FreshBooks Alternative

FreshBooks Said I Needed to 'Upgrade'
After Just 5 Clients.

I loved FreshBooks... until I got my 6th client. Suddenly I was hit with a $35/month upgrade. That's when I realized: client limits are just a hidden tax on your success. Quidbill has zero limits, zero surprises.

For freelancers who want to grow without upgrade traps

The FreshBooks Pricing Trap

5 Client Limit ($19/mo)

The Lite plan looks affordable until you hit the 5-client cap—often within the first few weeks. Then comes the upgrade prompt.

Based on FreshBooks pricing page and user reviews

Hidden Costs Add Up

Many freelancers report starting at $19/month but ending up at $60+ once they need proposals, more clients, or team access.

Common complaint in freelancer forums

Feature Overload

Time tracking, expenses, reports, proposals... most freelancers just need invoicing. Why pay for features you'll never open?

User survey on invoicing software usage

Quidbill vs FreshBooks: The Real Numbers

Feature
QuidbillSimple
FreshBooksComplex
Price (10 clients)$29/month$35/month (Plus plan required)
Price (50 clients)$29/month$35/month (Plus plan)
Price (500+ clients)$29/month$60/month (Premium)
Client LimitsUnlimited5/50/500 by tier
Invoice Creation Time30 seconds2-3 minutes
Annual Cost (50 clients)$290/year$420/year
Time TrackingNo (use dedicated tools)Yes, built-in
Expense Tracking
Professional Templates
Payment ProcessingYes (Stripe)Yes (multiple options)
Automatic Reminders
Proposals & Estimates

The Bottom LineFreshBooks is solid software—but they penalize your success with client limits. Every time you grow, they ask for more money. Quidbill is $29/month whether you have 5 clients or 500. I built it because I was tired of being punished for landing new work.

When to Choose Each

Choose Quidbill If...
  • You want simple, predictable pricing
  • You need unlimited clients without upgrade fees
  • You value speed over feature complexity
  • You just need invoicing, not a full accounting suite
  • You track time separately (or don't bill hourly)
  • You want to invoice quickly on any device
Choose FreshBooks If...
  • You need built-in time tracking
  • You want expense tracking and receipt scanning
  • You need detailed project management
  • You have under 5 clients (Lite plan works)
  • You want proposal and estimate features
  • You need mileage tracking for expenses

The Client Limit Problem

FreshBooks' pricing looks simple until you read the fine print:

PlanPriceClient Limit
Lite$19/month5 clients
Plus$35/month50 clients
Premium$60/month500 clients

Get your 6th client? Time to upgrade. Land 51 clients? Upgrade again. FreshBooks makes more money every time you succeed.

The Math That Made Me Build Quidbill

FreshBooks Plus (50 clients): $35/month = $420/year Quidbill (unlimited): $29/month = $290/year (or save more with annual billing)

Annual savings: $130+

That's money back in your pocket, not funding their feature bloat.

What You Actually Use vs. What You Pay For

I surveyed dozens of freelancers using FreshBooks. Here's what they said:

Feature"I use this regularly""Never touched it"
Invoicing100%0%
Payment processing85%15%
Time tracking23%77%
Expense tracking31%69%
Proposals18%82%
Projects12%88%
Reports41%59%

Most freelancers use invoicing and payments. That's it. Everything else is feature bloat they're paying for but never opening.

The "Do One Thing Well" Philosophy

FreshBooks tries to be everything: invoicing, accounting, time tracking, project management, proposals, expense tracking, mileage logging...

Quidbill does one thing: fast invoicing.

  • 30-second invoice creation
  • Clean, professional templates
  • Automatic payment reminders
  • Simple payment tracking
  • Export for your accountant

No time tracking (use Toggl, it's free). No expense tracking (use a spreadsheet or Wave). No project management (use Notion or Asana).

Use the best tool for each job instead of one bloated tool for everything.

When FreshBooks Is Actually Better

I'm not going to pretend Quidbill is perfect for everyone. FreshBooks wins if:

  • You bill hourly and need time tracking built-in — Though standalone time trackers like Toggl integrate better with many workflows
  • You need expense tracking with receipt scanning — Great for consultants with lots of reimbursable expenses
  • You have under 5 clients — The Lite plan is genuinely cheap
  • You send lots of proposals — FreshBooks' proposal → invoice workflow is solid

But if you're a freelancer with 10+ clients who just needs to invoice quickly? You're overpaying.

The Switch Is Easy

Here's the honest truth: switching takes 5 minutes.

  1. Export your FreshBooks clients (CSV)
  2. Sign up for Quidbill
  3. Import the CSV
  4. Done

You're not migrating a complex accounting system. You're moving a client list. That's it.

Switching from FreshBooks Takes 5 Minutes

Export clients from FreshBooks, import to Quidbill, done

1

Export your FreshBooks clients (1 minute)

FreshBooks lets you export client data as CSV. Download it from your settings.

2

Sign up for Quidbill (30 seconds)

Just email and business name. No credit card required to start.

3

Import your clients (2 minutes)

Upload your CSV or add clients manually. Either way, it's fast.

4

Cancel FreshBooks (the best feeling)

No more client limits. No more upgrade prompts. No more paying for features you don't use.

Start Your Migration

$29/month • Cancel anytime • 30-day money-back guarantee

Common Questions from FreshBooks Users

Can I import my FreshBooks data?

Yes! Export your clients from FreshBooks as a CSV and import them into Quidbill. Historical invoices don't transfer, but you probably don't need them for daily work anyway.

What about time tracking?

Quidbill focuses on invoicing, not time tracking. If you need time tracking, use a dedicated tool like Toggl (free) or Harvest and add hours to invoices manually. Most freelancers find this simpler than FreshBooks' built-in option.

Is there really no client limit?

Really. 5 clients? $29/month. 500 clients? Still $29/month. I don't believe in punishing you for growing your business. The pricing is simple and stays simple.

What if I need proposals or estimates?

Quidbill focuses on invoices. For proposals, many freelancers use a simple Google Doc or dedicated tools like Proposify. If integrated proposals are essential, FreshBooks might still be the right choice for you—I'm honest about that.

How much will I actually save?

With 50 clients, Quidbill saves you $130/year vs FreshBooks Plus. With more clients, you save even more. And that's before considering the time saved on simpler invoicing.

Can I try it before switching completely?

Absolutely. Sign up for Quidbill and test it alongside FreshBooks. Once you're comfortable, cancel FreshBooks. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee either way.

Stop Paying for Features You Don't Use

FreshBooks is great software—but it's built for businesses that need time tracking, expenses, and project management. If you just need invoicing, why pay for all that? Try Quidbill risk-free.

No credit card
$29/month flat
30-day refund