Budget-Friendly Accounting Software: 10 FreshBooks Alternatives
By FreshBooks is one of the top accounting software out there. But if you're on the lookout for better and more affordable FreshBooks alternatives, keep reading.
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Is online invoicing rubbing you the wrong way?
Tired of the tornado of payment reminders, timesheets, and your accountant’s lashing quips when reviewing your tattered financial records?
You need a reliable accounting solution like yesterday, and you know it. The question is: which one will meet your needs without blowing your budget?
FreshBooks is often regarded as the best accounting software out there, but it’s not ideal for everyone. If you’re looking for a cheaper or even free alternative accounting system, keep reading.
What is FreshBooks?
FreshBooks is among the most popular cloud-based accounting and invoicing software, with rich features ideal for freelancers and business owners.
Key features:
- Powerful and customizable report generator to track your business’s health.
- Automated billing for faster payments.
- Integrates with over 200 payroll and financial apps.
- Store receipt images and monitor expenses for efficient, stress-free bookkeeping.
Potential drawbacks: FreshBooks can be very expensive if you’re billing many clients but don’t need all its features.
Cost: Starts at $15 per month for five billable clients.
Who it’s best for: Growing businesses that need flexible payment and accounting tools to process and monitor payments from a large, diverse customer base.
The 10 Best FreshBooks Alternatives
Whether you’re a solopreneur searching for free cloud accounting software or a flourishing startup that needs to beef up your one-person accounting department, we’ve got you covered.
Here are the 10 best FreshBooks alternatives to consider in 2020:
1. QuickBooks
QuickBooks is an accounting and bookkeeping software that caters to small businesses. It’s renowned for powerful bookkeeping and reporting features, and is available online (via QuickBooksOnline) or as a standard desktop application.
Key features:
- Combined accounting and payroll plans.
- Easy-to-use bookkeeping and accounting tools.
- Batch invoicing, to bill multiple customers at once.
- Profitability calculator that analyzes overheads and expenses.
Potential drawbacks: Users have complained that customer support can be slow or unresponsive.
Cost: The self-employed package is $15.00 dollars per month. Small business and QuickbooksOnline pricing starts at $25.
Who it’s best for: Small to large businesses that need detailed cash flow reports and well-organized accounting data.
2. EZBILLING360
As their name suggests, EZBILLING360 is a cloud accounting tool that streamlines the billing process so you can get paid faster. The app also provides time tracking and expense reporting features to help you manage your business.
Key features:
- Time tracking for accurate billing
- Professional-looking templates
- Graphical reports of profits, losses, and expenses
- Automatic follow-up and late-payment fee charges
Potential drawbacks: Only offers eight types of invoice templates.
Cost: Starts at $15 per month for five billable clients. Through AppSumo, you can get annual access to the Gold plan (over 50 billable clients per month) for just $360 (retail value: $600).
Who it’s best for: Solopreneurs and freelancers who need to bill clients quickly and feel their current billing process is too time-consuming.
3. Fiskl
Helping you manage your business “from your pocket,” Fiskl is a web- and mobile-based small business accounting software. If you’re after a cost-effective alternative to FreshBooks, it’s a strong option.
Key features:
- Quickly convert quotes to invoices
- Manage your finances on the go with a dedicated mobile app
- Manage invoices with ease
- Accept international payments
- Track expenses with automatic receipt logs and mileage tracking
Potential drawbacks: Doesn’t include payroll management.
Cost: Free to send up to five invoices per month. Get annual access to the Fiskl Pro plan (five users) for the discounted and locked-in price of $149/year (retail value: $240/year).
Who it’s best for: Solopreneurs without accounting departments who want a simpler way to invoice, track expenses, and manage finances on the go.
4. Wave
Wave is an invoicing and bookkeeping software that lets you create and send professional-looking invoices, manage receipts, and even manage employees and taxes.
There are no setup costs, hidden charges, or monthly fees; you only pay a small percentage fee to accept online payments.
Key features:
- Bill and invoice automatically
- Tools to track expenses and scan receipts
- Credit card and online payment acceptance
- Free plan available, making it ideal for early-stage freelancers or solopreneurs.
Potential drawbacks: Some TrustRadius users have reported that the software lacks support and is sometimes “sluggish.”
Cost: From free; pay a per-transaction charge for credit card transactions.
Who it’s best for: Freelancers or solopreneurs looking for a low-cost and simple billing system.
5. Xero
As well as the expected billing and invoicing tools, Xero offers asset management, invoicing, inventory updates, and bank reconciliation, giving you a wider range of accounting and bookkeeping features when compared against other FreshBooks alternatives.
Key features:
- Inventory and stock management tools
- Automatically track gains and losses across multiple currencies
- Run payroll and automatically adjust for taxes in different states
- Detailed reports so you can review your business’s financial health
Potential drawbacks: Some users report unstable and broken bank reconciliation.
Cost: Starts at $9 per month.
Who it’s best for: Medium to large ecommerce businesses with a global workforce and customer base.
6. Hiveage
Hiveage is an online accounting platform designed for freelancers and small businesses. It lets you make project estimates, send invoices, and track payments and expenses all from one system.
Key features:
- Hourly expense tracking and billing
- Branded quotes and invoices
- Expense and income tracking for detailed financial reporting
- Payments via many payment gateways (like Paypal and Stripe) and built-in international payment options
Potential drawbacks: Some users have reported glitches within the app and a lack of customer support.
Cost: Free for up to five clients per month.
Who it’s best for: A business with a small team that needs a simple way to manage financials and send invoices.
7. ZipBooks
ZipBooks is a powerful accounting platform for midsized businesses and enterprises. Its core features focus on efficient accounting, billing, and insightful business intelligence.
The free version allows you to send unlimited invoices, view basic reports, and connect one bank account.
Key features:
- Access to a great customer support team
- Schedule professional and branded invoices
- Automate texts and emails that ask customers for reviews
- Business intelligence that shows your performance against competitors
Potential drawbacks: Some users describe the interface as clunky, especially when interacting with the menu and advanced search features.
Cost: Alongside the free plan, the basic “smarter” package starts at $15 per month.
Who it’s best for: Midsized business in competitive, fast-paced industries.
8. Sage 50cloud
Sage 50cloud is a desktop accounting software for small to large companies. The Mac-friendly app features robust tools for billing, accounting, inventory management, and certain industry-specific functions.
Key features:
- Stock and inventory management tools
- Reconcile financial information with your bank automatically
- Integrates with Office 365 to report critical financial information
- Automated billing, invoicing, and personalized business documents
Potential drawbacks: Users report the interface and layout are confusing and not as user-friendly as other FreshBooks alternatives.
Cost: Prices start from $50.58 per month.
Who it’s best for: Fast-growing businesses operating in large industries, especially those that need to report complicated financial activity and require constant performance updates.
9. Zoho Books
Zoho Books is a cloud-based accounting software for small to midsized businesses. It offers a range of contact management, invoices, expense and time tracking, and project management tools.
Key features:
- Stock and inventory management tools
- Track time for multiple projects
- Reconcile financial information with your bank automatically
- Request and promote reviews from the customer portal
Potential drawbacks: While it integrates with other Zoho products and add-ons, users report that ZohoBooks doesn’t integrate well with other accounting software.
Cost: Starts at $11 per month.
Who it’s best for: Ecommerce businesses that sell directly to a large number of consumers.
10. Invoicera
From time tracking, expense management, and auto-billing, Invoicera is an online accounting software that prioritizes automation and efficiency. It also offers customizable solutions and integrations that adapt to the needs of your business.
Key features:
- Offers staff and client management tools
- Supports over 30 online payment gateways
- Includes mobile apps for iOS and Android
- Features multi-lingual and multi-currency dashboards
Potential drawbacks: Phone support is limited to certain countries and live chat customer support can be unresponsive.
Cost: Lifetime access is free for up to three clients. Basic pricing starts at $15 per month.
Who it’s best for: Midsized businesses that have a broad, global pool of customers, need to manage staff, and need customizable billing software.
Pick The Best Accounting Software For You
While these are the best alternatives to FreshBooks, they are by no means the only accounting software alternatives you should look at. Other honorable mentions include Sage Intacct, Netsuite, and AccountsIQ.
Looking for other great business tools at a fraction of their actual cost? Browse the AppSumo store.