FreshBooks Alternatives: 8 Top Competitors Compared in 2025
FreshBooks is popular with service-based businesses, but at $19-$60/month with client limits and add-on fees, many users find themselves paying more than expected while still lacking key features. Whether you're frustrated with FreshBooks' pricing, looking for better integrations, or need features FreshBooks doesn't offer, you'll find better alternatives in this guide.
We've tested 8 FreshBooks competitors that offer better value, more features, or specialized capabilities for specific business types. From completely free options to more powerful platforms, here are the best FreshBooks alternatives in 2025.
Why Look for FreshBooks Alternatives?
1. Client Limits on Each Plan
- Lite: Only 5 billable clients ($19/mo)
- Plus: Only 50 billable clients ($33/mo)
- Premium: Only 500 billable clients ($60/mo)
- Problem: Growing businesses hit limits quickly
2. Hidden Costs & Add-Ons
- • Extra users: $11/month each (Lite/Plus)
- • Gusto Payroll: $40/month + $6/employee
- • Advanced payments: $20/month extra
- • Team time tracking: Plus plan minimum ($33/mo)
3. Limited Accounting Features
- ✗ No inventory management
- ✗ Basic reporting (vs QuickBooks/Xero)
- ✗ No purchase orders
- ✗ Limited multi-currency support
4. Price Increases
Prices increased 20-25% in recent years:
- • Lite: $15→$19/mo (+27%)
- • Plus: $25→$33/mo (+32%)
- • Premium: $50→$60/mo (+20%)
5. Time Tracking Overhead
- • Time tracking built-in but clunky
- • Mobile app issues reported
- • Better standalone options available (Harvest, Toggl, Clockify)
Quick Comparison: FreshBooks vs Alternatives
| Alternative | Price | vs FreshBooks | Best For | Key Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBillMaker | $11.60-29 | 40-70% cheaper | Global businesses | 26 languages, AI-powered |
| Xero | $13-70 | Similar pricing | Growing businesses | Better bank rec, inventory |
| Wave | Free | 100% cheaper | Micro businesses | Completely free |
| Zoho Invoice | Free-$29 | 51% cheaper | Zoho users | CRM integration |
| Harvest | $12-$49 | 37% cheaper | Time tracking focus | Best time tracking |
| Invoice Ninja | Free-$14 | 76% cheaper | Tech users | Open source |
| QuickBooks | $30-90 | More expensive | Full accounting | Comprehensive features |
| Hiveage | $16-$49 | 18% cheaper | Recurring billing | Subscription management |
Detailed Alternative Reviews
1. QuickBillMaker
Best ValueBest for Global & Multi-Language Businesses
Pricing:
Free (5 invoices) | Pro $29/mo ($11.60-20.30 with PPP pricing)
Why It's Better Than FreshBooks:
- •60-70% cheaper: $11.60-29/mo vs $33-60/mo for equivalent features
- •No client limits: Unlimited clients on Pro plan
- •26 languages: FreshBooks only supports English
- •AI-powered: Create invoices via chat in 60 seconds
- •PPP pricing: Affordable for users in 150+ countries
- •No add-on fees: Everything included in Pro
What You Get:
- • Unlimited invoices and clients (Pro)
- • 26-language support with per-client preferences
- • AI invoice creation via conversational interface
- • Multi-currency (30+ currencies)
- • Expense tracking with invoice linking
- • Team collaboration (role-based permissions)
- • Payment processing (Stripe Connect, 1% fee)
- • Automated payment reminders
- • Client health tracking
- • Professional customizable templates
Perfect For:
- ✓ International freelancers and agencies
- ✓ Digital nomads working globally
- ✓ Businesses serving non-English clients
- ✓ Budget-conscious professionals
- ✓ Teams needing collaboration
What's Missing:
- ✗ No built-in time tracking (integrate with Toggl/Clockify)
- ✗ No proposals feature (coming soon)
- ✗ Fewer integrations (growing ecosystem)
Migration from FreshBooks: Export clients and invoices (CSV), import into QuickBillMaker, set up payment processing. Timeline: 1-2 hours.
"Left FreshBooks Plus ($33/mo) for QuickBillMaker Pro ($14.50/mo with Mexican PPP pricing). Can now invoice clients in Spanish and English. Saving $222/year while getting better features." - Carlos Martinez, Web DesignerTry QuickBillMaker Free →
2. Xero
Best Full Accounting Alternative
Pricing:
Early $13/mo | Growing $37/mo | Established $70/mo
Why It's Better Than FreshBooks:
- •Better bank reconciliation: Industry-leading matching
- •Inventory management: Multi-location tracking (Growing+)
- •More scalable: Grows with your business
- •Modern interface: Cleaner, more intuitive
- •Better reporting: More customizable reports
- •Purchase orders: Built-in PO system
Perfect For:
- ✓ Product-based businesses needing inventory
- ✓ Growing businesses (5-50 employees)
- ✓ Businesses wanting better accounting
- ✓ Companies with multiple currencies
What's Missing:
- ✗ No built-in time tracking (use Xero Projects add-on $9/mo)
- ✗ No client retainer tracking
- ✗ Steeper learning curve
vs FreshBooks Plus: Xero Growing $37/mo = Same price as FreshBooks Plus, but Xero includes: Inventory, purchase orders, unlimited users. FreshBooks Plus: No inventory, no POs, limited users.
3. Wave
Best Free Alternative
Pricing:
Free | Payment processing 2.9% + $0.60
Why It's Better Than FreshBooks:
- •100% free: $0/mo vs $19-60/mo
- •Unlimited everything: No client limits
- •Free accounting: Double-entry bookkeeping included
- •Multi-business: Manage multiple businesses
- •No artificial limits: Full features on free plan
Perfect For:
- ✓ Bootstrapped startups
- ✓ Side hustles and freelancers
- ✓ Very small businesses (<$50k revenue)
- ✓ Anyone needing simple invoicing for free
What's Missing:
- ✗ No time tracking
- ✗ No project tracking
- ✗ No retainer management
- ✗ Limited reporting vs paid tools
- ✗ Email-only support
vs FreshBooks Lite: Wave: Free, unlimited clients. FreshBooks Lite: $19/mo, only 5 clients. Annual savings: $228.
4. Zoho Invoice
Best for Zoho Ecosystem Users
Pricing:
Free (1,000 invoices/year) | Standard $15/mo | Professional $29/mo
Why It's Better Than FreshBooks:
- •51% cheaper: $29/mo vs $60/mo for top tier
- •Generous free plan: 1,000 invoices/year vs 0
- •Zoho CRM integration: Seamless if you use Zoho CRM
- •More features at lower price: Time tracking, projects, expenses
- •Client portal: Included (FreshBooks charges extra)
Perfect For:
- ✓ Existing Zoho users (CRM, Books, Projects)
- ✓ Budget-conscious businesses wanting full features
- ✓ Businesses with recurring billing needs
What's Missing:
- ✗ Interface feels dated
- ✗ Less intuitive navigation
- ✗ Smaller user community
vs FreshBooks Premium: Zoho Professional: $29/mo, unlimited clients. FreshBooks Premium: $60/mo, 500 client limit. Annual savings: $372.
5. Harvest
Best for Time Tracking-Focused Businesses
Pricing:
Free (1 user, 2 projects) | Pro $12/user/mo | Team $49/mo
Why It's Better Than FreshBooks:
- •Superior time tracking: Best-in-class timer
- •37% cheaper: $12/user vs $19/user (FreshBooks)
- •Better integrations: Connects with 50+ tools
- •Visual reporting: Beautiful time/expense reports
- •Forecasting: Project budgeting and forecasting
Perfect For:
- ✓ Consultants and agencies billing hourly
- ✓ Teams tracking time across projects
- ✓ Businesses wanting detailed time analytics
- ✓ Users who integrate with project management tools
What's Missing:
- ✗ No accounting features
- ✗ No retainer management
- ✗ No proposals
- ✗ Focused on time tracking + invoicing only
vs FreshBooks Plus: Harvest Pro: $12/user/mo. FreshBooks Plus: $33/mo + $11/user. For 3-user team: Harvest $36/mo vs FreshBooks $55/mo = $228/year savings.
6. Invoice Ninja - Best Open Source Alternative
Pricing: Free (self-hosted) | Pro $10/mo | Enterprise $14/mo | 90% cheaper
Perfect for tech-savvy users and developers wanting full control. Open source with self-hosting capability and white-label branding on paid plans. Completely free if self-hosted, with full customization and API access.
What's Missing: Interface less polished, DIY support for free version, requires technical skill for self-hosting.
7. QuickBooks Online - More Comprehensive (But More Expensive)
Pricing: Simple Start $30/mo | Essentials $60/mo | Plus $90/mo | More expensive
Choose if you need full double-entry accounting, robust inventory management (Plus+), advanced reporting (65+ reports), payroll integration, and tax preparation. FreshBooks might be better for service businesses wanting simpler interface and easier time tracking.
vs FreshBooks Premium: QuickBooks Plus: $90/mo (full accounting, inventory). FreshBooks Premium: $60/mo (better for services, simpler). Choose based on need, not just price.
8. Hiveage - Best for Recurring Billing & Subscriptions
Pricing: Solo $16/mo | Team $49/mo | 18% cheaper than FreshBooks teams
Perfect for subscription-based businesses, MSPs, IT services, and companies offering payment plans. Purpose-built for recurring billing with usage-based billing, payment plans and installments, multiple payment gateways, and client portal.
What's Missing: Smaller user community, fewer integrations, less polished interface compared to FreshBooks.
Feature Comparison Matrix
| Feature | FreshBooks | QuickBillMaker | Xero | Wave | Harvest | Zoho |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $19/mo | $11.60/mo | $13/mo | Free | $12/mo | Free |
| Client Limits | 5-500 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Time Tracking | ✓ Built-in | ✗ (integrate) | ✗ (add-on) | ✗ | ✓ Best-in-class | ✓ |
| Multi-Language | ✗ English only | ✓ 26 languages | ✗ English only | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ 9 languages |
| Accounting | ⚠ Basic | ✗ | ✓ Full | ✓ Basic | ✗ | ✓ Full |
| Inventory | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile App | ✓ | ✓ Responsive | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Payment Processing | ✓ 2.9%+$0.30 | ✓ Stripe 1% | ✓ Multiple | ✓ 2.9%+$0.60 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Team Collaboration | ✓ (+$11/user) | ✓ Included | ✓ Unlimited | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recurring Invoices | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Proposals | ✓ | ✗ (coming) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Free Plan | ✗ 30-day trial | ✓ 5 invoices | ✗ 30-day trial | ✓ Unlimited | ✓ Limited | ✓ 1k/year |
How to Choose the Right FreshBooks Alternative
By Your Primary Need
If you want the cheapest option:
→ Wave (completely free)
If you're a global/international business:
→ QuickBillMaker (26 languages, PPP pricing)
If you need full accounting + inventory:
→ Xero or QuickBooks
If you're in Zoho ecosystem:
→ Zoho Invoice (seamless CRM integration)
If time tracking is your #1 priority:
→ Harvest (best time tracking experience)
If you're tech-savvy and want control:
→ Invoice Ninja (open source, self-hosted)
If you have recurring/subscription billing:
→ Hiveage (purpose-built for recurring)
By Business Type
Service-Based Freelancer:
- 1. QuickBillMaker (global clients)
- 2. Wave (just starting out)
- 3. Harvest (heavy time tracking)
Small Agency (3-10 people):
- 1. Xero Growing ($37/mo)
- 2. QuickBillMaker Pro ($29/mo)
- 3. FreshBooks Plus ($33/mo) - if you love FreshBooks
Product Business:
- 1. Xero (inventory management)
- 2. QuickBooks (full features)
- 3. Zoho Invoice (budget option with inventory)
Subscription/SaaS Business:
- 1. Hiveage (recurring billing focus)
- 2. Zoho Invoice (automation)
- 3. Invoice Ninja (customizable)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it hard to switch from FreshBooks?
Difficulty: Easy to Medium (2-4 hours). FreshBooks makes it relatively easy to export your data. What exports easily: Client list (CSV), Invoice data (CSV), Expense data (CSV), Reports (PDF). What requires manual work: Invoice templates (recreate in new system), Payment integrations (reconnect), Team member setup. Migration steps: Export all data from FreshBooks (Reports → Export), Import clients/invoices into new platform, Set up payment processing, Customize templates, Train team on new system. Timeline: 2-4 hours for most businesses. Tip: Run both systems in parallel for 1 month to ensure smooth transition.
Will I lose my payment history when switching?
No, you have several options: Option 1 - Import historical data: Most alternatives can import client information, invoice history, payment records, and expense data. Option 2 - Keep FreshBooks read-only: Downgrade to lowest tier for 1 month ($19/mo), export all reports you need, take screenshots of dashboards, download all invoices as PDFs, then cancel. Option 3 - Export everything before canceling: Export clients, invoices, expenses (CSV), download all reports (PDF), keep local copies for 7 years (tax purposes), access via spreadsheet when needed. Recommendation: Import historical data into new system for seamless experience and complete reporting.
Which alternative is most similar to FreshBooks?
Most similar features & workflow: 1) Harvest - Nearly identical time tracking focus, 2) Zoho Invoice - Similar feature set, different UI, 3) QuickBillMaker - Similar simplicity, better value. If you love FreshBooks but want better pricing → QuickBillMaker (60% cheaper), better accounting → Xero (similar price, more features), free option → Wave (similar features, free), better time tracking → Harvest (specialist). What makes FreshBooks unique: Proposals feature (most alternatives don't have this), Retainer tracking (rare in other tools), Integrated time tracking + invoicing (Harvest and Zoho match this). If you specifically need proposals + retainers: Consider staying with FreshBooks or try HoneyBook ($16-66/mo, specialized for creative professionals with proposals + contracts).
Can I use FreshBooks and an alternative together?
Yes, common hybrid approaches: Scenario 1 - FreshBooks for invoicing, QuickBooks/Xero for accounting: Use FreshBooks' easy invoicing, export to QuickBooks/Xero for full accounting. Cost: $19-33/mo (FreshBooks) + $13-37/mo (Xero) = $32-70/mo. Scenario 2 - Harvest for time tracking, different tool for invoicing: Track time in Harvest (superior experience), invoice via QuickBillMaker/Wave (cheaper). Cost: $12/mo (Harvest) + $11.60-29/mo (QuickBillMaker) = $23.60-41/mo vs FreshBooks Plus: $33/mo (includes time tracking). Scenario 3 - FreshBooks Lite + accounting software: FreshBooks Lite for 5 main clients ($19/mo), separate tool for remaining clients - usually not worth the complexity. Our take: Pick one primary platform. Using multiple tools creates duplicate data entry, synchronization issues, higher total cost, and more complexity. Better approach: Choose the alternative that fits 80% of your needs and accept minor trade-offs.
How much can I actually save by switching?
Real savings examples: Scenario 1 - Freelancer (5 clients): FreshBooks Lite: $19/mo = $228/year, QuickBillMaker Free: $0/mo = $0/year, Annual savings: $228 (100%). Scenario 2 - Small agency (15 clients, 2 users): FreshBooks Plus: $33/mo + $11/user = $55/mo = $660/year, QuickBillMaker Pro: $29/mo = $348/year, Annual savings: $312 (47%). Scenario 3 - Growing business (100 clients, 5 users): FreshBooks Premium: $60/mo + ($11×4 extra users) = $104/mo = $1,248/year, Xero Growing: $37/mo (unlimited users) = $444/year, Annual savings: $804 (64%). Scenario 4 - Bootstrapped startup: FreshBooks Lite: $19/mo = $228/year, Wave Free: $0/mo = $0/year, Annual savings: $228 (100%). Average savings: $300-800/year (40-65% reduction). Hidden savings: No add-on fees for features (team members, payments, etc.), No price increases (many alternatives freeze pricing longer), Time savings (better workflows = faster invoicing).
Does FreshBooks offer a discount to stay?
Sometimes - here's what to know. Retention offers (not guaranteed): 10-25% discount for annual payment, Free month extension, Temporarily reduced pricing, Upgraded plan at current plan price. How to request: Start cancellation process in FreshBooks, State reason: 'Price too high, found cheaper alternative', Mention specific alternative you're switching to, Wait for retention offer (usually within 24-48 hours). Accept retention discount if: You genuinely love FreshBooks, Discount brings it to competitive pricing, Migration would be very disruptive, You heavily use proposals/retainers features. Don't accept if: Discount is temporary (1 year only), Still more expensive than alternatives, You need features FreshBooks doesn't have, Client limits still constrain your growth. Real example: 'FreshBooks offered me Premium for $45/mo (25% off) to stay. Sounds good, but QuickBillMaker Pro is $14.50/mo for me (Mexican pricing). I'm saving $366/year by switching anyway.'
Final Recommendations
Best Overall Alternative: QuickBillMaker
For most freelancers and small businesses, QuickBillMaker offers the best value at 60-70% less than FreshBooks while adding unique features like 26-language support and AI-powered creation.
Try QuickBillMaker Free →Best Free Alternative: Wave
If budget is your primary concern, Wave is unbeatable with unlimited free invoicing and basic accounting included.
Best for Full Accounting: Xero
If you need robust accounting features, Xero provides better value than FreshBooks with superior bank reconciliation and inventory management.
Best for Time Tracking: Harvest
Service businesses focused on time tracking will love Harvest's superior timer and project forecasting.
Stick with FreshBooks if:
- • You heavily use proposals feature (rare in alternatives)
- • You love retainer tracking (specialized feature)
- • Your team is trained and productive with it
- • You can negotiate a significant discount
Next Steps
- 1Try 2-3 alternatives (most offer free trials)
- 2Test your actual workflow (create invoice, track time, generate report)
- 3Calculate true cost (include payment processing, add-on fees)
- 4Check integrations (ensure your critical tools connect)
- 5Start transition (export data, import to new system)
Ready to Save 40-70% on Invoicing?
Try QuickBillMaker free—no credit card required. Start with 5 invoices per month, upgrade from $11.60/month with PPP pricing when you're ready.
Last updated: January 2025