Best Accounting Software for Freelancers & Small Businesses
Compared by price, features, and fit for freelancers and small business owners.
FreshBooks
Best for freelancers who invoice clients
Clean invoicing, time tracking, and expense management designed for solo service businesses. Clients can pay by credit card directly from the invoice.
- Beautiful invoices clients actually pay
- Built-in time tracking
- Automatic late payment reminders
- Strong mobile app
HoneyBook
Best for client contracts + invoicing in one · From $16/mo
Combines proposals, contracts, invoices, and payments in a single client portal. Ideal for photographers, designers, and service providers who need more than just invoicing.
- Proposals + contracts + invoices in one flow
- Client portal for communication
- Automated workflows
- Scheduling integration
QuickBooks Online
Best for small businesses with employees · From $30/mo
The most widely used small business accounting software. Handles payroll, tax prep, inventory, and has the largest ecosystem of accountant integrations.
- Most accountants know it
- Built-in payroll
- Strong reporting
- Bank-grade security
Bonsai
Best all-in-one for freelancers · From $17/mo
Proposals, contracts, time tracking, invoicing, and expense tracking in one app. Cheaper than most alternatives and built specifically for freelance workflows.
- All-in-one freelance suite
- Contract templates included
- Client CRM built-in
- Tax summary reports
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