Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
FreshBooks
Score 6.5 out of 10
Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
FreshBooks is an accounting service for small businesses. The solution enables users to send and manage invoices, track billable time and collect online payments. The vendor’s value proposition this that their solution provides a straightforward service that simplifies the billing process.
$15
per month
Sage Accounting
Score 7.7 out of 10
N/A
Sage Accounting is online accounting software made to simplify life for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers by providing the functions needed to take care of daily business to-dos. Users can create and send professional quotes and invoices, track income and expenses and know where the business' financials stand. Every Sage Business Cloud Accounting subscription includes unlimited access to support as well as automatic backups and product updates.
$10
per month
Pricing
FreshBooksSage Accounting
Editions & Modules
Lite
$15
per month
Plus
$30
per month
Premium
$55
per month
Select
Custom Pricing
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
FreshBooksSage Accounting
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsVersions and pricing listed are for US products. Versions available and pricing may vary by country.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
FreshBooksSage Accounting
Considered Both Products
FreshBooks

No answer on this topic

Sage Accounting
Chose Sage Accounting
Although I've used a number of other accounting systems, Sage is really comparable to Xero and QuickBooks Online, as it is competing in the same basic accounting software category. Sage One Accounting has been selected in certain client situations where they were already using …
Chose Sage Accounting
After researching several quoting / invoicing applications, I chose Sage’s Simple Invoicing and Accounting for Small Businesses. After verifying the necessary quoting features required, I called Sage to ask some questions and was quite impressed with the quality of their …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
FreshBooksSage Accounting
Customization
Comparison of Customization features of Product A and Product B
FreshBooks
1.2
32 Ratings
142% below category average
Sage Accounting
8.3
17 Ratings
16% above category average
API for custom integration1.327 Ratings9.814 Ratings
Plug-ins1.223 Ratings6.813 Ratings
Security
Comparison of Security features of Product A and Product B
FreshBooks
6.5
38 Ratings
19% below category average
Sage Accounting
8.9
34 Ratings
12% above category average
Single sign-on capability10.01 Ratings8.624 Ratings
Role-based user permissions3.038 Ratings9.131 Ratings
Reporting & Analytics
Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Product A and Product B
FreshBooks
4.5
52 Ratings
51% below category average
Sage Accounting
6.5
36 Ratings
15% below category average
Dashboards4.652 Ratings1.933 Ratings
Standard reports4.150 Ratings8.836 Ratings
Custom reports4.82 Ratings8.727 Ratings
General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
Comparison of General Ledger and Configurable Accounting features of Product A and Product B
FreshBooks
4.7
51 Ratings
45% below category average
Sage Accounting
7.8
39 Ratings
5% above category average
Accounts payable1.236 Ratings9.335 Ratings
Accounts receivable2.750 Ratings9.237 Ratings
Cash management7.03 Ratings9.131 Ratings
Bank reconciliation7.02 Ratings9.036 Ratings
Expense management3.246 Ratings9.829 Ratings
Time tracking3.839 Ratings6.89 Ratings
Multi-currency support7.01 Ratings7.214 Ratings
Regulations compliance1.218 Ratings8.422 Ratings
Self-service portal9.13 Ratings8.622 Ratings
Fixed asset management00 Ratings2.523 Ratings
Multi-division support00 Ratings3.513 Ratings
Electronic tax filing00 Ratings8.819 Ratings
Global Financial Support00 Ratings8.27 Ratings
Primary and Secondary Ledgers00 Ratings8.110 Ratings
Intercompany Accounting00 Ratings6.98 Ratings
Localizations00 Ratings7.87 Ratings
Journals and Reconciliations00 Ratings8.225 Ratings
Enterprise Accounting00 Ratings8.39 Ratings
Configurable Accounting00 Ratings8.013 Ratings
Centralized Rules Framework00 Ratings7.66 Ratings
Standardized Processes00 Ratings8.113 Ratings
Order Management
Comparison of Order Management features of Product A and Product B
FreshBooks
4.0
44 Ratings
60% below category average
Sage Accounting
6.7
22 Ratings
10% below category average
Pricing2.434 Ratings8.713 Ratings
Order entry1.334 Ratings7.710 Ratings
Credit card processing2.136 Ratings7.814 Ratings
Cost of goods sold10.01 Ratings6.817 Ratings
Order Orchestration00 Ratings4.14 Ratings
End-to-end order visibility00 Ratings7.05 Ratings
Order exception Resolution00 Ratings5.04 Ratings
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
FreshBooks
-
Ratings
Sage Accounting
9.1
14 Ratings
20% above category average
Pay calculation00 Ratings9.212 Ratings
Benefit plan administration00 Ratings9.18 Ratings
Direct deposit files00 Ratings9.19 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management00 Ratings9.18 Ratings
Reimbursement management00 Ratings9.19 Ratings
Inventory Management
Comparison of Inventory Management features of Product A and Product B
FreshBooks
-
Ratings
Sage Accounting
8.1
14 Ratings
14% above category average
Inventory tracking00 Ratings6.214 Ratings
Automatic reordering00 Ratings9.15 Ratings
Location management00 Ratings8.26 Ratings
Manufacturing module00 Ratings9.04 Ratings
Best Alternatives
FreshBooksSage Accounting
Small Businesses
Dext Prepare (with Receipt Bank)
Dext Prepare (with Receipt Bank)
Score 9.1 out of 10
Dext Prepare (with Receipt Bank)
Dext Prepare (with Receipt Bank)
Score 9.1 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Accounting Seed
Accounting Seed
Score 8.3 out of 10
Accounting Seed
Accounting Seed
Score 8.3 out of 10
Enterprises
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP
Score 8.2 out of 10
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP
Score 8.2 out of 10
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User Ratings
FreshBooksSage Accounting
Likelihood to Recommend
1.4
(70 ratings)
9.5
(45 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
7.6
(18 ratings)
9.4
(4 ratings)
Usability
4.8
(15 ratings)
9.2
(16 ratings)
Availability
10.0
(2 ratings)
8.4
(2 ratings)
Performance
8.0
(1 ratings)
10.0
(2 ratings)
Support Rating
4.6
(11 ratings)
9.2
(16 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(2 ratings)
Implementation Rating
10.0
(1 ratings)
9.4
(3 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
9.2
(2 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
7.2
(2 ratings)
Professional Services
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.6
(2 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.6
(2 ratings)
User Testimonials
FreshBooksSage Accounting
Likelihood to Recommend
FreshBooks
FreshBooks is the perfect tool for businesses who have hundreds of clients and customers whom they invoice regularly. It removes the need to manually send invoices to clients and customers, by streamlining inputted information to create an automated invoicing system which keeps clients and customers up to date with their bills. It is also a great tool for managing expenses, especially for companies with different teams working on varying projects, ensuring these teams do not exceed the budget ceiling.
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Sage
VAT returns are so simple to do. Just a click of a button and it produces a report for the period in concern. Submitting the return is then just a single click. The only thing I wish it would do is remind me when my VAT submissions are coming up so that I can avoid penalties.
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Pros
FreshBooks
  • FreshBooks is pretty intuitive to use. I did have some questions when I first started using the system, but it wasn't a long learning curve.
  • FreshBooks provides more capability than other billing applications such as PaySimple or BlinkSale. FreshBooks does provide an easy invoicing function. It's easy to create invoices that can be sent via email or snail mail to one or more individuals (for example, the decision-maker and the accounting dept). Clients can pay online or send a check and then I note that the payment has been received. If paid by credit card, the system automatically marks the invoice paid. Your business accounts such as bank accounts can be linked to FreshBooks. Then, the system can automatically draw in expenses and will create simple P&L reports, overdue invoices, client history, etc. If you don't have inventory and complex payroll, etc. FreshBooks provides just the right level of capability to make financial tracking simple.
  • FreshBooks integrates with a number of credit card companies. I use Stripe, which has fees similar to Paypal, but much more reliable processing. I can accept all credit cards, including American Express, for a reasonable fee.
Read full review
Sage
  • Traceability - where you are spending. I started with a spreadsheet which had a column for 'electronics & computing' this captured everything from monthly software subscriptions to hardware and from light bulbs to dash cams. Sage has helped me streamline the spending.
  • MTD - I am MTD compliant, although I do not need to be as my accountant is and they complete my HMRC submissions. It does mean that I have a contingency plan if I have to change this service.
  • Debtor's - It is easy to be a busy fool and not realise that accounts are overdue. For a small business, the restriction in cash flow due to late paying clients is a killer. The dashboard feature helps with this.
Read full review
Cons
FreshBooks
  • I can brand invoices with my business logo, but I might like to change colours of the invoices themselves to match the rest of my business documents. That isn't a major point at all, but it's something that I'd like to see.
  • Freshbooks doesn't remember the categories that similar expenses were previously assigned to. It would be nice if Freshbooks would suggest a category for an already saved vendor, to ensure the consistency of expense reporting.
  • The home page of a Freshbooks account has a great graph display of expenses and income, but it only shows the last 6 months. This is still very useful, but I'd like to be able to see this kind of graph for different periods of time.
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Sage
  • I find it difficult to record journals in cloud accounting. Maybe I just don’t have the knowledge.
  • It’s important to export all unrecorded sync bank transactions to Excel to send to clients to explain the payment receipts before being posted. This function is not available on the cloud and makes life harder, having to call out the transactions to clients over the phone.
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Likelihood to Renew
FreshBooks
At the current needs of our business, FreshBooks suits us perfectly - it allows online access by our accountant to the system for GST purposes, easy input of expenses and tracking of Profit and Loss statements. FreshBooks customer service is great as well - very understanding and accommodating.
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Sage
I could not live without Sage Accounting, it has become an integral part of my everyday. The more I have used Sage Accounting the more I have fallen in love with it. I am excited to be part of this ever-evolving accounting system that has grown from strength to strength, making life easier is something Sage does so well.
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Usability
FreshBooks
FreshBooks is very easy to use even for novices. If you're looking for an online accounting software that is full of features, has great aesthetics and is user-friendly, then this is definitely the software for you. I've been using it for several years now and despite being tempted to switch by other vendors, I like the feel of FreshBooks and it's mobile features.
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Sage
Sage Accounting is built for the business owner/user and not the accountant, it therefore guides the user and thus detailed accounting knowledge and experience is not a necessarily a prerequisite . It offers a monthly price and therefore no significant up front spend and it tailorable to your business with useful dashboards that again you can tailor to instantly see what's important to you.
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Reliability and Availability
FreshBooks
FreshBooks is easy to use and always works!
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Sage
Sage Accounting availability is generally very good. They post messages which appear on users screen time to time, highlighting where functionality in a particular area is undergoing maintenance. More often than not, maintenance is completed in a timescale quicker than initially estimated by Sage. Where significant maintenance is required, Sage usually perform it overnight.
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Performance
FreshBooks
No answers on this topic
Sage
Sage Accounting work quickly and performs well, I have never had an issue with it running slow. It integrates with other software swiftly, so no waiting for the screen to load. Error messages are only something I have had when I have done something wrong.
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Support Rating
FreshBooks
I think the support level for FreshBooks is on par with a 6 because the folks behind this application do a fairly good job at providing support for their customer base. I still don't think they are at an elite level when it comes to supporting but are getting there although too slow in my opinion.
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Sage
The support is world class - never ever during 30 plus years in business I have received such helpful, knowledgeable and genuine support as I have from Sage. At Sage people matter and i can chat to someone safe in the knowledge that they will actually listen and assist. This also backed up by huge online portfolio of help and resources
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In-Person Training
FreshBooks
No answers on this topic
Sage
Staff are always friendly, and patient, always work at a speed that suits you. You are never rushed, and In only a short time they seem to be able to help you make great strides. It has been a pleasure not a chore, learning how SAGE Accounting works and benefits me and the company.
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Online Training
FreshBooks
No answers on this topic
Sage
I find the online training was very informative and they answered all my questions. I am also certified in Sage One and provided online training in the program which I have set up several people on and they love how it keeps them organized.
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Implementation Rating
FreshBooks
I haven't changed my mind since my first evaluation. Freshbooks is still meeting my needs, easy to use, etc.
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Sage
The clients' business owner worked with Sage on implementation before I began working for them. After consultation with them it is clear the process was quickly performed and without complication. The key takeaway was that Sage is seen as a partner to the business. That said, it was always necessary to engage with an accountant such as myself to extract the best out of the software.
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Alternatives Considered
FreshBooks
We do not consider other options since our client wants the implementation of this platform in order to use it in the two countries where it has operations.

At the moment, full integration was not possible and we still share the information with a Mexican system to complete everything necessary.
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Sage
Sage Accounting is a simpler, more streamlined version of the more complex Sage 50cloud Accounting. For a small, simpler company Sage Accounting is a much more cost-effective option. There are a few features that Sage 50cloud Accounting has that Sage Accounting does not have (such as making e-payments and a few reports are unavailable) but it is still a very good product.
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Contract Terms and Pricing Model
FreshBooks
No answers on this topic
Sage
The pricing structure is fair and offers good value for money. The billing is done through their online system and you can access your bills at any time. Most contacts only require 30 days' notice, so no need to feel tied in, although I can't imagine why you would want to leave Sage.
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Scalability
FreshBooks
No answers on this topic
Sage
I do not consider Sage Accounting to be Sage's best product for scaling up business as its functionality for doing so is limited. Sage 50 Accounts or Sage Intaact are far more suited for this. I would evaluate very carefully the possible need in the future for scalability in the first instance before selecting software.
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Professional Services
FreshBooks
No answers on this topic
Sage
Sage has always been extremely professional, and they continue to be professional in their dealings with me.
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Return on Investment
FreshBooks
  • Freshbooks saves me time compared to when I managed to invoice without an app.
  • Freshbooks make keeping my invoices organized which saves me time.
  • Freshbooks helps me to know who is late on payments. When I was doing this by hand, some invoices would get lost in the clutter and I would not find out I haven't been paid until much later.
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Sage
  • Sage One has allowed us to provided better customer service to all our clients. It has allowed us to provide a reasonable price accounting product to our customer who typically just have handwritten invoices, or Excel spreadsheets.
  • Sage One has reduced the manual data entry that my team does on a monthly basis, which in turn allows us to have more time for our customers.
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ScreenShots

FreshBooks Screenshots

Screenshot of DashboardScreenshot of Invoice OverviewScreenshot of Beautiful, Customizable InvoicesScreenshot of Invoice seamlessly across devicesScreenshot of ExpensesScreenshot of Time Tracking

Sage Accounting Screenshots

Screenshot of The financial dashboard, with business insightsScreenshot of View of paid and unpaid invoicesScreenshot of Invoice designer, to add a logo, company info, and terms