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FreshBooks vs. QuickBooks Comparison
Choosing the right accounting software is critical for managing your business's finances. Here's how FreshBooks and QuickBooks compare.
Written by: Mike Berner, Senior AnalystUpdated Jan 13, 2025
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Managing finances is an essential aspect of running a successful business but it isn’t always easy. Business owners must maintain their books, perform essential financial tracking, bill customers and stay on top of invoices and expenses. Fortunately, accounting software simplifies these tasks, allowing you to focus on operations and grow your company. FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online are two of the best accounting software platforms around that can help you take your business to the next level. We compared their features and pricing to help you choose the right accounting software for your business.
FreshBooks vs. QuickBooks Highlights
FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online can both help you manage your small business’s accounting and invoicing. However, depending on your specific needs, one solution may be a better fit than the other. Here’s an overview of how they measure up.
Criteria
FreshBooks
QuickBooks Online
Starting prices
$19 per month
$20 per month
Invoicing
Unlimited invoices (depending on plan)
Customized invoices
Automated recurring invoices
Checkout links
Payment reminders
Deposit and payment acceptance
Unlimited invoices
Customized invoices
Payment acceptance (credit cards and bank transfers)
Partial payments
Recurring invoices
Payment reminders
Payment matching
Track invoice status
Customer service
Phone support: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time
Online Help Center
24/7 chatbot support
Phone and chat support: Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time; Saturday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
24/7 phone support on Advanced plan
Community forum
QuickBooks blog
QuickBooks Assistant in product
Mobile app
iOS and Android
Invoicing features
Customer messaging
Mileage and time tracking
Automatic expense receipt scanning
iOS and Android
Invoicing features
Customer signature capture
Receipt capture
Transaction reconciliation
Customer messaging
Real-time reporting
Third-party integrations
More than 100
More than 750
Who Is FreshBooks For?
FreshBooks caters to small businesses, freelancers and independent contractors. Apart from offering traditional double-entry accounting and reporting features, FreshBooks excels at streamlined invoice generation. Its unique ability to swiftly convert estimates and billable hours into invoices makes it an excellent choice for service-based businesses, especially those that need to get paid on the go. Our comprehensive review of FreshBooks goes into greater detail about the platform’s features and functionality.
The FreshBooks color-coded dashboard is easy to use. Source: FreshBooks
Who Is QuickBooks Online For?
QuickBooks Online is an excellent choice for small and medium-sized businesses across multiple industries. Its comprehensive offerings provide all the accounting functions businesses need to support their growth. As the leading provider of small business accounting software for over three decades, most accountants and bookkeepers are already well-versed in QuickBooks’ functionality. Like its competitors, QuickBooks offers robust double-entry accounting and reporting features and the software is packed with a wealth of additional tools that business owners will find valuable. Our detailed QuickBooks Online review explains more about this popular accounting package.
QuickBooks Online’s intuitive and feature-rich dashboard presents crucial information in an easy-to-read format. Source: Intuit
FYI
Accounting software saves business owners' time by helping them avoid accounting mistakes that waste valuable time and money.
FreshBooks vs. QuickBooks Online Comparison
FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online are competitive accounting software platforms. Here’s how they compare in pricing and essential accounting software features.
Pricing and Plans
Cost is a significant consideration for any business when purchasing accounting software.
FreshBooks
Here’s a breakdown of each FreshBooks service plan. Monthly pricing is shown; you’ll receive a 10 percent discount if you pay annually.
Plan
Price
Features
Lite
$19 per month plus $11 per team member, per month
Five billable clients
Unlimited time tracking
Unlimited expense tracking
Unlimited estimates
Checkout links
Recurring invoices
Payment reminders and late fees
Mobile app
Tax time and business health reports
Plus
$33 per month plus $11 per team member, per month
Everything in Lite, plus:
50 billable clients
E-signature acceptance
Unlimited proposals
Client retainers
Financial and accounting reports, including double-entry accounting reports
Ability to “invite your accountant”
Premium
$60 per month plus $11 per team member, per month
Everything in Plus, plus:
Unlimited clients
Additional reporting capabilities
Receipt and bill scanning
Project profitability tracking
Email template customization
Select
Call for a quote; includes two team member accounts; $11 per month for additional team members
Everything in lower tiers, plus:
Simplified data migration
Lower transaction fees
No FreshBooks branding
Select support
Secure card storage
Customized onboarding
Keep the following pricing considerations in mind when evaluating FreshBooks:
Introductory discounts: Significant online introductory discounts may be available.
Free trial: FreshBooks offers a free 30-day trial for new customers.
Payroll add-on: Add FreshBooks Payroll for a monthly fee of $40 plus $6 per month, per employee.
Payment processing fees:
If you use FreshBooks Payments powered by Stripe to accept credit card payments online, you’ll incur fees of 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction (slightly higher for American Express).
If you use FreshBooks Advanced Payments ($20 monthly), you can also accept credit card payments by phone and in person while storing client card information and setting up recurring billing. You’ll pay 3.5 percent and 30 cents per transaction.
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online offers five paid plans geared toward small and medium-sized businesses.
Keep the following pricing considerations in mind when evaluating QuickBooks Online:
Introductory discounts: Like FreshBooks, QuickBooks Online often offers steep discounts.
Free trial: Like FreshBooks, QuickBooks Online offers a free 30-day trial, which is a great way to test the platform.
Payroll add-on: QuickBooks Payroll is an available add-on. (Our QuickBooks Payroll review explains this platform in-depth.)
Payroll Core ($50 per month, plus $6 per employee, per month)
Payroll Premium ($85 per month, plus $9 per employee, per month)
Payroll Elite ($130 per month, plus $11 per employee, per month).
Did You Know?
There isn't much of a decision anymore when it comes to choosing between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online. Intuit has phased out most QuickBooks Desktop products; only Desktop Enterprise, starting at $1,922 per year, is available for new subscriptions in the U.S.
Best for Pricing
Tie
Comparing pricing between FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online isn't straightforward. Much depends on your business's size, the features you prioritize and your budget. FreshBooks is often more cost-effective for small businesses with just a few billable clients. It's also a budget-friendly choice if you need time tracking, as this feature is included in all plans. In contrast, QuickBooks only includes time tracking with the $65 Essentials plan.
Still, QuickBooks Online may be more affordable for businesses that bill multiple clients and need more robust features. Additionally, unlike FreshBooks, QuickBooks doesn't charge separately for users up to the plan's specified limit — a significant advantage for businesses with multiple employees needing accounting access. With FreshBooks, you'll pay $11 per month, per user, for additional team member access.
Tip
QuickBooks Online and higher-tier FreshBooks plans include accountant access. As your business grows, hiring the right accountant can help you maximize your accounting software's potential and keep your finances in top shape.
Invoicing
Robust invoicing features are crucial to help steady a small business’s cash flow.
FreshBooks
FreshBooks distinguishes itself from competitors with its strong emphasis on creating professional invoices. Here’s a breakdown of its invoicing functionality:
Customization: FreshBooks allows you to personalize your invoicing design to align with your business’s branding. We were impressed by the user-friendly and intuitive invoice design process.
Billable time tracking: The FreshBooks app allows you to track employees’ billable time and seamlessly add it to your invoices, simplifying the billing process.
On-site billing: With FreshBooks, you can bill customers and receive payments directly from your job site. This convenience eliminates the need for separate time-tracking or attendance software.
Convert estimates and proposals: FreshBooks makes it easy to convert estimates and proposals into invoices. This feature makes the platform ideal for contractors seeking swift sales closure.
In-house payment software: The platform’s in-house payment software significantly simplifies the payment process. With a click of a button on an email invoice, customers are directed to a secure web page where they can enter their credit card details.
Invoicing tools: Additional invoicing tools, such as recurring invoices, payment reminders and the option to charge interest and late fees on unpaid invoices, enhance usability and ensure timely payments.
FreshBooks makes invoice creation and tracking effortless. Source: FreshBooks
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks’ invoicing features are more robust than those of many competitors in the accounting space. Here are some key functional highlights:
Mobile device optimization: QuickBooks invoices are optimized for mobile devices. You can create and send invoices from a desktop browser or the mobile app.
Online payment integration: You can set up online payments through the in-house QuickBooks Payments system or a third-party processor like PayPal or Square.
Convert estimates to invoices: Estimates can be converted into invoices quickly and easily.
AI invoicing: The QuickBooks AI tool, Intuit Assist, can create new invoices from emails, PDFs, notes and photos.
Automation tools: Automate your invoicing process with features like recurring invoices and scheduled payment reminders.
Time tracking: QuickBooks integrates time-tracking features into your invoicing workflow, enabling accurate billing for hours worked.
Best for Invoicing
FreshBooks
FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online are very similar in terms of invoicing capabilities. However, we're giving the edge to FreshBooks due to its user-friendly design and abundance of built-in features. Unlike QuickBooks, which offers a separate service for time tracking, FreshBooks includes time-tracking tools as part of its core offering. The one downside of FreshBooks is that its lower pricing plans limit the number of clients you can send unlimited invoices to, while QuickBooks Online allows unlimited clients on all its plans.
Did You Know?
Both QuickBooks and FreshBooks allow you to accept payments from mobile wallets, such as Google Pay and Apple Pay.
Customer Support
Customer support can be a crucial factor when selecting the right accounting software for your business.
FreshBooks
Here’s what you should know about the customer support FreshBooks offers:
Availability: FreshBooks offers email, live chat and phone support for customers Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET. You’ll need to access support through your customer account.
Chatbot assistance: Customers can query an automated chatbot, FreshBot, with basic questions 24/7, although its capabilities are limited.
Online resources: Webinars, blog posts and e-books are available on the FreshBooks website.
Advanced support: Users of the Select plan gain access to dedicated support and customized onboarding assistance.
QuickBooks Online
Availability: QuickBooks provides phone and live chat support Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT and Saturday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Advanced support: Users on the Advanced tier can access 24/7 live support and personalized training.
Community support: The QuickBooks online community is a robust help resource where users can gain expert advice from other QuickBooks Online users and company representatives.
Online resources: The QuickBooks Online website offers webinars, video tutorials, blog posts and training classes.
ProAdvisors: Any QuickBooks customer can access certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors to get help with the software. While QuickBooks facilitates the connection, fees for ProAdvisors vary depending on the advisor and the services provided.
Best for Customer Support
FreshBooks
QuickBooks Online and FreshBooks offer similar customer service options. However, FreshBooks stands out with a higher Trustpilot score, reflecting greater overall customer satisfaction. Our customer sentiment research shows that FreshBooks users are generally happier. That said, QuickBooks provides additional perks for its top-tier customers, including dedicated account representatives and 24/7 support for those on its Advanced plan.
Mobile App
A full-featured mobile app helps business owners perform accounting tasks on the go.
FreshBooks
The FreshBooks mobile app is rated 4.7 out of 5 on the Apple App Store and 4.5 out of 5 on the Google Play Store. Notable features include the following:
iOS and Android versions
Time tracking
Instant invoicing
Receipt capture
Invoice status tracking
Customer messaging system
QuickBooksOnline
The QuickBooks Accounting app is rated 4.7 out of 5 on the Apple App Store and 3.8 out of 5 on the Google Play Store. Notable features include the following:
iOS and Android versions
Dashboard data
Mobile invoicing
Payment acceptance
Receipt capture
Expense tracking
Transaction reconciliation
Customer messaging system.
The QuickBooks mobile app lets you take care of many accounting needs in the office or on the go. Source: Intuit
Best Mobile App
QuickBooks Online
If you need to run your business from a smartphone or perform numerous business tasks on the go, you'll be pleased with the QuickBooks Accounting app. It's the clear winner when compared with the more invoice-focused FreshBooks app. The QuickBooks app's downsides include the lack of access to some higher-tier plan features and its relatively mediocre rating on the Google Play Store. However, the iOS version scores highly, making it a strong option for Apple users.
Third-Party Integrations
A platform’s available third-party integrations are crucial for connecting to essential business software and streamlining workflows.
FreshBooks
FreshBooks integrates with more than 100 third-party business applications, including the following well-known brands:
BigCommerce
Zoom
WooCommerce
Zendesk
Expensify
WordPress
Constant Contact
Slack
Dropbox
Microsoft Outlook
Gusto
Zapier
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online integrates with more than 750 third-party business applications, including the following well-known apps and e-commerce platforms:
Amazon
PayPal
Square
Etsy
Shopify
eBay
SOS Inventory
Gusto
Expensify
BILL
Microsoft Excel
WooCommerce
Zenefits
Zapier
Best for Integrations
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online has a vast number of third-party integrations, placing it well ahead of FreshBooks and most other accounting software applications. We especially appreciate that QuickBooks works with many industry-specific apps. While there is some overlap in third-party integrations, it's worth noting that both FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online offer syncing options unique to their platforms. We recommend that you make a list of the business solutions you use most often and check for compatibility on the QuickBooks and FreshBooks app stores.
FreshBooks vs. QuickBooks Online Summary
FreshBooks is best for service-based small businesses and independent contractors.
FreshBooks is an excellent accounting software option for service-based businesses and independent contractors with a small client base that must send frequent invoices at an affordable rate. We found this platform’s invoicing capabilities superior to many accounting software applications. It offers essential features, such as converting billable hour estimates into invoices, customizing your branding and enabling payments through its in-house payment software. Businesses that need integrated time-tracking tools and the ability to accept card payments on-site or over the phone without breaking the bank will find great value in FreshBooks plans and add-on features.
QuickBooks Online is best for small businesses with established client bases.
QuickBooks Online is ideal for most small businesses — whether online or brick-and-mortar stores — with an established client base. Its reliable software and robust tools can help manage all aspects of your company’s finances. We were particularly impressed that even the entry-level plans allow for accountant access. Additionally, small businesses can save money by signing up for a bundle package that combines QuickBooks Online accounting software with other Intuit products. QuickBooks is also an excellent choice for businesses that rely on industry-specific apps, as it supports hundreds more third-party integrations than FreshBooks.
Yes. FreshBooks and QuickBooks are two of our top choices for the best accounting software. They both offer competent features that will serve the needs of most small businesses. However, the right choice for your company depends on your specific needs.
Yes. However, you must subscribe to the FreshBooks Plus plan for this functionality. In contrast, all QuickBooks Online plans allow you to invite an accountant.
Yes. Both FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online are cloud-based applications. QuickBooks also offers a desktop-based solution, but most versions of its desktop software are currently being phased out.
An important disadvantage of FreshBooks is that the number of users is limited across all plans and you'll have to pay extra for additional team members. The lower-tier plans also limit the number of billable clients.
Yes. QuickBooks Online is easy to learn, even for business owners with limited accounting and invoicing experience. Numerous useful articles and a helpful forum will help you get up and running in no time.
Mike Berner brings to business.com over half a decade of experience as a finance expert, having previously served as an economic analyst for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. His expertise lies in conducting quantitative analysis and research, providing invaluable guidance for navigating the modern financial landscape.
Berner, who has a bachelor's degree in economics and a bachelor of business administration in finance, enjoys simplifying complicated financial concepts for entrepreneurs and business owners. From deciphering the intricacies of business loans and accounting to identifying the best payroll systems and credit card processors, he offers comprehensive insights tailored to meet diverse business needs.
At business.com, Berner covers business plans, funding solutions, accounting software, the ins and outs of credit card processing and more.
Beyond dedicating himself to exploring and evaluating the latest financial solutions, Berner has also become adept at explaining how businesses can take advantage of artificial intelligence tools. His passion for sharing knowledge extends to various platforms, including Substack, TikTok and YouTube, where he imparts tips and strategies on topics like sales tactics, savvy investing and tax saving.