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FreshBooks
Simplify Your Business Finances
4.5
(681)
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FreshBooks Reviews & Product Details

FreshBooks Overview
What is FreshBooks?

FreshBooks is a cloud-based accounting software preferred by numerous small to medium enterprises for its ability to easily manage and streamline finances. Core features include expensive tracking and invoicing, and it also helps improve operational transparency through reporting and time-tracking features.

Company 2ndSite Inc. dba FreshBooks
Year founded 2003
Company size 201-500 employees
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Social Media
FreshBooks Categories on Findstack
Ask Questions about FreshBooks
What FreshBooks is best for?
How does FreshBooks compare to QuickBooks Desktop for Mac?
What are the pros and cons of FreshBooks?
FreshBooks Product Details
Capabilities
API
Segment
Small Business
Mid Market
Enterprise
Deployment Cloud / SaaS / Web-Based, Desktop Mac, Desktop Windows, Mobile Android, Mobile iPad, Mobile iPhone, On-Premise Linux
Training Documentation
Languages English
FreshBooks Pros and Cons
Pros
  • 'Lite plan is great for startups (includes 5 billable clients)
  • You can track unlimited expenses and send unlimited estimates
  • Clients can pay you using credit cards
Cons
  • Limited invoice customization
  • The mobile app could use improvements
FreshBooks Features
Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Audit Trail
Automated Reminders
Bank Reconciliation
Billing & Invoicing
Budgeting & Forecasting
Compliance management
Customer Management
Customizable Reports
Dashboards & Analytics
Data Import/Export
Expense Tracking
Financial Reporting
Fixed Asset Management
General Ledger
Integration with Third-Party Apps
Inventory Management
Mobile Access
Multi-Company
Multi-currency
Payroll Management
Project Accounting
Purchase Orders
Recurring Billing
Revenue Recognition
Sales Orders
Tax Management
Time & Expense Tracking
Vendor Management
FreshBooks Media
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FreshBooks Screenshots
Disclaimer
Our research is curated from diverse authoritative sources and meant to offer general advice. We don’t guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each use-case, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services. Feel free to share your feedback.
Last updated: July 02, 2024
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681 FreshBooks Reviews
4.5 out of 5
Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Nov 17, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
SN
Stephanie N.
Social Media Strategist | Speaker | Marketing Consultant | Blogger | Ceo
Share
"Complete Lifesaver!"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

Hard to pick my favorite feature but the ease-of-use comes to mind. It's a great looking program along with being easy to navigate. I appreciate that! I need an accounting software that makes the billing, expense tracking nonsense go smoothly!

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

I wish I could set late reminders per client - each client I have has custom contracts so being able to customize all the way down to reminders would be great.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

Using Freshbooks keeps me organized, makes better use of my time, and keeps my profit/loss tracking for tax time. I don't have any background in accounting or bookkeeping nor do I have the capacity to hire this out so Freshbooks is the perfect solution.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Nov 17, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
AQ
Alison Q.
Graphic Designer
Share
"Excellent! I depend more and more on it as I learn what all it can do."
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

My Accountant can access it to do my taxes. I can keep track of expenses.

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

I'd like a way to keep track of mileage.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

Billing/invoicing is much faster and my clients are very happy with going digital. I've been able to move from doing everything manually to flying through it with FreshBooks!

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Nov 06, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
Mat O'Flynn, D. avatar
Mat O'flynn, D.
Owner
Share
"Use FreshBooks if You Want to Get Paid"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

How easy FreshBooks makes it for clients to pay online.

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

There is nothing that I don't like about FreshBooks.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

We increase customer acquisition. Using FreshBooks it's now very clear to break down our costs to clients.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Nov 04, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
DH
Donna H.
Founder
Share
"Freshbooks is awesome"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

It's easy to use and provides me with the structure I need to easily keep track of my time and my expenses on my projects. It makes me look good too, to my clients - the invoices they receive look attractive and have all the information they need in a simple format, making it easy for them to do their work, too. The less time all of us need to spend doing transactional things like invoicing, the more time we can spend making a difference in our work.

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

I honestly can't think of much. Perhaps, a bit more flexibility in invoice templates - the ability to provide day rates rather than hours, for example.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

FreshBooks solves my time tracking, expense tracking and invoicing needs in an effective way, so I can focus on the work that I do. Because those aspects are taken care of, it allows me to spend my time on activities that are a better use of me. It frees up time; the resource that all of us wish we had more of.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Nov 04, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
PM
Peter M.
Bass & Guitar Instructor, Manager
Share
"Excellent features; even better customer service!"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

I love that FreshBooks makes it so easy to record expenses and generate professional-looking invoices. Even better is that when you call FreshBooks they answer right away - and with someone who can actually solve your problems, not just a call center grunt (I use that term lovingly as that's what I do in my day job).

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

It would be great if the reports could be set to a default time window, or if custom reports could be saved.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

It's so nice to have an easy way to generate professional-looking invoices, allow online payment, and keep track of how my business is doing!

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Nov 04, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
WO
Will O.
Narrative Design & Development
Share
"Awesome & Essential...!"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

Freshbooks is a phenomenal solution for freelancers. The way it allows me to invoice easily and produce reports for my accountant at tax time is invaluable, and the interface is clean and easy to use. Customer support is also world-class! Above all, however, the integrated time-tracking it offers - especially through its mobile app - allows me to track my workload and utilize it for invoicing is wonderfully seamless and precise.

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

All I would like is more of the same - even more types of reports, the ability to access even more payment portals, etc. I'd also like to be able to customize / theme the interface and invoices beyond a single logo and colour choice. Everything about Freshbooks is on track, and as they are continuously updating and improving the product, I have no doubt that it will get there...!

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

I have no background or experience in bookkeeping / accounting. Without a solution like Freshbooks, I'd be reduced to stumbling through an Excel spreadsheet or something similar. Freshbooks allows me to spend far less time on administrative aspects of my business and more on working at developing the business itself! Also, because of it, I doubt I will ever need to hire a bookkeeper. :)

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Nov 03, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
JK
Joel K.
Owner/Operator
Share
"Simple and Straightforward"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

I love how simple and straightforward Freshbooks is to use. I've never had an issue using the software - either on the web or in the app. It makes it incredibly easy to track hours for projects, expenses for my business, and send invoices to clients.

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

Freshbooks is not the cheapest option out there. Though I didn't use any alternatives too much, from the research I did prior to upgrading from the free account, I did decide it would be worth it for the benefits to my company.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

Time tracking, invoicing and expenses. The time tracking I have been using less and less recently, but the invoicing and expenses have changed the way I organize my business finances.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Nov 03, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
PP
Patrina P.
Founder
Share
"Awesome software for the non-financial entrepreneur!"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

The ease of use, and reporting features.

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

Very little, but I would like to see a feature where I can split transactions into two or more categories.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

One software to invoice and receive payments. Many of my clients like using WePay versus PayPal; I did not expect that. Additionally, when I use contractors, it is easy for them to submit their invoices to me.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Nov 03, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
KA
Kerstin A.
Founder
Share
"Smooth sailing for my business"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

I love being able to see where I stand with profit/loss at any time. The time tracking is also excellent.

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

I don't like that you can't easily separate labour and materials by attaching a type of tax to a task.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

I have a all-in-one solution for my freelance business with Freshbooks. It looks professional, my clients love being able to receive their invoices by email (and pay online, even set up recurring payments!), and I feel like I'm completely in control of my business by using Freshbooks.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Nov 03, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
Jules W. avatar
Jules W.
Web Developer
Share
"FreshBooks making tracking time and invoicing easy for small businesses"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

Freshbooks makes it easy for me to keep track of my time, projects, clients, invoicing, and expenses.

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

I like that I can associate an expense to a client, and easily add it to an invoice---But it would be nice it there was a way to o add a markup percentage to the cost of goods.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

Great for billing customers. Freshbooks makes it easy for my clients to pay me. From emailing invoices to electronic delivery of the money directly into my account.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Nov 03, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
AT
Ana T.
Yellow Status Presenter
Share
"Excellent Tool for the Small Business Creative"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

I like how easy it is to track billables, how easy it is to create estimates and turn them into invoices, how wonderfully the app tracks invoices, expenses, and payments. I always know when my client has viewed the invoice. Freshbooks makes bookkeeping and accounting easy, and this is a plus for us with non-traditionally-logical creative brains. It is wonderful that I can use Freshbooks on my laptop and on the go with my cell-phone or tablet. The functionality is great for most users. I do need to track time (sometimes, just for myself to ensure I am on top of the project projections). I love that I can input receipt images - on the go - directly from my phone's camera or can upload them through files on the laptop/desktop app. I have used Quickbooks in the past, and it was far more robust than I needed. I am a one-person creative company and just needed time-tracking / estimate generation / invoicing / payment tracking / and expense tracking. And, of course, the lovely printable reports for my accountant. Freshbooks far surpasses my expectations.

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

It would be nice if I could set up invoicing once or twice a week and have it go out automatically on the date specified without having to create a recurring item. I like to do my desk work one day a week and if I knew I was invoicing someone at the end of the week for an already known amount, then I would like it to automatically send the invoice that day rather than me remember to go into Freshbooks and hit the send button on the draft. (I have a client that only wants to be invoiced every other Tuesday, but Tuesdays are busy for me so I do up her invoice for the work completed two weeks behind. I do my desk work after work hours on Fridays as that is the day my hubby is out and it does not interfere with the work day. Every other Tuesday I have a calendar reminder ping me to send her the invoice. It works for me. But, I would really love to schedule it and forget it. Also, I wish Freshbooks had a tiered system for people who have very few clients and don't make a lot of money. (Small, Medium, and Large business accounts on different payment tiers). And, I wish I was billed in Canadian dollars rather than U.S. dollars.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

I am working on using my time more productively. I have found that I am always busy but not always necessarily productive. I need to change that. Freshbooks BFF has given me some excellent ideas on changing my mindset from a freelancer to a business owner. I realize now that I need to also offset some of the busy-work to someone else so I can concentrate on the things I need to do in bring in the money.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Oct 31, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
TW
Tim W.
Managing Director
Share
"Freshbooks makes bookkeeping Easy"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

I like how simple it is to invoice a client... plus I can see if they have opened the email invoice. Also keeping track of expenses is very simple. With the app, I can take a picture of the receipt.

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

When syncing with my business banking... it can take 24 hours to notice the change.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

Invoicing clients has become much quicker, and if I look back and see they have not opened the invoice I follow-up (it may have got caught in a spam filter). This helps us get paid faster!

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Oct 25, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
Carlee B. avatar
Carlee B.
Product Manager
Share
"LOVE FRESHBOOKS"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

The admin is so simple. The invoice designs are great. Everything about Freshbooks and their customer service are great.

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

Nothing at all. I am super impressed by Freshbooks.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

I needed to do freelance invoices easily, and this was my go-to. Then Freshbooks just roped me in with their customer service and how great they are with everything else.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Oct 20, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
AC
Anastasia C.
Ui, Ux, Communications Designer
Share
"The only tool to keep accounting in order"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

That everything is so simple there! Moving to Canada 2 years ago, I had no idea about the right way of invoicing and keeping my records in new country. Back to Russia it was a nightmare for me, and I was very scared to start my business here without knowledge of local rules. Plus I don't quite know about finances in general, this is pretty far from what I do for life. So I wanted to find a tool which would help me to automate this process. That's why I felt blessed when I found this service! It does a huge job for me. There is no need to learn all these terms, and create reports: everything is automated, and all I do is write down what I did during the day, and then invoice my clients. I like that there are a lot of different settings in Freshbooks: for example, I can set my hourly wage in general settings, but can change it for specific clients and projects. Invoicing is completely automated, including late payments reminders! Invoices themselves look beautiful. By the way, invoices and interface can be branded, which I actively use. A huge benefit for me is their built-in timer. As a freelancer, I work on hourly tasks very often, and instead of using external tools, I just run timer for my tasks right in Freshbooks interface, and count time spent. I can also add descriptions to each track to keep it clear for myself and for a client. Expenses track is also awesome. I know that this is a pain point for anybody who tries to keep expenses ordered. I love that I can set up repeating expenses there, that I can upload receipts to any entry, and find it later easily if needed. Automated reports are such a huge time saver! They show various types of data. I use Profit and Gross report for my tax returns, and can't imagine what would I do without it. I like that my clients can see all invoices in their profiles, and that I can share my accounting data with my bookkeeper, if I want to. I like that Freshbooks is very popular and has many options for integrations, such as: PayPal, Stripe, Basecamp and more. Freshbooks reports are convertible to many other systems, such as automated tax return services. You can even connect Freshbooks to your bank account, which is very convenient if you have separate account for your business. Of course, I search for alternate solutions from time to time out of curiosity, keeping myself updated, comparing Freshbooks with its competitors. But none of competitors can't match variety of Freshbooks functions so far.

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

Pricing is a bit higher than I would like to see. Currently it's $20 (which is around $30 in Canadian Dollars) per 25 clients, but I believe $15 would be a more expected price for this option. Also, probably updating, refreshing design visually wouldn't hurt. :) it's not very important since interface is awesome, very clear, and works perfectly, but more modern look would be beneficial for new users.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

With Freshbooks I have properly formatted accounting for my self-employment, having close to zero knowledge in finances. I think this is awesome. I'm sure that more experiences in finances users will also benefit from this service because it has a lot of different settings.

Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Jul 28, 2016
 Source
Overall Rating:
5.0
CP
Caryn P.
Consultant / Copywriter / Web Developer
Share
"Easy Accounting for Freelancers"
What do you like best about FreshBooks?

Accounting is something I like least about working as a freelance writer... until FreshBooks made it so much easier! From time tracking to automated recurring invoices, this system does all the "work" so I can focus on the work I enjoy!

What do you dislike about FreshBooks?

At about $30/month, it's not something I would call expensive but it can be difficult for a small business like me to keep up with during the "slow" months.

What problems is FreshBooks solving and how is that benefiting you?

Accounting, time/task tracking, recurring invoices, logging payments received

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