Quick answer
FreshBooks is cheaper at the bottom: Lite is $23 a month against QuickBooks Simple Start at $38, but Lite covers only 5 billable clients. QuickBooks suits bigger books, more users and inventory. Both list a 30-day free trial. Prices checked 11 November 2026 from each vendor’s own US page.
How we compared: every price and plan limit on this page was read from the vendor’s own US pricing page on 11 November 2026, and QuickBooks figures were cross-checked against a second published source. We have not run hands-on tests of these products for this article, so we do not describe how they feel to use. Tax rules are summarised from published guidance and the IRS. This is general information, not tax or financial advice. See our editorial policy.
Which is better, FreshBooks or QuickBooks?
For a US freelancer or very small business, the choice comes down to how many clients and users you have and how much bookkeeping you need. Here is the short version by situation, with list prices per month.
| Best for | Software | From (per month) |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer with up to 5 billable clients | FreshBooks Lite | $23 |
| Freelancer or small business with up to 50 clients | FreshBooks Plus | $43 |
| Solo business that wants full bookkeeping | QuickBooks Simple Start | $38 |
| Up to 3 users | QuickBooks Essentials | $85 |
| Unlimited clients, projects and accounts payable | FreshBooks Premium | $70 |
New to both? Our QuickBooks pricing guide covers every QuickBooks plan, and Is QuickBooks free? explains the $0 plan.
How do the plans compare on price?
List price per month. Both vendors show a first-months discount, which we cover below. FreshBooks bills by the number of billable clients; QuickBooks bills by plan and user count.
| Plan | List price per month | Main limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| FreshBooks Lite | $23 | 5 billable clients | Invoices, estimates, expenses, unlimited time tracking, mileage, recurring invoices |
| FreshBooks Plus | $43 | 50 billable clients | Adds proposals, retainers, e-signatures, reconciliation, accountant access |
| FreshBooks Premium | $70 | Unlimited clients | Adds project profitability, accounts payable, bill receipt scanning |
| FreshBooks Select | Not published | Unlimited clients | Custom quote, lower payment fees, dedicated phone support |
| QuickBooks Simple Start | $38 | 1 user, 2 accountants | Invoicing, automated bookkeeping, general reports |
| QuickBooks Essentials | $85 | 3 users, 2 accountants | Adds enhanced reports and employee time on invoices |
| QuickBooks Plus | $140 | 5 users, 2 accountants | Adds budgeting, project profitability, inventory |
| QuickBooks Advanced | $340 | 25 users, 3 accountants | Adds custom dashboards, workflow automation, 1099 e-filing |
What do you pay in the first year?
Intuit advertises 50% off for 3 months on QuickBooks Online. FreshBooks advertises 80% off for 4 months. Both offers can change or end, and neither page shows an end date. This is our arithmetic from the listed prices.
| Plan | Offer | First year | List price per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| FreshBooks Lite | 80% off for 4 months ($4.60) | $202.40 | $276 |
| FreshBooks Plus | 80% off for 4 months ($8.60) | $378.40 | $516 |
| FreshBooks Premium | 80% off for 4 months ($14.00) | $616 | $840 |
| QuickBooks Simple Start | 50% off for 3 months ($19) | $399 | $456 |
| QuickBooks Essentials | 50% off for 3 months ($42.50) | $892.50 | $1,020 |
| QuickBooks Plus | 50% off for 3 months ($70) | $1,470 | $1,680 |
| QuickBooks Advanced | 50% off for 3 months ($170) | $3,570 | $4,080 |
NerdWallet says QuickBooks Online prices usually rise once a year, so re-check before you buy. Our QuickBooks pricing guide tracks the current list prices.
What extras can change the bill?
- Extra team members: FreshBooks charges $11 a month per team member on Lite, Plus and Premium. Two extra people on Plus makes it $43 plus $22, or $65 a month, still less than QuickBooks Essentials at $85.
- Payments: FreshBooks lists Advanced Payments at $20 a month on Lite, Plus and Premium. QuickBooks lists payments and bill pay features, with fees for some actions, such as $0.50 per standard ACH bill payment over the monthly allotment. Card processing fees are separate on both. Check each vendor’s current rates.
- Payroll: FreshBooks Payroll lists $40 a month plus $6 per user. QuickBooks sells payroll as a separate product, and we did not check its pricing for this article.
Which fits a freelancer with a few clients?
If you invoice 5 or fewer clients and mostly need to send invoices, track time and log expenses, FreshBooks Lite at $23 is the cheapest option on the pages we checked, and QuickBooks Simple Start at $38 costs $15 more a month at list price. QuickBooks’ own free plan is not a match for most freelancers: it allows only 2 invoices a month unless you use QuickBooks Payments, and it has no accountant access. Read our free plan guide before you rely on it.
Which fits a growing small business?
QuickBooks’ pages list inventory (from Plus), budgeting, user permissions and more users, which suit a business that is adding staff, products or advisers. FreshBooks Premium adds unlimited clients and accounts payable but its pricing page does not list inventory. If you sell physical products or need role-based access, QuickBooks is the one to test first. Intuit’s own comparison page claims QuickBooks is the more scalable option, but that page is marketing, and it listed FreshBooks prices checked in November 2025 that differ from FreshBooks’ current page.
What about contractors and 1099s?
If you pay freelancers, US reporting rules matter. For payments made in 2026, the Form 1099-NEC reporting threshold is $2,000, up from $600, under the 2025 tax law, according to CPA Practice Advisor. Check the current rules on the IRS Form 1099-NEC page or with your accountant. QuickBooks lists contractor management on its Free (1 contractor) and Lite (3 contractors) plans and free 1099 e-filing on Advanced. FreshBooks’ pricing page does not list 1099 filing.
How do you test them for free?
- Start both 30-day trials. FreshBooks says no credit card is required.
- Send one real invoice from each to your own email and check how it looks to a client.
- Connect your actual bank account and see how bank import and matching behave.
- Add a second person and check what it costs and what they can see.
- Write down the post-offer price and set a reminder before it starts.
Frequently asked questions
Is FreshBooks cheaper than QuickBooks?
At list price, yes at the entry level: FreshBooks Lite is $23 a month and Plus is $43, against QuickBooks Simple Start at $38 and Essentials at $85. But Lite covers only 5 billable clients and extra team members cost $11 each. Price the plan you will actually need.
Which is better for freelancers, FreshBooks or QuickBooks?
FreshBooks is built around invoicing, time tracking and billable clients, so it fits freelancers with a handful of clients. QuickBooks fits freelancers who want fuller bookkeeping, reports and room to add users or inventory later. Test both free for 30 days with your real invoices.
How many clients does FreshBooks allow?
FreshBooks Lite covers 5 billable clients, Plus covers 50, and Premium and Select are unlimited. If you invoice more than 5 clients you need Plus at $43 a month at list price, so compare that with QuickBooks Simple Start at $38.
How many users does QuickBooks include?
QuickBooks lists 1 user on Simple Start, 3 on Essentials, 5 on Plus and 25 on Advanced, with access for 2 accountants on the first three plans and 3 on Advanced. FreshBooks charges $11 a month for each extra team member on Lite, Plus and Premium.
Do FreshBooks and QuickBooks offer free trials?
Both list a 30-day free trial. FreshBooks says no credit card is required and adds a 30-day money-back guarantee. Intuit says QuickBooks Online has no annual contract and you can cancel any time. Intuit also lists a 50% discount for 3 months as an alternative to the trial.
Which one handles 1099 contractors?
QuickBooks Advanced lists free 1099 e-filing, and its Free and Lite plans can manage 1 and 3 contractors respectively. FreshBooks’ pricing page does not mention 1099 filing, so ask FreshBooks or your accountant how you would report contractor payments.
Update log: 11 November 2026. Prices and plan limits read from Intuit’s and FreshBooks’ own US pages. Next check: December 2026.
Sources: FreshBooks pricing, QuickBooks pricing, QuickBooks Free and Lite plans, NerdWallet: QuickBooks pricing, CPA Practice Advisor: 1099 rules. Prices checked 11 November 2026.