Best of

Best invoicing software for freelancers: 3 options compared

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Our top pick: FreshBooks. FreshBooks is built around billing clients: time tracking, projects, estimates, proposals and invoices, with accountant access on higher plans and a 30-day trial.
ToolBest forFree optionStarting price
1. FreshBooks Our pickfreelancers and service businesses that bill clients30-day free trialFrom $23/mo (regular)
QuickBooksgrowing businesses that need inventory, many users and deep reportsFree plan; 30-day trialSimple Start from $19/mo (promo)
Wavevery small budgetsFree Starter planFree plan; Pro $19/mo

How we chose

We looked at invoicing, time tracking, accountant access, free options and price. Facts come from each vendor’s own public pages; where a price or limit was not shown we say so instead of guessing.

The options in detail

Our pick

FreshBooks

Best for: freelancers and service businesses that bill clients.

  • Time tracking, projects, estimates and proposals
  • Up to 10 accountants on Plus and Premium at no extra cost
  • Easy Switch data transfer

Watch out: Lite covers 5 billable clients.

Read the FreshBooks review
Also consider

QuickBooks

Best for: growing businesses that need inventory, many users and deep reports.

  • Plans from Free to Advanced with 1 to 25 users
  • Inventory management on the Plus plan
  • Custom KPIs and dashboards from Essentials

Watch out: List prices are higher than the promotional first-3-month price.

Official site
Also consider

Wave

Best for: very small budgets.

  • Unlimited invoices and estimates on free Starter
  • Card payments 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction
  • Pro adds bank import and reminders

Watch out: Payment fees apply per transaction.

Official site

Verdict

If the points above match your needs, start with FreshBooks and use its free option or trial to confirm. Choose another option only when a specific limit blocks you.

Try FreshBooks free

Go deeper: freshbooks vs quickbooks wave · FreshBooks review · FreshBooks alternatives

Prices and limits can change; always confirm on the official sites. Last verified: 2026-10-13