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  7. FreshBooks Vs. QuickBooks: Comparison

Edited by: Kimberlee Leonard
 and Reviewed: Kimberlee Leonard

FreshBooks Vs. QuickBooks: Comparison

Author: | Oct 16, 2023

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Go Sifter Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.

Bookkeeping and accounting management is one of the biggest hassles facing any small business or a self-employed individual. That’s why, in 2023, the question of whether to opt for FreshBooks vs. QuickBooks takes center stage for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Keeping track of all your income and expenses and keeping your books in order on top of managing day-to-day business operations can be challenging. Additionally, many small businesses may not have access to the necessary accounting and bookkeeping expertise.

Let us compare two of the best accounting software options available today – FreshBooks vs. QuickBooks. This will help you decide which is the best suited for your business.

Deciding Factors

Either QuickBooks or FreshBooks offer you a rich array of accounting features. But both have significant differences and can serve unique business purposes. The key differences between the two come down to:

  • Number of users
  • Pricing structure
  • Third-party integrations
  • Financial reporting templates
  • Scalability
  • Specialized accounting features

These are the main reasons many small business owners turn to accounting software solutions to help manage their books so they can focus on growing their businesses. There are many small business accounting software available in the market to choose from. Deciding which you should opt for depends on your individual business needs.

 FreshBooksQuickBooks
Price$17 to $55 per month or custom pricing$30 to $200 per month
Number of Users1 ($11 for every additional user)1 to 25
AccessibilityCloudCloud
Mobile AppYes (iOS and Android)Yes (iOS and Android)
Inventory ManagementNo
Sales Tax Management
Live Customer SupportYes (phone support – 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET from Monday to Friday)Yes (24/7 live chat support; phone support – 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST Monday to Friday, and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST Saturday and Sunday)
Guided SetupNo

FreshBooks Vs. QuickBooks: Features

FreshBooks offers strong invoice management features, allowing you to send invoices on the go, scan receipts, and track mileage. It also has a basic inventory tracking function for billable items. It has a simple and intuitive interface with easy-to-use features, making it a perfect option for small businesses and freelancers – with no accounting background – with a minimal learning curve.

FreshBooks also offers phone support (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET from Monday to Friday) and email support with every plan but lacks a live chat feature. And while you can access project tracking features with higher-tiered plans, it lacks industry-specific reporting features and transaction tags.

It also lacks features to set up your own bank rules, global search, bank reconciliation (with basic plans), accountant access, and audit trail. Additionally, since it supports only one user (the highest-tiered plan supports 2 users with the option to add more at an additional fee), it lacks the scalability that a growing business would need.

On the other hand, QuickBooks has robust accounting features that can help small businesses manage and track their finances. Features like income and expense tracking, invoice management, bill payment, and inventory tracking make it a comprehensive bookkeeping solution.

QuickBooks also has robust reporting tools (with report customization options), tools to automate the reconciliation process, project tracking tools, and transaction tracking tags. You can easily share your books with your accountant with an in-built audit trail to ensure regulatory compliance. All QuickBooks plans include access to live customer support via 24/7 live chat and phone support (5 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST Monday to Friday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST Saturday and Sunday).

With higher-tiered plans supporting up to 25 users, QuickBooks is easy to scale with your growing business. Although its customizable dashboard can improve ease of use, QuickBooks has a learning curve, especially for business owners with no accounting experience. QuickBooks also lacks industry-specific reports, but if you look at comprehensive accounting features, scalability, and audit trail, QuickBooks is the better choice.

FreshBooks Vs. QuickBooks: Cost

  • FreshBooks offers four subscription plans:
  • Lite: $17 per month; supports one user and up to 5 billable clients
  • Plus: $30 per month; supports one user and up to 50 billable clients
  • Premium: $55 per month; supports one user and unlimited billable clients
  • Select: Custom pricing; supports up to two users and unlimited billable clients

FreshBooks offers free trial and promotional pricing for new users. You also have the option to add more users to any plan at an additional $11 per user.

QuickBooks also offers four subscription plans:

  • Simple Start:$30 per month; supports one user and unlimited billable clients
  • Essentials: $60 per month; support up to three users and unlimited billable clients
  • Plus: $90 per month; supports up to five users and unlimited billable clients
  • Advanced: $200 per month; supports up to 25 users and unlimited billable clients

QuickBooks also offers free trial and promotional pricing for new users.

Comparing the costs of QuickBooks vs. FreshBooks, it is clear that FreshBooks is a more affordable option for small businesses with five or fewer clients and a small team. However, you will need the scalability of QuickBooks as your business continues to grow.

FreshBooks Vs. QuickBooks: User Reviews

Users rate both FreshBooks and QuickBooks highly due to their utility and features.

When it comes to FreshBooks, user reviews indicate that the users are happy with the easy setup and use of this one-stop accounting software. Users also appreciate the utility and ease of use of the project tracking and invoice management features. However, the lack of inventory management and live chat features are the biggest pain points for FreshBooks.

On the other hand, for QuickBooks, users are happy with the seamless invoice management, easy-to-use and intuitive interface, and customizable analytics dashboard. User reviews also indicate that the features to customize reports and easy integration with multiple third-party software are advantageous. However, despite the availability of live customer support, connecting with customer care is one of the most significant drawbacks of using QuickBooks. Some users also pointed out difficulties integrating payments from Square.

Following are the average scores of FreshBooks and QuickBooks on three of the most popular review sites:

 FreshBooksQuickBooks
G24.5/5 (660 reviews)4/5 (3,050 reviews)
GetApp4.5/5 (4,100 reviews)4.36/5 (6,000 reviews)
TrustRadius8.1/10 (195 reviews)7.9/10 (1,530 reviews)

FreshBooks Vs. QuickBooks: Integrations

Third-party integrations have become critical in today’s business landscape to ensure your accounting software can work seamlessly with any other tools your company may be using. This can facilitate effective cross-discipline communication for effective data-driven decision-making.

FreshBooks offers integration capabilities with more than 100 third-party apps. For example, FreshBooks can integrate with Gusto for payroll management, Stripe or PayPal for credit card processing, or Shopify and Square for e-commerce. However, you may have limited integration choices when it comes to direct payroll or point-of-sale integrations.

QuickBooks gives you access to a massive library of third-party integration, syncing seamlessly with over 750 business applications in addition to integrating with QuickBooks native products. For example, QuickBooks can integrate with Rewind Backups for automatic data backup and restoration or Float for data-driven cash flow decision-making.

FreshBooks’ 100+ integration options can be enough for any small business. But QuickBooks can offer you more integration options for different functional integrations, making it more flexible and customizable.

Which Is Best for My Business Needs?

QuickBooks or FreshBooks – the answer to which is best depends on your unique business needs, the number of customers you serve, the features you need, and your budget. If you are a freelancer or small business looking for a budget-friendly and easy-to-use solution to track project profitability, FreshBooks is the better option for you. However, if you need a comprehensive accounting solution supporting unlimited clients and more users, QuickBooks will be a better choice.

FreshBooks Vs. QuickBooks – The Final Verdict

Looking at the overall functionalities, scalability, and integration options, QuickBooks is the better option for small businesses looking for online accounting and bookkeeping solutions.

QuickBooks is flexible and customizable, with four pricing plans offering bookkeeping functions and reporting templates accommodating the needs of everyone from a freelancer to a fast-growing business. Its advanced bookkeeping inventory management features, in-depth analytics reports, ease of sharing with accountants, and built-in audit trail make it a better choice for small businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does FreshBooks work with QuickBooks?

Yes, FreshBooks can integrate effectively with QuickBooks.

Is FreshBooks worth it?
Who is FreshBooks best for?
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