Best Accounting Software · head-to-head

QuickBooks Online vs FreshBooks

A sourced, side-by-side comparison for accounting software. QuickBooks Online has the lower entry price. Every figure links to the vendor's own page and the date we captured it.

At a glance

  • Price: QuickBooks Online $20/mo vs FreshBooks $23/mo — QuickBooks Online is cheaper to start.
  • Free tier: QuickBooks Online No; FreshBooks No.
  • HIPAA: QuickBooks Online —; FreshBooks —.

Side by side

QuickBooks OnlineFreshBooks
Entry price$20/mo (Solopreneur Lite)$23/mo (Lite)
Free tierNoNo
HIPAA (BAA)
SOC 2
GDPRYes
Best forSmall businesses wanting the broadest accountant networkFreelancers and service businesses billing by client

Sources — QuickBooks Online: quickbooks.intuit.com (verified 2026-06-13). FreshBooks: freshbooks.com (verified 2026-06-13).

Key features

QuickBooks Online: Largest accountant/bookkeeper ecosystem in US; Mileage tracking via mobile app; Project profitability reporting (Plus+); Batch invoicing and custom user roles (Advanced); Built-in payroll and payments add-ons

FreshBooks: Client-centric invoicing with built-in retainers and recurring billing; PCI DSS Level 1 certified payment processing; Time tracking with automatic invoice population; Project profitability reporting (Premium+); 100+ app integrations via FreshBooks AppStore

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