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Expensify vs FreshBooks

Expensify logo

Expensify

All industries

Expense management for receipts, bills & more

From
$5/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: Expensify minimal offline expense entry capabilities hamper use in areas with unstable internet; FreshBooks lite tier limited to 5 clients maximum
  • They diverge on capability: Expensify covers SmartScan receipts, FreshBooks covers Invoicing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Expensify and FreshBooks actually diverge.

Attributes where Expensify and FreshBooks differ
AttributeExpensifyFreshBooks
Starting price$5/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
CategoryAll industriesProfessional Services
Founded20082003

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Expensify

  • SmartScan receipts
  • Expense reports
  • Corporate cards
  • Reimbursements
  • Travel booking
  • Multi-currency
  • Real-time syncing
  • QuickBooks

Only in FreshBooks

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

Both cover

  • Mileage tracking
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Expensify

  • Expense reportingnot FreshBooks
  • Receipt managementnot FreshBooks
  • Travel expensesnot FreshBooks
  • Corporate card managementnot FreshBooks
  • Reimbursementsnot FreshBooks

FreshBooks

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

Where each one falls short

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

Expensify

  • Minimal offline expense entry capabilities hamper use in areas with unstable internet
  • OCR receipt data extraction requires manual review and correction for accuracy
  • Per-user pricing model increases costs for larger organizations

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

Expensify

$5/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Expensify review.

FreshBooks

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FreshBooks review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Expensify if

  • You need smartscan receipts.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want expense reports.
Expensify 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 Expensify or FreshBooks better?
Neither clearly leads. Expensify starts at $5/month and FreshBooks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Expensify or FreshBooks?
FreshBooks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5/month for Expensify and Free for FreshBooks.
Does Expensify or FreshBooks run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use FreshBooks for free?
Yes. FreshBooks has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Expensify starts at $5/month.
What is Expensify best used for?
Expensify is most often used for expense reporting, receipt management, travel expenses, corporate card management. Of those, expense reporting and receipt management are not what FreshBooks is typically brought in for.
What can Expensify do that FreshBooks cannot?
Expensify covers SmartScan receipts, Expense reports, Corporate cards, Reimbursements. FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Time tracking, Project management. Both handle Mileage tracking, Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Expensify: How does Expensify capture receipts?

Expensify uses SmartScan technology with OCR to automatically extract data from receipt images, reducing manual data entry. Users can photograph receipts with their phone to quickly create expense entries.

Source
Expensify: What reimbursement methods does Expensify support?

Expensify supports ACH reimbursement via direct deposit after setting up a direct deposit account. Next-day reimbursement is available, or standard processing takes 3-5 business days.

Source
Expensify: How does Expensify offline mode work?

Expensify has limited offline capabilities. Users can capture receipts offline, but data syncs when internet connectivity is restored. Full functionality requires online access.

Source
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