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Professional Services · head to head

FreshBooks vs Guru

FreshBooks logo

FreshBooks

Professional Services

Accounting software that makes you look good

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Guru logo

Guru

Professional Services

Find freelancers, find a job

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: FreshBooks lite tier limited to 5 clients maximum; Guru higher tiers all include 600 bids; no bid increases from Business to Executive
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FreshBooks and Guru actually diverge.

Attributes where FreshBooks and Guru differ
AttributeFreshBooksGuru
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded2003Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), 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 FreshBooks

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

Only in Guru

Nothing recorded that FreshBooks does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

FreshBooks

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

Guru

  • Connecting freelancers with employers for competitive project biddingnot FreshBooks
  • Managing multiple contractors as a distributed freelance businessnot FreshBooks
  • Standing out in competitive freelance bidding with premium quotesnot FreshBooks
  • Managing monthly bid limits for active freelancersnot FreshBooks
  • Improving profile ranking in freelancer search resultsnot 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

Guru

  • Higher tiers all include 600 bids; no bid increases from Business to Executive
  • Membership purchases are non-refundable
  • No free trial period before commitment

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Guru

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 120 bids annually
    • 9% job fee
    • No premium features
  • Basic+$11.95/month
    • 120 bids annually
    • 9% job fee
    • Annual: $8.95/month
  • Professional$21.95/month
    • 600 bids annually
    • 7% job fee
    • Premium quotes
  • Business$33.95/month
    • 600 bids annually
    • 6% job fee
    • All Professional features

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 Guru if

  • You want to start without paying.
Guru review

Questions people ask

Is FreshBooks or Guru better?
Neither clearly leads. FreshBooks starts at Free and Guru at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FreshBooks or Guru?
FreshBooks starts at Free and Guru at Free.
Does FreshBooks or Guru run on more platforms?
FreshBooks runs on Web, iOS, Android. Guru runs on Web.
Can I use FreshBooks for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Guru is typically brought in for.
What can FreshBooks do that Guru cannot?
FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Time tracking, Project management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Guru: Is there a free Guru membership?

Yes, Guru offers a free tier with 120 annual bids and a 9% job fee on earnings.

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
Guru: What is Guru's job fee structure?

Guru charges job fees that decrease with membership tier: Free 9%, Basic+ 9%, Professional 7%, Business 6%, Executive 5%.

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
Guru: Does Guru offer annual billing discounts?

Yes. Annual plans offer up to 27% savings. For example, Professional is $15.95/month billed annually versus $21.95/month on a monthly plan.

Source
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