FreshBooks vs QuickBooks: Full Comparison (2026)

FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online: the invoicing-first platform or the full accounting suite, and does either one actually cover the complete client workflow?

Both handle invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reporting. But FreshBooks is built around sending invoices and tracking billable time for service businesses, while QuickBooks Online goes deeper into double-entry accounting, tax prep, and payroll. The trade-off: FreshBooks is simpler for invoicing-heavy freelancers, and QuickBooks goes further on financials, but neither one handles proposals, contracts, project management, or client scheduling natively, so the full client workflow still requires 2-3 additional tools on top of whichever accounting platform gets picked.

FreshBooks covers invoicing, expense tracking, estimates, and basic time tracking across tiered plans that add proposals and recurring invoicing at higher levels. FreshBooks caps billable clients on lower plans, charges extra per team member, and the reporting stays surface-level compared to a full accounting platform. There are no contracts, no client portals, and no Kanban boards, task management, or milestone tracking beyond basic task lists.

QuickBooks Online covers invoicing, expense tracking, bank feeds, and reporting, with time tracking and project tracking on higher tiers. QuickBooks has a steeper learning curve, and customer support is a recurring complaint across review platforms. The G2 rating sits at 4.0/5 compared to FreshBooks' 4.5/5, with support wait times and inconsistent advice cited in lower-rated reviews.

Plutio covers invoicing, proposals, contracts, Kanban project boards, task-level time tracking, and a white-labeled client portal, all in one platform with no per-user fees on any plan. If the workflow needs more than just accounting, and proposals, task management, and billing need to live in one place... Plutio handles the full lifecycle in one platform.

Last updated February 2026

4.6

Quick comparison (TLDR)

FreshBooks is an invoicing and accounting platform used by freelancers and small service businesses. Invoicing, expense tracking, estimates, and basic time tracking come standard starting at $21/month (Lite plan, 5 billable clients). The interface is clean, and most users send their first invoice within minutes of signing up. FreshBooks earned a 4.5/5 on both G2 (790+ reviews) and Capterra (4,493 reviews), with reviewers mentioning the invoicing workflow and onboarding speed. But accounting depth stops at single-entry bookkeeping on the lower plans, reporting is limited compared to QuickBooks, and the Lite plan caps billable clients at 5.

QuickBooks Online is a full double-entry accounting platform for small to mid-sized businesses. Invoicing, bank feeds, expense tracking, and financial reporting start at $38/month (Simple Start, 1 user). The Plus plan ($115/month) adds inventory management and project tracking for up to 5 users. QuickBooks Online has a 4.3/5 on Capterra (8,183 reviews) and 4.0/5 on G2, with reviewers mentioning reporting and accountant-friendliness. But the learning curve is steeper than FreshBooks, customer support draws consistent complaints, and the per-user pricing adds up fast for growing teams.

Key differences at a glance

Pricing: FreshBooks Lite costs $21/month for 5 clients. QuickBooks Simple Start costs $38/month for 1 user. FreshBooks is roughly half the price at the entry level, though QuickBooks includes unlimited clients from the start.
Accounting depth: QuickBooks Online is a full double-entry accounting platform with chart of accounts, journal entries, balance sheets, and tax-ready reports. FreshBooks covers invoicing and expense tracking but lacks the accounting depth that bookkeepers and accountants expect.
Invoicing experience: FreshBooks treats invoicing as the core workflow with automated payment reminders, late fees, and deposit requests built into every plan. QuickBooks includes invoicing too, but the invoicing workflow is one feature among many rather than the central focus.
Team pricing: FreshBooks charges $11/month per additional team member on any plan. QuickBooks bundles users into plans: 1 on Simple Start, 3 on Essentials ($75/month), 5 on Plus ($115/month), and 25 on Advanced ($275/month). For teams of 3+, QuickBooks can be more cost-effective per user.
Inventory: QuickBooks Plus ($115/month) includes inventory tracking with reorder points and purchase orders. FreshBooks has no inventory management on any plan.
Payroll: QuickBooks offers payroll as an add-on starting at $50/month plus $6/employee. FreshBooks offers payroll through a Gusto integration starting at $40/month plus $6/person. Neither includes payroll in the base price.

The verdict? FreshBooks costs less and focuses on invoicing, but caps clients and lacks reporting. QuickBooks covers accounting and reporting, but costs more and has no contracts or project management. If the workflow also needs proposals, contracts, Kanban boards, and a client portal without per-user fees, Plutio covers the full lifecycle for $19/month.

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Proposals, contracts, Kanban boards, task-level time tracking, and invoicing with no per-user fees. All in one platform for $19/month.

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Invoicing and payment collection

The work is done and the invoice needs to go out. Can the platform handle deposits, payment plans, automated reminders, and late fees without manual follow-up?

FreshBooks

FreshBooks centers the entire platform around invoicing. Every plan includes unlimited invoicing with automated payment reminders, late payment fees, deposit requests, and multi-currency support. Clients pay via credit card or ACH through a branded payment page. Invoices can be created from tracked time or estimates, so billable hours flow into line items without re-entering data. The Plus plan ($33/month) adds recurring invoices and client retainers. FreshBooks also supports expense markup, so reimbursable costs can be billed at a margin directly on the invoice.

Unlimited invoicing on every plan
Automated reminders and late fees
Time-to-invoice conversion
Multi-currency and deposit requests
Lite plan caps billable clients at 5, so freelancers with 6+ clients need the $33/month Plus plan
No contracts or proposals on Lite, so the intake workflow requires a separate tool

QuickBooks Online

Invoicing comes standard but is not the primary focus. QuickBooks Online includes invoicing on every plan with customizable templates, batch invoicing, and scheduled sending. Payment collection works through QuickBooks Payments (credit card, ACH, Apple Pay). The invoicing workflow handles estimates-to-invoices conversion, progress invoicing, and recurring billing. QuickBooks also supports invoice tracking, so it is visible when a client opens, views, or pays. But the invoicing interface sits inside a broader accounting platform, so getting to the invoice builder takes more clicks than in FreshBooks.

Invoicing on every plan with templates
Batch invoicing and scheduled sending
Progress invoicing for milestone billing
Invoice open and payment tracking
Invoicing sits inside a broader accounting platform, so finding the invoice builder takes more navigation
More clicks to create and send invoices compared to FreshBooks, which slows down high-volume billing

Accounting and financial reporting

Tax season arrives and the accountant needs organized books. Can the platform produce balance sheets, profit and loss statements, and tax-ready reports, or does the data need to be exported and cleaned first?

FreshBooks

Lightweight bookkeeping, not full accounting. FreshBooks includes profit and loss reports, expense reports, tax summaries, and accounts aging reports. Bank connections import transactions automatically, and expense categorization handles basic bookkeeping. The Plus plan adds double-entry accounting with a chart of accounts and journal entries. But FreshBooks is still primarily an invoicing platform with accounting features added on top, not the other way around. The reporting library is smaller than QuickBooks, and accountants who need balance sheets, cash flow statements, or custom financial reports often find FreshBooks limiting.

Profit and loss reports on all plans
Bank connections and expense categorization
Tax summary reports
Double-entry accounting only on Plus ($33/month) and above, so Lite users cannot produce balance sheets
Fewer report types than QuickBooks, which means accountants often export data to get the reports they need
Limited customization on financial reports, so multi-segment businesses cannot break down revenue by department or location

QuickBooks Online

Full double-entry accounting with more report types. QuickBooks Online is a double-entry accounting platform on every plan. Chart of accounts, journal entries, balance sheets, profit and loss statements, cash flow statements, and trial balances come standard. The Plus plan adds budgeting vs. actuals reporting, project revenue tracking, and class/location tracking for multi-segment businesses. The Advanced plan ($275/month) includes custom report builder, business analytics dashboards, and revenue recognition. QuickBooks covers accountant-ready books and tax prep support, but the learning curve is steeper and plans start at $38/month.

Full double-entry accounting on every plan
Balance sheets, P&L, cash flow statements
Budgeting and project revenue tracking on Plus
Custom report builder on Advanced
Deeper learning curve than FreshBooks, so non-accountants often need tutorials or onboarding time before using it independently
Advanced reports require $115-275/month plans, which prices out solo freelancers who only need basic financials

Time tracking and billable hours

A consultant bills 12 clients per week by the hour. Can the platform track time at the project or task level, and do those hours flow into invoices without manual data entry?

FreshBooks

Time tracking included on every plan. FreshBooks includes time tracking on all plans with a running timer and manual hour entry. Time entries attach to specific clients and projects, and billable hours convert into invoice line items with one click. The time tracking interface is straightforward: start a timer, assign it to a client and project, stop it, and the hours are ready to invoice. FreshBooks connects time entries to invoices, but the tracking is project-level only, with no task-level granularity for per-deliverable billing.

Time tracking on every plan
Timer and manual entry
Billable hours to invoice in one click
No task-level time tracking (project-level only), so hours cannot be tied to specific deliverables on the invoice
No team timesheets or approval workflows, which means managers review hours manually
Limited reporting on tracked time, so spotting underpriced projects requires spreadsheet analysis

QuickBooks Online

Time tracking on Essentials and above. QuickBooks Online includes time tracking starting on the Essentials plan ($75/month). The Simple Start plan ($38/month) does not include time tracking at all. On Essentials and above, time entries attach to customers and projects, and billable hours can be added to invoices. The Plus plan connects time tracking to project revenue tracking reports, so hourly cost vs. billable rate appears per project. QuickBooks' time tracking works but is not the focal point of the platform, and the interface feels like an add-on rather than a core workflow.

Time tracking on Essentials ($75/month) and above
Billable hours added to invoices
Project revenue vs. cost reports on Plus
No time tracking on Simple Start ($38/month)
Time tracking interface sits behind several menus, so logging hours takes more steps than in a dedicated tracker
No task-level granularity, so invoices show project totals rather than a per-deliverable breakdown

Expense tracking and receipt capture

Receipts pile up from client lunches, software subscriptions, and travel. Can the platform capture, categorize, and match expenses without manual data entry?

FreshBooks

Receipt capture with automatic categorization. FreshBooks includes expense tracking on every plan with bank and credit card connections. The mobile app captures receipt photos and uses OCR to extract merchant, amount, and date. Expenses attach to clients and projects for reimbursement tracking. The Plus plan ($33/month) adds automatic receipt data capture that matches uploaded receipts to bank transactions. Mileage tracking is also included on all plans. For service businesses with moderate expense volumes (10-50 transactions per month), FreshBooks handles the workflow without a separate tool.

Bank and credit card connections on all plans
Receipt photo capture via mobile app
Mileage tracking included
Client and project expense tagging
OCR accuracy varies on handwritten receipts, so those entries often need manual correction
No class or location tracking for expenses, which makes multi-department cost breakdowns impossible without exporting to a spreadsheet

QuickBooks Online

Full expense management with bank rules and categorization. QuickBooks Online includes expense tracking with automatic bank feed imports, receipt capture, and bank rules that auto-categorize recurring transactions. The platform matches receipts to transactions and flags duplicates. The Plus plan adds class and location tracking, so expenses can be segmented by department, project, or office. QuickBooks handles higher transaction volumes (hundreds per month) more efficiently than FreshBooks because the bank rules engine learns categorization patterns over time. QuickBooks handles higher expense categorization volumes, but bank feed delays and manual receipt matching still require oversight.

Automatic bank feeds and transaction matching
Bank rules for auto-categorization
Receipt capture and duplicate detection
Class and location tracking on Plus
Bank feed delays occasionally reported, which can leave reconciliation a day or two behind
Receipt matching requires manual review to confirm accuracy before closing the books

Proposals, contracts, and client onboarding

A new client needs a proposal, a signed contract, and a deposit before the work starts. Can the platform handle the full intake flow, or does each step require a different tool?

FreshBooks

Proposals on Plus and above, no contracts. FreshBooks includes proposals starting on the Plus plan ($33/month). Proposals can include service descriptions, pricing, and terms, and clients accept online. Accepted proposals convert to invoices. But the Lite plan ($21/month) has no proposal feature at all. FreshBooks does not include contracts, e-signatures, or legal agreement workflows on any plan. For client onboarding that requires a signed contract before work begins, a separate tool like DocuSign, PandaDoc, or HelloSign is needed, adding $10-30/month to the stack.

Proposals with online acceptance on Plus ($33/month)
Proposal-to-invoice conversion
No proposals on Lite plan ($21/month)
No contracts or e-signatures on any plan
No client portal for onboarding documents
Separate contract tool needed ($10-30/month)

QuickBooks Online

Estimates only, no proposals or contracts. QuickBooks Online includes estimates on every plan. Estimates can be converted to invoices once the client approves. But QuickBooks has no formal proposal builder, no contract templates, no e-signatures, and no client onboarding workflows. The estimate feature is functional for quoting prices but lacks the professional presentation of a branded proposal. For the full intake sequence (proposal, contract, deposit), both platforms leave gaps. Service businesses that need signed agreements before work begins still need a separate contract tool alongside either FreshBooks or QuickBooks.

Estimates on every plan
Estimate-to-invoice conversion
No proposal builder
No contracts or e-signatures
No client onboarding workflow
Separate tools needed for proposals and contracts

Project management and task tracking

The contract is signed and the work spans 6 weeks with multiple deliverables. Can the platform track tasks, deadlines, and team assignments, or does project tracking happen in a separate app?

FreshBooks

Basic project tracking with time and expense linkage. FreshBooks includes project tracking on all plans. Projects act as containers for time entries, expenses, and invoices tied to a specific client. The project view shows total hours, total expenses, and revenue vs. cost per project. But project management stops at that container level. There are no Kanban boards, no Gantt charts, no task assignments with deadlines, no subtasks, and no task dependencies. For multi-deliverable projects where multiple team members need to coordinate, a separate project management tool (Asana, Trello, or ClickUp) runs alongside FreshBooks.

Projects linked to time, expenses, and invoices
Per-project revenue tracking view
No Kanban boards or Gantt charts, so progress status lives in a separate tool
No task assignments or deadlines, which means team coordination happens in email or Slack
No subtasks or dependencies, so multi-phase projects cannot be sequenced inside FreshBooks
Separate project management tool required, adding $0-25/month and another login

QuickBooks Online

Project tracking on Plus and above, still no task management. QuickBooks Online includes project tracking on the Plus plan ($115/month) and above. Projects group income, expenses, time, and invoices per client engagement. The project revenue tracking report shows revenue vs. costs per project. But like FreshBooks, QuickBooks has no Kanban boards, no Gantt charts, no task assignments, no subtasks, and no dependencies. The project feature tracks financial performance rather than project progress. Platforms with Kanban boards and timeline views handle progress tracking without adding another app to the stack.

Project revenue tracking on Plus ($115/month)
Revenue vs. cost per project
No project tracking on Simple Start or Essentials, so those users pay $38-75/month without any project visibility
No Kanban boards or Gantt charts, so project progress stays invisible inside QuickBooks
No task assignments or deadlines, which means the team still needs Asana, Trello, or ClickUp alongside
Financial tracking only, no progress tracking, so the project view shows revenue but not whether the work is on schedule

Integrations and ecosystem

The workflow already includes Stripe, Google Workspace, Slack, and a project management tool. Can the accounting platform connect to the existing stack without manual data transfer?

FreshBooks

Focused integration library for service businesses. FreshBooks connects with Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, Gusto (payroll), Bench, HubSpot, Mailchimp, and about 100 other apps. Zapier support extends the reach to 5,000+ tools. The integrations focus on the service business workflow: payment processing, CRM, email marketing, and payroll. FreshBooks also has an API for custom integrations. The ecosystem is smaller than QuickBooks (100 vs. 750+ integrations), but covers the most common service business tools.

Stripe, PayPal, and Shopify payment integrations
Gusto payroll integration
Zapier for 5,000+ app connections
~100 native integrations vs. 750+ for QuickBooks
Fewer accounting-specific integrations, so niche tools may require Zapier workarounds
No native Slack or Microsoft Teams integration, so team notifications happen outside the platform

QuickBooks Online

750+ native integrations, but quality varies by partner. QuickBooks Online connects with 750+ apps natively, including Shopify, Amazon, Square, PayPal, Stripe, HubSpot, TSheets (time tracking), Gusto, ADP (payroll), and hundreds of industry-specific tools. The QuickBooks App Store is the largest in the small business accounting space. For businesses using Shopify, Amazon, or other e-commerce platforms, QuickBooks' inventory and sales channel integrations are deeper than FreshBooks. The accountant ecosystem is also larger: most bookkeeping firms are already set up with QuickBooks, so sharing books with an accountant is typically one click.

750+ native app integrations
E-commerce integrations (Shopify, Amazon, Square)
Largest accountant ecosystem
Payroll add-on built by Intuit
Some integrations require higher-tier plans, locking features behind $115-275/month subscriptions
Integration quality varies by partner, so some third-party connections need manual data checks

Skip the comparison?

Get proposals, projects, and billing in one app

FreshBooks and QuickBooks handle accounting. Plutio handles the entire workflow: proposals, contracts, Kanban boards, task-level time tracking, invoicing, and white-labeled client portals.

No credit card required

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4.7/5 Rating

FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online pricing breakdown

FreshBooks is cheaper at the entry level, but QuickBooks bundles more users per plan. The real cost depends on team size, client volume, and whether the workflow needs tools that neither platform includes.

FreshBooks Pricing (2026)

Lite: $21/month. Invoicing, expense tracking, estimates, time tracking, bank connections, mileage tracking. Limited to 5 billable clients. 1 user included.
Plus: $33/month. Everything in Lite plus proposals, recurring invoices, automatic receipt capture, double-entry accounting, 50 billable clients. 1 user included.
Premium: $60/month. Everything in Plus with unlimited billable clients, project revenue tracking, accounts payable. 1 user included.
Select: Custom pricing. Dedicated account manager, data migration, FreshBooks branding removal from emails.
Additional users: $11/month per person on any plan.
Payroll: Gusto integration starting at $40/month + $6/person.

QuickBooks Online Pricing (2026)

Simple Start: $38/month. Invoicing, expense tracking, bank feeds, basic reports, receipt capture. 1 user + 1 accountant.
Essentials: $75/month. Everything in Simple Start plus time tracking, bill management, multi-currency. 3 users + 1 accountant.
Plus: $115/month. Everything in Essentials plus inventory, project tracking, budgeting, class/location tracking. 5 users + 1 accountant.
Advanced: $275/month. Everything in Plus plus custom roles, workflow automation, forecasting, priority support. 25 users + 3 accountants.
Payroll: Add-on starting at $50/month + $6/employee.

The real cost: what solo freelancers actually pay

A solo freelancer on FreshBooks Plus pays $33/month for invoicing, proposals, time tracking, expense tracking, and 50 clients. The same freelancer on QuickBooks Essentials pays $75/month for invoicing, time tracking, and expense tracking with 3 user seats that go unused. FreshBooks is $42/month cheaper for a single user who needs time tracking and invoicing.

For a 3-person team, the math shifts. FreshBooks Plus ($33) + 2 extra users ($22) = $55/month. QuickBooks Essentials includes 3 users at $75/month. The difference narrows to $20/month, and QuickBooks includes more reporting options.

Neither platform includes proposals (FreshBooks Lite), contracts, Kanban project boards, or client portals. The supplementary tool stack typically adds:

Contracts and e-signatures: DocuSign or PandaDoc ($10-30/month)
Project management: Trello, Asana, or ClickUp ($0-25/month)
Client portal: Notion or custom solution ($0-15/month)

All-in-one platforms like Plutio start at $19/month for solo users with proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, and invoicing in one subscription.

The verdict: FreshBooks costs less per user for solo freelancers and small teams. QuickBooks costs more but includes inventory, multi-department tracking, and more reporting. Both leave gaps in task management, contracts, and client portals that add to the total monthly cost.

Which tool is the right fit for each business type?

FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online target overlapping audiences with different trade-offs. The right fit depends on whether the business needs invoicing simplicity or accounting depth.

Freelance writers, designers, and consultants

FreshBooks covers solo service providers at a lower price point. The time-to-invoice workflow is direct: track hours, click "create invoice," and the billable time populates automatically. The Lite plan at $21/month covers 5 clients, which fits freelancers starting out. The Plus plan at $33/month handles up to 50 clients with proposals and recurring invoicing. QuickBooks Essentials at $75/month includes time tracking too, but the extra $42/month buys accounting depth that most solo freelancers do not need in the first 2-3 years of business.

Small agencies and growing teams

QuickBooks bundles more users per plan, so the per-user cost drops at 3+ people. QuickBooks Essentials ($75/month) includes 3 users. The same setup on FreshBooks costs $55/month (Plus + 2 users), so FreshBooks is still cheaper for small teams. But once the team hits 5+ and the business needs inventory tracking, class/location tracking, or multi-department reporting, QuickBooks Plus ($115/month) covers what FreshBooks cannot.

E-commerce and product businesses

QuickBooks covers this use case, though at $115/month minimum for inventory. The Plus plan includes inventory management with reorder points, purchase orders, and sales channel integrations with Shopify, Amazon, and Square. FreshBooks has no inventory management on any plan. For businesses that sell physical products, FreshBooks requires a separate inventory tool or manual spreadsheet tracking.

Bookkeepers and accountants

QuickBooks has become the default for the accountant workflow. The QuickBooks Online Accountant portal lets bookkeeping firms manage multiple client books from one dashboard. Most accounting firms are already set up with QuickBooks, so collaboration is one click. FreshBooks has an accountant access feature, but the ecosystem is smaller and most bookkeepers default to QuickBooks for client work.

Coaches and service providers with complex client workflows

Neither platform handles the full client lifecycle. Coaches need scheduling, intake forms, contracts, session notes, and invoicing connected in one flow. Both FreshBooks and QuickBooks handle invoicing and basic time tracking, but neither includes contracts, scheduling, client portals, or project management tools. Platforms with built-in scheduling and contract management handle the coaching workflow more directly.

What both tools are missing

FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online both handle accounting and invoicing well. But once the invoice is sent and tasks, deadlines, and deliverables need tracking, both platforms leave significant gaps that push users into multi-tool stacks.

No contracts or e-signatures on either platform

Neither FreshBooks nor QuickBooks includes contract templates, e-signature collection, or legal agreement workflows. For service businesses that require a signed contract before work begins, a separate tool like DocuSign ($10-25/month), PandaDoc ($19-49/month), or HelloSign ($15-25/month) is needed. Each signed contract then lives in a different system from the invoice and the project, so there is no single timeline showing the full client engagement from agreement to final payment.

No real project management on either platform

Both platforms offer basic project containers that group time, expenses, and invoices by client. Neither includes Kanban boards, Gantt charts, task assignments with deadlines, subtasks, task dependencies, or completion milestones. For a 6-week website redesign with 15 tasks, 3 team members, and multiple review rounds, the project tracking happens in Asana, Trello, or ClickUp. Completed tasks and billable hours then get manually entered into FreshBooks or QuickBooks for invoicing. Platforms with Kanban boards and task-level time tracking connect tracked tasks to billing automatically.

No client portal on either platform

Neither FreshBooks nor QuickBooks provides a branded client portal where clients log in to view project progress, access shared documents, approve deliverables, and pay invoices from one place. FreshBooks has a client-facing invoice payment page, and QuickBooks has a similar payment interface, but neither offers a portal experience. For agencies and service businesses where clients expect visibility into project status, the absence means either manual email updates or adding a third tool for client communication.

No scheduling or booking on either platform

Neither platform includes appointment scheduling, calendar booking pages, or availability management. Service businesses that book discovery calls, strategy sessions, or recurring meetings need Calendly ($8-16/month), Acuity ($16-46/month), or a similar scheduling tool. The booked appointments then sit in a separate calendar system with no connection to the project, the invoice, or the client record in the accounting platform.

Limited automation beyond accounting

Both platforms automate accounting workflows: recurring invoices, payment reminders, bank transaction categorization. Neither automates the broader client workflow: sending a contract after a proposal is accepted, creating a project after a contract is signed, or triggering an invoice after a project milestone is marked complete. The entire client lifecycle, from proposal to final payment, involves manual handoffs between disconnected tools.

What users do when neither tool is enough

When FreshBooks or QuickBooks cannot handle the full client workflow alone, users build a multi-tool stack. The subscription costs add up, and the manual data transfer between tools eats hours every month.

The typical workaround stack

Most service businesses using either platform end up assembling something like this:

FreshBooks or QuickBooks for invoicing and accounting ($19-115/month)
DocuSign or PandaDoc for contracts and e-signatures ($10-49/month)
Asana, Trello, or ClickUp for project management ($0-25/month)
Calendly or Acuity for scheduling ($8-46/month)
Notion or Google Drive for client file sharing ($0-15/month)

The total runs $40-250 per month for a solo user, with four to five logins and no data flowing between systems automatically.

The hidden cost: manual handoffs between tools

The subscription costs are the visible expense. The hidden cost is the workflow friction. When a proposal gets accepted in PandaDoc, someone manually creates a project in Asana, sets up time tracking in FreshBooks, and sends a contract through DocuSign. When the project wraps, tracked hours get manually copied into a FreshBooks invoice, and the contract status in DocuSign stays disconnected from the billing record. Each handoff takes 5-15 minutes. Across 15-20 client engagements per year, 25-40 hours go into data transfer that connected software handles automatically.

The one-platform path

All-in-one platforms exist that handle proposals, contracts, project management, time tracking, and invoicing in a single system. The trade-off is learning a new interface and migrating existing data. For users who have spent months customizing QuickBooks reports or FreshBooks invoice templates, migration feels like a setback. For users already juggling four apps and spending hours on handoffs each month, switching to one platform can recover 2-4 hours per week.

What switching to one platform looks like

If the workflow already spans multiple tools: Plutio handles the complete client lifecycle. Proposals convert into projects with Kanban boards. Time tracking happens at the task level and flows directly into invoice line items. Clients access a portal on a custom domain with project updates, shared files, and payment links in one place. The comparison table below shows exactly where Plutio fills the gaps that FreshBooks and QuickBooks leave open.

Final verdict: FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online

FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online both handle invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reporting for small businesses. The differences show up in accounting depth, pricing structure, ease of use, and how much setup each platform demands.

FreshBooks trade-offs:

FreshBooks treats invoicing as the core workflow with time-to-invoice conversion, automated reminders, and late fees on every plan, but caps billable clients at 5 on Lite and 50 on Plus.
FreshBooks Lite at $21/month costs half of QuickBooks Simple Start at $38/month, but charges $11/month per additional user, which adds up for teams.
FreshBooks has a 4.5/5 on both G2 and Capterra with a shorter learning curve, but reporting is limited compared to QuickBooks and there is no inventory tracking, no contracts, no client portals, and no Kanban boards or task management on any plan.

QuickBooks Online trade-offs:

QuickBooks covers full double-entry accounting with balance sheets, cash flow statements, and tax-ready reports, but costs more at every tier and the learning curve is steeper (G2: 4.0/5 vs. FreshBooks' 4.5/5).
QuickBooks Plus ($115/month) includes inventory with reorder points and purchase orders, but that feature sits behind a plan that costs 5x what FreshBooks Lite charges.
Most accounting firms default to QuickBooks for practitioner access, but customer support is a persistent complaint, and the platform does not include contracts, proposals, project management tools, or client portals.

Consider switching to a unified platform if:

The tool stack already includes 3+ separate apps for proposals, contracts, project management, and invoicing.
Manual data transfer between tools takes hours every month and introduces billing errors.
Projects need Kanban boards, task-level time tracking, and project milestones, not just financial containers.
Clients need a branded portal with project visibility, document sharing, and payment access in one place.
Per-user fees are eating into margins as the team grows.

The bottom line: FreshBooks focuses on invoicing. QuickBooks focuses on accounting. Both handle the financial side but stop at invoicing and accounting. Project management, contracts, scheduling, and client portals happen in other apps. If the workflow already spans multiple tools and the handoffs between them cost real hours every month, the comparison table below shows how Plutio stacks up against both.

Research & Sources

This comparison is based on official documentation review, pricing page verification, and analysis of user feedback across review platforms. All data was verified in February 2026.

Research methodology

Each tool was evaluated through official feature documentation, pricing pages, and analysis of user reviews across Capterra, G2, and independent review sites. The focus was on common pain points from lower-rated reviews where users share honest limitations rather than promotional praise.

Platform ratings (February 2026)

FreshBooks: 4.5/5 on G2 (790+ reviews), 4.5/5 on Capterra (4,493 reviews). Reviewers mention invoicing workflow and ease of use. Criticized for limited reporting, client caps on lower plans, and limited project management.
QuickBooks Online: 4.0/5 on G2, 4.3/5 on Capterra (8,183 reviews). Reviewers mention accounting features, reporting, and accountant collaboration. Criticized for customer support, pricing increases, and steep learning curve.
Plutio: 4.6/5 on G2 (200+ reviews), praised for all-in-one coverage and white-labeling.

Common user complaints (from 1-3 star reviews)

FreshBooks users frequently mention: "Limited number of clients on Lite plan," "Reporting is basic compared to QuickBooks," "No inventory tracking," "Per-user pricing adds up fast"

QuickBooks Online users frequently mention: "Customer support is terrible," "Prices keep going up every year," "Learning curve is steep for non-accountants," "Simple Start plan is very limited"

Pricing sources (verified February 2026)

FreshBooks: Official pricing page - Lite $21/month, Plus $33/month, Premium $60/month
QuickBooks Online: Official pricing page - Simple Start $38/month, Essentials $75/month, Plus $115/month, Advanced $275/month
Plutio: Official pricing page

Feature verification

FreshBooks Capterra reviews (4,493 reviews, 4.5/5)
QuickBooks Online Capterra reviews (8,183 reviews, 4.3/5)
NerdWallet FreshBooks vs QuickBooks comparison
Intuit's FreshBooks vs QuickBooks comparison

If any information is inaccurate or outdated, please let us know so the team can investigate and update.

FreshBooks vs QuickBooks vs Plutio: full feature comparison

See how all three tools compare on invoicing, accounting, project management, time tracking, and client portals

PRICING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Starting price	$19/month (Core plan)	$21/month (Lite, 5 clients)	$38/month (Simple Start), promo: 50% off for first 3 months
Free plan	No free plan (14-day trial available)	No free plan (30-day trial)	No free plan (30-day trial)
Trial period	14-day free trial	30-day free trial	30-day free trial
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Manage projects and tasks	Fully flexible project and task setup you can shape to your workflow	Basic project tracking with profitability focus	Basic project tracking (Plus plan and above, limited to budgets and time)
Project roles and permissions	Control exactly who can view or edit each part of a project	Team member permissions (Admin, Manager, Employee)	No project-level roles or permissions
Multiple task boards	Unlimited boards to run parallel workflows in the same project	No task boards (list-based tracking only)	No Kanban, Gantt, or calendar views
Embeddable project boards	Live project boards embedded into client portals or websites	No embeddable project views	No embeddable boards
Sharable project boards	Read-only public links for sharing progress without risk	Clients can view documents in portal only	No sharable boards
Project stages and milestones	Define custom project lifecycles for different types of work	No project stages or milestones	No custom project statuses
Connected proposals, contracts, and invoices	Everything related stays connected to the project automatically	Estimates and invoices connect (no contracts)	Projects link to invoices and expenses (no proposals or contracts)
Custom project data fields	Track, sort, filter, and report on custom project data	No custom project fields	No custom project fields
Kanban boards	Drag-and-drop tasks across customizable columns	No Kanban boards	No Kanban board
Table view	Bulk-edit tasks like a spreadsheet	No table view for tasks	Transaction list view within projects
List view	Clean task lists with clear hierarchy	Task list view available	Transaction list view within projects
Calendar view	See tasks and deadlines on a calendar	Calendar shows events, not tasks	No calendar view
Gantt view	Plan work visually with task order and dependencies	No Gantt charts	No Gantt chart
Subtasks	Break work down into multiple nested levels	No subtasks	No subtask support
Email to task	Turn emails into tasks without manual copying	No email-to-task conversion	No email to task
Task comments	Keep discussions tied directly to each task	Team discussion on projects	No task management system
Task attachments	Store files directly on the task they belong to	Files can be attached to projects	No task management system
Task priorities	Define priority levels that fit your workflow	No task priorities	No task management system
Task labels & color coding	Use unlimited labels to visually organize tasks	No task labels or color coding	No task management system
Multiple task assignees	Assign tasks to one or multiple teammates	Tasks can be assigned to team members	No task assignees
Task templates	Reuse task-level structures across projects	Project templates available	No task templates
Task permissions	Control access at the individual task level	No task-level permissions	No task-level permissions
Task dependencies	Prevent work from starting out of order	No task dependencies	No task dependencies
Recurring tasks	Automate repeating work with flexible schedules	No recurring tasks	Recurring transactions only (not tasks)
Custom task data fields	Add task-level fields for tracking custom details	No custom task fields	No custom task fields
TIME TRACKING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Time tracking system	Easily track time using timers or manual entries	Timer and manual time entry	Built-in time tracking (Essentials plan and above)
Task-level tracking	Log time directly against tasks and subtasks	Time tracked per service, not per task	Time tracked per service item and project (not per task)
Project-level tracking	See time spent per project and per client	Time tracked per project and client	Time tracked per project (Plus and Advanced plans)
Billable time tracking	Clearly separate billable and non-billable time	Billable and non-billable hours supported	Billable and non-billable time categorization
Billable time invoicing	Turn tracked time into invoices without extra steps	Time entries convert to invoices	Add billable time directly to invoices
Timesheet reports	View detailed time reports by task, project, or client	Detailed time reports available	Detailed time reports available
Team timesheets	See how each team member tracks their time	Team time tracking on higher plans	Team timesheets with weekly view (Essentials plan and above)
PROPOSALS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Create and send proposals	Create proposals clients can review, approve, and sign in one flow	Estimates only (not full proposals)	Estimates only (not full proposals)
Drag-and-drop proposal builder	Create custom, branded proposals without layout limits or code	No visual proposal builder	No visual proposal builder
Reusable proposal templates	Reuse proven proposal layouts across clients	Estimate templates available	Estimate templates available (not full proposals)
Real-time proposal analytics	See exactly when proposals are opened and reviewed	No proposal view tracking	No proposal view tracking
Live messenger on proposals	Answer questions directly while clients review proposals	No in-proposal messaging	No in-proposal messaging
Proposal flow automation	Move from proposal to contract, invoice, or booking automatically	Estimate to invoice only	Estimate to invoice only
Convert proposal to invoice	Create invoices directly from approved proposals	Convert estimates to invoices	Convert estimates to invoices
Packages and add-ons	Offer upsells and add-ons directly inside proposals	No packages or add-ons	No packages or add-ons
Interactive pricing tables	Let clients choose options before approving	Static pricing only	Static pricing only
Dynamic data and variables	Auto-fill proposal content with client and project data	Basic placeholders available	Basic placeholders available
Expiration dates	Automatically expire proposals after a set date	Manual expiry dates on estimates	Manual expiry dates on estimates
PDF Export	Download as branded PDFs	PDF export included	PDF export included
Reusable content blocks	Create reusable proposal sections you can reuse on demand	No reusable content blocks	No reusable content blocks
Legally binding e-signatures	Collect secure electronic signatures on proposals	No e-signatures	Basic e-signature on estimates (DocuSign integration on Advanced plan)
Custom proposal data fields	Create custom proposal data you can sort, filter, and report on	No custom proposal fields	Custom fields on Advanced plan only
CONTRACTS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Create and sign contracts	Create, send, and sign contracts in one continuous flow	Contracts not supported	QuickBooks Online does not handle contracts
Drag-and-drop contract builder	Create fully custom contracts with flexible layouts, no code or formatting limits	No contract builder	No contract builder
Legally binding e-signatures	Collect secure signatures with audit trails and signer verification	No e-signatures	No e-signatures on contracts
Multi-signature / signees	Collect signatures from multiple people on the same contract	Not supported	No multi-signature support
Reusable contract templates	Reuse contract structures to create new agreements faster	No contract templates	No contract templates
Auto-reminders automation	Automatically follow up until contracts are signed	No contract reminders	No contract reminders
Dynamic data/variables	Auto-fill contract content with client and project data	Not applicable	No contract variables
Contract automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows the moment a contract is signed	Not supported	No contract automation triggers
View notifications	See when contracts are opened and reviewed	Email notifications when viewed	Invoice and estimate view notifications only
PDF download with signature certificate	Download signed contracts with official proof of signature	Not applicable	No contract signatures or certificates
Custom signer data fields	Collect structured signer information during signing	Not applicable	No signer data fields
Custom contract data fields	Create custom contract data you can sort, filter, and report on	Not applicable	No contract features
INVOICES & PAYMENTS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Create invoices and get paid	Send invoices and collect payments in one connected flow	Full invoicing with online payments	Full invoicing with online payments (credit card, ACH, Apple Pay, PayPal, Venmo)
Fully branded invoices	Match invoices to your brand with custom logos, colors, and layout	Customizable invoice branding	Customizable invoice branding with logo, colors, and layout
Drag and drop invoice builder	Create custom invoice layouts visually without formatting limits	Template-based editor only	Template-based editor only
Customizable line items	Edit pricing, quantities, descriptions, and structure freely	Fully customizable line items	Fully customizable line items with products/services catalog
Item or invoice discounts	Apply discounts at the item or full invoice level	Discounts supported	Discounts supported
Customizable taxes	Create tax rules that match your location and use case	Custom tax rates	Automated sales tax calculation
ACH payments	Accept bank transfers for lower-fee payments	ACH bank payments supported	ACH bank payments supported
Stripe integration	Accept credit and debit cards instantly	Stripe payments supported	QuickBooks Payments built-in (Stripe via third-party integration)
Square integration	Collect in-person payments when needed	Square not integrated	Square integration for sales sync (not direct invoice payments)
PayPal integration	Let clients pay using PayPal	PayPal payments supported	PayPal and Venmo payments on invoices
Flexible partial payments	Collect deposits and split payments across milestones	Partial payments supported	Partial payments supported
Payment plans	Break invoices into scheduled installments	Manual setup required	Recurring invoices only (no structured installment plans)
Automated recurring invoices	Automatically send invoices on a recurring schedule	Recurring invoices supported	Automated recurring invoices with flexible schedules
Subscription management	Manage ongoing client subscriptions and billing	Retainers available on Plus plan	Recurring invoices only (no subscription portal)
Automated payment reminders	Follow up automatically until invoices are paid	Automated late payment reminders	Automated late payment reminders
Reusable invoice templates	Reuse invoice layouts without rebuilding each time	Invoice templates available	Reusable invoice templates available
Multiple currency support	Bill clients globally in their local currency	Multi-currency supported	Multi-currency supported (Essentials plan and above)
Invoice automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows when invoices are sent or paid	Limited automation	Recurring transaction automation (custom workflows on Advanced only)
View notifications	See when invoices are opened and paid	Email notifications when viewed	Email notifications when invoices are viewed and paid
Built-in expense tracking	Track project-related costs alongside invoices	Full expense tracking with receipts	Full expense tracking with receipt scanning, bank sync, and auto-categorization
Invoice deposits	Collect upfront payments before work starts	Deposit invoicing supported	Deposit invoicing supported
Auto-invoice billable time	Turn tracked time into invoices automatically	Time to invoice conversion	Add billable time directly to invoices
Custom invoice data fields	Create custom invoice data you can sort, filter, and report on	No custom invoice fields	Custom fields on sales forms (3 fields on Plus, more on Advanced)
INBOX Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Centralized unified inbox	Manage email, chat, and messages from one shared inbox	No unified inbox	No unified inbox
Full email integration	Connect and manage all your email accounts in one place	No email integration	No email integration (notifications only)
Embeddable live chat	Add real-time chat to your website and client portals	No live chat	No live chat
Instant direct messages	Message teammates privately without leaving your workspace	No direct messaging	No direct messaging
Contextual project conversations	Keep conversations tied directly to the project they belong to	Project discussions available	No project messaging
Team channels	Create shared spaces for team-wide discussions	No team channels	No team channels
Customized channels	Organize channels by team, topic, or workflow	Not applicable	No channels
@mentions	Notify teammates instantly inside conversations	No @mentions	No @mentions
Message read receipts	See when messages are read	No read receipts	No read receipts
File sharing in chat	Share files directly inside conversations	No chat feature	No chat feature
Shared email inbox	Collaborate on incoming emails as a team	No shared inbox	No shared inbox
Inbox mobile app	Access and respond to messages on mobile	No inbox in app	No inbox feature
Email reply to inbox	Reply from your email client and keep conversations synced	No inbox sync	No inbox feature
FILES Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Store and manage files	Keep all client and project files in one organized place	Basic file storage in projects	File attachments on transactions (no centralized file manager)
Advanced folder organization	Organize files by project, client, or structure you choose	No folder organization	No folder organization
Folder permissions	Control who can view or edit folders	No folder permissions	No folder permissions
People folders	Group files by person when needed	Not supported	No people folders
Project folders	Keep files scoped to each project	Files organized by project	Files organized within project transactions
In-app previews	Preview files instantly without downloading	Basic file previews	Basic file previews for receipts and documents
Custom file data fields	Capture file metadata you can sort and filter	No custom file fields	No custom file fields
Built-in documents	Create and edit documents directly inside Plutio	No document editor	No built-in document editor
Comments on files and docs	Leave comments directly on files and documents	No file comments	No file comments
Bulk file actions	Move, tag, or manage many files at once	No bulk actions	No bulk file actions
Files search & filter	Find files quickly using search and filters	Basic search	Basic search across transactions
External cloud sync	Sync files with Google Drive or Dropbox	Dropbox and Google Drive integrations	Google Drive and Dropbox integrations
Secure sharing controls	Restrict access with permissions or passwords	Basic sharing via portal	Account-level role-based access
File sharing links	Share files externally with controlled access	No shareable file links	No shareable file links
SCHEDULING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Schedule meetings	Let clients book meetings directly without back-and-forth emails	No scheduling features	QuickBooks Online does not have scheduling
Branded booking page	Build a fully branded, customizable booking system using a drag-and-drop editor	No booking pages	No booking pages
Advanced availability management	Define flexible availability rules applied automatically to bookings	Not applicable	No availability management
Automatic buffer times	Add buffer time automatically between meetings	Not applicable	No buffer times
Multiple meeting types	Create unlimited booking types with different rules and setups	Not applicable	No meeting types
Calendar sync (Google/Outlook)	Two-way calendar sync that stays up to date automatically	Calendar sync for late payments only	No calendar sync for scheduling
Customizable booking confirmations	Fully customizable confirmation pages with no layout or branding limits	Not applicable	No booking confirmations
Redirect after booking	Send bookers anywhere after scheduling, not just a fixed thank-you page	Not applicable	No booking system
Booking automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows the moment a meeting is booked	Not applicable	No booking automation
Smart meeting reminders	Send automatic reminders without manual follow-ups	Not applicable	No meeting reminders
Automatic timezone detection	Handle timezones automatically without manual adjustments	Timezone support for invoicing	Account timezone setting only
Paid appointments (Stripe/PayPal)	Collect payments during booking without extra steps	Not applicable	No paid appointments
Custom booking forms	Build booking forms with full control over questions and layout	Not applicable	No booking forms
Minimum notice / daily booking limits	Set booking limits to control lead time and daily volume	Not applicable	No booking limits
Rescheduling and cancellation controls	Define flexible rules for rescheduling and cancellations	Not applicable	No scheduling controls
AUTOMATION Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Automated workflows builder	Build advanced workflows visually without code or rigid templates	No workflow builder	Custom workflows (Advanced plan only, $275/month)
Trigger-based workflows	Start workflows from real events across projects, clients, and payments	Limited payment and invoice triggers	Bank rules and transaction triggers (custom workflows on Advanced only)
Schedule-based workflows	Run workflows on schedules you control, not fixed intervals	Recurring invoices only	Recurring transactions only (no independent schedule workflows)
Multi-step workflows	Chain multiple actions into one continuous automation	No multi-step automation	Multi-condition workflows (Advanced plan only)
True/False branching	Create conditional paths instead of one-size-fits-all flows	No conditional logic	Conditional approval workflows (Advanced plan only)
Delay-based actions	Add precise timing between steps, down to minutes or days	Payment reminder delays	Payment reminder delays only
Create & update records	Create, update, or move records automatically across the system	No record automation	Auto-create recurring invoices and transactions
Move & duplicate records	Reorganize work automatically without manual cleanup	Not supported	Duplicate estimates and transactions manually
Delete & archive records	Automatically archive or remove records based on rules	Not supported	Manual deletion and voiding only
API calls (webhooks)	Trigger or receive real-time events from external systems	Limited webhook support	Full REST API and webhooks via Intuit Developer Platform
Send emails	Send automated emails tied to real workflow events	Automated invoice and reminder emails	Automated invoice and reminder emails
Post comments	Add notes or comments automatically where work happens	No automated comments	No automated comments
Complete automation logs	See exactly what ran, when, and why	Basic activity history	Audit trail tracks all user actions and changes
Auto-fill data/variables	Pass data between steps dynamically without manual mapping	Basic invoice placeholders	Basic invoice placeholders
Cross-entity connections	Run workflows that span projects, tasks, proposals, invoices, and more	Clients link to invoices and projects	Invoices link to projects and customers (limited cross-entity scope)
FORMS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Create branded forms	Build fully branded forms that match your workflow and client experience	No form builder	No form builder
Drag-and-drop form builder	Design forms visually with full layout control, no code required	Not applicable	No form builder
Reusable form templates	Reuse form structures without rebuilding from scratch	Not applicable	No form feature
Custom form data fields	Collect structured data you can sort, filter, and report on	Not applicable	No form feature
Smart conditional logic	Show or hide fields based on responses, not static forms	Not applicable	No form feature
Instant email notifications	Get notified immediately when forms are submitted	Not applicable	Invoice and payment notifications only
Form automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows when a form is submitted	Not applicable	No form feature
Embed forms	Embed forms anywhere without layout restrictions	Not applicable	No form feature
Advanced field preferences	Control required, hidden, and default field behavior	Not applicable	No form feature
Comprehensive field types	Collect text, files, dates, selections, and more	Not applicable	No form feature
Form signature field	Collect legally binding signatures directly inside forms	Not applicable	No form feature
File upload fields	Accept file uploads as part of form submissions	Not applicable	Receipt capture via mobile app (not form-based)
Redirect after submission	Send submitters to a custom next step, not a fixed thank-you page	Not applicable	No form feature
CRM Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Manage clients and leads	Manage contacts and companies in one connected system	Client management included	Basic customer and vendor contact management (no pipeline or lead tracking)
Full company management	Track organizations, not just individual contacts	Client records only (no companies)	Customer records for individuals and companies (basic info only)
Custom contact data fields	Collect and manage structured contact data you define	No custom client fields	Custom fields on customers (all plans)
Complete activity timeline	See every interaction with a client in one place	Client activity history available	Full transaction history per customer
Contacts labeling and grouping	Organize contacts flexibly without rigid pipelines	No labels or grouping	Customer types and sub-customers (no tags or segmentation)
WIKI Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Comprehensive knowledge base	Create an internal wiki for processes, docs, and guides	No knowledge base	No knowledge base
Beautiful rich text pages	Write structured, formatted content without complexity	Not applicable	No rich text pages
Unlimited nested pages	Build deep knowledge hierarchies without limits	Not applicable	No nested pages
Granular page permissions	Control exactly who can view or edit each page	Not applicable	No wiki feature
DASHBOARDS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Custom dashboards and pages	Build dashboards around what matters to you, not fixed metrics	Financial dashboard only	Performance Center, custom reports, and Business Performance dashboard (Fathom removed July 2022)
Drag-and-drop dashboard builder	Design dashboards visually with full layout control	No custom dashboard builder	No custom dashboard builder
Charts widget	Visualize data with customizable charts	Financial charts available	Financial charts (P&L, cash flow, expense breakdown)
Metrics widget	Track key numbers without manual reporting	Key financial metrics displayed	Key financial metrics displayed
Goals widget	Monitor progress toward defined goals	No goals widget	No goals widget
Notes widget	Add contextual notes directly to dashboards	No notes widget	No notes widget
Calendar widget	View upcoming events alongside work and metrics	No calendar widget	No calendar widget
Financial widgets	Track revenue and expenses in the same view	Comprehensive financial widgets	Comprehensive financial widgets (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, A/R, A/P)
BRANDING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
White-label and branding	Run the entire platform under your brand	Branding on invoices only	Branding on invoices only (cannot remove QuickBooks branding)
Custom interface theme	Apply your brand colors across the system	No interface customization	Color themes on Deliver+ (no Free plan theme customization)
Stylesheet customization	Fine-tune styling beyond basic theming	No CSS customization	No custom CSS
Custom login/signup pages	Use branded authentication pages instead of generic screens	No custom login pages	No custom login pages
Email branding	Send all system emails with your branding	Logo on emails (Premium only)	Logo on emails (limited customization)
Custom brand fonts	Use your own fonts throughout the platform	No custom fonts	No custom fonts
Custom brand logos	Replace all platform logos with your own	Logo upload supported	Logo upload on invoices and sales forms
Custom domain name	Run everything on your own domain	No custom domain	No custom domain
Custom email SMTP	Send emails from your own email infrastructure	No custom SMTP	No custom SMTP
Full workspace embedding	Embed Plutio directly into your website or product	No workspace embedding	No workspace embedding
CUSTOMIZATION Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Flexible workspace setup	Shape the platform to match how your business works	Fixed workspace structure	Fixed workspace structure
Main menu editor	Add, remove, or reorder navigation items freely	No menu customization	Dashboard report tiles can be rearranged (limited menu control)
User-based menus	Show different navigation for different roles	Fixed menus for all users	Menu varies by user role (not customizable)
Custom user roles	Create role types beyond preset permissions	3 fixed roles only	Custom roles on Advanced plan only ($275/month)
Advanced user permissions	Control access at a granular level	Basic permission levels	Role-based permissions (custom roles on Advanced plan only)
SSO / OAuth	Support enterprise-grade single sign-on	No SSO support	No SSO for end users (OAuth 2.0 for API only)
INTEGRATIONS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Connect with other tools	Integrate with external systems without lock-in	100+ integrations available	800+ integrations in the QuickBooks App Store
Zapier integration	Connect to thousands of apps without custom code	Zapier supported	Zapier integration supported
Make.com integration	Build advanced automation scenarios visually	Make.com supported	Make.com integration available
Pabbly Connect	Connect services without usage-based limits	Limited Pabbly support	Possible via API
Full REST API access	Build custom integrations with full system access	Developer API available	Full REST API via Intuit Developer Platform
Incoming & outgoing webhooks	Send and receive real-time events	Limited webhook support	Webhooks supported via developer platform
PLATFORM Collapse	Plutio 198/199	FreshBooks 49/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Mobile apps	Access your business from native mobile apps	iOS and Android apps	iOS and Android apps with receipt scanning and mileage tracking
iOS app	Full-featured iPhone app	Full iOS app available	Full iOS app available
Android app	Full-featured Android app	Full Android app available	Full Android app available
Mac desktop app	Native macOS app for desktop workflows	No Mac desktop app	No Mac desktop app (QuickBooks Online is web-based only)
Windows desktop app	Native Windows app for desktop workflows	No Windows desktop app	No Windows desktop app (QuickBooks Online is web-based only)

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FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online FAQ

Is FreshBooks or QuickBooks better for freelancers?

FreshBooks fits most freelancers more directly. The invoicing workflow is the core focus, time tracking converts to invoices in one click, and the Lite plan costs $21/month compared to QuickBooks Simple Start at $38/month. FreshBooks also earned a 4.5/5 on G2 for ease of use. QuickBooks makes sense if a freelancer needs full double-entry accounting or plans to scale to a team.

How much does FreshBooks cost vs QuickBooks?

FreshBooks offers three tiers: Lite at $21/month (5 clients), Plus at $33/month (50 clients), and Premium at $60/month (unlimited clients). QuickBooks Online starts higher, with Simple Start at $38/month (1 user), Essentials at $75/month (3 users), and Plus at $115/month (5 users). FreshBooks is roughly half the price at the entry level, though QuickBooks bundles more users per plan.

Does FreshBooks have time tracking?

FreshBooks includes time tracking on every plan with a running timer and manual entry. Billable hours attach to clients and projects, and tracked time converts into invoice line items in one click. QuickBooks Online only includes time tracking on the Essentials plan ($75/month) and above. The Simple Start plan ($38/month) has no time tracking at all.

Can FreshBooks replace QuickBooks for accounting?

FreshBooks handles basic bookkeeping and invoicing well, but it is not a full replacement for QuickBooks accounting. QuickBooks includes double-entry accounting, chart of accounts, journal entries, balance sheets, and cash flow statements on every plan. FreshBooks adds double-entry accounting only on the Plus plan ($33/month) and above, and the reporting depth is limited compared to QuickBooks.

Does QuickBooks Online have inventory management?

QuickBooks Plus ($115/month) and Advanced ($275/month) include inventory management with reorder points, purchase orders, and sales channel integrations. The Simple Start and Essentials plans do not include inventory. FreshBooks has no inventory management on any plan. For product-based businesses, QuickBooks covers inventory while FreshBooks does not.

Which has better customer support, FreshBooks or QuickBooks?

FreshBooks receives higher support ratings. FreshBooks earns 4.5/5 on Capterra (4,493 reviews) with support responsiveness cited as a positive. QuickBooks earns 4.3/5 on Capterra (8,183 reviews) with customer support consistently mentioned as the biggest complaint: long wait times, inconsistent advice, and difficulty resolving complex issues appear in many lower-rated reviews.

Does FreshBooks or QuickBooks include payroll?

Neither platform includes payroll in the base subscription. FreshBooks offers payroll through a Gusto integration starting at $40/month + $6/person. QuickBooks offers payroll as an Intuit-built add-on starting at $50/month + $6/employee. QuickBooks' payroll integration is tighter since Intuit builds both products, but both options add significant cost to the monthly total.

Can I use FreshBooks and QuickBooks together?

Running both platforms simultaneously is possible but uncommon. Some businesses use FreshBooks for client-facing invoicing and QuickBooks for back-office accounting. Zapier connects the two platforms for data transfer. In most cases, the extra work of maintaining two accounting systems is not worth the benefit. Choosing one platform and supplementing its gaps with specialized tools is the more practical approach.

Does FreshBooks or QuickBooks have contracts?

Neither FreshBooks nor QuickBooks includes contract templates, e-signatures, or legal agreement workflows on any plan. Service businesses that need signed contracts before work begins need a separate tool like DocuSign ($10-25/month) or PandaDoc ($19-49/month). Platforms like Plutio include contracts with e-signatures built into the same system as invoicing and project management.

Which is easier to learn, FreshBooks or QuickBooks?

FreshBooks has a shorter learning curve. The interface focuses on invoicing and time tracking, and most users send their first invoice within minutes of signing up. FreshBooks has a 4.5/5 rating on G2 (790+ reviews). QuickBooks has a steeper learning curve because it is a full accounting platform with double-entry bookkeeping, chart of accounts, and financial reporting. The G2 rating is 4.0/5, and non-accountants often need tutorials or training to use it effectively.

Does FreshBooks have proposals?

FreshBooks includes proposals on the Plus plan ($33/month) and above. Proposals include service descriptions, pricing, and terms, and clients accept online. Accepted proposals convert to invoices automatically. The Lite plan ($21/month) does not include proposals. QuickBooks has no proposal feature on any plan, only basic estimates that convert to invoices.

Can FreshBooks handle multiple currencies?

FreshBooks supports multi-currency invoicing on every plan. Invoices can be sent in the client's preferred currency, and FreshBooks handles the exchange rate conversion automatically. QuickBooks Online includes multi-currency support starting on the Essentials plan ($75/month). The Simple Start plan does not support multiple currencies.

Does QuickBooks have project management?

QuickBooks Plus ($115/month) and above include project tracking that groups income, expenses, and time by project. The project revenue tracking report shows revenue vs. costs per engagement. But QuickBooks has no Kanban boards, no task assignments, no subtasks, and no completion milestones. The project feature tracks financial performance, not project completion. Plutio includes Kanban boards and task-level time tracking for managing tasks and tracking hours alongside invoicing.

Is there a free trial for FreshBooks and QuickBooks?

Both platforms offer a 30-day free trial. FreshBooks provides full access to the selected plan during the trial. QuickBooks also provides full access, with an alternative option to skip the trial and get 50% off for the first 3 months. Neither platform has a permanent free plan.

What if neither FreshBooks nor QuickBooks covers the full workflow?

If both platforms leave gaps in contracts, project tracking, scheduling, or client communication, an all-in-one platform handles the complete client lifecycle. Key features to look for: proposals, contracts with e-signatures, Kanban project boards, task-level time tracking, and a branded client portal. Plutio covers all of these without per-user fees, and the comparison table on this page shows how Plutio stacks up against FreshBooks and QuickBooks feature by feature.

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Proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, and invoicing in one place. No per-user fees, no copying data between apps.

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