You’re running your business, and it’s time to get serious about your invoicing and financial management. But you’re caught between FreshBooks and Billings Pro, two popular invoicing platforms. Which one will make your day-to-day smoother and more efficient?
I’ve dug deep into both platforms and can break down their core strengths and weaknesses. Whether you’re a freelancer, small business owner, or creative professional, this comparison will help you decide which tool fits your specific needs.
FreshBooks vs Billings Pro: The Ultimate Comparison
1. Core Purpose: What Are They Built For?
FreshBooks: Accounting & Invoicing for Small Businesses
FreshBooks is primarily an invoicing and cloud accounting platform designed for small businesses and freelancers. It excels in:
- Invoicing & Payments
Automates invoicing, recurring payments, and payment reminders. - Expense Tracking
Allows you to track business expenses, categorize them, and upload receipts. - Accounting Tools
Includes financial reports like profit-and-loss statements, sales tax summaries, and more, making it a great option for businesses that need detailed insights into their financial health. - Time Tracking
Track billable hours and easily convert them into invoices, which is particularly useful for freelancers and service-based businesses.
Billings Pro: Time-Tracking & Invoicing for Creative Professionals
Billings Pro, on the other hand, was created specifically for freelancers and creative professionals. It’s focused on:
- Invoicing
Create professional-looking invoices with templates, handle multiple currencies, and customize billing terms. - Time Tracking & Task Management
Built-in timers and task tracking for projects, with detailed tracking for billable and non-billable hours. - Client Management
Manage client relationships, track projects, and generate estimates and quotes. - Expense Tracking
Track and associate expenses with projects, but without the deep accounting features of FreshBooks.
Verdict:
- FreshBooks is best if you need a full accounting solution that includes invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reporting.
- Billings Pro is ideal for creative professionals who need simple time tracking, invoicing, and client management without the complexity of accounting features.
2. User Interface & Ease of Use
FreshBooks
FreshBooks offers a sleek, user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate even if you have no accounting background. It’s designed to help freelancers and small business owners get their invoicing and accounting in order with minimal hassle.
Billings Pro
Billings Pro is also highly intuitive, especially if you’re used to Mac-based software. It’s visually appealing, with a focus on simplicity for managing clients, time tracking, and invoicing. If you’re in a creative field, you’ll appreciate the app’s clean and minimalist design.
Verdict:
- FreshBooks is user-friendly with a focus on simplifying accounting and invoicing.
- Billings Pro is perfect for Mac users and creative professionals who want an easy-to-use time tracking and invoicing platform.
3. Invoicing & Payments
FreshBooks
FreshBooks offers advanced invoicing features, making it a go-to platform for businesses with complex billing needs:
- Customizable Invoices
Create personalized invoices with branding, logos, and detailed payment terms. - Automated Recurring Invoices
Automatically send invoices for repeat clients and set up recurring payments. - Payment Gateways
FreshBooks supports multiple payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, Stripe, and bank transfers. - Automated Reminders & Late Fees
You can automate payment reminders and even apply late fees for overdue invoices.
Billings Pro
Billings Pro has strong invoicing capabilities with features like:
- Customizable Invoices
Use templates, apply your branding, and send professional-looking invoices. - Estimates & Quotes
You can create estimates for projects and convert them into invoices once approved. - Payment Gateways
Billings Pro integrates with payment processors like PayPal, but lacks the variety of payment methods that FreshBooks offers. - Multi-Currency Support
Easily invoice in different currencies for international clients, which is perfect for freelancers working with global customers.
Verdict:
- FreshBooks offers more robust invoicing, with advanced payment options, automation, and reminders.
- Billings Pro is great for freelancers needing simpler invoicing with multi-currency support but lacks advanced features like payment automation.
4. Time Tracking: Where Billings Pro Shines
FreshBooks
FreshBooks includes time-tracking features that allow you to:
- Track Billable Hours
Easily track time spent on client projects and convert those hours directly into invoices. - Basic Time Logs
While effective, the time tracking in FreshBooks isn’t as detailed or project-focused as some time-tracking software.
Billings Pro
Billings Pro excels at time tracking, which is one of its core strengths:
- Built-in Timers
You can start and stop timers for different tasks, making it easy to track billable and non-billable hours. - Task Management
Assign tasks to projects, track time spent on each, and break down the work for detailed client reporting. - Team Time Tracking
Manage time for both individual users and teams, making it great for agencies or small teams working on projects.
Verdict:
- Billings Pro is the clear winner for time tracking, offering detailed, project-based tracking with built-in timers and task management.
- FreshBooks offers basic time tracking, which works well for freelancers with simpler needs.
5. Expense Tracking & Financial Reporting
FreshBooks
Expense tracking is one of FreshBooks’ strongest features:
- Automatic Expense Tracking
FreshBooks can import expenses from linked bank accounts and credit cards, and it will categorize them automatically. - Receipt Management
Upload and manage receipts directly within the platform, keeping everything organized for tax season. - Financial Reporting
FreshBooks offers detailed reports like profit-and-loss statements, sales tax summaries, and expense reports, which are essential for business accounting.
Billings Pro
Billings Pro offers more basic expense tracking:
- Manual Expense Tracking
You can manually input expenses and link them to specific projects, but it lacks the automation seen in FreshBooks. - Simple Reports
Billings Pro includes basic reports, mainly focused on invoicing, time tracking, and project expenses, but doesn’t offer deep financial reporting.
Verdict:
- FreshBooks is the clear choice for businesses that need automatic expense tracking and detailed financial reporting.
- Billings Pro offers simple expense tracking and is better suited for freelancers who don’t need advanced accounting tools.
6. Client Management
FreshBooks
FreshBooks offers basic client management features:
- Client Profiles
You can store client information and link it to their invoices, projects, and expenses, but FreshBooks is more focused on financial management than CRM.
Billings Pro
Billings Pro provides more robust client management:
- Detailed Client Profiles
You can track client contact information, project history, and outstanding invoices all in one place. - Project Management
Billings Pro offers basic project management features, allowing you to manage client projects, create estimates, and track time and expenses.
Verdict:
- Billings Pro is stronger in client management and is a better fit if you need to track more detailed client histories and projects.
- FreshBooks is more focused on financial aspects, with basic client tracking.
7. Pricing: What’s the Real Cost?
FreshBooks
FreshBooks has tiered pricing based on the number of clients you manage:
- Lite: $17/month (up to 5 clients)
- Plus: $30/month (up to 50 clients)
- Premium: $55/month (unlimited clients)
- Select: Custom pricing for larger businesses
Billings Pro
Billings Pro offers a simpler pricing model:
- Free Plan: Allows for one user and five clients.
- Paid Plan: $5/month per user for unlimited clients and projects.
Verdict:
- Billings Pro offers more affordable pricing, making it perfect for freelancers or small teams needing basic invoicing and time tracking.
- FreshBooks is more expensive, but it offers a wider range of features, especially for accounting and reporting.
8. Integrations: Extending the Platform
FreshBooks
FreshBooks integrates with a variety of third-party tools:
- Payment Gateways: PayPal, Stripe, WePay, and more.
- CRMs: HubSpot, Salesforce.
- Project Management: Trello, Asana.
- E-Commerce: Shopify, WooCommerce.
Billings Pro
Billings Pro has fewer integrations:
- Payment Processors: Mainly PayPal.
- Limited Add-ons: Billings Pro doesn’t offer the same level of third-party integrations as FreshBooks, making it less flexible for larger businesses.
Verdict:
- FreshBooks wins with more integrations, especially for payment processing, project management, and CRM tools.
- Billings Pro is more limited in integrations, which could be a drawback for users needing more flexible workflow connections.
Final Verdict: Which Tool Should You Choose?
- Choose FreshBooks if you need a comprehensive accounting solution that offers advanced invoicing, expense tracking, time management, and financial reporting. It’s perfect for freelancers and small businesses that want to stay on top of their finances and grow their business over time.
- Choose Billings Pro if you’re a freelancer or creative professional looking for an affordable, simple invoicing and time-tracking tool with solid client management. It’s ideal for those who don’t need deep accounting features but want a streamlined way to manage projects and bill clients.
Ultimately, FreshBooks is the better choice if you need scalability and detailed financial tools, while Billings Pro is the best fit for creative professionals who need an affordable, Mac-friendly solution focused on invoicing and time tracking.