QuickBooks vs FreshBooks
Choose QuickBooks if inventory, budgeting, or a larger team matters most; choose FreshBooks if your work centers on billing clients and tracking time. Both are available cloud accounting products with invoicing, expenses, reports, and mobile apps. Their plan limits differ: QuickBooks ties inventory and budgeting to Plus, while FreshBooks includes time tracking on Lite but limits how many clients you can invoice on Lite and Plus.
Last updated October 27, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | QuickBooks | Freshbooks |
|---|---|---|
| Standard monthly price | Free $0; Simple Start $38; Essentials $85; Plus $140; Advanced $340 | Lite $23; Plus $43; Premium $70; Select custom price |
| Billable-client limits | Not published | Lite 5; Plus 50; Premium and Select unlimited |
| User pricing and limits | 1, 3, 5, or 25 included users by plan | Extra team members $11 per user per month; Select includes 2 |
| Time tracking | Employee time added to invoices on Essentials and higher | Unlimited time tracking on all plans |
| Inventory | Inventory management on Plus and Advanced | Stock tracking for invoiced items |
| Projects and budgeting | Project profitability and budgets on Plus and higher | Projects; project profitability on Premium and Select |
| Payroll | Optional payroll add-on | Payroll add-on at $40 per month plus $6 per user |
| Platforms and deployment | Cloud web app; iOS and Android mobile apps | Cloud web app; iOS and Android mobile apps |
| Integrations | Third-party app integrations on paid plans | App Store with over 100 partners |
| Support | Product support; priority support on Advanced | Office-hours support; dedicated phone support on Select |
| Trial | 30-day free trial option for paid plans | 30-day free trial |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose QuickBooks if
- Businesses that need inventory management on the Plus plan
- Teams that need three to 25 included users, depending on plan
- Businesses that need budgeting on the Plus plan
- Owners who want a limited free accounting plan
Choose Freshbooks if
- Freelancers who need time tracking on an entry-level plan
- Service businesses that invoice a defined set of clients
- Teams that use proposals and client retainers on Plus or higher
- Businesses that want to add team members individually
The verdict
The deciding factor is the work your accounting software needs to support. Pick QuickBooks for a business that needs inventory management, budgeting, or included access for several users on a higher-tier plan. Pick FreshBooks for service work where time tracking and client invoicing take priority, provided its billable-client limit and per-user charges fit your business. Neither is the better choice for every buyer.
QuickBooks vs Freshbooks: common questions
- Is QuickBooks or FreshBooks less expensive?
- QuickBooks offers a limited free plan; its paid Simple Start plan has a standard price of $38 per month. FreshBooks Lite has a standard price of $23 per month. Promotional prices can change, so compare the standard price and the features your chosen plan includes.
- Does FreshBooks limit how many clients I can invoice?
- Yes. FreshBooks Lite allows invoices to five clients and Plus to 50 clients. Premium and Select allow invoices to unlimited clients.
- Which is a better fit for tracking billable time?
- FreshBooks is a fit if you want unlimited time tracking on its Lite plan. QuickBooks lists adding employee time to invoices on Essentials and higher, so check the plan you would need before comparing prices.
- Can both QuickBooks and FreshBooks track inventory?
- Yes, but their published tools differ. QuickBooks lists inventory management on Plus and Advanced. FreshBooks lets users track stock for items and reduce the count when those items are invoiced.
- How do the two products charge for additional users?
- QuickBooks includes one user on Simple Start, three on Essentials, five on Plus, and 25 on Advanced. FreshBooks lists extra team members at $11 per user per month and includes two team-member accounts with Select.
- Do QuickBooks and FreshBooks have mobile apps?
- Yes. Both offer iOS and Android apps alongside browser access. Some tasks are available only in the web or desktop-browser experience, so check the workflow you expect to use on your phone.
- Can I try either product before subscribing?
- Yes. QuickBooks offers a 30-day free-trial option for paid QuickBooks Online plans, and FreshBooks advertises a 30-day free trial. QuickBooks also offers a separate, limited free plan.
- Which should a client-service business choose?
- FreshBooks is a fit when time tracking and client invoicing drive the work, especially if its billable-client limits suit the business. QuickBooks is a fit when the same business also needs features such as budgeting or several included users; check the required plan for each feature.