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Professional Services · head to head

FreshBooks vs Netsuite OpenAir

FreshBooks logo

FreshBooks

Professional Services

Accounting software that makes you look good

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Netsuite OpenAir logo

Netsuite OpenAir

Professional Services

Oracle's professional services automation product, separate from NetSuite ERP

From
$500/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; Netsuite OpenAir openAir is a separate application from NetSuite rather than a module of it, so customers, projects and employees exist in two places and a synchronisation must be configured, monitored and repaired when it drifts.
  • They diverge on capability: FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Netsuite OpenAir covers Resource management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FreshBooks and Netsuite OpenAir actually diverge.

Attributes where FreshBooks and Netsuite OpenAir differ
AttributeFreshBooksNetsuite OpenAir
Starting priceFree$500/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidCloud, Web, Mobile
Founded20032006

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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
  • Payments
  • Financial reporting
  • Proposals
  • Mileage tracking
  • Stripe

Only in Netsuite OpenAir

  • Resource management
  • Timesheets and expenses
  • Project accounting
  • Billing
  • Utilisation reporting
  • NetSuite integration
  • Multi-currency support

Both cover

  • Project management

What people use each for

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

FreshBooks

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

Netsuite OpenAir

  • A consultancy that needs to forecast staffing demand against a pipeline before it commits to delivery datesnot FreshBooks
  • A services firm whose revenue recognition on fixed price work is currently maintained in a spreadsheetnot FreshBooks
  • An organisation already running NetSuite finance whose project module cannot handle its resource planningnot FreshBooks
  • An agency or integrator that needs accurate billable utilisation by consultant, practice and clientnot 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

Netsuite OpenAir

  • OpenAir is a separate application from NetSuite rather than a module of it, so customers, projects and employees exist in two places and a synchronisation must be configured, monitored and repaired when it drifts.
  • It overlaps with NetSuite's own project and services capability, so buyers inside the Oracle estate face a choice between two products from the same vendor and rarely get a straight comparison from the sales conversation.
  • The product has been renamed and repositioned more than once, which leaves documentation, training material and community knowledge fragmented across names and makes it harder to establish what applies to your version.
  • Licensing is per user, so a firm with many occasional timesheet submitters pays full seats for people who sign in twice a month, and the model suits billable-heavy organisations far better than mixed ones.
  • The user interface and administration reflect the product's age rather than current design conventions, which raises training effort and makes consultant adoption of timesheet discipline harder than it needs to be.

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

Netsuite OpenAir

$500/month
  • Basic$500/month
    • Project tracking
    • Time tracking
    • Basic reporting
  • Advanced$1200/month
    • Full PSA
    • Resource planning
    • 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 Netsuite OpenAir if

  • You need resource management.
  • You work on Cloud, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want timesheets and expenses.
Netsuite OpenAir review

Questions people ask

Is FreshBooks or Netsuite OpenAir better?
Neither clearly leads. FreshBooks starts at Free and Netsuite OpenAir at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FreshBooks or Netsuite OpenAir?
FreshBooks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FreshBooks and $500/month for Netsuite OpenAir.
Does FreshBooks or Netsuite OpenAir run on more platforms?
FreshBooks runs on Web, iOS, Android. Netsuite OpenAir runs on Cloud, Web, Mobile.
Can I use FreshBooks for free?
Yes. FreshBooks has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Netsuite OpenAir starts at $500/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 Netsuite OpenAir is typically brought in for.
What can FreshBooks do that Netsuite OpenAir cannot?
FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Time tracking, Payments. Netsuite OpenAir covers Resource management, Timesheets and expenses, Project accounting, Billing. Both handle 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
Netsuite OpenAir: Is OpenAir part of NetSuite?

No. It is a separate Oracle application that integrates with NetSuite. It is sold alongside NetSuite and often bought by NetSuite customers, but it has its own data model, interface and administration.

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
Netsuite OpenAir: Should I use this or NetSuite's own project modules?

If your problem is invoicing project work and tracking basic costs, NetSuite's own capability may be enough and avoids a second system. If your problem is resource planning, skills-based staffing and utilisation forecasting across a large delivery organisation, that is what OpenAir was built for.

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
Netsuite OpenAir: Can it be used without NetSuite?

Yes, it can run against another finance system, but then you are building and maintaining that integration yourself, which removes the main reason most buyers choose it over an independent professional services automation product.

Netsuite OpenAir: What is the hardest part of implementing it?

Getting consultants to submit accurate timesheets on time, and agreeing how revenue recognition should work on fixed price engagements. Neither is a software problem, and both determine whether the reports are trusted.

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