What does the cheapest FreshBooks plan include, and is there a free plan?

While FreshBooks doesn't offer a free plan, our cheapest option is the Lite plan at $23/month. It includes unlimited invoicing for up to 5 clients, expense tracking, and credit card payment acceptance. It is ideal for solo freelancers just starting out who need professional invoicing but manage a very small, active client list. If you need to bill more than 5 clients, you will need to upgrade.

When should I upgrade from the Lite plan to the Plus or Premium plans?

You should upgrade to the $40/month Plus plan once you exceed 5 clients (up to 50) or need automated recurring billing and double-entry accounting reports. If your client list grows past 50, or you require advanced accounting features like project profitability tracking and accounts payable, the Premium plan at $76/month is the right fit.

Does FreshBooks offer an annual billing discount, and is it worth committing?

FreshBooks offers a discount if you choose annual billing instead of monthly. Paying yearly typically saves you up to 10% on plans like Lite ($23/mo), Plus ($40/mo), or Premium ($76/mo). If you plan to use FreshBooks for at least a year, committing annually is highly recommended as it lowers your recurring software overhead and simplifies your business expense tracking to a single yearly invoice.

How does FreshBooks pricing scale as I add more team members to my account?

FreshBooks base plans (Lite, Plus, and Premium) include one user license. To collaborate with business partners, employees, or contractors, you can add team members to any plan for an additional $11 per person, per month. This allows you to scale your team access independently of your base plan price, ensuring everyone can track time, log expenses, and collaborate on projects.

Does FreshBooks offer special discounts for startups, nonprofits, or students?

FreshBooks occasionally runs promotional discounts for new sign-ups, but we do not offer permanent, standardized discounts specifically for startups, nonprofits, or students. However, our $23/month Lite plan is priced accessibly for early-stage founders. For larger organizations or registered charities with high volume needs, we recommend contacting our sales team to discuss custom pricing options under the Select plan.

What are the hidden costs of FreshBooks beyond the subscription price?

Beyond the FreshBooks subscription, organizations typically budget for implementation and data migration, user training and onboarding, premium support tier upgrades, required add-on features, third-party integrations, and annual true-up costs from seat overages. These costs can add 20-80% to the base subscription price depending on team size and deployment complexity.

Does FreshBooks charge for implementation or setup?

FreshBooks may charge for professional services, data migration, and initial configuration, particularly for enterprise deployments. These costs are typically not listed on the public pricing page and are negotiated separately. Request a total cost of ownership estimate before signing.

Is FreshBooks pricing stable or does it change frequently?

FreshBooks pricing has been stable over the last 90 days based on our monitoring. We verify pricing on a rolling 30-day cadence and log all changes in our public changelog.

Home›Accounting›FreshBooks›Pricing

FreshBooks Pricing Plans and Tiers 2026

Accounting software for service-based small businesses to manage invoicing, time tracking, expenses, and client payments.

AccountingFlat RatePrice verified May 21, 2026From $19/mo

·4 plans·★★★★★4.5/5 G2

Full Review →

Alternatives to FreshBooks →Compare with others →

Plans Analysis Worth It?True Cost Price History Alternatives FAQ Sources

All Plans & Pricing

High confidence· Verified May 21, 2026

30-day free trial·No credit card required

Lite

$19/mo

Best for: $19/mo gets you 5 clients, Unlimited invoices, Expense tracking, Time tracking

✓Send unlimited invoices to up to 5 clients
✓Track unlimited expenses
✓Accept credit card and ACH payments online
✓Track time on projects
✓Import bank transactions automatically
✓View tax timeline and basic reports

Start Plan →

Plus

$33/mo

Best for: $33/mo gets you 50 clients, Recurring billing, Double-entry accounting

✓Send unlimited invoices to up to 50 clients
✓Automatically track expenses
✓Double-entry accounting reports
✓Set up recurring billing and client retainers
✓Invite your accountant
✓Mobile mileage tracking

Start Plan →

Premium

$60/mo

Best for: $60/mo gets you Unlimited clients, Advanced accounting, Custom email templates

✓Send unlimited invoices to unlimited clients
✓Track project profitability
✓Customize email templates and signatures
✓Run advanced financial and accounting reports
✓Accounts Payable tracking
✓Late payment reminders and fees

Start Plan →

Select

Custom

Best for: Custom pricing for Dedicated account manager, Custom onboarding

✓Dedicated Account Manager
✓Customized training and onboarding
✓Lower credit card transaction rates
✓Easy data migration from other software
✓Access for 2+ team members

Contact Sales →

Pricing Analysis

Overview

FreshBooks - Accounting software built for freelancers and small service businesses. 4 tiers from $23 to $60/mo. Lite covers 5 clients, Unlimited invoices, while Premium adds Unlimited clients and Advanced accounting. At $19/mo, FreshBooks undercuts the $33/mo category average by 30%. For comparison, Patriot Software starts at $17 and Zoho Books at $20. The gap between Lite ($23) and Premium ($76) is significant - the 3x multiplier only makes sense if you need Unlimited clients.

Cost Per User

Lite$19/mo

Flat rate: cost doesn't scale with team size

Plus$33/mo

Flat rate: cost doesn't scale with team size

Premium$60/mo

Flat rate: cost doesn't scale with team size

Which Plan Is Right for You?

Lite$23/mo

$19/mo gets you 5 clients, Unlimited invoices, Expense tracking, Time tracking. Entry point - cheaper than the $33/mo category average.

Plus$40/mo

$33/mo gets you 50 clients, Recurring billing, Double-entry accounting. The middle ground - enough for growing teams without enterprise overhead. Saves $36/mo vs. Premium.

Premium$76/mo

$60/mo gets you Unlimited clients, Advanced accounting, Custom email templates. 90% more than Plus - justified only if you need the extras. At this price point, also evaluate Patriot Software.

SelectCUSTOM

Custom pricing for Dedicated account manager, Custom onboarding. Always negotiate - ask for pilot pricing if testing with <50 seats, and push for annual discount commitments. Compare enterprise quotes against Patriot Software's equivalent tier.

vs. Category Average

FreshBooks$19/mo

Category avg$40/mo

53% below the accounting average

Our Verdict

A 4.5/5 rating at $19/mo (below the $33 category average) - FreshBooks delivers more than it charges for. Start with Lite ($19/mo). Upgrade to Plus only after you've confirmed 50 clients will get used.

Is FreshBooks Worth the Price?

Strengths

5 points

1Excellent time tracking integrated directly into invoices
2Professional, customizable invoice templates are easy to create
3Client portal allows customers to view and pay invoices online
4Strong project profitability tracking features for service businesses
5Simple, intuitive interface designed for non-accountants

Considerations

5 points

1Limited inventory management, not suitable for product-based businesses
2No built-in payroll; requires integration with Gusto (US only)
3Lower-tier plans have restrictive client limits (5 on Lite plan)
4Mobile app has fewer features than the desktop version
5Lacks advanced accounting features like accounts payable aging

Ideal For

Service-based freelancers & agencies

Which plan fits you

Lite — $19/mo gets you 5 clients, Unlimited invoices, Expense tracking, Time tracking.

Plus — $33/mo gets you 50 clients, Recurring billing, Double-entry accounting.

Premium — $60/mo gets you Unlimited clients, Advanced accounting, Custom email templates.

Pricing Takeaway

★ 4.5/5

53% below category avgCategory avg: $40/mo

Beyond the subscription: what to budget for

List price covers the subscription. Total cost of ownership for FreshBooks typically includes additional line items that don't appear on the pricing page.

Implementation

Setup, data migration, initial configuration

Training

Onboarding, certification, admin enablement

Premium Support

SLA upgrades, dedicated CSM, 24/7 access

Required Add-ons

Features gated behind higher tiers or paid extras

Integrations

Third-party connectors, API usage, custom builds

Annual True-Up

Seat overages, usage spikes, contract reconciliation