FreshBooks — The best accounting and invoicing software for freelancers and service businesses — simple, polished, time-tracking-first.
Verdict
FreshBooks is the friendliest accounting tool for freelancers and service-based businesses, with standout invoicing, time tracking, and project billing wrapped in a clean interface. It is less suited to inventory-heavy or product businesses, and lower tiers cap billable clients and charge extra for additional team members.
Real-world ratings (third-party)
The rating above is DigiJaws’s own editorial verdict. Here’s how it scores on independent review platforms, pulled directly from each platform as of 2026-08-06:
| Platform | Rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| G2 | 4.5/5 | 981 |
| Capterra | 4.5/5 | 4,521 |
Ratings and review counts change as new reviews come in — check the linked platform for the live number. We don’t (yet) run our own on-site review collection, so we cite third-party aggregators for independent signal.
Overview
FreshBooks began as invoicing software and evolved into full double-entry accounting aimed at freelancers, consultants, and agencies. Its strengths are beautiful invoices, time tracking, expense capture, project profitability, and proposals. Pricing tiers are defined largely by how many billable clients you have, and additional team members cost extra per user.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $23/mo | Freelancers with up to 5 billable clients |
| Plus | $43/mo | Growing businesses with up to 50 billable clients |
| Premium | $70/mo | Established businesses with unlimited billable clients |
| Select | Custom | Larger businesses needing advanced features and support |
Watch it in action
FreshBooks’ own explainer on what the platform is and how it works for business owners.
“What Is FreshBooks? Accounting Software (for Business Owners)” — official video.
Ratings
| Overall | 4.5 / 5 |
| Ease of use | 4.7 / 5 |
| Features | 4.2 / 5 |
| Value | 4.1 / 5 |
| Support | 4.4 / 5 |
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Best-in-class invoicing
- Excellent time tracking and project billing
- Very easy to use
- Strong mobile apps
- Good customer support
Cons
- Tiers capped by billable clients
- Extra team members cost more
- Weaker for inventory/product businesses
- Fewer integrations than QuickBooks
Who it’s for
Great for: freelancers, consultants, and service businesses that bill clients and track time.
Not ideal for: product or inventory-heavy businesses (use QuickBooks/Xero) or those wanting a free tool (use Wave).
Top use cases
- Client invoicing and payments
- Time tracking and billing
- Project profitability
- Expense tracking
- Proposals and estimates
Integrations
Stripe, PayPal, Gusto, Zapier, 100+ apps
Alternatives
QuickBooks Online, Xero, Wave, Bonsai
Recent developments
FreshBooks has expanded double-entry accounting features and AI-assisted bookkeeping for service businesses.
Frequently asked questions
Does FreshBooks have a free plan?
No — FreshBooks has no permanently free tier; the entry paid plan is Lite at $23/mo, which covers up to 5 billable clients.
Why are FreshBooks plans priced by number of billable clients?
FreshBooks’ tiers (Lite, Plus, Premium, Select) are gated primarily by how many clients you actively bill each month rather than by feature set, so a growing freelance or agency business will typically need to upgrade tiers as its client roster grows, and adding extra team members costs more per user.
Is FreshBooks better than QuickBooks Online?
FreshBooks has friendlier, best-in-class invoicing, time tracking, and project billing built for freelancers and service businesses; QuickBooks Online has broader accounting depth and inventory support for product-based businesses — see our QuickBooks Online review for the comparison.
What is FreshBooks’ rating on G2 and Capterra?
As of 2026-08-06, FreshBooks holds 4.5/5 on G2 (981 reviews) and 4.5/5 on Capterra (4,521 reviews). See the ratings table above for links to the live pages.
Sources
Pricing and features were last verified June 2026 and may change. Always confirm current details on the vendor’s site.
Head-to-head: FreshBooks vs QuickBooks
FreshBooks Review (2026): Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons. DigiJaws, 2026. https://digijaws.com/reviews/freshbooks-review/