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FreshBooks

FreshBooks

Overview

What is FreshBooks?

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…

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Learn from top reviewers

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Pricing

View all pricing

Lite

$19

Cloud
per month

Plus

$33

Cloud
per month

Premium

$60

Cloud
per month

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee
For the latest information on pricing, visithttps://www.freshbooks.com/pricing?ref=…

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

Starting price (does not include set up fee)

  • $19 per month
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Product Demos

Working Better Together with FreshBooks

YouTube

InfoPoc: Freshbooks Connector for Salesforce - Demo

YouTube

Create Freshbooks Invoices for New WooCommerce Orders

YouTube

FreshBooks Demo

YouTube

Freshbooks Demo

YouTube

Become a Certified FreshBooks Accounting Partner

YouTube
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Features

Customization

This addresses a company’s ability to configure the software to fit its specific use case and workflow.

8.4
Avg 7.5

Security

This component helps a company minimize the security risks by controlling access to the software and its data, and encouraging best practices among users.

9.6
Avg 8.2

Reporting & Analytics

Users can report on and analyze usage, performance, ROI, and/or other metrics of success.

7.1
Avg 7.8

General Ledger and Configurable Accounting

Financial management solution, including capabilities for general ledger and configurable accounting

7.3
Avg 7.7

Order Management

The ability to process orders, and track them from quote to cash.

8.9
Avg 7.7
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Product Details

What is FreshBooks?

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.

FreshBooks Features

General Ledger and Configurable Accounting Features

  • Supported: Accounts payable
  • Supported: Accounts receivable
  • Supported: Bank reconciliation
  • Supported: Expense management
  • Supported: Time tracking
  • Supported: Regulations compliance
  • Supported: Primary and Secondary Ledgers

Order Management Features

  • Supported: Pricing
  • Supported: Order entry
  • Supported: Credit card processing

Payroll Management Features

  • Supported: Pay calculation
  • Supported: Salary revision and increment management
  • Supported: Reimbursement management

Reporting & Analytics Features

  • Supported: Dashboards
  • Supported: Standard reports

Customization Features

  • Supported: API for custom integration
  • Supported: Plug-ins

Security Features

  • Supported: Role-based user permissions

FreshBooks Screenshots

Screenshot of the dashboardScreenshot of an invoice overviewScreenshot of an example of a customizable invoiceScreenshot of an invoice appearing across devicesScreenshot of expensesScreenshot of time trackingScreenshot of time trackingScreenshot of time trackingScreenshot of time trackingScreenshot of some of the available app integrationsScreenshot of recurring billingScreenshot of paymentsScreenshot of reportsScreenshot of projects

FreshBooks Videos

Accounting, for the Non-Accountant.
Say Hello to FreshBooks Cloud Accounting

FreshBooks Technical Details

Deployment TypesOn-premise, Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsWindows, Mac
Mobile ApplicationApple iOS, Android
Supported CountriesUS, Canada, Australia, EU, South Africa, UK
Supported LanguagesEnglish

Frequently Asked Questions

FreshBooks starts at $19.

QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Zoho Invoice are common alternatives for FreshBooks.

Reviewers rate Role-based user permissions and Self-service portal highest, with a score of 9.1.

The most common users of FreshBooks are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).

FreshBooks Customer Size Distribution

Consumers0%
Small Businesses (1-50 employees)95%
Mid-Size Companies (51-500 employees)5%
Enterprises (more than 500 employees)0%
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Comparisons

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Reviews From Top Reviewers

(1-2 of 2)

FreshBooks May Be Your Breath of Fresh Air

Rating: 8 out of 10
July 11, 2015
I'm a sole proprietor of an administrative services business as well as its only employee. When I decided to go into business for myself I looked at the list of vendors who I could efficiently use for my bookkeeping needs. I use FreshBooks to track all of my expenses as well as my income (in a round about way). FreshBooks makes it easy to invoice and keep up with billing and also has a nice aesthetic. However, be sure it's what you want to use because it can be pricey. I used the free version for as long as I could, which at the time only allowed you to have three clients (now it's one), and then had to pay the monthly fee of $19.95 plus tax. And that's the cheapest plan they have. Plus, it only allows you to have 25 clients. There are other vendors now out there who will charge you less including Nutcache (which is free) so if you don't need something quite as robust as FreshBooks, then use a free option. However, FreshBooks has a solid reputation and a solid product that I would recommend to anyone.
  • FreshBooks is, in general, very user friendly, robust and uncomplicated.
  • You have the ability to access FreshBooks via your mobile devices.
  • FreshBooks has the ability for you to set up recurring expenses.
  • You can track your work with the great timer that you can use online, on your phone or, if you're using a Mac, via a widget.
  • Invoicing is very easy and professional.
  • Integrates with PayPal for easy payments.
Cons
  • FreshBooks isn't a full-service solution for your accounting/bookkeeping needs as it doesn't allow you to easily track income. You have to add in dummy accounts (which takes up client spots and counts against your total number of clients) and then manually add in the information.
  • FreshBooks doesn't allow you to have staff members on your account unless you pay them at least $39.95 plus tax per month.
  • In order to have no limit on the number of clients you have you have to pay at least $29.95 plus tax per month.
  • Doesn't allow you to have your payments deposited into your bank account.
If you're a small business owner then you may want to consider FreshBooks. But if you don't need the bells and whistles like automatically importing expenses from your bank account or credit card, then try something like Nutcache. FreshBook is a great cloud-based accounting system for businesses of any size. Just know that there are limitations to what it can do. You may need something more robust like QuickBooks. However, I find that as a whole FreshBooks is worth the expense.
  • Easy billing.
  • Overall increased efficiency with bookkeeping.
  • Great tool for creating estimates and tracking receipts.
I'm still a little on the fence about whether or not I'll migrate over to Nutcache. It is very similar to FreshBooks but is completely and fully free. Plus there are no limits on the number of clients you can have or the number of companies. You really have to decide if you need the extra features of FreshBooks like recurring payments and importing expenses from your bank account because at present, Nutcache doesn't have those features.
1
The sole proprietor and only employee of an administrative services business. I do everything and anything, a Jane of all trades. I use FreshBooks daily and feel that it's a big aspect of my company's culture and adds to its professionalism. FreshBooks makes it easy for me to keep up with my invoicing and recurring expenses.
1
You don't have to be particularly computer savvy (even though I am) in order to successfully use FreshBooks. And learning how to use it can take an hour or less depending on what your needs are. FreshBooks doesn't make you feel overwhelmed, it makes you feel like you're in control of how you present yourself to your clients.
  • I use it to track all of my income and expenses.
  • I use it to efficiently bill my clients.
  • I use it to track the time I spend on each project.
  • I've been able to use FreshBooks almost like a check register. This way I can see just how much money I'm making and spending.
  • I use FreshBooks to also track income from Elance.com.
  • I can see me using FreshBooks long-term because of how user-friendly and effective it is.
  • If my company grows, so too will my dependence on FreshBooks to keep everything in order. Plus, if I added employees, I could easily do so AND track their time!
I'm really considering switching to Nutcache but am hesitant in doing so because I'd have to manually input all of my prior expense and information if I wanted to have access to the historical data within the system. Additionally, I'm not sure how long Nutcache will be around and if they'll be adding any of the features that I really want like being able to use it as a way to easily track all my business income and expenses.
Yes
I used to just use a spreadsheet and templates to do invoicing and expense tracking. It's a lot easier and less cumbersome to do it using FreshBooks. It takes most of the guesswork out of accounting/bookkeeping. Now I can use one product instead of two or more. It is efficient and effective.
  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Product Reputation
I began using FreshBooks in 2011. At the time the only other alternative I looked into was QuickBooks. It became evident very quickly that for my needs, FreshBooks was the better buy. There are a number of tools and resources that makes FreshBooks both fully portable and very easy to use.
I think that now that there are more vendors on the scene with a similar product I'd still be just as critical in ensuring that this was the product for me. I have considered switching to Nutcache and have read reviews on others but I still feel fairly confident that FreshBooks was the right choice.
I think that their online tools and resources are great and concise but would like it more if you knew what improvements were in the pipeline. There are a number of features or tweaks that I've seen suggested but I don't really know if anyone from FreshBooks is listening to them or if they're being worked on.
No
Fortunately FreshBooks provides such a great product that it's unlikely that you'll need to contact them for customer support. Plus, their FAQs are full of information and user cases which makes finding what you need very easy. So, that being said, I think that they provide exceptional support everyday because I don't have to worry about my account.
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.

FreshBooks: A Good Resource for Rookie Entrepreneurs

Rating: 9 out of 10
September 30, 2015
MF
Vetted Review
Verified User
FreshBooks
3 years of experience
My wife and I own a small ice cream shop, and we've used FreshBooks extensively as we've started our business, written our business plan, obtained bank financing, all the way through to opening our shop this summer. FreshBooks has provided and easy-to-use, cost effective method of tracking various accounting and financial items during the hectic start-up phase of our business. I would recommend FreshBooks as a starting point for any small business owner.
  • Allows effective tracking of income and expenses
  • Allows tracking of vendors and customers
  • Allows time tracking of tasks
  • FreshBooks has great customer service
  • Intuitive user interface
Cons
  • The reporting functions could be more robust.
FreshBooks is well-suited to small business owners looking for a cost-effective and easy-to-use accounting and business management software solution.
While not as robust as QuickBooks Online, FreshBooks does allow for a lengthy free trial period and is easier to use from a novice perspective.
1
1
I will continue to use FreshBooks for various functions for my existing businesses and will likely use it as a starting point for future business ventures.
FreshBooks is easy to use and always works!
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