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Professional Services · head to head

FreshBooks vs Fyle

FreshBooks logo

FreshBooks

Professional Services

Accounting software that makes you look good

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fyle logo

Fyle

Accounting & Finance

Real-time expense management that works with your cards

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only FreshBooks has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: FreshBooks lite tier limited to 5 clients maximum; Fyle billed per active user, defined as anyone who creates an expense or has a connected card with transactions in the month, so headcount does not predict the bill
  • They diverge on capability: FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Fyle covers Real-time card tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FreshBooks and Fyle actually diverge.

Attributes where FreshBooks and Fyle differ
AttributeFreshBooksFyle
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
CategoryProfessional ServicesAccounting & Finance
Founded20032016

Identical on both: 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 FreshBooks

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

Only in Fyle

  • Real-time card tracking
  • Automatic receipt matching
  • Expense policies
  • Approval workflows
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero
  • Sage Intacct
  • NetSuite

Both cover

  • Mileage tracking
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

FreshBooks

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

Fyle

  • Expense reporting and corporate card reconciliationnot FreshBooks
  • Enforcing spend policy and approvals before reimbursementnot FreshBooks

Where each one falls short

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

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

Fyle

  • Billed per active user, defined as anyone who creates an expense or has a connected card with transactions in the month, so headcount does not predict the bill
  • The Growth plan carries a 5 user minimum and the Business plan a 10 user minimum, so the entry cost is set by the floor rather than the team
  • API access and the Sage Intacct and NetSuite integrations require a paid tier
  • ACH reimbursements and project expense tracking sit above the entry plan
  • Both published plans are billed annually
  • Enterprise pricing is custom and aimed at organisations with 250 or more employees

Pricing, plan by plan

FreshBooks

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FreshBooks review.

Fyle

$29/month
  • Standard$8/month
    • Real-time card feeds
    • Receipt matching
    • Basic approvals
  • Business$12/month
    • Advanced policies
    • Custom workflows
    • Analytics
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited users
    • API access
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Fyle if

  • You need real-time card tracking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want automatic receipt matching.
Fyle review

Questions people ask

Is FreshBooks or Fyle better?
Neither clearly leads. FreshBooks starts at Free and Fyle at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FreshBooks or Fyle?
FreshBooks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FreshBooks and $29/month for Fyle.
Does FreshBooks or Fyle run on more platforms?
FreshBooks runs on Web, iOS, Android. Fyle runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use FreshBooks for free?
Yes. FreshBooks has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fyle starts at $29/month.
What is FreshBooks best used for?
FreshBooks is most often used for invoicing and payment processing, time tracking and expense management, multi-client project accounting. Of those, invoicing and payment processing and time tracking and expense management are not what Fyle is typically brought in for.
What can FreshBooks do that Fyle cannot?
FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Time tracking, Project management. Fyle covers Real-time card tracking, Automatic receipt matching, Expense policies, Approval workflows. Both handle Mileage tracking, Slack.
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