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Professional Services · head to head

BigTime vs FreshBooks

BigTime logo

BigTime

Professional Services

The all-in-one solution for growing, single-entity firms

From
$20/user/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
FreshBooks logo

FreshBooks

Professional Services

Accounting software that makes you look good

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only FreshBooks has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: BigTime advanced and Premier pricing not specified; requires contacting sales; FreshBooks lite tier limited to 5 clients maximum
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BigTime and FreshBooks actually diverge.

Attributes where BigTime and FreshBooks differ
AttributeBigTimeFreshBooks
Starting price$20/user/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2003

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Professional Services).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in BigTime

Nothing recorded that FreshBooks does not also cover.

Only in FreshBooks

  • Invoicing
  • Expense tracking
  • Time tracking
  • Project management
  • Payments
  • Financial reporting
  • Proposals
  • Mileage tracking

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

BigTime

  • Professional services time trackingnot FreshBooks
  • Project-based billingnot FreshBooks
  • Multi-team resource managementnot FreshBooks

FreshBooks

  • Invoicing and payment processingnot BigTime
  • Time tracking and expense managementnot BigTime
  • Multi-client project accountingnot BigTime

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

BigTime

  • Advanced and Premier pricing not specified; requires contacting sales
  • Specific feature costs for optional modules not disclosed

FreshBooks

  • Lite tier limited to 5 clients maximum
  • E-signatures, proposals, and client retainers unavailable on Lite and Plus tiers
  • Advanced payment processing fee of £20/month on Plus tier (extra cost)
  • Email customization and project profitability tracking restricted to Premium tier and above
  • Offline mode not available; web-based only

Pricing, plan by plan

BigTime

$20/user/month
  • Essentials$20/user/month
    • Time tracking
    • Invoicing
    • Expense management
  • Advanced$null/user/month
    • Multi-currency expense management
    • Custom reporting center
    • Project templates
  • Premier$null/user/month
    • Multi-currency invoicing
    • Custom cost and rate management
    • Project budgeting
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Multi-entity, multi-currency
    • Optional modules for Services CPQ and Resource Management

FreshBooks

Free
  • Lite$23/month
    • Up to 5 clients
    • Core invoicing and expense tracking
  • Plus$43/month
    • Up to 50 clients
    • Client portal and estimates
  • Premium$70/month
    • Unlimited clients
    • Advanced features
  • Select$null/mo
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited clients
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose BigTime if

Nothing in the data separates BigTime from FreshBooks on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

BigTime review

Choose FreshBooks if

  • You need invoicing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want expense tracking.
FreshBooks review

Questions people ask

Is BigTime or FreshBooks better?
Neither clearly leads. BigTime starts at $20/user/month and FreshBooks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BigTime or FreshBooks?
FreshBooks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $20/user/month for BigTime and Free for FreshBooks.
Does BigTime or FreshBooks run on more platforms?
BigTime runs on Web. FreshBooks runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use FreshBooks for free?
Yes. FreshBooks has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BigTime starts at $20/user/month.
What is BigTime best used for?
BigTime is most often used for professional services time tracking, project-based billing, multi-team resource management. Of those, professional services time tracking and project-based billing are not what FreshBooks is typically brought in for.
What can BigTime do that FreshBooks cannot?
FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Time tracking, Project management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BigTime: What is BigTime's starting price per user?

BigTime's Essentials plan starts at $20 per user per month and includes time tracking, invoicing, expense management, and payments.

Source
FreshBooks: How much does FreshBooks cost?

FreshBooks offers plans starting at $23 per month for Lite (up to 5 clients), $43 for Plus (up to 50 clients), $70 for Premium (unlimited clients), and custom pricing for the Select plan. Currently offering 90% off for 3 months on all plans.

Source
BigTime: What features are included in BigTime's Essentials tier?

Essentials includes time and expense tracking, project portfolio management, billing and invoicing, automatic reconciliation, QuickBooks integration, and AI Assistant.

Source
FreshBooks: Does FreshBooks offer a free trial?

Yes, FreshBooks offers a free 30-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans.

Source
BigTime: What additional capabilities does the Premier plan add?

Premier adds multi-currency invoicing, custom cost and rate management, project budgeting, and multi-level approvals to all Advanced features.

Source
FreshBooks: What are the add-on costs for FreshBooks?

Team members cost $11 per month per user, Advanced Payments add-on costs $20 per month, and FreshBooks Payroll costs $40 per month base plus $6 per month per user.

Source
BigTime: What modules are available as add-ons in BigTime?

BigTime offers three optional modules: Services CPQ (BigTime Quotes), Resource Management, and Data Hub available for additional fees.

Source
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