page for the full rubric.
What are the best alternatives to FreshBooks?
Popular alternatives include QuickBooks Online, Xero. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.