FreshBooks and QuickBooks are probably two of the best-known online accounting services on the market. They offer powerful accounting tools wrapped in attractive, convenient, and appropriately priced packages and make accounting more bearable for owners of businesses of different sizes.
However, these two accounting solutions are more different than they may seem at first glance. In this FreshBooks vs. QuickBooks review, we reveal all of their distinctive qualities and determine which one of them may be one step ahead of its competitor.
Side by Side Comparison
| TYPE OF CLIENTS |
| Freelancers |
| Small Businesses |
| Mid-Size Businesses |
| Enterprises |
| SUPPORTED PLATFORMS |
| Web-Based |
| iPhone App |
| Android App |
| SERVICE HIGHLIGHTS & FEATURES |
| Income/Expense Tracking |
| Invoicing |
| Create/Customize Invoices |
| Invoice Management |
| Invoice Processing |
| Payment Reminders |
| Tax Calculations |
| Multi-Currency Billing |
| Multi-Language Invoices |
| Invoice Summary |
| Bill Payment |
| Schedule Payments |
| Bill Status Tracking |
| Customizable Billing |
| Recurring Billing |
| Create Purchase Orders |
| Create Quotes |
| Discount Management |
| Electronic Payments |
| Credit Card Processing |
| Financial Reports |
| Project Management |
| Project Time Tracking |
| Billable Hours |
| Deadline Tracking |
| Collaboration Tools |
| Tracking Miles |
| Inventory Tracking |
| Low Stock Alerts |
| Email Integration |
| Mobile Integration |
| Real Time Updates |
| PLANS & PRICING |
| Subscription Plans |
| Free Version |
| Free Trial |
| CUSTOMER SUPPORT |
| Email Support |
| Phone Support |
| Live Chat |
| Knowledge Base |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| No |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| N/A |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| N/A |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Self-Employed, Simple Start, Essentials, Plus |
| No |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| No |
| No |
| No |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| No |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| N/A |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Lite, Plus, Premium |
| No |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| No |
| Yes |
Ratings
Here is a quick overview of our comparison process. First, we analyze the two brands of software independently and rate them based on how well they satisfy our 6 major criteria, including ease of use, product quality, features, privacy and security, value for money, and overall experience. Based on the scores they receive on every criterion, we calculate their total scores. The software with the higher final score is the winner of the comparison.
 |  | |
| Ease Of Use | ||
| Product Quality | ||
| Features | ||
| Privacy & Security | ||
| Value For Money | ||
| Read Review QuickBooks Coupons | Read Review FreshBooks Coupons | |
| Final Rating | 9.2/10 | 9.4/10 |
Ease Of Use
If you are not familiar with the way accounting software works, getting started with FreshBooks and QuickBooks may take some time and effort, as they both offer a wealth of options that you cannot get acquainted with in mere minutes. However, they are both well-designed and intuitive, so you can become an advanced user before long. Still, our research has shown that users get used to the FreshBooks environment more quickly and easily.
Product Quality
There is no doubt that FreshBooks and QuickBooks are among the mightiest online accounting solutions currently available, so when it comes to product quality, it does not get much better than what you get with these two brands of accounting software. The only reason why FreshBooks did not get a perfect score on this criterion is the fact that its new edition still lacks one or two useful features available with the previous version.
Features
The list of useful features offered by QuickBooks goes on for miles: invoicing, reporting, income and expense tracking, maximizing tax deductions, bill management, sending custom estimates, tracking time and inventory, and more. The same goes for FreshBooks, which offers more-or-less the same options, with the addition of useful project management tools but the exception of the highly important inventory tracking feature. The lack of this feature, which was available in the previous edition of the software, lowered the score FreshBooks received on this criterion.
Privacy & Security
Both FreshBooks and QuickBooks protect their users’ privacy and security with strong encryption and advanced security tools. However, they both share their users’ personal information with their affiliates and subsidiaries, as well as with third-party service providers they cooperate with, without asking for explicit user consent. While such practice is common and should result in no harm, we still believe in the customer’s right to have full information about the entities that have access to their personal information.
Value For Money
We are happy to say that FreshBooks and QuickBooks offer a variety of plans and options that fit virtually any budget. On top of that, they both provide free trials and money-back guarantees. Still, after carefully weighing all the advantages and minor shortcomings of both solutions, we concluded that FreshBooks offers a somewhat better price-to-value ratio.