BILL vs FreshBooks — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
BILL starts at $49/mo. FreshBooks starts at $23/mo. FreshBooks is $26/mo cheaper on the entry tier than BILL.
See price history: BILL · FreshBooks
SMB accounts-payable + accounts-receivable automation platform (formerly Bill.com), IPO'd 2019 at $27B peak valuation. Positioned as the alternative to processing invoices manually or hacking QuickBooks Online for AP/AR workflows. Distinctive for 2-way sync with all major accounting platforms (QuickBooks, Xero, Sage Intacct, NetSuite) and BILL Divvy spend-management combined suite. Priced $49-$89/user/mo across Essentials/Team/Corporate published tiers plus Enterprise. Also charges per-transaction fees on top of subscription (ACH $0.59, checks $1.99, wire $19.99, international 1%). Popular with 5-100-person businesses running full AP/AR workflows.
SMB accounting positioned as the alternative to QuickBooks for service-based businesses and freelancers. Distinctive for its focus on invoicing UX and time-tracking-to-invoice workflow (unusual in accounting software). Priced $21-$65/mo. Owned by JMI Equity (private equity) since 2015 — expect steady annual price increases. Popular with consultants, agencies, and service businesses that need to invoice clients more than manage inventory.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | BILL monthly | BILL annual | FreshBooks monthly | FreshBooks annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid | Essentials / Lite | $49 | $49 | $23 | $20.7 |
| Mid tier | — / Plus | — | — | $43 | $38.7 |
| Pro / power | Corporate / Premium | $89 | $89 | $70 | $63 |
| Teams | Team / — | $65 | $65 | — | — |
| Enterprise | Enterprise / — | Custom | Custom | — | — |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
BILL is worth it if… growing businesses (10-500 employees) that need to automate invoice processing, approvals, and payments across a real vendor+customer stack — particularly if your finance team spends more than 10 hours/week on AP or AR manually. Essentials covers AP OR AR per user (not both); Team adds custom roles and class/location tracking; Corporate combines AP + AR; Enterprise adds NetSuite + Dynamics sync.
FreshBooks is worth it if… freelancers and small service businesses (1-15 people) that need invoicing + expense tracking + light bookkeeping — particularly if QuickBooks feels like overkill and Wave is too basic. Lite covers up to 5 billable clients; Plus adds recurring billing and proposals; Premium removes client limits.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose BILL over FreshBooks if…
Choose BILL if…
- You're comfortable with BILL's from $49/mo entry point.
- You match the profile BILL is built for: growing businesses (10-500 employees) that need to automate invoice processing, approvals, and payments across a real vendor+customer stack — particularly if your finance team spends more than 10 hours/week on AP or AR manually.
- You need a general-purpose finance & accounting option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose FreshBooks if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $23/mo).
- You match the profile FreshBooks is built for: freelancers and small service businesses (1-15 people) that need invoicing + expense tracking + light bookkeeping — particularly if QuickBooks feels like overkill and Wave is too basic.
- You need a general-purpose finance & accounting option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| BILL | FreshBooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | No |
| Entry price | $49/mo | $23/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Per Seat |
| Verification | Verified August 12, 2026 | Checked September 24, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 24, 2026. Tracked daily.