QuickBooks Online dominates with 3x more integrations and broader accounting features, while FreshBooks excels for service-based businesses with superior invoicing, time tracking, and client portals at a lower entry price.
FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Cloud accounting software optimized for freelancers and service-based businesses with built-in invoicing and time tracking.
Enterprise-grade cloud accounting platform with extensive integrations, advanced reporting, and native payroll capabilities.
Starting Price. Third-Party Integrations. Built-in Time Tracking. Client Portal Features. Mobile App Rating. Payroll Support. Learning Curve
Choose QuickBooks Online if you need comprehensive accounting, extensive integrations (650+), native payroll, and advanced reporting for established businesses with complex needs. Choose FreshBooks if you're a freelancer or service-based business prioritizing invoicing speed, time tracking, client collaboration, and lower costs—it's purpose-built for that workflow.
FreshBooks: $17 | QuickBooks Online: $30
FreshBooks: Limited by additional per-user charges | QuickBooks Online: Unlimited per plan tier
FreshBooks: Unlimited | QuickBooks Online: Unlimited
FreshBooks: Included as core feature | QuickBooks Online: Available in higher tiers
FreshBooks: Basic automation | QuickBooks Online: Advanced (Intuit Intelligence, Tax AI beta, batch processing)
FreshBooks: Supported | QuickBooks Online: Supported with advanced workflows
FreshBooks: Yes | QuickBooks Online: iOS & Android
FreshBooks: $11 | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Invoicing-specific optimized | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Standard OCR | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Low to moderate | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Simplified migration service | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Limited multi-entity capabilities | QuickBooks Online: Limited (separate subscriptions)
FreshBooks: No FreshBooks branding (Select tier+) | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 1 user | QuickBooks Online: 1 user
FreshBooks: 20+ | QuickBooks Online: 80+
FreshBooks: Yes, included in all plans | QuickBooks Online: No (add-on $10/user/month)
FreshBooks: All plans | QuickBooks Online: Limited/Premium plans only
FreshBooks: 24 hours | QuickBooks Online: 1-2 hours
FreshBooks: iOS and Android | QuickBooks Online: iOS, Android (full-featured)
FreshBooks: $17.50 | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 1-3 (plan dependent) | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Advanced - project, task, and user-level tracking | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Built-in with Stripe/PayPal integration | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 100+ integrations | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 12+ report types (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, Tax Summary) | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Included with payment collection | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 30 days | QuickBooks Online: 30
FreshBooks: No free plan | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 4.8/5 (12,400 reviews) | QuickBooks Online: 4.5/5
FreshBooks: 8 templates | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Receipt scanning only | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 30% faster with automated reminders | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 2-3 hours | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: $15/month | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: $240/year (Plus plan, billed annually) | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Unlimited with timer | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 1 user | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 4.6/5 (12,400+ reviews) | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Yes (U.S., Canada, Australia) | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 1 day (real-time) | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: $30.00 (Plus plan) | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: No - proposals only | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Full double-entry accounting | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 30 days | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 40+ (P&L, balance sheet, tax, aging, project profitability) | QuickBooks Online: 50+ customizable reports
FreshBooks: No (requires third-party or manual) | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Not available | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 100+ (Stripe, QuickBooks, Shopify, Zapier) | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 4.7/5 (42,000 reviews) | QuickBooks Online: 4.6/5 (89,000 reviews)
FreshBooks: Basic (payment reminders, invoice scheduling) | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Unlimited | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: Up to 10 | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 1-3 | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 1-3 days | QuickBooks Online: 2-4 weeks
FreshBooks: 92% | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 168 (24/7) | QuickBooks Online: 50 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm ET)
FreshBooks: Basic (quantity only) | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 120 requests/min | QuickBooks Online: N/A
FreshBooks: 50+ | QuickBooks Online: 650+
FreshBooks: Full: projects, file sharing, payment tracking | QuickBooks Online: Limited: invoice viewing only
FreshBooks: No (integration only) | QuickBooks Online: Yes, native QuickBooks Payroll
FreshBooks: 2-3 days | QuickBooks Online: 5-7 days
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: $30 (Simple Start)
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 3+ (scalable)
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Yes, included
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Phone, chat, and expert-assisted
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Yes (Advanced plan)
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Available via add-ons
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Enhanced 2026 features
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Limited USD focus
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 25 users
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Strong integration
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Deepest in market
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Free (QBO Accountant)
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Industry-leading recommendation
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 4.3M
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Built-in
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: $540/year
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Multiple (Online Plus+)
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Single entity focus
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Up to 500 SKUs
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Unlimited
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: $30/month
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: No (14-day trial only)
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Single currency per company
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 10,000+ banks
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 500+ via app marketplace
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 1 user
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 300,000+ certified
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Unlimited custom templates
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Advanced (recurring transactions, bill pay, expense automation)
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Full accounting, reporting, and transaction management
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: $180-$2400
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: $15/month
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 4.6 million
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 3 users (Essentials plan)
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 500+
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Full invoicing + real-time sync
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 5 standard roles
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 3-5 days
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 99.9%
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: $35
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 4.5M+ users
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 4.2/5
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 1 (U.S. primary)
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 160 (limited real-time conversion)
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 10,000
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Native (Payroll Plus plan included)
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 750+
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 3 users
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Automated (SmartMatch AI)
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: Included in plan
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 16,000+ global institutions
FreshBooks: N/A | QuickBooks Online: 100+ customizable reports
How to choose between FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online
FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online. Contains 120 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online.
Which is better for freelancers and consultants?
FreshBooks is significantly better for freelancers and consultants. It offers built-in time tracking, superior client portals where clients can see project progress and pay invoices, fastest invoicing workflow, and a lower starting price ($17 vs $30). Time tracking is included in all FreshBooks plans, whereas QuickBooks Online requires a $10/user/month add-on.
Which has more integrations and which should I choose if I use Shopify or Zapier?
QuickBooks Online dominates with 650+ integrations compared to FreshBooks' 50+. If you're using Shopify for e-commerce, Stripe for payments, or Zapier for workflow automation, QuickBooks Online will have direct, native integrations. FreshBooks supports fewer platforms, though it does integrate with major payment processors and some CRM tools.
QuickBooks Online includes native payroll through QuickBooks Payroll with federal tax filing, state tax filing, and direct deposit. FreshBooks does not handle payroll and requires integration with third-party payroll services like Gusto or ADP. If you have employees, QuickBooks Online is the better choice.
FreshBooks has a notably shorter learning curve—most users achieve proficiency in 2-3 days due to its focused interface designed specifically for invoicing and time tracking. QuickBooks Online takes 5-7 days because it includes more complex accounting features like multi-location inventory, advanced reporting, and tax compliance. FreshBooks' mobile app also rates 4.7/5 vs QuickBooks' 4.6/5 for ease of use.
FreshBooks' Plus plan costs $55/month with unlimited users, while QuickBooks Online's Plus plan costs $200/month (as of 2026). For a solo freelancer or small team, FreshBooks is 60-80% cheaper. However, QuickBooks' additional team member seats ($14-20 each) may add up differently depending on your team size. Budget $17-55/month for FreshBooks vs $30-200+/month for QuickBooks.
How to Choose Between FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online
Starting Price: FreshBooks has $17/month, while QuickBooks Online has $30/month.
Third-Party Integrations: FreshBooks has 50+, while QuickBooks Online has 650+.
Built-in Time Tracking: FreshBooks has Yes, with mobile app, while QuickBooks Online has No (requires add-on).
Client Portal Features: FreshBooks has Full project visibility, file sharing, while QuickBooks Online has Limited (invoice view only).
Mobile App Rating: FreshBooks has 4.7/5 stars (42K reviews), while QuickBooks Online has 4.6/5 stars (89K reviews).
Payroll Support: FreshBooks has Via integration only, while QuickBooks Online has Native QuickBooks Payroll.
Learning Curve: FreshBooks has 2-3 days for basics, while QuickBooks Online has 1 week for full mastery.