FreshBooks

4.5 (4,233)
Accounting Software Built for Owners

Overall rating

4.5 /5
(4,233)
Value for Money
4.3/5
Features
4.3/5
Ease of Use
4.5/5
Customer Support Software
4.4/5

92%
recommended this app
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4233 Reviews

Becky
Overall rating
  • Industry: Hospital & Health Care
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Online payment processing, personalization, and ease of use

Reviewed on 2023-01-16

Billing clients and tracking spending is a breeze in Freshbooks. It takes little effort to learn and put into practice, and it can complete tasks quickly and efficiently. And the help desk is available whenever it is called for.

Pros

The user-friendliness of FreshBooks is undoubtedly its best feature. Generating and sending an invoice to a client is a breeze. This is made further easier by the fact that it can connect to other services you may already be utilizing.

Cons

The removal of the Tickets feature is the sole reason we haven't made FreshBooks our primary invoicing tool again. Previously, we would start a ticket in FreshBooks, handle it, and then turn it into an invoice.

Rajitha Priyankara
Overall rating
  • Industry: Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing
  • Company size: 201–500 Employees
  • Used Weekly for 6-12 months
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

Why Freshbooks for your business

Reviewed on 2023-04-21

A cloud-based accounting program called FreshBooks is made to assist small businesses in managing their financial activities. A variety of services are available, including financial reporting, project management, time tracking, cost monitoring, and invoicing.Businesses can simply create and send invoices that look professional, receive online payments, keep track of costs, and produce financial reports using FreshBooks. It also offers tools for managing tasks and projects, enabling teams to work together on projects and keep track of how much time they spend on certain tasks.FreshBooks is a well-liked option among small business owners and freelancers who require a hassle-free method of managing their money because of its user-friendly layout and straightforward setup. It provides customer assistance via phone, email, and live chat and offers a number of pricing plans to fit various corporate demands and budgets.

Pros

FreshBooks is renowned for its user-friendly layout and straightforward setup. With FreshBooks, even if you have little to no expertise with accounting software, you can get going right away.FreshBooks has a number of time-saving features that can speed up payment and reduce manual data entry, like automatic invoicing and online payment acceptance.FreshBooks offers a variety of financial reports, including profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and tax summaries, that can give you information about the financial status of your company and assist you in making informed choices.FreshBooks comes with project management tools that let you work with your team, monitor the status of your projects, and charge clients for the time you spend working on them.Utilizing the FreshBooks mobile app, you can issue invoices, keep track of costs, and manage your money while on the road.Integration with other products: You can easily automate processes and optimize your workflow with FreshBooks thanks to its integrations with other widely used business platforms like PayPal, Stripe, and G Suite.

Cons

FreshBooks features a straightforward user interface, which could be problematic for companies with sophisticated accounting requirements. The program includes few choices for customization, which could not be sufficient for companies who need more adaptability.Pricing: For companies with larger teams, FreshBooks pricing can be quite pricey. Project management is one of the more sophisticated capabilities that is only offered with higher-tier plans.Limited inventory management: FreshBooks does not include extensive inventory management options, which could be a drawback for companies that need more thorough inventory tracking.FreshBooks has fewer integrations than other accounting software solutions, while integrating with well-known tools like PayPal and G Suite.Because FreshBooks is a cloud-based software program, accessing it necessitates having an internet connection. Businesses that operate in places with spotty internet connectivity may find this to be a drawback.

Javier
Overall rating
  • Industry: Food Production
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Monthly for Free Trial
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 5.0 /10

The pros n cons of freshbooks

Reviewed on 2023-04-18

Pros

Helps u stay organized n on top of your game

Cons

The offline production was not so helpful

Response from FreshBooks

Hey Javier, thanks for taking the time to share your review of FreshBooks.

We're always happy to share customer feedback with our team, however I'm unclear on what is being referred to for "offline production". To ensure we can share your feedback with our Product Team, please feel free to send any feedback or questions to https://www.freshbooks.com/contact ^DM

Kelly M
Overall rating
  • Industry: Information Technology & Services
  • Company size: 10,000+ Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Invoice and expense tracking automation

Reviewed on 2023-02-14

The features that make FreshBooks such a superb invoicing and accounting application for small businesses may not be sufficient for larger enterprises. Not all small businesses can afford FreshBooks because it is more expensive than some comparable solutions.

Pros

Because of FreshBooks' intuitive design, keeping track of business money and other administrative tasks is a breeze. Save time and work more efficiently with FreshBooks' convenient time-saving tools, such recurring invoices and cost monitoring.

Cons

FreshBooks's user-friendly interface is a major selling point for me as a financial manager. We've found great use in the time-saving tools, such automatic invoicing and expense tracking. Nonetheless, I have found a few shortcomings, such as a lack of robust reporting tools and a dearth of available integrations. Despite these concerns, FreshBooks has been a great help to me.

Verified Reviewer
Overall rating
  • Industry: Telecommunications
  • Company size: 1,001–5,000 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

A nice experience with Freshbooks

Reviewed on 2023-03-24

I have found the platform to be very user-friendly and efficient. It has made my job of managing expenses, invoicing clients, and tracking time much easier and more streamlined. I particularly appreciate the ability to create and customize invoices quickly and easily, which has helped me to get paid more promptly and accurately.One of the things that I find particularly useful is the ability to access Freshbooks from anywhere, as it is cloud-based and accessible on multiple devices. This has made it easy for me to work remotely and stay up-to-date on my accounting tasks while on the go.Overall, my experience with Freshbooks has been very positive, and I would recommend it to other people who need to manage finances for their companies. While there are some areas where more customization options or integrations could be beneficial, the platform is generally reliable and efficient. I appreciate the value that Freshbooks provides, and it has become an essential tool for me in my job.

Pros

I can confidently say that the invoice creation feature is one of my favorite parts of the software. It's super user-friendly and allows me to create and customize professional-looking invoices with ease. I'm not an accounting expert, so the fact that I can navigate the software without feeling overwhelmed is a huge plus for me.I also appreciate that I can automate recurring invoices, which is a huge time-saver for me. It's great to know that Freshbooks can handle the invoicing while I can focus on other important aspects of my business.Sending invoices through Freshbooks is a breeze, too. I can easily send them through email and get notified when clients have opened and paid them. And with the option to accept online payments, my clients find it super convenient to pay their invoices.

Cons

One thing that can be frustrating is the lack of customization options for certain aspects of the platform. For example, while I appreciate the ability to customize invoices and estimates, there are some areas where I feel limited in what I can do.For instance, the dashboard and reporting features are not as customizable as I would like them to be. While I can view certain metrics and data points, I cannot always tailor them to my specific needs or preferences. This can make it difficult to get a comprehensive view of my business and make informed decisions based on the data.Additionally, there are some integrations that I would like to see available on the platform that are not currently offered. While Freshbooks does offer a decent selection of integrations, there are some key tools and apps that are not yet supported. This can be limiting in terms of workflow and efficiency.

Craig
Overall rating
  • Industry: Information Technology & Services
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Weekly for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 7.0 /10

Good for time tracking and invoicing; barely functional for accounting

Reviewed on 2019-09-30

The original version of FreshBooks, which we started using in 2014, was great for time tracking and invoicing. Unfortunately, they decided to build a completely new web application to add accounting features. We migrated to the new version about two years ago, and it did not go well. The new version didn't add many useful features, and the time tracking app got worse (see above). We decided to try the accounting feature this year (2019) because Xero started getting more expensive and lost its payroll feature. We have found the FreshBooks accounting features to be barely usable, and we're struggling to find an accountant that will support FreshBooks.

Pros

FreshBooks is good for freelancers or service-based small businesses that need to track time spend on client projects, and report the time on invoices. It's also good for tracking basic expenses, whether they are allocated to the business, or passed on to clients. The reporting features are also useful.

The payroll integration with Gusto is a simple and affordable way to run payroll for a small business.

Cons

The mobile app for time tracking became so buggy that I had to stop using it; it would frequently lose track of the time if I paused the timer. They also added a "feature" that creates a new line item on the invoice every time you pause the timer, which really clutters up the invoice. I now use a separate tracking app and manually enter my time.

The accounting features are barely adequate, and the accounting functionality is more like a public beta than production software. There's a chart of accounts, bank reconciliation, and a general ledger. We use cash-basis accounting, so it works for us, but if you carry inventory, I don't think FreshBooks will support accrual accounting. The bank reconciliation was officially "beta" until very recently.

Admins aren't allowed to edit the chart of accounts, so you need to have an accountant or bookkeeper set it up. Unfortunately, most accountants I've talked to won't work with FreshBooks directly. Strangely, FreshBooks will help you find a bookkeeper who works with FreshBooks, but not an accountant.

Alternatives Considered

Xero

Reasons for Choosing FreshBooks

We switched from Xero to FreshBooks for accounting because the value of Xero keeps going down. Xero used to offer payroll and expenses for about $30/month, but now that Xero no longer offers payroll, you have to pay a separate fee to a payroll provider. You also have to pay a much higher monthly fee to Xero if you want expense reporting.

Switched From

Xero

Response from FreshBooks

Hey Craig, thank you for taking the time to share this detailed review of FreshBooks.

I'm sorry to hear that you've run into issues with our mobile app and the timer creating multiple timers (though that is by design). If you had specific suggestions or features that you'd like to see for the Accounting features or anything else in FreshBooks, our team would love to hear it! I have flagged your feedback to be heard by our Product Specialists directly, but if there's anything else our Support Team would be happy to capture that feedback. They can be reached at [email protected] or 1-866-303-6061 Monday through Friday, 8am-8pm EST. ^DM

Luca
Overall rating
  • Industry: Computer & Network Security
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Weekly for 1+ year
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Simple and Intuitive Accounting Solution for Small Businesses

Reviewed on 2023-04-29

Overall, my experience with FreshBooks has been very positive. It's a simple and intuitive accounting solution that has helped me to manage my accounting tasks more efficiently and effectively. While there are some potential drawbacks in terms of pricing and technical complexity, these have not significantly impacted my experience or the value that the service provides. I would highly recommend FreshBooks to small business owners or freelancers looking for a user-friendly and customizable accounting solution.

Pros

One of the things I like most about FreshBooks is its simplicity and ease of use. The service is designed with small businesses in mind, offering a user-friendly interface and intuitive workflows that make it easy to manage accounting tasks such as invoicing, time tracking, and expense management. Additionally, the service offers a range of useful features, such as automated payment reminders, project tracking, and custom branding, that help me to streamline my accounting processes and improve my overall efficiency.

Cons

One potential downside of FreshBooks is its pricing, which can be relatively expensive compared to some other accounting solutions. Also, while the service is generally easy to use, some of the more advanced features and configurations may require technical expertise or support. Finally, some users have reported issues with customer support and responsiveness.

Thartei
Overall rating
  • Industry: Accounting Software
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 6-12 months
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

Efficient and User-Friendly

Reviewed on 2023-04-07

FreshBooks integrates seamlessly with other business tools, such as Stripe, PayPal, and Gusto, allowing for seamless data sharing and collaboration across different platforms. FreshBooks has a mobile app that allows users to manage their finances and invoicing on-the-go, making it easy to stay on top of our finances from anywhere.

Pros

FreshBooks offers robust invoicing features, allowing businesses to create and send professional-looking invoices quickly and easily.Time tracking: FreshBooks includes time tracking features, making it easy for users to track billable hours and generate accurate invoices.

Cons

Limited inventory management features: FreshBooks has limited inventory management features, which may not meet the needs of businesses that have large inventories or sell physical products.

Verified Reviewer
Overall rating
  • Industry: Broadcast Media
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Weekly for 6-12 months
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

ideal online accounting tool for small businesses as it does not require additional installatio...

Reviewed on 2023-04-13

It really saves me time

Pros

I used FreshBooks for my freelance work and was impressed with its flexibility. Data transmission security was excellent and the interface was easy to use.

Cons

Mileage tracking is worthless! I tried it for several months. It does not work. There are no rides.

Verified Reviewer
Overall rating
  • Industry: Information Technology & Services
  • Company size: 11–50 Employees
  • Used Weekly for 6-12 months
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Ease of Use
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

Best for time tracking

Reviewed on 2023-03-26

Pros

The following thing that I like most about FreshBooks, first its user interface, second time tracking, and third mobile app.

Cons

Limited integration is the only downgrade of using FreshBooks that I have noticed

Allison
Overall rating
  • Industry: Management Consulting
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

Great Invoicing Tool for Time Tracking

Reviewed on 2022-11-12

Freshbooks does manage the following VERY well: Time tracking against projects and clients; invoice creation based on tracked time; and one-off invoices or flat rate pricing. I also like the clean and easy to navigate interface.Generating and reading historical reports is quick and easy to determine things like, how quickly specific clients are paying (and who is historically slower at paying), income by client and income by project/work type.The phone app is functional for my needs, although it's a little clunky and not nearly as full featured as the desktop software. It's not bad, but not great. I have successfully tracked time on the app, then issued an invoice from my phone to my client's email inbox.Overall, Freshbook fulfills my needs as a consultant.

Pros

I really like Freshbooks for it's easy invoicing and time tracking. I was able to integrate it with Teamwork project management software so that more complex jobs that require detailed time tracking against tasks and milestones could be tracked there and then my time could be exported to Freshbooks. Freshbooks also integrated with my Paypal gateway, allowing me to accept major credit cards.

Cons

Freshbooks collaboration with other contractors doesn't work very well. In addition, the per-client pricing has gotten pricey for those of us who have many one-off clients.The retainer payments feature was not easy to use.

Alternatives Considered

Harvest and Quickbooks Online

Reasons for Switching to FreshBooks

Invoicing flexibility, integration with Teamwork PM software and integration with Paypal.
Andreas
Overall rating
  • Industry: Telecommunications
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Freshbooks - Still one of the best billing systems around

Reviewed on 2019-12-19

Able to run and invoice quickly. Add the strong integration that it has with Freshdesk for ticketing and my time tracking - it has allowed me to better streamline my operations.

Pros

Tracking and customer portal that is fully labeled as your own... this is a feature most competitors do not have. Know when your customers have viewed your invoices and even printed them! Slick mobile app

Cons

Pricing has gone up vis a vis other comparable competitors. Ticketing is very basic. One issue that could have been done better is that this is more of a quoting system and not proposal based. So making fancier proposals you are best off using another platform.

Alternatives Considered

Zoho Books and Xero

Reasons for Choosing FreshBooks

Portal for my customers to look at historical invoices.

Switched From

Quickbooks Online
Alicia
Overall rating
  • Industry: Health, Wellness & Fitness
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Weekly for 6-12 months
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 1.0 /10

Fine if you are the only one in your business

Reviewed on 2022-09-10

It was rated well, so I expected better performance. Reconciling the small transactions I get from health insurance companies is very time consuming and it seems like there should be a better way to add those payments without having to manually enter each one when I have to reconcile.
Invoices default to "accrual" accounting which is a pain if you use cash-based accounting (which I do).
Overall, I have not been able to have accurate business numbers (profit/loss) for months because trying to figure out how to add payroll info has been so challenging.

Pros

I loved that I could upload clients I frequently invoice when I transitioned. Setting up my bank links was very simple and transactions were downloaded easily. You can set up rules for accounts and they will follow those. Invoices look good and are easy to create.

Cons

The software does not support accounting if you have employees and are paying any benefits. Trying to separate out the cost of what my employees contribute to health insurance, retirement, etc. vs what I contribute has been a nightmare. My bookkeeper and I both spent a lot of time with Freshbooks support trying to figure out how to do that. Turns out it is with a journal entry which is time consuming and makes no sense.

Reasons for Choosing FreshBooks

I switched to Freshbooks from Xero because Xero would not sync with my bank. This was very easy with Freshbooks. The link consistently works, even though my bank is a smaller one just in my region.

Switched From

Xero

Reasons for Switching to FreshBooks

Reviews on Capterra were good at the time for Freshbooks. It was described as easy to use.

Response from FreshBooks

Hey Alicia, thank you for taking the time to share your review of FreshBooks.

I have ensured that your feedback about your accounting experience in FreshBooks has been passed along to our Product Team on your behalf.

If there is any other feedback you wish to share, or queries our team can assist with, the contact information for our Support Team can be found here: https://www.freshbooks.com/contact ^DM

Chris
Overall rating
  • Industry: Consumer Services
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Don't Waist Your Money on Any Other Accounting Software

Reviewed on 2021-08-05

We struggled to find a solution that would allow us to easily track the time for multiple employees and make billing as simple as a couple of clicks. Most everything we used or tried required multiple systems that either didn't integrate at all or didn't integrate well, and required a lot of time to prep invoices and collect payments. Frehsbooks eliminated all of those issues and paid for itself in the first month.

Pros

It saves my team hours of time every month. It easy to manage clients, track subscriptions, track hours and send invoices. Oh and it makes taxes season a breeze! The milage tracking feature has saved me over thousands per year in taxes since they released it.

Cons

The only complaint I have with Freshbooks is the Expenses feature. It has the ability to connect to your bank account to automatically pull in your charges, however, it never stays connected to our bank and it becomes a hassle. But they are great about helping to resolve the issue when it happens.

Alternatives Considered

Zoho Expense

Reasons for Choosing FreshBooks

We needed a system that was easier to use and required less management.

Reasons for Switching to FreshBooks

It was created by someone who was in the same industry and experienced the same problems I had, and because he built Freshbooks to solve those problems I knew it was the right solution for us.
Yvonne
Overall rating
  • Industry: Design
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Ease of Use
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

Great Invoicing Software for Designers

Reviewed on 2022-01-28

Freshbooks has a cleaner and more user friendly interface than any accounting software that I’ve used. My CPA complains that the back end is not as robust as Quickbooks, but other than that, it’s the best for creatives in my opinion

Pros

I love the ability to create proposals with pictures and a client signature line. Also, the app is pretty great.

Cons

I’d like to be able to add pictures through the app, but it’s never worked. The back end for taxes and reconciling found be better according to my cpa

Alternatives Considered

Xero

Reasons for Choosing FreshBooks

I needed an easy to use app

Reasons for Switching to FreshBooks

Freshbooks allows for pictures to be attached to proposals which is vital to my biz.
Heather
Overall rating
  • Industry: Graphic Design Software
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 6-12 months
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Easy no nonsense accounting platform

Reviewed on 2020-10-08

I had been using a widely regarded accounting competitor whose system was way more than I needed. FreshBooks allowed me to consolidate several platforms into one - saving me money and time.

Pros

FreshBooks allows me to create estimates & send proposals, track my time, invoice clients and reconcile my expenses for financial reporting all in one easy to use place. I was using 3 different platforms before to do all of this.

Cons

It would be nice to have slightly more robust accounting functionality but for the most part it does everything I need it to do. I’d like to be able to track time by quantity rather than just duration.

Alternatives Considered

HoneyBook, 17hats and Bonsai.io

Reasons for Choosing FreshBooks

I wanted something easier to use where I could also create estimates & proposals and track my time.

Switched From

Quickbooks Online

Reasons for Switching to FreshBooks

FB seemed the least complicated. I didn’t need my accounting product to be my virtual assistant, I needed it to make bookkeeping easy for me so I could run my business.
Daniel
Overall rating
  • Industry: Health, Wellness & Fitness
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

FreshBooks is the best!

Reviewed on 2023-02-02

As a freelancer, one of my clients recommended FreshBooks to me. Since then, I have adored it. What you get for free is amazing! They would have greatly impacted the way I managed previous projects if I had known about them. Their customer support is helpful and cordial. I heartily suggest them.

Pros

My clients now pay me on time because of Freshbooks. Previously, I sent invoices to clients by email and normal mail in the form of PDFs, but the problem was that they didn't always pay. Because you just throw the invoice in the trash and try to remember to pay it when you can, I'm also guilty of this. However, with Freshbooks, I probably get 10–20% of clients to actually pay on time because there is a quick online option of paying with a credit card right there and then when the invoice is sent. Using credit cards obviously results in a 1-3% loss, but gaining speedier payments is more significant than that amount.

Cons

Can have issues linking to a credit union account if that is what you use for your business. Might want to consider switching to a bank that is better accepted.

Richard
Overall rating
  • Industry: Information Services
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 6-12 months
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

"FreshBooks: The Comprehensive and User-Friendly Accounting Solution for Your Business"

Reviewed on 2023-03-13

FreshBooks is a cloud-based accounting software that helps small businesses streamline their financial management processes. It provides tools for invoicing, time tracking, expense management, and financial reporting, allowing businesses to save time and increase efficiency.The benefits of using FreshBooks include:Faster and more accurate invoicingSimplified expense tracking and reimbursementReal-time financial reportingImproved cash flow managementIntegration with popular payment gatewaysEnhanced collaboration with clients and team membersIncreased professionalism and credibility for the businessOverall, FreshBooks helps businesses save time and resources while improving their financial management processes, leading to increased productivity and profitability.

Pros

FreshBooks offers an easy-to-use platform with a user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to navigate and understand its features. The integration process is also straightforward, and FreshBooks offers integrations with many third-party tools, including payment gateways, project management tools, and time-tracking software. The integration process can be done in a few clicks, and FreshBooks provides clear instructions to guide users through the process.One of the most impactful features of FreshBooks is its receipt management system. FreshBooks offers a robust and intuitive receipt management system that enables users to upload, organize, and categorize their receipts digitally. This feature helps users track their expenses accurately and easily, reducing the likelihood of errors and saving time. With FreshBooks receipt management, users can easily generate detailed expense reports and submit expenses for reimbursement or tax purposes.Overall, FreshBooks is an easy-to-use platform with a straightforward integration process. Its receipt management system is one of its most impactful features, helping users manage their expenses effectively and efficiently.

Cons

All software can be improved and updated to better meet the needs of its users. The key is to identify the areas where the software could be enhanced and prioritize those improvements based on user feedback and business goals.Here are some potential areas where FreshBooks could consider making improvements:User Interface: Improving the user interface can make the software more intuitive and easier to use for its customers.Features: FreshBooks may consider adding new features or improving existing ones to provide more value to its users.Integrations: Integrating with other software platforms can improve the overall user experience and expand the reach of FreshBooks.Security: Enhancing security measures can help to protect user data and build trust with customers.Performance: Optimizing the software for speed and reliability can help to improve user satisfaction.Overall, FreshBooks should prioritize improvements that will provide the most value to its customers and align with its business goals. Regularly seeking feedback from users can also help to identify areas for improvement and guide product development.and integration is not too hard.

Steve
Overall rating
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Review Source

Overall rating

Not for everyone, or even most...

Reviewed on 2015-02-24

I've been using Freshbooks for the last couple of years, and at first it was a breath of fresh air after getting away from Quickbooks (both online and desktop version prior to that). If you don't have a proficiency for accounting, systems like Freshbooks are great, so I enjoyed the simplicity of it. The problem is - it's just way too simple and there are some major gaps in functionality. Additionally, it's a stagnant system. Very little improvements or features were tweaked or added in the system during the entire time I used it which is pretty unusual for a web based service.

Freshbooks shouldn't even call themselves accounting, because their forte really is in time tracking and invoicing. I now use Freeagent and wish I'd switched sooner.

If you don't care about tracking profit margins on projects or really tracking expenses accurately at all, then Freshbooks might work for you.

Pros

Freshbooks gets plenty right. Tracking billable time against customers or customer projects is a breeze, and their invoicing and methods for collecting payments is really hard to beat. Plus, they integrate with so many other services, it makes it really easy to get addicted to.

The things I love most - and the main reasons I'm glad that I left Quickbooks for Freshbooks is:

Automated invoice reminders, which are totally flexible. This alone saved me a lot of time chasing down late payers.

Your customers get a really nice interface for viewing all their invoices online - although I will say I think I only have one or two clients who ever even used the client portal for doing that. Most of them just go to their email to retrieve the links for invoices or statements, but it is still a really nice feature.

Cons

No connections to your banking / credit card accounts. You can do this with expenses to some extent, but it's just awful to work with, when compared to Quickbooks, Xero, FreeAgent - pretty much anyone else. In order to use Freshbooks, you have to have some other software or service for managing the accounting aspects of your business. This ended up being a bad thing for me. I like having it all connected, and there are plenty of great alternatives for that, and some even charge less than Freshbooks.

My reasons for leaving Freshbooks? Freshbooks is downright awful at expenses...

You can't record non-billable expenses against a customer or project. If you want to record the expense without billing the customer for it, you cannot assign it to the customer or project. No easy way around that without messing up your accounting records.

And with expenses that you DO want to rebill the customer for, there's no easy, intuitive way to handle marking up those expenses for goods or services to make a profit on. In order to do that, you must first add the expenses to the customer invoice, and then modify each line item expense amount up to the amount you want the customer to pay.

You cannot record bills as you receive them your vendors. Say for example, you get an invoice from a programmer who did work for you on 4 different projects in a given time period. Most vendors will just send you an itemized invoice with all the billable time across the various projects. Well, you can't record it that way in Freshbooks. Each line item on your bill must be entered into freshbooks one line item at a time, and you cannot correlate them easily to know that they are all part of one bill/invoice. Freshbooks also can't help you with managing when your bills are due. That's accounting, which Freshbooks doesn't do.

Freshbooks solutions to their shortcomings with expenses is all handled with hacks and workarounds for how their system is currently built. They are not easy or intuitive and they also throw things off with your accounting reports.

Idris
Overall rating
  • Industry: Business Supplies & Equipment
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

My Honest Reviews About Freshbook

Reviewed on 2023-02-14

Pros

the most notable or noteworthy aspects of Freshbooks, there are several that are worth mentioning:Invoicing: Freshbooks offers a robust invoicing system that makes it easy to create and send professional-looking invoices to your clients. You can customize your invoices with your branding, accept online payments, and set up automatic payment reminders.Time tracking: Freshbooks includes a built-in time tracking system that allows you to track time spent on projects or tasks. You can also set up project budgets and track your team's hours to ensure you're staying within budget.Expense tracking: Freshbooks makes it easy to track expenses by allowing you to upload receipts, import expenses from your bank or credit card, and categorize expenses by project or client. You can also set up recurring expenses and mark expenses as billable to clients.Reporting: Freshbooks offers a variety of customizable reports that provide insights into your business's financial health. You can track revenue, expenses, and profit margins, as well as monitor cash flow, outstanding balances, and other key financial metrics.Mobile app: Freshbooks offers a mobile app that allows you to manage your business on the go. You can create and send invoices, track time and expenses, and view your financial reports from your smartphone or tablet.Overall, Freshbooks is a comprehensive cloud accounting solution that provides a wide range of features designed to help small business

Cons

While Freshbooks is a robust cloud accounting solution that offers a wide range of features, there are a few potential drawbacks to consider:Limited inventory management: Freshbooks does not offer a built-in inventory management system, which may be a drawback for businesses that sell physical products.Limited customization: While Freshbooks offers a good amount of customization options for invoices and reports, some users may find that the level of customization is limited compared to other accounting software options.Limited integrations: Freshbooks does offer a number of integrations with third-party apps and services, but the selection is not as extensive as some other accounting software options.Limited international support: Freshbooks is primarily designed for businesses based in the United States, Canada, and the UK, so businesses based in other countries may not find the same level of support and functionality.Pricing: Freshbooks can be relatively expensive compared to other accounting software options, especially for businesses that need to add additional users or access more advanced features.Overall, while Freshbooks is a solid cloud accounting solution, it may not be the best fit for all businesses, especially those with more complex needs or those based outside the US, Canada, or the UK.

Kent
Overall rating
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 7.0 /10

Like it But Lacking Decent Timer

Reviewed on 2017-04-12

This is a review of Freshbooks Classic. They have just come out with a new version that I am not using due to a lack of addins at this early stage.

I use Freshbooks to invoice my customers for the time and materials I spend on their products. I have recurring invoices that automatically bill my customers on the first of the month for their monthly recurring services and any labor I may have spent on their project for for support.

Freshbooks definitely makes the invoicing process simple and easy. I don't have to worry about manually creating invoices each month. A big time saver. It also provides several different ways for the customer to pay their invoice including credit card and PayPal (PayPal is not an option in the new version of Freshbooks).

But Freshbooks doesn't make the time tracking simple. Since most of my charges are based off time spent working on customer products, I need a powerful Timer tool. Freshbooks does not supply that tool. They have a very rudimentary tool that is browser based. You click start, select your Project and Task, then press stop when completed. Life isn't that simple.

I may be working for one client when another calls on the phone. I would have to stop the existing timer, select a new project/task, start the timer again, then after stopping it, go through the whole process again to go back my original task. Awful.

Instead I had to purchase a desktop based tool called Chronomate that is so much more powerful. It even knows when I've stepped away from desk and forgot to stop the timer. It also uploads to Freshbooks so I don't have to manage anything. Bliss. Of course the developer isn't maintaining it anymore so it doesn't work with the new version of Freshbooks. Crud.

Because of the lack of a decent time tracking tool I won't be updating to the new version of Freshbooks anytime soon.

Pros

Very easy to invoice.

Cons

Time tracking methods/tool are totally lacking.

Response from FreshBooks

Hi Kent!

Tim from FreshBooks here, thanks for taking the time to leave us a detailed review. I'm happy to hear that you're enjoying using the auto-bill, recurring invoicing aspect of the software!

I definitely hear you when it comes to the lacking experience for time tracking. I'm not too sure if you've tried the new FreshBooks yet, but we did improve upon time tracking section so that you'll only need to enter in your client to track time (no more entering all sorts of information!), we also display the last five timer you've used on the page so that you can switch between them quickly.

That said, the new FreshBooks' time tracker isn't as smart as Chronomate, but we hope we'll continue to build on it to make it work for you, as well as including more add-ons that will work with it.

Thanks again, Kent! If you have any additional questions or comments, feel free to reach out to our support team at 1-866-303-6061 between 8am - 8pm eastern time.

Best,

- Tim

Salim
Overall rating
  • Industry: Food & Beverages
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Gain supremacy and rediscover accounting experience with FreshBooks, the best there is in the...

Reviewed on 2023-02-16

We make use of FreshBooks in our organization for accounting. More to just accounting, it has delivered us with top quality bookkeeping services which helps us keep all our financial books like receipts in an orderly and easy to access place. It gas also helped us create very effective invoices for customers, send them together with due payments reminders and also it allows us understand the position of our organization financial via the financial reports.

Pros

FreshBooks gives one a robust and unified accounting platform where you can perform all your accounting tasks efficiently without having to use multiple products for each task. With its functionalities in bookkeeping, billing, accounting, expenses tracking, financial reporting and much more, it always proves to be the most qualified tool for solving your accounting needs. It helps generate very detailed financial reports which are effective at giving accurate insights on the position of the business financially. This also helps by guiding one on how to make crucial decisions to help improve your business performance. It has a very user-friendly user interface which gives one easy time when navigating through it and making use of its features. Moreso, some of its functions like invoicing comes with ready-made invoice templates which guides you toward generating professionally looking invoices for your customers. FreshBooks has a very committed user support team which are always ready to offer any assistance you need or answer any questions you might be having.

Cons

FreshBooks is a very effective accounting tool and each of its features has proved to be very useful. It's easy to use, has a very supportive customer support team and i have never encountered any difficulties when using it.

Sudipta
Overall rating
  • Industry: E-Learning
  • Company size: 501–1,000 Employees
  • Used Daily for Free Trial
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Ease of Use
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

Good app makes work easy real quick

Reviewed on 2023-05-06

Pros

1. Client retainer highlight: FreshBooks permits you to set up retainer concurrences with clients, which can assist with guaranteeing a constant flow of pay for your business.2. Robotized late expenses: FreshBooks consequently applies late charges to past due solicitations, which can help boost clients to pay on time and further develop your income.3. Proposition highlight: FreshBooks incorporates a proposition include that permits you to make and send proficient recommendations to clients, making it more straightforward to win new business.4. Multi-cash support: FreshBooks upholds various monetary standards, which can be helpful for organizations that work universally or have clients in various nations.5. Bank compromise: FreshBooks offers bank compromise highlights, which can assist with guaranteeing that your monetary records are exact and modern.6. Project joint effort: FreshBooks permits you to work together with your group and clients on projects, which can assist with further developing correspondence and smooth out work process.

Cons

1. Limited Accounting Features: FreshBooks is designed primarily for small business owners and freelancers and may not provide the robust accounting features that larger businesses or corporations require. 2. Limited customization options: While FreshBooks has customizable templates for billing and other features, it may not offer as many customization options as other accounting software solutions. 3. Limited Payment Options: FreshBooks offers several payment options, including credit card and PayPal, but may not integrate with as many payment gateways as other accounting software solutions. 4. Limited Inventory Management: FreshBooks lacks robust inventory management features, which can be a drawback for businesses that need to manage a large amount of inventory. 5. No Project Budget Tracking: FreshBooks offers project management tools, but it doesn't include a feature to track project budgets, which can be a drawback for companies that need to closely track project expenses.

Verified Reviewer
Overall rating
  • Industry: Marketing & Advertising
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 1.0 /10

No Two-Factor Authentication - Very bad overall security

Reviewed on 2019-12-10

Freshbooks has been in business for years but does not have a basic Two-Factor Authentication feature to prevent hackers from gaining unauthorized access to customers' accounts. Not having this feature borders on negligence. This is a basic standard feature that other cloud accounting software XERO and Quickbooks have had for years.

Not having two-factor authentication is alarmingly bad because tens of thousands of Freshbooks customers are trusting Freshbooks with a ton sensitive company data about their finances, customers, bank information, credit card processor information, and prospects etc into Freshbooks. If hackers get a password, they can easily access this valuable information because there is no two-factor authentication to stop them from getting in.

Does Freshbooks take customer security seriously? Apparently not. I emailed them about this dangerous lack of basic security features and as of December 2019 Freshbooks says there is no plan to add two factor authentication in the future.

Their answer as the same as it was when I wrote them in 2018 about this problem. Their answer was that they would pass this suggestion along to their programmers so they can give it future consideration.

Pros

Ease of use and straightforward, simple interface. Easy invoicing.

Cons

Freshbooks lacks all of these industry standard security features:

No Two-Factor Authentication at login.

No IP address blocking to prevent certain IP addresses from logging in my account.

No log/audit showing when I last logged in and out of the account.

No forced internet timeout/log out when the account has been left untouched for a while.
This is standard on other online accounting software and is used by most banks as a security feature.

Response from FreshBooks

Hey there, thank you for taking the time to share your review of FreshBooks.

I certainly understand where you're coming from regarding features like two-factor authentication. While my colleague that you spoke with recently is correct that this isn't a feature we currently offer, I have flagged your feedback for our Product Team to review directly. This is a team we have a FreshBooks who reviews and gathers customer feedback for issues and concerns like what you've raised.

If there's any other feedback you wish to provide, please don't hesitate to reach our to our Support Team at 1-866-303-6061 Monday through Friday, 8am-8pm EST or [email protected]. ^DM

Verified Reviewer
Overall rating
  • Industry: Marketing & Advertising
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 0.0 /10

Freshbooks WAS amazing, but now not so much. Proceed with caution.

Reviewed on 2022-05-26

The software for me is essentially rendered useless, since I can't use it for accounting.
What's the point of paying for an accounting software, when I can't do my books with it!?!

Pros

At first, Freshbooks offered everything I needed. Their features worked without a glitch. No complaints. But now not so much. It's not a long term viable solution for your accounting needs.

Cons

The core functionality (bank connection) for accounting does not work. It constantly disconnects and expenses do not import.

I have been talking to customer service for now 5 months, and no resolution. And because my case is hard to solve, the customer service reps just did the bare minimum and deflected blame on their internal tech partners. I had to follow up, they were not proactive and still to this day can't give a real ETA on when the problem will fix.

It's as if my problem is of no importance to them and low on their priority list.
I've been patiently waiting 5 months - and still nothing. So in my opinion, Freshbooks is a bad company to deal with when your account has real issues - you won't get the support you need and your business will suffer for it.

Response from FreshBooks

Hey there, thank you for taking the time to share your review of FreshBooks.

I am sorry to hear of the frustration that you've experienced with this Bank Connection issue. Regardless of the root of the connection issue, our Support Team is absolutely here to assist in this matter.

You can find the contact information, including phone numbers, for the Support Team here: https://www.freshbooks.com/contact. We look forward to hearing from you and helping however we can! ^DM