FreshBooks Pricing (2026): What Small Businesses Actually Pay
FreshBooks is a popular accounting platform for freelancers and small businesses. It’s known for its intuitive interface and strong invoicing features. But is it worth the price compared to QuickBooks and Xero?
Here’s a complete breakdown of FreshBooks pricing in 2026.
FreshBooks Pricing Plans (2026)
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price (per month) |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $19/mo | $15/mo |
| Plus | $33/mo | $25/mo |
| Premium | $60/mo | $50/mo |
| Select | Custom | Custom |
All plans include a 30-day free trial. No credit card required.
Lite Plan: $19/month
The Lite plan is for freelancers and solo businesses.
What you get:
- Unlimited invoices to 5 clients
- Unlimited expense tracking
- Unlimited time tracking
- Accept credit card payments (2.9% + $0.30)
- Bank connection and reconciliation
- Mobile app
- Tax-time reports
What’s limited:
- 5 billable clients only
- 1 user
- Basic reports
- No proposals
- No team features
Best for: Solo freelancers with a small number of clients who need professional invoicing.
Plus Plan: $33/month
Plus adds features for growing businesses.
What you get (beyond Lite):
- 50 billable clients
- Unlimited proposals
- Automated recurring invoices
- Scheduled late payment reminders
- Client retainers
- Advanced reports
- 1 additional team member ($12/mo per extra)
Best for: Freelancers and small businesses with more clients who need automation.
Premium Plan: $60/month
Premium is for established businesses.
What you get (beyond Plus):
- Unlimited billable clients
- Unlimited team members ($12/mo each)
- Customized emails
- Remove FreshBooks branding
- Email signature customization
- Dedicated account manager
Best for: Growing businesses that need unlimited clients and team features.
Select Plan: Custom Pricing
Select is for businesses with specialized needs.
What you get:
- Everything in Premium
- Dedicated account manager
- Custom training
- Data migration support
- Advanced security
Best for: Established businesses with specific requirements.
FreshBooks vs QuickBooks
| Feature | FreshBooks Plus ($33) | QuickBooks Simple Start ($30) |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing | Excellent | Good |
| Expense tracking | Good | Excellent |
| Time tracking | Built-in | Add-on |
| Project management | Built-in | Limited |
| Reports | Basic | Advanced |
| Accountant access | Limited | Full |
| Bank reconciliation | Good | Excellent |
| Inventory | No | Yes |
FreshBooks wins on: Invoicing experience, built-in time tracking, project management, ease of use.
QuickBooks wins on: Accounting features, reports, accountant collaboration, inventory management.
Verdict: FreshBooks is better for service businesses that prioritize invoicing. QuickBooks is better for businesses that need full accounting features.
FreshBooks vs Xero
| Feature | FreshBooks Plus ($33) | Xero Growing ($39) |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing | Excellent | Good |
| Expense tracking | Good | Good |
| Time tracking | Built-in | Add-on |
| Reports | Basic | Good |
| Bank reconciliation | Good | Good |
| Multi-currency | Plus only | Built-in |
FreshBooks wins on: Invoicing, time tracking, simplicity.
Xero wins on: Accounting features, reports, multi-currency, scalability.
Verdict: FreshBooks is better for small service businesses. Xero is better for businesses that need more accounting features.
Hidden Costs
Per-user pricing
Additional team members cost $12/month each. A 3-person team on Plus pays $33 + $24 = $57/month.
Payment processing
Credit card payments cost 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. ACH payments are $1 per transaction.
Advanced features
Some features (like proposals and retainers) require Plus or above.
Who Should Choose FreshBooks?
Choose Lite ($19) if: You’re a solo freelancer with fewer than 5 clients.
Choose Plus ($33) if: You’re a small service business with up to 50 clients who needs invoicing and time tracking.
Choose Premium ($60) if: You need unlimited clients and team features.
Choose QuickBooks instead if: You need full accounting features, inventory, or accountant collaboration.
Choose Xero instead if: You need better accounting features and scalability.
The Bottom Line
FreshBooks is an excellent invoicing and accounting platform for service-based businesses. At $33/month (Plus), it’s affordable for freelancers and small teams. It’s not as feature-rich as QuickBooks or Xero for full accounting, but it excels at invoicing and time tracking.
If you’re a freelancer or consultant who mainly needs to send invoices and track time, FreshBooks is hard to beat. The invoicing interface is the most intuitive in the category, and the built-in time tracking means you don’t need a separate tool. For businesses that need more advanced accounting features like double-entry bookkeeping or inventory management, QuickBooks or Xero are better fits.
Related reading: QuickBooks Pricing (2026) · Xero Pricing · Best AI Tools for Accountants · AI for Bookkeepers · AI for Tax Preparers
Not an accountant? See AI tools for teachers or AI tools for lawyers.
FAQ
Is FreshBooks really $19/month?
The Lite plan is $19/month for 5 clients. If you need more clients, you need Plus ($33) or Premium ($60). Additional team members cost $12/month each.
Does FreshBooks have a free trial?
Yes, 30-day free trial with no credit card required. Enough time to test invoicing, expense tracking, and basic features.
Can FreshBooks handle inventory?
No. FreshBooks is designed for service businesses. If you need inventory management, QuickBooks or Xero are better choices.
Is FreshBooks good for freelancers?
Yes, FreshBooks is excellent for freelancers. The invoicing is the best in class, time tracking is built-in, and the interface is intuitive. The Lite plan is affordable for solo freelancers.
How does FreshBooks compare to Wave?
Wave is free but has fewer features and limited support. FreshBooks costs more but offers better invoicing, time tracking, and customer support. For serious businesses, FreshBooks is worth the investment.