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FreshBooks vs QuickBooks

FreshBooks logo

FreshBooks

Professional Services

Accounting software that makes you look good

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
QuickBooks logo

QuickBooks

All industries

Smart, simple online accounting software for small business

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; QuickBooks chart of Accounts is capped on every QuickBooks Online tier except Advanced; Simple Start, Essentials and Plus all have a limited entry count
  • They diverge on capability: FreshBooks covers Expense tracking, QuickBooks covers Income & expense tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FreshBooks and QuickBooks actually diverge.

Attributes where FreshBooks and QuickBooks differ
AttributeFreshBooksQuickBooks
Starting priceFree$30/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryProfessional ServicesAll industries
Founded20031983

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

  • Expense tracking
  • Time tracking
  • Project management
  • Payments
  • Proposals
  • Mileage tracking
  • G Suite
  • Mailchimp

Only in QuickBooks

  • Income & expense tracking
  • Payment processing
  • Tax preparation
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Bill management
  • Mobile apps
  • Square
  • Shopify

Both cover

  • Invoicing
  • Financial reporting
  • Stripe
  • PayPal

What people use each for

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

FreshBooks

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

QuickBooks

  • Bookkeepingnot FreshBooks
  • Invoicingnot FreshBooks
  • Expense trackingnot FreshBooks
  • Financial reportingnot FreshBooks
  • Tax preparationnot 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

QuickBooks

  • Chart of Accounts is capped on every QuickBooks Online tier except Advanced; Simple Start, Essentials and Plus all have a limited entry count
  • Even the top Advanced tier caps bulk invoice uploads at 1,000 transaction lines per batch
  • Payroll is a separate paid add-on billed per employee per month (USD 6 to 10 depending on plan) on top of the base subscription

Pricing, plan by plan

FreshBooks

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FreshBooks review.

QuickBooks

$30/month
  • Simple Start$30/month
    • Income & expense tracking
    • Invoice & payments
    • Tax deductions
  • Essentials$60/month
    • Everything in Simple Start
    • Bill management
    • Time tracking
  • Plus$90/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Inventory tracking
    • Project profitability
  • Advanced$200/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Dedicated account team
    • 25 users

Which should you pick?

Choose FreshBooks if

  • You need expense tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want time tracking.
FreshBooks review

Choose QuickBooks if

  • You need income & expense tracking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want payment processing.
QuickBooks review

Questions people ask

Is FreshBooks or QuickBooks better?
Neither clearly leads. FreshBooks starts at Free and QuickBooks at $30/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FreshBooks or QuickBooks?
FreshBooks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FreshBooks and $30/month for QuickBooks.
Does FreshBooks or QuickBooks run on more platforms?
FreshBooks runs on Web, iOS, Android. QuickBooks 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. QuickBooks 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 QuickBooks is typically brought in for.
What can FreshBooks do that QuickBooks cannot?
FreshBooks covers Expense tracking, Time tracking, Project management, Payments. QuickBooks covers Income & expense tracking, Payment processing, Tax preparation, Bank reconciliation. Both handle Invoicing, Financial reporting, Stripe, PayPal.
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