Softwr

Accounting · head to head

Creem vs freee

Creem logo

Creem

Accounting

All-in-one payment and compliance platform for software companies

From
$3.9/percent
Rated
-
freee logo

freee

Accounting

Japanese integrated cloud accounting software for sole proprietors and corporations

From
980/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Creem per-transaction fee model scales with volume, potentially expensive for high-frequency transactions; freee pricing varies significantly across multiple product categories and tiers
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Creem and freee actually diverge.

Attributes where Creem and freee differ
AttributeCreemfreee
Starting price$3.9/percent980/month
Pricing modelPer-transaction flat ratesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Accounting).

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 Creem

  • Global payments processing
  • Automated tax compliance
  • Subscription billing
  • Revenue distribution
  • Digital product support
  • Fraud protection
  • AI business assistant
  • Affiliate platform

Only in freee

Nothing recorded that Creem does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Creem

  • SaaS subscription billing and managementnot freee
  • Digital product distribution with license keysnot freee
  • Global payment processing across 100+ countriesnot freee
  • Revenue sharing among co-founders and affiliatesnot freee
  • Automated tax compliance for international salesnot freee

freee

  • Filing Japanese tax documents electronically each yearnot Creem
  • Calculating payroll and year-end adjustments automaticallynot Creem
  • Creating opening documents without visiting tax officenot Creem
  • Tracking company expenses across departments centrallynot Creem

Where each one falls short

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

Creem

  • Per-transaction fee model scales with volume, potentially expensive for high-frequency transactions
  • Limited to software and digital product companies, not suitable for physical goods
  • AI business assistant availability and capabilities not fully detailed
  • Requires using Creem as Merchant of Record, limiting white-label options
  • Mobile app only available in beta for iOS and Android

freee

  • Pricing varies significantly across multiple product categories and tiers
  • Some corporate tiers (Advance) reach ¥39,780+/month

Pricing, plan by plan

Creem

$3.9/percent
  • StandardFree
    • 3.9% + $0.40 per transaction
    • No setup fees
    • No monthly fees

freee

980/month
  • freee會計 Starter$980/month
    • Individual business owner accounting tier
  • freee會計 Corporate Solo$2980/month
    • Corporate accounting tier
  • freee人事労務$400/month per employee
    • HR and payroll module per-employee pricing
  • freee勤怠管理$300/month per employee
    • Attendance tracking per-employee

Which should you pick?

Choose Creem if

  • You need global payments processing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want automated tax compliance.

Choose freee if

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

Questions people ask

Is Creem or freee better?
Neither clearly leads. Creem starts at $3.9/percent and freee at 980/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Creem or freee?
Creem starts at $3.9/percent and freee at 980/month.
Does Creem or freee run on more platforms?
Creem runs on Web, iOS, Android. freee runs on Web.
What is Creem best used for?
Creem is most often used for saas subscription billing and management, digital product distribution with license keys, global payment processing across 100+ countries, revenue sharing among co-founders and affiliates. Of those, saas subscription billing and management and digital product distribution with license keys are not what freee is typically brought in for.
What can Creem do that freee cannot?
Creem covers Global payments processing, Automated tax compliance, Subscription billing, Revenue distribution.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Creem: What are Creem's transaction fees compared to competitors?

Creem charges a flat 3.9% plus 40 cents per successful transaction with no additional setup, monthly, or hidden fees. For a $5,000 transaction volume, Creem estimates $235 in fees compared to Lemon Squeezy at $565 ($400 + $165).

Source
freee: What is freee's accounting software pricing?

Individual business owners start at ¥980/month for Starter, while corporate accounting begins at ¥2,980/month for Solo Corp, with prices extending to ¥39,780+/month for Advance plans.

Source
Creem: Does Creem handle international tax compliance?

Yes. Creem automatically handles VAT, GST, and sales tax filing and remittance as a Merchant of Record across 50+ countries, eliminating manual tax compliance work.

Source
freee: Does freee charge per employee for HR and payroll?

Yes, freee人事労務 (HR/Payroll) costs ¥400-¥1,100 per employee per month, and freee勤怠管理 (Attendance) costs ¥300 per employee per month.

Source
Creem: Can I use Creem for subscription billing?

Yes. Creem provides subscription management with billing, dunning, and a customer portal. Revenue splits are included for distributing earnings to co-founders and affiliates.

Source
freee: Are there free freee products?

Several freee products are completely free, including freee開業 (Business Opening), freee請求書 (Invoicing), freeeカード (Card), and certain features like payroll rules creation.

Source
freee: Does freee offer a free trial?

Freee offers a 30-day free trial for its accounting software and provides annual payment discounts on most plans.

Source
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