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Professional Services · head to head

FreshBooks vs Rise Calendar

FreshBooks logo

FreshBooks

Professional Services

Accounting software that makes you look good

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rise Calendar logo

Rise Calendar

Calendars

The modern calendar for Mac

From
$16/year
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; Rise Calendar product discontinued as of March 31, 2025
  • They diverge on capability: FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Rise Calendar covers Native Mac app.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FreshBooks and Rise Calendar actually diverge.

Attributes where FreshBooks and Rise Calendar differ
AttributeFreshBooksRise Calendar
Starting priceFree$16/year
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android, macOS, Windows
CategoryProfessional ServicesCalendars
Founded20032021

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Rise Calendar

  • Native Mac app
  • Natural language
  • Menu bar widget
  • Quick event creation
  • Minimal design
  • Google Calendar
  • iCloud
  • Outlook

What people use each for

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

FreshBooks

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

Rise Calendar

  • Schedulingnot FreshBooks
  • Appointment bookingnot FreshBooks
  • Time trackingnot FreshBooks
  • Resource managementnot FreshBooks
  • Team coordinationnot 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

Rise Calendar

  • Product discontinued as of March 31, 2025
  • Failed to achieve sufficient commercial traction despite 900 teams and 30% month-over-month growth

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

Rise Calendar

$16/year
  • Annual$16/year
    • Full calendar
    • Menu bar access
    • Natural language

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 Rise Calendar if

  • You need native mac app.
  • You work on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want natural language.
Rise Calendar review

Questions people ask

Is FreshBooks or Rise Calendar better?
Neither clearly leads. FreshBooks starts at Free and Rise Calendar at $16/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FreshBooks or Rise Calendar?
FreshBooks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FreshBooks and $16/year for Rise Calendar.
Does FreshBooks or Rise Calendar run on more platforms?
FreshBooks runs on Web, iOS, Android. Rise Calendar runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use FreshBooks for free?
Yes. FreshBooks has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rise Calendar starts at $16/year.
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 Rise Calendar is typically brought in for.
What can FreshBooks do that Rise Calendar cannot?
FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Time tracking, Project management. Rise Calendar covers Native Mac app, Natural language, Menu bar widget, Quick event creation.

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
Rise Calendar: Is Rise Calendar still available?

No, Rise Calendar was discontinued on March 31, 2025. The service shut down after failing to achieve commercial traction in a competitive market. All user data was permanently deleted.

Source
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
Rise Calendar: What were Rise Calendar's main features?

Rise offered calendar management with synchronization to Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCloud; integrated task and project management; scheduling optimization with FocusGuard; and cross-platform apps for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.

Source
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
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