FreshBooks vs Plutio
We give FreshBooks a 2.6 GPA and Plutio a 2.4, out of 4.0. FreshBooks grades higher on features and ease of use. Plutio grades higher on value for money and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FreshBooks
Invoicing and accounting for freelancers and service businesses
Plutio
All-in-one freelance app: projects, proposals, contracts and invoices
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAFreshBooksGood | 2.4GPAPlutioFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DLite is $23 a month, right at this category's middle, but it bills only 5 clients and has tax-time reports only. Accounting reports and bank reconciliation start on Plus at $43, and every extra team member is $11 a month on top. | CCore is $15.83 a month billed yearly, or $19 monthly, just past the cheaper quarter of accounting tools at $15. It's for one person and 9 active clients. More clients, or anyone helping you, means Pro at $40.83 billed yearly. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 30-day free trial with no card needed, which is fair. There's no free plan, though, and the 80% off for 4 months is a discount, not a trial: after that you pay the full $23, $43 or $70. | CA 7-day free trial with no card needed, but only 3 active clients while it runs. A week is short for judging something you'd bill clients from, and there's no free plan. |
| Features | BInvoices, estimates, proposals, retainers, online payments, unlimited time tracking, expenses, double-entry reports, bank reconciliation, accounts payable on Premium and payroll run with Gusto. That's the whole job for a business that bills clients. | CUnlimited invoices, proposals and e-signed contracts, projects with boards and Gantt charts, time tracking, scheduling, forms and a client portal. But it keeps no books: the listing says accounting apps such as FreshBooks connect through Zapier. |
| Ease of use | A4.7 from 10,979 App Store ratings, the top band for accounting apps. It's built around sending an invoice, which is the first thing most small business owners need to do. | CNo store rating on record. It does a lot, which means building it out first: clients, projects, proposal templates, forms and the workflows that chase people for you. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with card payments through Stripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Affirm and Afterpay, and payroll through Gusto. There's no desktop app, which keeps it off an A. | AWeb, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, with Stripe, PayPal, Square, Zapier, Google Calendar, FreshBooks, Calendly and DocuSign. That's the full spread. |
| Best for | invoicing first, with the books behind it | freelancers who want projects and invoices in one place |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FreshBooks and Plutio. How we grade
Price against what you get
FreshBooks starts at $23 a month and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Plutio starts at $15.83 a month and scores 2.7.
FreshBooks scores higher, and starts $7.17 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other accounting and invoicing tools on the chart, 1 scores higher than FreshBooks for less, and 2 score higher than Plutio for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- FreshBooks starts at $23 per month, billed monthly. Plutio starts at $15.83 per month, billed annually ($19 billed monthly).
- Only Plutio lists macOS and Windows apps.
- FreshBooks also covers reports, bookkeeping, expense tracking and payroll.
- Plutio also covers booking links, kanban boards and forms.
At a glance
| FreshBooks | Plutio | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $23 per month, billed monthly | $15.83 per month, billed annually ($19 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial, no credit card required | 7-day free trial, no credit card required, with up to 3 active clients |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | FreshBooks | Plutio Ltd |
| Price read from | freshbooks.com | plutio.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who each one suits
FreshBooks
- Freelancers and consultants who bill a handful of clients for their time
- Service businesses that send estimates, proposals and retainers
- Owners who want invoicing first and accounting reports second
Plutio
- Freelancers who want proposals, contracts, projects and invoices in one place
- Agencies that bring contractors and clients into shared projects
- Businesses that want automated follow-ups on proposals and late invoices
Worth knowing
FreshBooks
- The advertised prices are 80% off for 4 months; plans then renew at $23, $43 or $70 a month.
- Lite bills only 5 clients and Plus 50, counting archived clients; each extra team member costs $11 a month.
- Payroll costs $40 a month plus $6 per employee, files US federal and state taxes, and is not available during the free trial.
- Advanced Payments is a $20 a month add-on on every plan except Select.
Plutio
- Core is for one person and 9 active clients; contributors need Pro, which includes 30 and charges for more, or Max.
- White-label is a $9 a month add-on on Core and Pro, and single sign-on $5 a month on Pro; Max includes both.
- AI credits and workflow actions are capped each month by plan; extra AI credits and storage are sold separately.
- It is built around clients, projects and invoices; accounting apps such as FreshBooks connect through Zapier.
Key features
FreshBooks
- Invoices, estimates and proposals
- Recurring invoices, late fees and automatic reminders on every plan. Proposals and client retainers start on Plus.
- Online payments
- Clients pay by card, ACH bank transfer, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Affirm and Afterpay. Card payments through FreshBooks Payments cost 2.9% plus $0.30.
- Time tracking and projects
- Unlimited time tracking on every plan, with project budgets and billing. Project profitability reports need Premium.
- Expenses and receipts
- Bank import, mileage tracking on mobile and unlimited expenses. Receipt scanning starts on Plus, and bill line-item capture on Premium.
- Double-entry accounting
- Accounting reports, bank reconciliation and accountant access start on Plus. Lite has tax-time reports only.
- FreshBooks Payroll
- Payroll run with Gusto inside FreshBooks: unlimited pay runs, free direct deposit, and federal and state payroll tax filing.
Plutio
- Invoices and payments
- Unlimited branded invoices that clients pay through Stripe, PayPal or Square. Plutio adds no transaction fee of its own.
- Proposals and contracts
- Interactive proposals and contracts that clients sign electronically, with tracking of when they view and sign.
- Projects and tasks
- Unlimited projects with Kanban boards, lists, calendars and Gantt charts, plus one-click time tracking onto invoices.
- Scheduling and forms
- Clients book meetings against your availability, and intake forms, questionnaires and surveys can be embedded or shared.
- Client portal
- Each client gets a login to see their projects, invoices, files and messages. White-labeling it costs extra below Max.
- Plutio Pal and workflows
- An AI assistant drafts proposals, contracts and emails using monthly credits, and workflow actions automate follow-ups and reminders.
Plans
FreshBooks
Lite$23
per month for 5 billable clients, billed monthly
Advertised at $4.60 a month for the first 4 months. Invoices, estimates, expenses, online payments and tax-time reports.
Plus$43
per month for 50 billable clients, billed monthly
Advertised at $8.60 a month for the first 4 months. Adds proposals, retainers, accounting reports, receipt scanning and accountant access.
Premium$70
per month for unlimited clients, billed monthly
Advertised at $14 a month for the first 4 months. Adds project profitability, accounts payable, bill line-item capture and custom email templates.
SelectCustom
Unlimited clients, lower card fees, Advanced Payments included, 2 team members, unbranded emails and dedicated phone support.
Plutio
Core$15.83
per month, billed annually ($19 billed monthly)
$190 a year. Solo use: 9 active clients, no contributors, 500 AI credits and 500 workflow actions a month, and 100 GB storage.
Pro$40.83
per month, billed annually ($49 billed monthly)
$490 a year. Unlimited clients, 30 contributors, 2,500 AI credits and 5,500 workflow actions a month, and 500 GB storage.
Max$165.83
per month, billed annually ($199 billed monthly)
$1,990 a year. Unlimited clients and contributors, 10,000 AI credits and 50,000 actions a month, 2 TB storage, white-label and single sign-on.
Ways to pay less
FreshBooks
- Other savings
80% off the first 4 months
New customers pay 20% of the Lite, Plus or Premium price for 4 months, then the full monthly price. The page calls it a limited-time offer.
- Annual discount
10% off with yearly billing
Yearly plans cost $248.40 for Lite, $464.40 for Plus and $756 for Premium, 10% less than paying monthly.
Plutio
- Annual discount
Two months free with yearly billing
Yearly billing costs $190 for Core, $490 for Pro and $1,990 for Max, about two months less than twelve monthly payments.
