The short answer
If you want time tracking, expenses, proposals and accounting reports under one login, FreshBooks earns its subscription. If you want an invoice in the next two minutes without a plan, a trial or a client count, that is this site.
FreshBooks plans and prices
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $23 a month ($1 a month for the first year on the offer shown) | Invoices to 5 clients, estimates, expense tracking, time tracking, card and bank payments, tax-time reports |
| Plus | $43 a month (80% off for 3 months on the offer shown) | 50 clients, proposals and retainers, accounting reports, receipt scanning, accountant access |
| Premium | $70 a month (same offer) | Unlimited clients, project profitability, custom email templates |
| Select | Custom pricing | Unlimited clients, lower card fees, FreshBooks branding removed from client emails, two team members included |
Checked on 18 September 2026 on FreshBooks's own pricing page. Introductory offers change often; the regular prices are shown first. Prices change; their page has the live numbers.
FreshBooks vs InvoiceTools, side by side
| What | InvoiceTools | FreshBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to make documents; optional Pro and Business plans | From $23 a month; 30 day free trial, no free plan |
| Client limit | None | 5 on Lite, 50 on Plus, unlimited on Premium and Select |
| Account needed | No. An optional account adds saved clients and sending | Yes |
| Extra users | Not applicable | $11 a month per team member |
| Time tracking | No timer; hours go on the invoice as lines | Yes, on every plan |
| Expenses | Money out on the dashboard for signed-in users | Yes, with receipt scanning from Plus |
| Proposals and retainers | Quotes and estimates | From Plus |
| Card payments | Optional Pay now through Stripe. Stripe charges its own fee and InvoiceTools adds 1.3% on cards or 0.5% on bank payments on Free, less on Pro and Business. You can also add your own pay link | Yes; FreshBooks lists 2.9% + $0.30 per card payment and 1% for bank transfers |
| Accountant access | No. Send your accountant the files | From Plus |
| Other documents | Quotes, receipts, work orders, purchase orders, packing slips and more | Invoices, estimates and proposals |
FreshBooks facts from its own pages, checked on 18 September 2026.
Who FreshBooks suits better
FreshBooks is the better buy for a service business that bills time across several clients. The timer, the expense tracking, proposals that turn into invoices, accounting reports and accountant access are all things this site does not attempt. If you want one place for time, expenses and invoices, and your client count fits the plan, the subscription is doing real work.
Who this site suits
This site suits someone who writes a handful of invoices and does not want a monthly bill or a client count to manage. The free invoice generator loads your trade's line items with starting prices you edit, the Template Studio has 278 designs, and the payment links tool puts a pay link from the processor you already use on the invoice. For hourly work, the freelance rate calculator and the timesheet calculator cover the numbers. Chasing is the real cost either way: the late payment statistics show how long invoices take to clear.
Other free options
If you want a free app with an account instead of a subscription, two are worth a look. Wave's Starter plan is free for businesses in the US and Canada, and Zoho Invoice was free for up to 500 invoices a year when checked on 18 September 2026. The Wave comparison and the Zoho Invoice comparison have the details.
Other honest comparisons
Written the same way: what each tool does better, and where this site fits.
Common questions
Is there a free alternative to FreshBooks?
Yes. The free invoice generator here needs no signup: pick your trade, edit the loaded line items and download the PDF, with nothing stored on a server unless you sign in. There is no trial and no client limit.
Does FreshBooks have a free plan?
No. FreshBooks has a 30 day free trial, then a paid plan. When checked on 18 September 2026, Lite was $23 a month (with an introductory offer) and billed up to 5 clients.
How much does FreshBooks cost?
Regular prices on 18 September 2026: Lite $23, Plus $43 and Premium $70 a month, with Select priced on request. Team members are $11 a month each. Their pricing page often shows an introductory discount.
Can this site track my time like FreshBooks?
No. There is no timer here. You can price hourly work with the freelance rate calculator and put the hours on the invoice, but the tracking itself is not built in.
Can I give my accountant access like FreshBooks?
No. If your accountant needs to be in the system with you, FreshBooks is the better tool. This site produces documents you can send them.
Is FreshBooks worth it for a business of one?
It is if you bill time, want automatic payment reminders and want expenses tracked against clients. If you write a handful of invoices a month and already know what you are owed, you are paying a monthly fee for automation you are not using.
Can I use FreshBooks and this site together?
Yes. Keep FreshBooks for the clients on retainer and the recurring billing, and use this site for the one-off job, a quick quote, and document types such as a work order or a packing slip.
See all eight comparisons, or check what is free and what has an allowance.