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Professional Services · head to head

FreshBooks vs Podio

FreshBooks logo

FreshBooks

Professional Services

Accounting software that makes you look good

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Podio logo

Podio

Project Management

The flexible team collaboration platform

From
On request
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; Podio the free plan stops at 5 users and 100 items across the whole organisation
  • They diverge on capability: FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Podio covers Workspaces.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FreshBooks and Podio actually diverge.

Attributes where FreshBooks and Podio differ
AttributeFreshBooksPodio
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierYesNo
CategoryProfessional ServicesProject Management
Founded20032009

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
  • Mileage tracking

Only in Podio

  • Workspaces
  • Apps
  • Workflows
  • Tasks
  • Calendar
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • SSL

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 Podio
  • Time tracking and expense managementnot Podio
  • Multi-client project accountingnot Podio

Podio

  • Building custom workspaces and apps without codenot FreshBooks
  • Project and task management for a small teamnot FreshBooks
  • Client collaboration with external users on the paid plansnot FreshBooks
  • Simple workflow automation between appsnot 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

Podio

  • The free plan stops at 5 users and 100 items across the whole organisation
  • Workflow automation is capped at 25,000 actions a month even on Premium at $19.20 per user
  • API access is a paid add-on from $23 a month, and higher call rates run to $159
  • Extra automation is billed separately, from $39 up to $559 a month
  • Visual reports, email integrations and PDF generation all require Premium

Pricing, plan by plan

FreshBooks

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FreshBooks review.

Podio

On request
  • FreeFree
    • 5 employees
    • Basic features
  • Basic$7.2/month
    • Unlimited employees
    • User management
    • Automations

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 Podio if

  • You need workspaces.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want apps.
Podio review

Questions people ask

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