FreshBooks

FreshBooks is a cloud-based accounting and invoicing solution designed primarily for service-based small businesses, freelancers, and agencies. Its core strength lies in an exceptionally user-friendly interface that makes creating, sending, and managing professional invoices intuitive. Beyond invoicing, it offers robust time tracking, expense management, project collaboration tools, and client portals. Established in 2003, it pioneered the shift towards simple, beautiful accounting software for non-accountants. FreshBooks excels in automation: it can send automatic payment reminders, late fees, and recurring invoices, and it offers strong integrations with payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal. Its reporting provides clear insights into profit, expenses, and tax summaries. Compared to bare-bones invoicing tools, it's more feature-rich; compared to full-scale accounting software like QuickBooks, it's more accessible for those whose primary need is billing and client financial management. It's ideal for consultants, creatives, and firms that bill by time and need to keep clients in the loop.