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Professional Services · head to head

FreshBooks vs Kudos

FreshBooks logo

FreshBooks

Professional Services

Accounting software that makes you look good

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kudos logo

Kudos

HR & Recruiting

Employee recognition that drives performance

From
$5/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; Kudos kudos publishes no price for any of its three tiers (Basic, Plus, Enterprise); the entire plans page gates every tier behind "Request a Demo" or "Request a Trial" with only a discount for not-for-profit organizations over 100 employees mentioned, no figures given (archived plans page, 22 February 2021)
  • They diverge on capability: FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FreshBooks and Kudos actually diverge.

Attributes where FreshBooks and Kudos differ
AttributeFreshBooksKudos
Starting priceFree$5/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryProfessional ServicesHR & Recruiting
Founded20032010

Identical on both: 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
  • Mileage tracking

Only in Kudos

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Manager recognition
  • Social recognition wall
  • Points & rewards
  • Awards & nominations
  • Anniversary celebrations
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Company values alignment

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Zapier

What people use each for

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

FreshBooks

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

Kudos

  • Employee recognitionnot FreshBooks
  • Culture buildingnot FreshBooks
  • Employee engagementnot FreshBooks
  • Retention improvementnot FreshBooks
  • Values reinforcementnot 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

Kudos

  • Kudos publishes no price for any of its three tiers (Basic, Plus, Enterprise); the entire plans page gates every tier behind "Request a Demo" or "Request a Trial" with only a discount for not-for-profit organizations over 100 employees mentioned, no figures given (archived plans page, 22 February 2021)

Pricing, plan by plan

FreshBooks

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FreshBooks review.

Kudos

$5/month
  • Plus$5/month
    • Peer recognition
    • Social recognition wall
    • Points system
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Awards & nominations
    • Advanced analytics

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 Kudos if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want manager recognition.
Kudos review

Questions people ask

Is FreshBooks or Kudos better?
Neither clearly leads. FreshBooks starts at Free and Kudos at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FreshBooks or Kudos?
FreshBooks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FreshBooks and $5/month for Kudos.
Does FreshBooks or Kudos run on more platforms?
FreshBooks runs on Web, iOS, Android. Kudos runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use FreshBooks for free?
Yes. FreshBooks has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kudos starts at $5/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 Kudos is typically brought in for.
What can FreshBooks do that Kudos cannot?
FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Time tracking, Project management. Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Manager recognition, Social recognition wall, Points & rewards. Both handle Slack, Zapier.
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