QuickBooks vs FreshBooks
FreshBooks comes out ahead of QuickBooks on 3 of the 8 things that decide this, going by what each company publishes and what independent review sites report. The one that matters for you may be one the leader loses.
The verdict
FreshBooks takes it, 3–2 on rounds.
On the published figures and the independent review sites, FreshBooks takes 3 of 8 rounds. Treat that as a starting point and check the current figures on both pages, because prices and plans move.
Choose QuickBooks if…
- • You want QuickBooks's edge on who runs your payroll and snapping receipts into your books
Choose FreshBooks if…
- • You want FreshBooks's edge on what it costs to start and invoices that repeat themselves
Round by round
- Round 1What it costs to startFreshBooks winsQuickBooks5/10
$38
Simple Start, per month at list price (the introductory offer is half that for three months)
- $38, against $23
Source: quickbooks.intuit.com ↗
FreshBooks8/10$23
Lite plan, per month at list price (billing limited to 5 clients)
Source: freshbooks.com ↗
FreshBooks wins this round on what the company itself publishes.
- Round 2Who runs your payrollQuickBooks winsQuickBooks8/10
Own payroll product
QuickBooks Payroll is Intuit's own, sold separately
Source: quickbooks.intuit.com ↗
FreshBooks5/10Built in, powered by Gusto
embedded payroll run by a partner
- Built in, powered by Gusto, against Own payroll product
Source: freshbooks.com ↗
QuickBooks wins this round on what the company itself publishes.
- Round 3Trying it before you payTie
Nothing to separate them here.
- Round 4Who picks up when you are stuckTieQuickBooks7/10
Phone support included
phone support comes with every paid plan
Source: quickbooks.intuit.com ↗
FreshBooks7/10Phone and email support
free phone and email support, 8am to 8pm Eastern
Source: support.freshbooks.com ↗
Nothing to separate them here.
- Round 5How many people can log inTieQuickBooks7/10
1 user
Simple Start includes one user plus two accountants
Source: quickbooks.intuit.com ↗
FreshBooks7/10Just you; team members $11 each
Lite includes no team member accounts, extra people are $11 a month each
Source: freshbooks.com ↗
Nothing to separate them here.
- Round 6Invoices that repeat themselvesFreshBooks winsQuickBooks5/10
Recurring invoices is Simple Start+
Simple Start, QuickBooks Online pricing comparison (US/USD)
- Recurring is Essentials+, against Automated recurring invoices
Source: quickbooks.intuit.com ↗
FreshBooks wins this round on what the published sources say.
- Round 7Snapping receipts into your booksQuickBooks winsFreshBooks5/10
Receipt scanning is Plus+
Lite
- Receipt scanning is Plus+, against Receipt capture included
Source: freshbooks.com ↗
QuickBooks wins this round on what the published sources say.
- Round 8Tracking billable timeFreshBooks winsQuickBooks5/10
Time tracking is Essentials+
Simple Start
- Time tracking is Essentials+, against Unlimited time tracking
Source: quickbooks.intuit.com ↗
FreshBooks wins this round on what the published sources say.
Side by side
- Simple Start includes one user plus two accountants
- $38, against $27
- 1 user, against Unlimited users
- 3.7 out of 5, against 4.1 out of 5
- $38, against $23
- Built in, powered by Gusto, against Own payroll product
- Receipt scanning is Plus+, against Receipt capture included
- Just you; team members $11 each, against Unlimited users
- 3.7 out of 5, against 4.1 out of 5