FreshBooks is the most popular invoicing and accounting software for freelancers and service-based businesses. But at $17–$55/month, it costs significantly more than free alternatives like Wave. Is the price justified?
Here is the complete breakdown of FreshBooks pricing in 2026 — what you get, what you do not, and which plan fits which freelancer.
FreshBooks Pricing Plans 2026
| Plan | Price/Month | Clients | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | $17 | Up to 5 | Invoices, expenses, time tracking |
| Plus | $30 | Up to 50 | Proposals, recurring invoices, reports |
| Premium | $55 | Unlimited | Team accounts, project profitability |
| Select | Custom | Unlimited | Dedicated account manager, custom rates |
Prices shown are when billed monthly. Annual billing saves approximately 10%.
FreshBooks regularly runs promotions — 50-60% off for the first 4-6 months is common.
FreshBooks Lite — $17/Month (Best for Solo Freelancers)
The Lite plan is designed for solo freelancers with a small, stable client base. It includes:
- •Unlimited invoices: Send as many invoices as you need (even on the $17 plan)
- •Up to 5 active clients: The main limitation — you can only have 5 billable clients at once. Archive old clients to stay under the limit.
- •Expense tracking: Connect your bank account or credit card, import transactions, and categorize for Schedule C
- •Time tracking: Log hours by project and convert them to invoices automatically
- •Basic reports: Profit & loss, invoice summary, expense reports
- •Mobile app: iOS and Android with time tracking and receipt scanning
- •Late payment reminders: Automated email reminders for overdue invoices
Who Lite is for: Freelancers with a small, recurring client base (3-5 main clients) who want polished invoices with built-in payment processing.
Lite limitation to know: "5 active clients" means clients you can send invoices TO, not how many invoices total. If you work with more than 5 different clients in a given period, you need Plus.
FreshBooks Plus — $30/Month (Best for Growing Freelancers)
Plus adds the features that most actively-billing freelancers need:
- •Up to 50 active clients: Handles most freelance businesses
- •Proposals and estimates: Create and send project proposals with e-signature capability. When a client approves, convert it directly to a project and invoice.
- •Recurring invoices: Automatically bill clients on a set schedule (weekly, monthly, quarterly)
- •Client retainers: Bill clients on retainer and track hours against the retainer balance
- •Double-entry accounting: More complete bookkeeping with a full general ledger
- •Accounts payable: Track bills you owe to vendors
- •Business health dashboard: Cash flow and profitability at a glance
Who Plus is for: Freelancers who regularly send proposals, have retainer clients, or work on multiple concurrent projects.
FreshBooks vs Wave: The Real Comparison
For many freelancers, the honest question is: "Should I pay $17-30/month for FreshBooks or use Wave for free?"
| Feature | FreshBooks Lite ($17/mo) | Wave (Free) |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing | Excellent | Good |
| Expense tracking | Good | Good |
| Time tracking | Built in | Not included |
| Proposals & estimates | Lite: No; Plus: Yes | No |
| Recurring invoices | Plus only | Yes (free) |
| Quarterly tax estimates | No | No |
| Payment processing | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Client portal | Yes | No |
| Mobile app | Excellent | Good |
| Reports | Good | Basic |
Summary: Wave is competitive for basic invoicing and expense tracking. FreshBooks earns its price for freelancers who send proposals, track time by project, manage retainers, or need a polished client-facing experience.
If you primarily need quarterly tax tracking (and not sophisticated invoicing), QuickBooks Self-Employed at $15/month is a better fit.
Is FreshBooks Worth the Price?
FreshBooks is worth it if: - You send proposals before projects (the proposal-to-invoice flow is FreshBooks' killer feature) - You bill clients by the hour and need time tracking built in - You have retainer clients (monthly billing tracked against hours) - You work with multiple concurrent clients (15+ per year) - The polished client portal and invoice presentation matters for your brand
FreshBooks is NOT worth it if: - You only need basic invoicing (Wave handles this for free) - You need quarterly tax estimates (QuickBooks SE is better) - You want bookkeeping handled for you (Bench at $299/month) - You primarily work with 1-2 major clients on flat fees
FreshBooks Free Trial
FreshBooks offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. You get full access to the Plus plan during the trial, which lets you test proposals, retainers, and all the features before committing.
Tip: Start your trial during a busy billing month so you can test the full invoicing workflow with real clients.
For a detailed comparison of features and scores, see our full FreshBooks review or compare FreshBooks vs QuickBooks.