FreshBooks review

Updated September 28, 2026 · ForgeCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

FreshBooks suits beginners and small businesses that can settle in on a free trial before they pay, and there is no free plan to fall back on. The free trial of 30 days outlasts the accounting software median trial of 15 days, which is the trade-off to weigh against the entry price.

Key facts

Best for
Small businesses that want a long trial before paying and no free tier to keep.
Price from
$23 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Free plan
No (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Free trial length
30 days (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Payroll
Add on (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Platforms
iOS (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Audience
Beginners, Small business
Pricing model
Free trial
Official website
freshbooks.com

Apps and profiles

Get the app
App Store
Elsewhere
WikidataWikipediaLinkedInX

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Aimed at beginners and small businesses, which is the audience the brand names for itself.
  • Payroll is an add-on rather than bundled in, so a business that only invoices avoids that line.
  • An iOS app covers invoicing away from the desk.

Cons

  • There is no free plan, so a reader who likes the trial has to move onto a paid subscription.
  • Payroll is an add-on, so a business paying wages each month budgets for an extra purchase.
  • Entry pricing of $23 sits above the accounting software median of €16.66.
FreshBooks

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Scored 8.9 / 10 by ForgeCue.

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Who it suits

  • Small businesses and beginners who would rather try a tool than start on a free tier
  • Solo traders invoicing from iOS devices
  • Businesses whose payroll need is occasional, so an add-on works

Who should look elsewhere

  • Qonto, at €9, for readers where the lowest published entry price decides the choice
  • Accountable, at €9.90, for the same low end price comparison against FreshBooks
  • Billy, at DKK 160, for readers who prefer the higher starting figure in this set

What it does well

FreshBooks is aimed at the invoicing work a small business does every week, and it keeps the wider modules separate. Payroll is an add-on, so a business that never runs wages does not carry that line. Mobile invoicing runs through the FreshBooks app, and the platform listed is ios. Teams that need payroll each month should budget for the add-on on top of the subscription.

Free plan and trial

There is no free plan to sign up for, so the free trial of 30 days is the only way to look before paying. The trial is the whole evaluation window, so plan around it instead of expecting a free tier to fall back on afterwards. Decide early and you can test the tool against a real workload; decide late and the paid subscription starts at the end of the trial.

How FreshBooks compares

Frequently asked questions

What does FreshBooks cost to start?+

FreshBooks lists an entry price of $23. That sits above the accounting software median of €16.66 and the site median of €13.15, and above the payroll software median of €21.40. Readers shopping purely on entry cost have cheaper options in this set.

Does FreshBooks have a free plan?+

No. The free plan is listed as no, so there is nothing left running once the trial ends. The model is listed as free trial, so access is time limited rather than free for good. A reader who wants a permanent free tier is better served by a brand where the free plan is yes.

How long is the free trial?+

The free trial lasts 30, longer than the accounting software median of 15 and level with the longest trials in the payroll software set, whose top is 30. On the site ranking it places 9 of 166, so trial length is a strong point.

Does the plan include payroll?+

FreshBooks lists payroll as add on, so it sits outside the base subscription. That suits a business that invoices but does not run wages, since the extra cost can be avoided. A business paying wages every month should read the base plan and the add-on as a single total rather than a single line.

Can I use FreshBooks on my phone?+

FreshBooks has an invoicing app, and the platform listed is ios. A reader can therefore raise an invoice and check on payment from a phone rather than working from a desk, which helps anyone billing on site visits or at client meetings. Check it against the devices you actually carry.

Who is FreshBooks built for?+

The audience listed is beginners and small business, which reads as beginners and small businesses. That matches the shape of the offer, a free trial with no free plan, for people who want to see the tool before committing to it. A larger accounting department would be looking for a different kind of platform.

How does the price compare with Qonto, Accountable and Billy?+

Qonto lists an entry price of €9, Accountable €9.90 and Billy DKK 160, while FreshBooks starts at $23. The figures are quoted in different currencies, so compare them as published rather than converted. On the published numbers, FreshBooks sits at the upper end of the set.

Sources

Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Local compliance.

FreshBooks

FreshBooks

Small businesses that want a long trial before paying and no free tier to keep.

8.9/10See alternatives

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