Build my stackQuickBooks Online vs FreshBooks
Evaluating QuickBooks Online and FreshBooks requires comparing two popular options in the accounting & invoicing space. While QuickBooks Online is widely recognized for its ability to help small businesses that need full, accountant ready books, FreshBooks is optimized for teams that need to focus on freelancers and service businesses who bill clients. In this hands-on evaluation, we look at their pricing structures, feature sets, user reviews, and performance to help you decide which tool fits your daily workflow best.
Based on our comprehensive evaluation metrics, FreshBooks emerges as the stronger overall choice for most teams, earning a score of 4.4 compared to 4.2 for QuickBooks Online. A key factor in this recommendation is that FreshBooks provides beautiful, fast invoicing, which helps streamline workflows. However, QuickBooks Online remains an excellent alternative if your team is specifically looking for a tool optimized for small businesses that need full, accountant ready books and you value comprehensive, accountant ready features. Weigh the cost differences and feature limits carefully before making a commitment.
QuickBooks Online vs FreshBooks at a glance
| QuickBooks Online | FreshBooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Accounting & Invoicing | Accounting & Invoicing |
| Our rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Starts at | $35/mo | $19/mo |
| Free tier | No | No |
| Best for | Small businesses that need full, accountant ready books | Freelancers and service businesses who bill clients |
How they scored, dimension by dimension
In our testing, FreshBooks has the clear advantage on ease of use with a rating of 4.7 versus 3.9 for QuickBooks Online. This difference reflects FreshBooks's more robust implementation of these features, which helps teams execute work with less friction. While QuickBooks Online is capable, it does not match the ease of use or feature depth offered by the winning platform in this category.
In our testing, QuickBooks Online comes out on top for features with a rating of 4.6 versus 4.1 for FreshBooks. This difference reflects QuickBooks Online's more robust implementation of these features, which helps teams execute work with less friction. While FreshBooks is capable, it does not match the ease of use or feature depth offered by the winning platform in this category.
In our testing, FreshBooks is the stronger option for value with a rating of 4.2 versus 4.0 for QuickBooks Online. This difference reflects FreshBooks's more robust implementation of these features, which helps teams execute work with less friction. While QuickBooks Online is capable, it does not match the ease of use or feature depth offered by the winning platform in this category.
In our testing, FreshBooks edges ahead on support with a rating of 4.5 versus 4.1 for QuickBooks Online. This difference reflects FreshBooks's more robust implementation of these features, which helps teams execute work with less friction. While QuickBooks Online is capable, it does not match the ease of use or feature depth offered by the winning platform in this category.
Where QuickBooks Online shines
- Comprehensive, accountant ready features
- Universally supported by bookkeepers
- Strong reporting and payroll add ons
- Overkill for simple invoicing needs
- Interface is dense for beginners
Where FreshBooks shines
- Beautiful, fast invoicing
- Friendly for non accountants
- Built in time tracking and expenses
- Client limits on lower tiers
- Less suited to product businesses
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So which should you pick?
Choose QuickBooks Online if
- Built for small businesses that need full, accountant ready books
- features matter most to you
- Comprehensive, accountant ready features
Choose FreshBooks if
- Built for freelancers and service businesses who bill clients
- ease of use and value matter most to you
- Budget is tight (from $19/mo)
- Beautiful, fast invoicing
FreshBooks is the cheaper place to start
FreshBooks is the cheaper entry point at $19/mo, versus $35/mo for QuickBooks Online.
QuickBooks Online plans at a glance
Simple Start
Sole traders
- Income & expenses
- Invoicing
- Basic reports
Essentials
Small businesses
- Bill management
- 3 users
- Time tracking
Plus
Established businesses
- Inventory
- Project profitability
- 5 users
Pricing is indicative and shown per month at the time of writing. Plans, limits, and prices change often, so check QuickBooks Online’s site for the latest before you buy.
FreshBooks plans at a glance
Lite
New freelancers
- 5 billable clients
- Unlimited invoices
- Expense tracking
Plus
Most freelancers
- 50 billable clients
- Recurring invoices
- Double-entry accounting
Premium
Growing businesses
- Unlimited clients
- Project profitability
- Advanced reporting
Pricing is indicative and shown per month at the time of writing. Plans, limits, and prices change often, so check FreshBooks’s site for the latest before you buy.
Common questions
Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission if you buy QuickBooks Online or FreshBooks through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. We only compare tools we have tested, and commissions never change our scores or which tool we recommend. We currently track 218+ tools.