Last Updated: September 5, 2024by Jeel Patel Over the years, FreshBooks has onboarded numerous small businesses and entrepreneurs who are looking to automate their invoicing and accounting. While some businesses are satisfied with the features and costs, others need a more balanced solution in terms of features and costs that better caters to their business. If you’re one of them, you’ve come to the right place. The following article gives you an overview of the top alternatives to FreshBooks that you can consider. Why and When to Consider a FreshBooks Alternative? FreshBooks is a cost-effective tool for businesses but if you have a growing business that requires some advanced features like audit trails and e-signatures. If your business is in a phase where it has a growing customer base, or even when you need to opt for a free tool, you can consider an alternative to FreshBooks. Here are some of the reasons why you should consider a FreshBooks alternative: Specific features: FreshBooks offers a range of features that a small business may not need in their accounting software. If you’re just looking for basic accounting and invoicing features, you should look for a specific invoice-generating tool that offers only the core functionalities that your business needs.Cost-effectiveness: FreshBooks’s lite plans have a limit of sending unlimited invoices to only up to 5 clients. You need to upgrade and pay more if you have more clients, which may seem expensive.Better overall experience: Some businesses shift from FreshBooks to an alternative to avoid a steep learning curve, get better customer service, or a more intuitive user experience. How Did We Analyze the FreshBooks Alternatives? We conducted extensive research on various invoicing and accounting software and specifically focused on those tools that offer similar features, customer support, and functionalities. We assessed around 24 tools on popular review platforms like G2, Capterra, and Software Advice to gather user experiences. This allowed us to get a detailed understanding of how different industries and users are using invoice and accounting tools, their popular features, and their user experience with each of them. Based on the findings, we shortlisted 10 tools based on their strengths, weaknesses, and those that were the closest and most efficient alternatives to Freshbooks. Table of Content Why and When to Consider a FreshBooks Alternative? A Brief Overview of FreshBooks Alternatives Comprehensive Overview of FreshBooks Alternatives InvoiceOwl Zoho Books Wave Invoicera Sage 50 QuickBooks NetSuite Xero ZipBooks Hiveage Automate Invoice Generation with InvoiceOwl Step-by-Step Guide to Automating Invoice Generation with InvoiceOwl Finding the Perfect FreshBooks Alternative for Your Business FAQs A Brief Overview of FreshBooks Alternatives Brand namePricingFeaturesUser ratingsInvoiceOwlFree Trial: (3 days)Growth: $9.99/monthChampion: $23.99/month Invoice & estimate generationeSignatures Multi-company receivables Reporting4.5ZohoBooksStandard: $15/monthProfessional: $40/monthPremium: $60/monthProfessional invoicesPurchase order managementInventory management4.5WaveStarter plan: FreePro plan: $16/monthInvoice generationStreamline accounting Payroll4.5InvoiceraStarter: $3.5/monthBusiness: $5.9/month Enterprise: $11.8/monthInfinite: $23.7/monthOnline InvoicingPayment integrations Multi-currency invoicing4.6Sage 50Standard: $60.08/monthProfessional: $103.92/monthPremium: $177.17/monthManage cash flow and invoicesTrack inventoryReal-time reporting3.8QuickBooksSimple Start: $17/monthEssentials: $32/monthPlus: $49/monthAdvanced: $117/monthInvoicingExpense trackingGenerate expense reports4.0NetSuiteCustomizedPayment AutomationItem receipts and invoicesThree-way match and pay4.0XeroEarly: $15/monthGrowing: $42/monthEstablished: $78/monthCustomize online invoicesSet automatic remindersMulti-currency support4.5ZipBooksStarter: Free planSmarter: $15/monthSophisticated: $35/monthSmart invoicingExpense trackingFinancial health score4.7HiveageFree plan: $0/monthBasic: $16/monthPro: $25/monthCreate estimatesRecurring and subscription billingDetailed financial reports4.4 Comprehensive Overview of FreshBooks Alternatives 1. InvoiceOwl: Best for easy adaptation InvoiceOwl is an invoice and estimate generation tool that helps small businesses automate receiving payments, streamline invoices, and reduce accounting-related paperwork. The platform caters to solopreneurs and small HVAC, landscaping, and construction businesses that rely significantly on paper-based invoices and enter data manually. The tool offers an easy-to-use and intuitive design. Businesses can generate invoices on the go, approve payments with e-signatures, manage purchase orders, and digitize their payment processes by sending online payment links. InvoiceOwl offers an array of features that help businesses improve cash flows and manage multiple companies’ invoices under a single platform. InvoiceOwl is well-liked by small business owners in the US because it’s easy to use and follows all the tax rules, including those from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state laws. Advanced features of InvoiceOwl Invoice & estimate generation: Provides a user-friendly platform to generate professional and branded invoices to multiple clients.eSignatures: Offers businesses with a digital drawing pad for eSignatures where users can sign the invoices without printing them.Multi-company receivables: Enables businesses to manage multiple clients under a single platform and streamline their estimates, invoices, and purchase orders.Reporting: Allows users to generate sales reports to keep track of payments, revenues, and taxes to make informative business decisions. User experience and customer support comparisons Here are the standout features that position InvoiceOwl as the best alternative to FreshBooks: Customer support: FreshBooks is a popular invoicing software with thousands of customers. The live customer support is not always up to the mark and it has a bot for customer queries. However, it does have a library of support articles. InvoiceOwl offers a range of support articles that make it easy and convenient for users to get started and use the tool. It also has documentation for every feature and a detailed guide along with superior live support.Cost-effectiveness: FreshBooks offers an arsenal of accounting features at a high cost that small and independent businesses don’t often need. Rather than paying for everything, InvoiceOwl allows you to pay for features you need, allowing businesses to save costs on additional features.User-friendly interface: For some users, using and learning FreshBooks can be a time-consuming task. InvoiceOwl provides a straightforward platform that is easy to learn, making it ideal for companies wanting to avoid the complexity of a more comprehensive accounting tool.Customization options: InvoiceOwl provides numerous features and email templates that users can customize according to their brands. Companies can add their logo, colors, and structure to all invoices. Pricing & cost-benefit analysis: InvoiceOwl vs FreshBooks Free Trial(3 days)Lite$5.70/monthGrowth$9.99/monthPlus$9.90/monthChampion$23.99/monthPremium$18.00/month Automate your invoicing processes with InvoiceOwl Try for free 2. Zoho Books: Best for comprehensive mobile features Zoho Books is an accounting software that provides comprehensive accounting features for managing finances, automating business workflows, and collaborating across departments. Primarily, Zoho Books caters to small and growing businesses, including those in electrical and construction. Zoho Books also specializes in bookkeeping and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and even provides users with seamless integrations with other Zoho products and third-party apps. Key features of Zoho Books Professional invoices: Allows users to raise professional invoices and quotes along with options to automate payment reminders and send online payment links.Purchase order management: Enables users to maintain a complete sale history and check order details with purchase order management.Inventory management: Provides an inventory management platform to organize inventory with essential information such as SKUs, product images, vendor details, and costs. Zoho Books pricing Standard$15/monthProfessional$40/monthPremium$60/month Why consider Zoho Books as an alternative to FreshBooks? Zoho Books offers a more comprehensive set of features suitable for enterprises such as advanced inventory control in higher-tier plans and a capable mobile app which FreshBooks falls back on. 3. Wave: Best for new startups looking for limited features Wave is an accounting software for small businesses and freelancers looking to create, customize, and send invoices. Wave also offers integration with its other financial tools, such as Wave accounting and finance management. Therefore, the integrations offer small businesses the convenience of managing their expenses under an all-in-one solution. Key features of Wave Invoice generation: Allows you to create and send professional invoices to your customers and set up recurring invoicing for repeat customers.Streamline accounting: Provides you with accounting tools that help you to import, merge, and categorize your financial statements in a particular bank account.Payroll: Facilitates you to make payments, record accounting entries, and file tax documents for your staff and independent contractors. Wave pricing Starter planFreePro plan $16/month Why consider Wave as an alternative to FreshBooks? Wave an alternative to FreshBooks, is better suited for businesses that want limited features in terms of invoicing and have small teams with a limited budget. 4. Invoicera: Best for businesses with global operations Invoicera is a finance and accounting software for freelancers and enterprises for facilitating faster billing, time tracking, and easy payments. Invoicera also supports multi-currency and multilingual invoicing, making it an apt choice for companies having a global clientele. It provides integrations with over 25 payment gateways and extensive customization options for invoice generation. Key features of Invoicera Online Invoicing: Facilitates you to generate unlimited invoices and personalize these invoices according to your brand standards and voice.Payment integrations: Offers seamless integrations with over 25 payment gateways and even with your preferred apps and tools.Multi-currency invoicing: Allows users to generate invoices in multiple languages and effectively manage a global clientele. Invoicera pricing Starter$3.5/monthBusiness$5.9/monthEnterprise$11.8/monthInfinite$23.7/month Why consider Invoicera as an alternative to FreshBooks? Invoicera offers additional features, such as multilingual and multicurrency support for businesses with a global clientele, which FreshBooks does not provide. 5. Sage 50: Best for managing end-to-end finances and inventories Sage 50 is one of the best accounting software for small businesses looking to automate end-to-end financial management. The platform allows users to manage all aspects of their invoicing, income tracking, and handling recurring billing. Sage 50 offers a range of financial tools that integrate seamlessly with its invoicing features, ensuring accurate accounting and streamlined cash flow management. Key features of Sage 50 Manage cash flow and invoices: Provides a platform to manage your sales invoices by customer ID and check the status of your expenses.Track inventory: Allows users to see what’s in stock and what’s to better manage stock levels and inventory.Real-time reporting: Facilitates a comprehensive view of expense reports, profits, and more. Users can also customize report templates with a single click. Sage 50 pricing Standard$60.08/monthProfessional$103.92/monthPremium$177.17/month Why consider Sage 50 as an alternative to FreshBooks? Sage50 offers better cashflow features and generous client limits than FreshBooks, making it ideal for companies with complex inventories and accounting needs. 6. QuickBooks: Best for enterprises looking for a scalable accounting solution QuickBooks is an invoicing and cloud-based accounting software that provides a list of comprehensive features, such as invoicing, expense tracking, and payroll along with a user-friendly interface. QuickBooks’ clientele majorly includes small to medium-sized businesses that want to streamline their tax preparation, generate real-time financial insights, and integrate third-party integrations. QuickBooks also offers cloud-based and desktop versions. Key features of QuickBooks Invoicing: Allows users to create instantly payable, professional-looking, and customizable invoices to clients.Expense tracking: Enables users to track their expenses and even sync their bank accounts to generate expense reports.Generate expense reports: Allows users to get a holistic view of the overall expenses on the QuickBooks dashboard, right from income statements to balance sheets from the bank account. QuickBooks pricing Simple Start$17/monthEssentials$32/monthPlus$49/monthAdvanced$117/month Why consider QuickBooks as an alternative to FreshBooks? QuickBooks as an alternative to FreshBooks is more extensive as an accounting tool as it provides numerous other services such as inventory management for larger businesses and an all-in-one solution for your accounting and invoicing needs. 7. NetSuite: Best for enterprises using NetSuite ERP NetSuite is an enterprise-resource platform that has invoice processing capabilities that allow users to create positive vendor relationships. The platform helps businesses automate accounts payable, store receipts of ordered items, and remit payments promptly. NetSuite caters to growing businesses and enterprises and provides real-time visibility into their financial and operational performance. Its scalable solution and extensive customization options make NetSuite a feasible option for businesses with multiple functionalities and complex accounting needs. Key features of NetSuite Payment automation: Allows businesses to increase the accuracy and speed of payment processing with automated payment services.Item receipts and invoices: Facilitates users to receive items from vendors, partners, subsidiaries, and other locations in the same transaction flow.Three-way match and pay: New invoices are automatically matched against their corresponding clients and analyzed based on predefined rules. NetSuite pricing NetSuite offers customized pricing. Why consider NetSuite as an alternative to FreshBooks? NetSuite is the perfect FreshBooks alternative for enterprises that need better and more advanced features and services such as budgeting, forecasting, and compliance management, as it caters to sectors where sophisticated solutions are a must. 8. Xero: Best for enterprises looking for multiple features Xero is an accounting software that offers numerous invoicing features, such as invoice generation, bank reconciliation, expense tracking, and financial reporting. Primarily, Xero is used by small to medium-sized businesses in fencing, carpentry, and retail. The platform is known for its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with third-party apps. Xero offers various accounting features that ease numerous tasks, such as setting up automated payment reminders and providing multiple payment options to clients. It also supports multi-currency transactions and features to simplify complex accounting tasks. Key features of Xero Customize online invoices: Facilitates users in generating invoices and customizing them according to their brand logo and structure.Set automatic reminders: Provides automatic reminders for scheduled and pending payments from clients so that you can remind them before the payment dates.Multi-currency support: Supports multiple currencies to make handling clients across different countries convenient. Xero pricing Early$15/monthGrowing$42/monthEstablished$78/month Why consider Xero as an alternative to FreshBooks? Xero offers more flexible customer support that is available 24/7 whereas FreshBooks just offers customer support during working hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. 9. ZipBooks: Best for financial management for small business ZipBooks is an accounting software that facilitates end-to-end financial management of businesses. The key features of ZipBooks include invoicing, expense tracking, time tracking, project management, and built-in financial reporting tools that offer insights into business performance. ZipBooks also provides data-driven intelligent insights that allow users to make tweaks and improve financial health. The tool integrates with multiple payment processors and allows users to set automated reminders for overdue invoices. Key features of ZipBooks Smart invoicing: Allows users to generate and send professional-looking invoices and set up automated reminders for fast and timely payments.Expense tracking: Facilitates users to categorize and track expenses and organize their finances to improve cash flows.Financial health score: Provides intelligent financial health scores that include insights and recommendations based on historical data to improve business performance. ZipBooks pricing StarterFree planSmarter$15/monthSophisticated$35/month Why consider ZipBooks as an alternative to FreshBooks? ZipBooks has a stronger focus on providing intelligent insights, built-in project management, and a business score. This makes ZipBooks a better choice for users seeking an all-around yet budget-friendly solution to FreshBooks. 10. Hiveage: Best for invoice generation with a user-friendly interface Hiveage is an accounting software catering to freelancers, small business owners, or agency managers to manage their finances with ease. This invoicing solution provides easy-to-use tools for invoicing, recurring billing, expense tracking, and time tracking. Hiveage allows you to serve your customers better as it keeps them informed of the time quotations, invoices, payment receipts, and account statements. It also supports multiple payment gateways and an intuitive interface that makes it a convenient invoicing solution. Key features of Hiveage Create estimates: Allows users to send detailed estimates and keep clients informed about the valid timeframe by sending expiration notices.Recurring and subscription billing: Provides a platform to charge subscription payments and recurring fees with ease. Users can send invoices manually or automatically to send to customers.Detailed financial reports: Enables users to stay up-to-date with monthly financial reporting summaries, year-to-date income, and expenditures. Hiveage pricing Free plan$0/monthBasic$16/monthPro$25/monthPlus$42/month Why consider Hiveage as an alternative to FreshBooks? Hiveage is the perfect FreshBooks alternative if you want a limited set of features with a more intuitive interface and budget-friendly pricing. Automate Invoice Generation with InvoiceOwl With so many tools available in the market, you need an invoice generation and processing tool that fits your feature, budget, integration, and customer support requirements. If you’re looking for a FreshBooks alternative, you need to opt for a personalized tool that fulfills the invoice generation needs of your small business. InvoiceOwl is a tool designed to meet the simplistic nature of independent businesses. The tool is available on Android, iOS, and web platforms, which allows users to generate and send invoices from any device and on the go. Step-by-Step Guide to Automating Invoice Generation with InvoiceOwl Ready to create a professional invoice? Follow this quick guide to start automating your invoicing process, specifically for recurring payments or subscription-based services, and focus more on growing your business. Step 1: Set up your InvoiceOwl account Sign up or log in to your InvoiceOwl account. Fill in your business details, company name, address, and logo. Add your preferred payment methods for easy transactions. Step 2: Add clients and products/services Check the Clients section and input your customer details, such as names, addresses, and contact information. In the Products/Services section, list your offerings with descriptions, unit prices, and taxes if applicable. Step 3: Create a template for recurring invoices Go to Invoice Settings and select or customize a recurring invoice template. Add payment terms, due dates, and notes, such as “Thank you for your business.” Save the template for future use. Step 4: Automate invoice scheduling Enable automation for recurring invoices in the Recurring Invoices tab. Set the frequency, like weekly, monthly, quarterly and start date. Assign the client to the recurring schedule and review the automation settings. Step 5: Track and manage payments Use the Dashboard to monitor sent, paid, and overdue invoices. Enable payment reminders to notify clients of upcoming or past-due payments. Generate detailed reports for tax filing and financial analysis. Looking for an efficient invoice processing tool? Try for free Finding the Perfect FreshBooks Alternative for Your Business In 2025, choosing the right FreshBooks alternative depends completely on your business’s unique needs. Consider factors such as cost, features, or ease of use when choosing invoicing tools. InvoiceOwl allows businesses to go 100% paperless and automates invoice and estimate generation from start to end while tailoring the invoices and leveraging numerous customization options. Try the tool for free to check out how it can help your business. Frequently Asked Questions How important is pricing while choosing a FreshBooks alternative? Pricing is important when choosing accounting tools as it directly impacts your budget and financial management. It is the top priority of small businesses across contractors, fencing, cleaning, carpentry, and HVAC. to find the right invoice generation alternative to FreshBooks that offers the essential features and a pricing plan that scales with business growth. Can I customize invoices on InvoiceOwl? Yes, InvoiceOwl allows brands to customize the invoice to tailor it to their brand colors, logos, and interface to align with the brand’s unique identity and visual aesthetics. Is there a cost-effective alternative to FreshBooks? Yes, there are numerous cost-effective alternatives to FreshBooks, like InvoiceOwl. Its pricing structure is budget-friendly to small business owners and freelancers who want limited features and pay for just their needs. InvoiceOwl also offers a free plan where users can experience the tool before subscribing to the same. Is it easy to switch from FreshBooks to InvoiceOwl? Yes, businesses can simply import their data in InvoiceOwl and get started. InvoiceOwl also has an efficient customer support team that can assist you with the migration from FreshBooks to InvoiceOwl. Author Bio Jeel Patel Founder Jeel Patel is the founder of InvoiceOwl, a top-rated estimating and invoicing software that simplifies the invoicing and estimating processes for contractor businesses. Jeel holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Toronto, which has provided him with a strong foundation in business principles and practices. With understanding of the challenges faced by contractors, he conducted extensive research and developed a tool to streamline the invoicing and estimating processes for contractors. Read More Sign Up Now! Get weekly updates from InvoiceOwl. Subscribe Now Share this post: Twitter Facebook Pinterest Linkedin Email