QuickBooks Online vs Freshbooks

Last Updated:

Our analysts compared QuickBooks Online vs Freshbooks based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Accounting Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based accounting software designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It simplifies bookkeeping tasks like tracking income and expenses, managing invoices and payments, and generating financial reports. Its user-friendly interface and mobile accessibility make it ideal for entrepreneurs and non-accountants. Key benefits include automated data entry, real-time financial insights, and seamless collaboration with other online tools. Popular features include inventory management, payroll integration, and tax preparation assistance. Compared to similar products, QuickBooks Online shines in ease of use and scalability, offering tiered plans with varying features and pricing. Costs typically range from monthly subscriptions based on the number of users to additional fees for payroll and advanced features.

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Mobile access
  • Automated tasks
  • Scalable plans
  • Integrates well
Cons
  • Limited customization
  • Costly add-ons
  • Customer support
  • Reporting restrictions
  • Learning curve
read more...
Freshbooks is a cloud-based accounting software designed for freelancers and small businesses. Its core features include invoicing, expense tracking, online payments, project management, and basic reporting. It's user-friendly and integrates with popular tools like Stripe and PayPal. Freshbooks shines for solopreneurs and small teams seeking a simple, affordable solution to manage basic accounting tasks. Its intuitive interface and mobile app make it accessible even for non-accountants. Users appreciate its automated features like recurring invoices and expense categorization, saving them time and effort. Compared to some competitors, Freshbooks may lack advanced accounting functionalities like inventory management or double-entry bookkeeping. However, its focus on simplicity and ease of use makes it a popular choice for those starting out or needing a lightweight accounting solution. Pricing starts at a reasonable monthly fee and scales based on the number of clients and features needed. This pay-as-you-go model ensures users pay only for what they use, making it a cost-effective option for small businesses.

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Mobile app access
  • Automated invoicing
  • Online payments
  • Affordable
Cons
  • Limited features
  • No double-entry
  • Price increases with clients
  • Basic reporting
  • Not for large businesses
read more...
$25 Monthly
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
$4.50 Monthly
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Streamline Processes: Input, revise and deliver numerous invoices, expenses, checks and bills in just a few clicks with the batch invoicing module. Users may also cut and paste invoices and data from Excel into QuickBooks. 
  • Establish Permissions: Govern who may or may not review sensitive data as well as adjust custom permissions for deposits, sales, transactions and expense reports among other things with the user permissions functionality.  
  • Diminish Errors: Alleviate hazards, modify reminders and triggers, save time and initiate prompt reminders to obtain greater cash flows with the workflows accessory. 
  • Effortlessly Restore Data: Promptly back up any changes made in QuickBooks Online in addition to reviewing version histories with all changes made in its handy time log. 
read more...
  • Improve Efficiency: Automate every routine task such as sending invoice reminders and collecting payments from patrons so users can redirect their attention to cultivating their organization.  
  • Elaborate Reports: Produce in-depth reports that provide critical KPIs, giving users a live snapshot of their business' health and enabling them to make wiser decisions. 
  • Quicker Payments: Initiate simple online payment methods so patrons can quickly make payments and users are compensated faster. 
  • Establish Due Dates: Swiftly inaugurate due dates for invoices with the invoicing module, ensuring patrons are always aware of their payment deadlines. 
  • E-Sign Estimates and Proposals: Permit customers to e-sign estimates and proposals so users may rapidly return to their important tasks.  
  • Increase Accuracy: Prompt bank reconciliations allow users to instantly scan bank accounts and correspond account activity with financial records. 
  • Mobile Availability: Scan receipts, develop sophisticated invoices, respond to customer feedback and more with FreshBooks' mobile app available on iOS and Android devices. 
read more...
  • Income and Expense Tracking: Import bank, credit card, PayPal, Square and other transactions as well as promptly sort them into the right tax categories with the income and expense tracking module. Users may also take pictures of receipts with their smartphones and link them directly to expenses. 
  • Invoicing: Trace invoice statuses, deliver payment reminders to patrons, immediately match payments to invoices, accept credit cards and complete free bank transfers directly from an invoice with the invoicing attribute. 
  • Estimations: Transform estimates into invoices, validate mobile signatures, review estimate statuses and modify estimates to align with business requirements via the estimations appliance. 
  • Reporting: Create a variety of reports, including product profit and loss, expense, balance sheet, inventory, enhanced sales, profitability and other reports, through this attribute. Users may also oversee crucial financial metrics including cash flow and revenue on one dashboard. 
  • Organize Receipts: Expeditiously arrange and associate expense receipts with transactions, keeping them all in one place. 
  • Inventory Tracking: Receive alerts when inventory is running low as well as monitor products and the cost of goods with the inventory tracking system. Users may even evaluate popular items, draft purchase orders and superintend vendors.  
read more...
  • Invoicing: Personalize invoices and thank-you emails with company logos via the invoicing apparatus. Users may request deposits on invoices at the start of a project so they'll have the right amount of funds to financially sponsor a project in its preliminary stages. 
  • Expense Management: Link bank accounts and credit cards to FreshBooks instead of manually inputting data with the expense module. It displays data in real time so users will instantly know where their money is going. 
  • Time Tracking: Manage project and task durations through the time tracking feature. It's equipped with a timer that accurately records a time log of tasks that easily appears on invoices. Users may also see how their employees spend their time from completed responsibilities to arising issues to address before they become major problems. 
  • Project Management: Store files and vital attachments in the centralized project management accessory, enabling teams to efficiently find what they need so they can get right back to high-caliber tasks. Users may also allocate project deadlines, share images and files through FreshBooks and even designate rates or hours to particular projects.  
  • Estimates: Produce adjustable proposals in addition to outlining a project's extent, timeline and necessary deliverables. Users may quickly transform estimates into invoices and permit their clientele to validate estimates online. This tool also allows users to send invoices in different currencies and add discounts. 
  • Accounting: Receive precise profit and loss calculations and effortlessly share valuable financial data and reporting information with accountants. This module streamlines bank reconciliations by importing and arranging financial transactions, validating or revising automated matching recommendations and drafting and exporting Excel-friendly summary reports.  
  • Reports: Color-code spending breakdowns and obtain profit and loss reports with the reporting attribute. Users may save, export and even print financial reports for their accountants. This tool also enables users to have a headache-free tax season because it stores valuable data such as money earned to taxes that have already been paid off.  
  • Payments: Initiate various payment options such as VISA, MasterCard, AMEX and Apple Pay with the payment feature. This tool also instantly creates payments, collects reports, activates quick and painless bank deposits, requests deposits and provides payment schedules and partial payments for client flexibility. It also automatically sends receipts to patrons. 
read more...

Product Ranking

#1

among all
Accounting Software

#2

among all
Accounting Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

93
87
97
94
100
94
100
73
Show More Show More
Accounts Receivable
Banking and Cash Management
General Ledger and Chart of Accounts
Integration and Extensibility
Inventory Management
Platform Security
Project Accounting
Tax Management
Financial Statements and Revenue Management
Journal Entries

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

QuickBooks Online
Freshbooks
+ Add Product + Add Product
Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Banking And Cash Management Budget And Expense Management Financial Statements And Revenue Management General Ledger And Chart Of Accounts Integration And Extensibility Inventory Management Journal Entries Mobile Support Multi-company Accounting And Asset Management Platform Capabilities Project Accounting Reporting And Analytics Tax Management 97 100 100 91 93 100 100 100 82 92 65 100 100 96 100 94 94 73 86 98 75 88 81 97 97 49 89 100 92 100 0 25 50 75 100
89%
11%
0%
89%
0%
11%
100%
0%
0%
94%
0%
6%
100%
0%
0%
80%
0%
20%
92%
0%
8%
85%
0%
15%
86%
0%
14%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
75%
0%
25%
100%
0%
0%
77%
0%
23%
100%
0%
0%
57%
0%
43%
80%
0%
20%
100%
0%
0%
80%
20%
0%
100%
0%
0%
60%
0%
40%
50%
0%
50%
100%
0%
0%
89%
0%
11%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
84%
16%
0%
89%
0%
11%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

33%
0%
67%
67%
0%
33%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 9426 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 4096 reviews
84%
of users recommend this product

QuickBooks Online has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 84% when considering 9426 user reviews from 6 recognized software review sites.

90%
of users recommend this product

Freshbooks has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 90% when considering 4096 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

4.8 (23)
4.8 (28)
4.0 (2386)
4.6 (586)
4.4 (594)
n/a
4.3 (5581)
4.5 (3332)
4.5 (26)
n/a
4.1 (816)
4.0 (150)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated QuickBooks Online and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall Accounting Software available today and earns best-in-class honors for Accounts Receivable, Integration and Extensibility, Inventory Management, Platform Capabilities and Reporting and Analytics.

Analysts' Pick Award
Accounts Receivable Award
Integration and Extensibility Award
Inventory Management Award
Platform Capabilities Award
Reporting and Analytics Award

Freshbooks stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Easy to use: Intuitive interface and clear navigation make it accessible for users of various accounting experience levels.
Automated tasks: Streamlines workflows by automatically importing bank transactions, categorizing expenses, creating invoices, and sending reminders.
Real-time insights: Provides up-to-date financial information through customizable dashboards and reports, enabling informed decision-making.
Mobile accessibility: Access and manage finances anytime, anywhere with the mobile app.
Scalability: Grows with your business, offering different plans with varying features to accommodate evolving needs.
Integrations: Connects seamlessly with various business tools, such as bank accounts, payment gateways, and e-commerce platforms.
Payroll: Simplifies payroll processing, including tax calculations and direct deposits.
Show more
Customer Support: Approximately 89% of users that mentioned it in their review said customer support is supportive, helpful and quick to respond to issues.
Appliances: Precisely 58% of users that discussed the system functionalities enjoyed this program's appliances because they can create clean reports, set up repeating invoices, and add and manage credit cards.
Simple and intuitive interface: Freshbooks' clean layout and straightforward navigation make it easy for even non-accountants to manage their finances.
Time-saving features: Automated invoicing, expense categorization, and online payments let users save time and effort on routine accounting tasks.
Mobile app for on-the-go management: Access invoices, track expenses, and manage clients from smartphones or tablets, ensuring flexibility and productivity.
Affordable plans for growing businesses: Choose a plan that scales with your needs and budget, with options starting at an accessible price point.
Seamless integrations with popular tools: Streamline workflows by connecting Freshbooks with tools like Stripe, PayPal, and Google Workspace, centralizing financial data.
Show more
Limited customization: Lacks flexibility in customizing certain features, such as reports and chart of accounts, compared to some alternatives.
Costly add-ons: Essential features like payroll and advanced reporting often require additional fees, increasing the overall cost of ownership.
Customer support: Mixed reviews on the quality and availability of customer support, with some users reporting delays or difficulty reaching knowledgeable representatives.
Reporting restrictions: Certain financial reports and data exports have limitations, potentially requiring workarounds or manual adjustments.
Learning curve: While generally user-friendly, some features and functionalities may have a learning curve for those new to accounting software.
Occasional glitches: Users have reported occasional bugs or glitches that can disrupt workflows, requiring troubleshooting or waiting for fixes.
Show more
Limited features for complex accounting: Freshbooks may not handle advanced accounting needs like inventory management, double-entry bookkeeping, or fixed assets.
Not ideal for large businesses: As businesses grow, Freshbooks' scalability and feature set might become insufficient for complex financial operations.
Price increases with client base: The cost of Freshbooks can rise significantly as you add more clients, potentially exceeding initial budget expectations.
Basic reporting and analytics: Freshbooks' reporting capabilities may be insufficient for businesses requiring in-depth financial analysis and data insights.
Limited customer support for free plans: Free trial and Lite plan users might have limited access to customer support, potentially hindering troubleshooting and issue resolution.
Show more

QuickBooks Online remains a popular choice for many users, praised for its user-friendly interface and automated features. "It feels like Intuit took the complexity out of accounting and made it accessible even for someone like me with limited accounting experience," shared a small business owner. However, user reviews also highlight limitations, particularly around customization and cost. "I love the ease of use," stated a freelancer, "but the reporting options feel restrictive. I often have to export data and work with it in Excel to get the insights I need." This sentiment, coupled with complaints about the cost of add-ons like payroll, leads some users to compare QuickBooks Online to competitors. "Xero seems to offer more flexibility and advanced features," mentioned an accountant, "but the learning curve is steeper, and the monthly subscription is higher." Ultimately, the decision comes down to individual needs and priorities. For those seeking a balance of ease of use, automation, and affordability, QuickBooks Online continues to be a strong contender. However, users with more complex accounting needs or a desire for greater customization might find themselves looking towards competitors offering more robust features, even if it comes at a higher cost or with a steeper learning curve.

Show more

Freshbooks emerges from user reviews as a reliable and user-friendly accounting solution for solopreneurs and small businesses. Its intuitive interface, mobile app access, and automated features like invoicing and online payments are consistently praised for saving time and streamlining workflows. Compared to competitors like QuickBooks, users appreciate Freshbooks' ease of use for non-accountants, while acknowledging its limitations in advanced functionalities like double-entry bookkeeping or inventory management. This makes it ideal for those starting out or needing a lightweight accounting solution, but potentially less suitable for complex financial needs as businesses grow. Another key differentiator for Freshbooks is its affordability, with tiered plans starting at an attractive price point. However, user reviews also highlight a potential drawback: as client bases expand, so does the cost, which can become a concern for some users. Additionally, while basic reporting and analytics are included, users seeking in-depth data analysis may find Freshbooks' capabilities limited compared to more robust competitors. Overall, user reviews paint a picture of Freshbooks as a user-friendly and affordable accounting solution for solopreneurs and small businesses seeking to simplify their financial management. Its strengths lie in ease of use, automation, and mobile access, while its limitations emerge in advanced features and scalability for larger businesses. Ultimately, the decision to choose Freshbooks hinges on individual needs and priorities, with users emphasizing the importance of weighing its strengths against its limitations to ensure a perfect fit.

Show more

Screenshots

Top Alternatives in Accounting Software


Accounting Seed

Acumatica

BQE Core

Dynamics 365 Finance

FreeAgent

Freshbooks

Manager

Odoo Accounting

Oracle Financials Cloud

Patriot Accounting

Sage 50cloud Accounting

Sage Intacct

SAP Business One

SAP S/4 HANA Finance

TallyPrime

Wave Accounting

Workday Financial Management

Xero

ZarMoney

Zoho Books

Related Categories

Head-to-Head Comparison

WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more...

Compare products
Comparison Report
Just drag this link to the bookmark bar.
?
Table settings