QuickBooks Online vs. Freshbooks: Which is best for your business in 2025?

Compare the features, pricing plans, and add-ons available with both QuickBooks and FreshBooks to find the best accounting solution for your business.

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QuickBooks vs FreshBooks

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Plan Overview

Pricing

(per company file/EIN)

Simple Start: $17.50/mo,

Essentials: $32.50mo, Plus: $49.50/mo, Advanced: $117.50/mo.


Save 50% for 3 months*

Lite: $5.70/mo., Plus: $9.90/mo., Premium: $18.00/mo., Select: Custom Pricing

User Limits

Simple Start: 1, Essentials: 3, Plus: 5, Advanced: 25

Additional $11/user

Live Support

(phone, live chat, help articles, how to videos)

No direct phone number for lower plans.

Accounting and Reporting

General Accounting

(chart of accounts, journal entries, financial statements, sales tax)

Bank Reconciling 


(connect bank feeds, categorize, match transactions)

Accounts Receivable 


(customer portal, estimates, invoices, 
recurring invoices)

Accounts Payable


(vendor portal, purchase orders, expenses, bills, recurring bills)

With Premium

Financial Planning

(cash flow planner, forecasting, budgets, custom formulas)

budgets require Plus

forecasting available with Advanced


Industry Specific

Inventory Management 


(track products, add markups, view QTY on hand, etc)

Requires Plus

Project management 


(tag income/expenses to a specific job)

Requires Plus

E-Commerce Management


(connect to Shopify, eBay, Amazon and Etsy)

Simple Start: 1 connection, Essentials: 3 connections,

Plus: All connections

Ecosystem Add-Ons (extra cost)

Payroll & time


(manage payroll, HR, benefits, and track time)

Accept Payments 


(take credit card or ACH payments via invoice or card reader)

no card reader option

Pay Bills 


(send ACH payments to vendors or contractors)


Live Bookkeeping


(get expert help with your books and preparing for tax time.)

Banking and Capital


(open a business banking account or apply for a business loan)

*Discount offer. See offer terms below.


Pricing reflects total monthly costs as of October 24, 2024. Pricing may vary subject to discounted introductory rates. Pricing and feature list accurate as per FreshBooks website on October 24, 2024.

An illustration showing a mobile phone displaying the QuickBooks app Quick Action buttons. Behind the mobile phone is an open laptop displaying the QuickBooks Online business overview dashboard.

QuickBooks Online vs. FreshBooks: comparison overview 2025 

While QuickBooks and FreshBooks are both popular accounting software options for small businesses, QuickBooks is a more comprehensive and scalable solution than FreshBooks. It provides a wider array of advanced features, industry-specific tools, and in-depth reporting, empowering businesses to gain greater control and insights into their financial performance.


Below, we break down the key differences in features, benefits, and pricing to help you choose the platform that best suits your business needs and budget.

QuickBooks overview

QuickBooks is the leading accounting software for small businesses, designed to simplify financial management and empower growth. With a user-friendly interface and a comprehensive suite of tools, QuickBooks streamlines tasks like invoicing, expense tracking, and reporting, giving you a clear picture of your financial health. From automating payments to managing payroll, QuickBooks offers a scalable solution that can adapt to your business needs.

Plans and pricing

QuickBooks has a range of plans. All offer free live chat or phone support, free expert help as you get started, 
unlimited invoices, plus reports, dashboards, and more. Compare the plans and find the optimal fit for your business.

1
Select plan
2
(optional)
3
Checkout

Simple Start

$35
$1750/mo
Save 50% for 3 months*
Expert Assisted
Connect with Live experts when you need it. They can provide setup help and bookkeeping guidance in QuickBooks, so you can stay organized and run your business with confidence. Free for 30 days. No auto-renew.
Try expert help FREE for 30 days*
Access expert tax help
Save time and effort by seamlessly moving from books to taxes, then prepare your current tax year return with unlimited expert help to get every credit you deserve. Access live tax experts powered by TurboTax. Costs vary by entity type. Subject to eligibility.
with QuickBooks Live Tax
Income and expenses
Securely import transactions and organize your finances automatically.
Banking with 3.00% APY
Every dollar put away in savings envelopes earns you interest at over 40x the U.S. average.
Bookkeeping automation
Automate bookkeeping to cut down on tedious tasks and get more time to focus on your business.
Invoice and payments
Accept credit cards and bank transfers in the invoice with QuickBooks Payments, get status updates and reminders.**
Tax deductions
Share your books with your accountant or export important documents.**
General reports
Run and export reports including profit & loss, expenses, and balance sheets.*
Receipt capture
Snap photos of your receipts and categorize them on the go.**
Mileage tracking
Automatically track miles, categorize trips, and get sharable reports.**
Cash flow
Get paid online or in person, deposited instantly, if eligible.
Sales and sales tax
Accept credit cards anywhere, connect to e-commerce tools, and calculate taxes automatically.**
Estimates
Customize estimates, accept mobile signatures, see estimate status, and convert estimates into invoices.**
Contractors
Assign vendor payments to 1099 categories, see payment history, prepare and file 1099s from QuickBooks.**
Connect 1 sales channel
Connect 1 online sales channel and automatically sync with QuickBooks.
Bill management
Organize and track your business bills online.

Essentials

$65
$3250/mo
Save 50% for 3 months*
Expert Assisted
Connect with Live experts when you need it. They can provide setup help and bookkeeping guidance in QuickBooks, so you can stay organized and run your business with confidence. Free for 30 days. No auto-renew.
Try expert help FREE for 30 days*
Access expert tax help
Save time and effort by seamlessly moving from books to taxes, then prepare your current tax year return with unlimited expert help to get every credit you deserve. Access live tax experts powered by TurboTax. Costs vary by entity type. Subject to eligibility.
with QuickBooks Live Tax
Income and expenses
Securely import transactions and organize your finances automatically.
Banking with 3.00% APY
Every dollar put away in savings envelopes earns you interest at over 40x the U.S. average.
Bookkeeping automation
Automate bookkeeping to cut down on tedious tasks and get more time to focus on your business.
Invoice and payments
Accept credit cards and bank transfers in the invoice with QuickBooks Payments, get status updates and reminders.**
Tax deductions
Share your books with your accountant or export important documents.**
Enhanced reports
Know how your business is doing with sales, accounts receivable, and accounts payable reports.*
Receipt capture
Snap photos of your receipts and categorize them on the go.**
Mileage tracking
Automatically track miles, categorize trips, and get sharable reports.**
Cash flow
Get paid online or in person, deposited instantly, if eligible.
Sales and sales tax
Accept credit cards anywhere, connect to e-commerce tools, and calculate taxes automatically.**
Estimates
Customize estimates, accept mobile signatures, see estimate status, and convert estimates into invoices.**
Contractors
Assign vendor payments to 1099 categories, see payment history, prepare and file 1099s from QuickBooks.**
Connect 3 sales channels
Connect up to 3 online sales channels and automatically sync with QuickBooks.
Bill management
Organize and track your business bills online.
Multiple currencies
Record transactions in other currencies without worrying about exchange rate conversions.
Includes 3 users
Invite your accountant to access your books, control user-access levels, and share reports without sharing a log-in.**
Enter time
Enter employee time by client/project and automatically add it to invoices.
CUSTOMER FAVORITE

Plus

$99
$4950/mo
Save 50% for 3 months*
Expert Assisted
Connect with Live experts when you need it. They can provide setup help and bookkeeping guidance in QuickBooks, so you can stay organized and run your business with confidence. Free for 30 days. No auto-renew.
Try expert help FREE for 30 days*
Access expert tax help
Save time and effort by seamlessly moving from books to taxes, then prepare your current tax year return with unlimited expert help to get every credit you deserve. Access live tax experts powered by TurboTax. Costs vary by entity type. Subject to eligibility.
with QuickBooks Live Tax
Income and expenses
Securely import transactions and organize your finances automatically.
Banking with 3.00% APY
Every dollar put away in savings envelopes earns you interest at over 40x the U.S. average.
Bookkeeping automation
Automate bookkeeping to cut down on tedious tasks and get more time to focus on your business.
Invoice and payments
Accept credit cards and bank transfers in the invoice with QuickBooks Payments, get status updates and reminders.**
Tax deductions
Share your books with your accountant or export important documents.**
Comprehensive reports
Stay on track with inventory reports, enhanced sales reports, and profitability reports.*
Receipt capture
Snap photos of your receipts and categorize them on the go.**
Mileage tracking
Automatically track miles, categorize trips, and get sharable reports.**
Cash flow
Get paid online or in person, deposited instantly, if eligible.
Sales and sales tax
Accept credit cards anywhere, connect to e-commerce tools, and calculate taxes automatically.**
Estimates
Customize estimates, accept mobile signatures, see estimate status, and convert estimates into invoices.**
Contractors
Assign vendor payments to 1099 categories, see payment history, prepare and file 1099s from QuickBooks.**
Connect all sales channels
Connect any available online sales channels and automatically sync with QuickBooks.
Bill management
Organize and track your business bills online.
Multiple currencies
Record transactions in other currencies without worrying about exchange rate conversions.
Includes 5 users
Invite your accountant to access your books, control user-access levels, and share reports without sharing a log-in.**
Enter time
Enter employee time by client/project and automatically add it to invoices.
Inventory
Track products, cost of goods, see what’s popular, create purchase orders, and manage vendors.
Project profitability
Track all your projects in one place, track labor costs, payroll and expenses.
Financial planning
Create budgets with real-time data you can collaborate with your team on.

Advanced

$235
$11750/mo
Save 50% for 3 months*
Expert Assisted
Connect with Live experts when you need it. They can provide setup help and bookkeeping guidance in QuickBooks, so you can stay organized and run your business with confidence. Free for 30 days. No auto-renew.
Try expert help FREE for 30 days*
Access expert tax help
Save time and effort by seamlessly moving from books to taxes, then prepare your current tax year return with unlimited expert help to get every credit you deserve. Access live tax experts powered by TurboTax. Costs vary by entity type. Subject to eligibility.
with QuickBooks Live Tax
Income and expenses
Securely import transactions and organize your finances automatically.
Banking with 3.00% APY
Every dollar put away in savings envelopes earns you interest at over 40x the U.S. average.
Bookkeeping automation
Automate bookkeeping to cut down on tedious tasks and get more time to focus on your business.
Invoice and payments
Accept credit cards and bank transfers in the invoice with QuickBooks Payments, get status updates and reminders.**
Tax deductions
Share your books with your accountant or export important documents.**
Powerful reports
Monitor financial metrics and build customized dashboards that measure performance.
Receipt capture
Snap photos of your receipts and categorize them on the go.**
Mileage tracking
Automatically track miles, categorize trips, and get sharable reports.**
Cash flow
Get paid online or in person, deposited instantly, if eligible.
Sales and sales tax
Accept credit cards anywhere, connect to e-commerce tools, and calculate taxes automatically.**
Estimates
Customize estimates, accept mobile signatures, see estimate status, and convert estimates into invoices.**
Contractors
Assign vendor payments to 1099 categories, see payment history, prepare and file 1099s from QuickBooks.**
Connect all sales channels
Connect any available online sales channels and automatically sync with QuickBooks.
Bill management
Organize and track your business bills online.
Multiple currencies
Record transactions in other currencies without worrying about exchange rate conversions.
Includes 25 users
Invite your accountant to access your books, control user-access levels, and share reports without sharing a log-in.**
Enter time
Enter employee time by client/project and automatically add it to invoices.
Inventory
Track products, cost of goods, see what’s popular, create purchase orders, and manage vendors.
Project profitability
Track all your projects in one place, track labor costs, payroll and expenses.
Financial planning
Create budgets with real-time data you can collaborate with your team on.
Auto-track fixed assets
Automatically track fixed asset values, access all fixed asset info in one spot, and get insights about what may come next.
Data sync with Excel
Seamlessly send data back and forth between QuickBooks Online Advanced and Excel for more accurate business data and custom insights.
Batch invoices and expenses
Create invoices, enter, edit, and send multiple invoices faster.**
Custom access controls
Easily control who sees your data, assign work to specific users, and create custom permissions.
Workflow automation
Save time and mitigate risk with automated workflows and set reminders for improved cash flows and more.
Data restoration
Continuously and automatically back up your changes, restore a specific version of your company, and view version history.**
24/7 support & training
QuickBooks Priority Circle support and access to special training resources.
Revenue recognition
Stay consistent, compliant, and credible with automated revenue recognition.

Overall features

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Reporting capabilities

Easily run and export reports, including profit and loss, expenses, and balance sheets. Customize your reports to make them more specific to the needs of your business.

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Cash flow management

Manage your cash flow from anywhere. See your business money come in and out over time so you can make smart business decisions, reflect on historical data, and pivot as you grow.

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Sales tax tracking

QuickBooks keeps track of thousands of tax laws, so you don’t have to. When you add sales tax to an invoice in QuickBooks, it automatically calculates the tax based on the date, location, product type, and customer information you provide.

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1099 contractor management

Send, track, and file 1099 forms for your independent contractors. Be prepared when it’s time to file with the IRS and stay compliant.

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User-friendly design

QuickBooks' user-friendly interface makes navigating your finances a breeze, even if you're not an accounting expert. The layout and simple design ensure that you can find what you need quickly and efficiently.

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Customer support

With QuickBooks, you'll get expert help from real people through phone and live chat six days a week. Our specialists are here to support you with every part of your QuickBooks journey, from the initial switch to onboarding.

FreshBooks overview

FreshBooks is cloud-based accounting software designed primarily for small business owners, solopreneurs, and freelancers who need to streamline their financial tasks. Its features include income and expense tracking, invoicing, receipt capture, and project profitability management.

Plans & pricing

FreshBooks provides four distinct pricing plans tailored to different business needs: Lite, Plus, Premium, and Select. Each plan offers varying levels of functionality and support.

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Lite

Lite is a budget-friendly plan ideal for freelancers. It covers the fundamentals, including invoicing with bank and credit card payment capabilities, unlimited expense tracking and estimate sending, and basic financial reports.

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Plus

Designed for self-employed professionals, Plus offers everything in Lite, plus unlimited invoicing to up to 50 clients, unlimited estimates and proposals, automatic expense receipt data capture, and tools that allow collaboration with your accountant.

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match"

Premium

Premium is a plan for businesses with contractors. It includes everything in Plus, as well as customized email templates, unlimited invoicing to an unlimited number of clients, automatic bill receipt data capture, and profitability summaries.

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Select

Businesses with employees can choose the Select plan. This customizable plan includes everything in Premium plus a dedicated support number, access to lower credit card transaction fees, advanced payment solutions, and optional add-ons.

Overall features

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Invoicing

Use the invoice generator to create professional-looking invoices complete with tracked time and expenses.

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Customer support

FreshBooks provides live chat for quick assistance, email support for detailed inquiries, and a Help Center with articles for self-service troubleshooting. The Select plan includes a dedicated support phone number.

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Integrations

Users can integrate FreshBooks with over 100 partner apps to extend its core functionality. FreshBooks also integrates with Zapier to connect with thousands of more apps.

See how QuickBooks works in comparison to FreshBooks

QuickBooks is a standout choice for small-to midsize businesses thanks to its intuitive interface and robust features. It has plans to help businesses streamline accounting tasks, manage 1099 contractors, track inventory, and automatically calculate sales tax, all while offering comprehensive live support. Whether you’re a solopreneur or looking to scale your operations, QuickBooks is a user-friendly solution designed to grow with your needs.

How QuickBooks Online can help your business differently

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Connected banking

QuickBooks has a wide network of banking partners, making it easy to securely import your bank feeds from a variety of banks and credit card companies. This seamless integration saves time, ensures accuracy, and eliminates manual errors.

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Easy integration

QuickBooks goes beyond accounting with 750+ integrated apps, streamlining everything from payroll to customer relationships. This eliminates the need for multiple platforms, reducing time and effort while empowering smarter business decisions.

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Live support

QuickBooks offers live phone and chat support six days a week, providing you with a direct line to experts whenever you need them. With personalized assistance, you can tackle any accounting challenge with confidence and keep your business on track.

Frequently asked questions

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