F

FreshBooks

Finance & Accounting

Cloud accounting for freelancers and small businesses

Founded 2003Toronto, ON, CanadasubscriptionFrom Lite $19/month (5 clients); Plus $33/month (50 clients); Premium $60/month (unlimited)Free TrialVerified · Sep 2026
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About FreshBooks

FreshBooks is a cloud accounting and invoicing platform designed for freelancers, self-employed professionals, and small service-based businesses, making billing, time tracking, and expense management simple.

Editorial Assessment

FreshBooks is cloud accounting software designed specifically for freelancers, self-employed professionals, and small service-based businesses, with an emphasis on invoicing, time tracking, expense management, and client-facing financial documentation. Founded in 2003 by Mike McDerment in Toronto, Canada, FreshBooks grew from a simple invoice creator into a comprehensive accounting platform after a major rebuild in 2015. The platform's focus on service businesses — rather than product-based businesses with inventory — means its invoicing, project management, and time tracking features are more polished and central than in generalist tools. Clients can view, approve, and pay invoices online through the branded client portal, which also lets them leave feedback on deliverables. The Lite plan ($19/month) supports up to 5 billable clients with unlimited invoices. Plus ($33/month) supports up to 50 clients with proposals and double-entry accounting reports. Premium ($60/month) is unlimited clients with recurring billing and advanced dashboards. Select (custom) provides a dedicated account manager, lower transaction fees, and custom onboarding. FreshBooks also offers a Stripe-connected payment processing solution for accepting online payments from invoices. The main limitation for growing businesses is the per-plan client cap on Lite and Plus, which requires upgrade as the client base grows.

Strengths
  • Invoicing designed for client-facing service businesses: branded, professional, and online-payable
  • Client portal for online invoice viewing, approval, and payment
  • Time tracking integrated with projects — log time and convert directly to invoices
  • Estimates and proposals for closing client work before invoicing
  • Automated payment reminders for overdue invoices
  • Double-entry accounting reports on Plus and above
  • FreshBooks mobile app with full invoicing and expense management on mobile
Limitations
  • Client caps on Lite (5 clients) and Plus (50 clients) force upgrades as client count grows
  • Per-person pricing for team members adds cost for businesses with employees
  • Limited inventory management for product-based businesses
  • Payroll requires a third-party integration (Gusto)
  • Reporting depth for complex financial analysis less than Xero or QuickBooks

Best For

Freelancers and independent contractors who need professional invoicing and time tracking Service-based small businesses (agencies, consultants, designers) with regular client billing Self-employed professionals who want clean client-facing financial documentation Businesses that collect payments online through invoices and want a seamless payment flow

Not Ideal For

Product-based businesses needing inventory managementBusinesses with employees needing integrated payrollLarger SMBs with complex multi-currency or multi-entity accounting needs

Key Features

Professional invoicing with online paymentClient portal for invoice approval and paymentTime tracking integrated with projectsEstimates and proposalsExpense tracking and receipt scanningAutomated payment remindersDouble-entry accounting reports (Plus+)

Who It's For

Freelancers and independent contractorsSmall agencies and design studiosConsultants and professional service firmsSelf-employed professionals

Integrations

StripePayPalGustoHubSpotShopifyZapier

Platforms

web ios android

Founders

  • Mike McDerment

Products & Tools

FreshBooks AccountingCloud Accounting / Invoicing
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Cloud accounting for freelancers and service businesses with invoicing, time tracking, expenses, and client portal.

subscription · Free trialFrom Lite $19/month; Plus $33/month; Premium $60/month
Professional invoicingClient portalTime trackingExpense managementProposals

Sources & Verification

Last reviewed September 2026

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Tags

InvoicingAccountingTime TrackingFreelancers

Category

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Finance & Accounting

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Official Website

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