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FreshBooks vs Nutshell

FreshBooks logo

FreshBooks

Software

Accounting software that makes you look good

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nutshell logo

Nutshell

Software

Easy CRM for small businesses

From
$30/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; Nutshell aI usage is metered as outcomes per user per month, from 10 on Foundation to 150 on Enterprise
  • They diverge on capability: FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Nutshell covers Contact management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FreshBooks and Nutshell actually diverge.

Attributes where FreshBooks and Nutshell differ
AttributeFreshBooksNutshell
Starting priceFree$30/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded20032009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Nutshell

  • Contact management
  • Lead tracking
  • Pipeline management
  • Email integration
  • Task management
  • Reporting
  • Gmail
  • GDPR

Both cover

  • Mailchimp
  • Slack
  • Zapier

What people use each for

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

FreshBooks

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

Nutshell

  • Sales CRM with pipeline management and email syncnot FreshBooks
  • Running outbound sequences and marketing from the same contact recordsnot 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

Nutshell

  • AI usage is metered as outcomes per user per month, from 10 on Foundation to 150 on Enterprise
  • Custom pipelines are rationed by plan, at 5 on Pro and 10 on Business, with unlimited only on Enterprise at $79 per user per month
  • Sales automation and advanced reporting require the Pro plan at $42 per user per month
  • Four separate add ons sit on top of the seat price: marketing at $49 a month, engagement at $16 per user, prospecting at $37 and proposals at $79
  • SSO and SQL data access are Enterprise only

Pricing, plan by plan

FreshBooks

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FreshBooks review.

Nutshell

$30/month
  • Standard$30/month
    • Contact management
    • Pipeline tracking
    • Basic automation
  • Pro$50/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Advanced automation
    • Forecasting
  • Plus$100/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Advanced customization
    • API access

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 Nutshell if

  • You need contact management.
  • You also want lead tracking.
Nutshell review

Questions people ask

Is FreshBooks or Nutshell better?
Neither clearly leads. FreshBooks starts at Free and Nutshell at $30/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FreshBooks or Nutshell?
FreshBooks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FreshBooks and $30/month for Nutshell.
Does FreshBooks or Nutshell run on more platforms?
FreshBooks runs on Web, iOS, Android. Nutshell runs on Web.
Can I use FreshBooks for free?
Yes. FreshBooks has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Nutshell starts at $30/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 Nutshell is typically brought in for.
What can FreshBooks do that Nutshell cannot?
FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Time tracking, Project management. Nutshell covers Contact management, Lead tracking, Pipeline management, Email integration. Both handle Mailchimp, Slack, Zapier.
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