AscendTMS vs FreshBooks
AscendTMS
ascendtms.com
FreshBooks
freshbooks.comSide by side
| Figure | AscendTMS | FreshBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $69/mo | $4.60/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 7 |
| Spec score · Trucking Accounting | 9.2 (#1) | 9.2 (#2) |
| Accounting | Premium accounting includes receivables, payables, advances, statements and Excel financial exports. | Plus, Premium and Select include double-entry accounting, chart of accounts and financial reports such as profit and loss and balance sheet. |
| API | GetApp states that AscendTMS includes an API for connecting third-party solutions. | The public API exposes FreshBooks data as JSON for web and desktop integrations and uses OAuth2 access tokens. |
| Headquarters | The maker lists its address as 1463 Oakfield Drive, Suite 116, Brandon, Florida 33511. | Toronto, Canada |
| Integrations | The maker lists integrations spanning load boards, factoring, finance, GPS/ELD, carrier onboarding, insurance, licensing, communications and payments. | FreshBooks App Store lists more than 100 partner integrations covering payments, payroll, scheduling, projects and other workflows. |
| Licence | The terms prohibit sublicensing, resale, modification, derivative works, mirroring and reverse engineering, indicating proprietary software. | The service is proprietary: its terms grant limited access and prohibit modifying, redistributing or creating derivatives of FreshBooks content. |
| Rating on G2 | 4.4 out of 5 from 9 reviews | 4.5 out of 5 from 981 reviews |
| Rating on GetApp | 4.9 out of 5 from 367 reviews | 4.5 out of 5 from 4,529 reviews |
| Self-hosting | The product is presented as hosted cloud software and the reviewed pages provide no self-hosted installation option. | FreshBooks is delivered as a hosted cloud service and its official materials provide no self-hosted deployment option. |
| Support | Official support operates Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern, with phone, email and web-form channels. | The Help Center organizes guidance for invoices, payments, expenses, projects, reports, payroll, integrations and mobile use, with FreshBot routing support options. |
| What it does | AscendTMS is a cloud transportation-management system for freight brokers, carriers, 3PLs and shippers. | FreshBooks is cloud accounting software for small businesses that combines invoicing, payments, expenses, time tracking, projects and reports. |
Plans
FreshBooks
- Lite$23 a month
- Plus$43 a month
- Premium$70 a month
- Lite$4.60 a month
- Plus$8.60 a month
- Premium$14 a month
- SelectPriced on request
In their own words
AscendTMS
AscendTMS is transportation management software for freight brokers, carriers, fleets, third-party logistics providers and shippers. Its road-freight tools cover load management, financials and profit monitoring, route review, load documentation, and branch and department management. Load searching, posting and truck matching are included; access to DAT or Truckstop.com services requires a separate subscription. Users can post loads to as many as 53 load boards, though subscriptions may be required. AscendTracker can request a driver's GPS location and status by text message, without a driver app. Carrier checks include verification, qualification and fraud detection using an MC or DOT number. Basic costs $69 a month per user, Premium $119 a month per user, and PRO $149 a month per user. Premium adds accounting functions, while PRO includes shipper profiles and leads, e-signatures, KPI reporting, outbound EDI and order management. The software runs on Android, iOS and the web, and offers a 30-day trial. Subscriptions are monthly, with no setup fees or contract periods and cancellation at any time.
FreshBooks
FreshBooks is accounting software for freelancers, solopreneurs, and small businesses. It creates invoices with tracked time and expenses, calculates taxes, and offers configurable payment options. Users can track time against clients and projects, then generate invoices from those records. Projects organize client work, team members, time, invoices, and expenses, and include profitability views. Listed payment options include card and ACH payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and buy now, pay later options. FreshBooks also offers recurring invoices, expense tracking, and a client portal. Its API uses OAuth2 for integrations and account automation. The service runs on the web and has iOS and Android apps, but some features, including reporting, are desktop-only. Mobile apps require iOS 15 or later or Android 7.0 or later. Lite costs $23 a month and includes five billable clients; Plus costs $43 a month and includes 50. Premium costs $70 a month and includes unlimited clients. Double-entry accounting is available on Plus, Premium, and Select. There is no free plan, and the listed trial lasts 30 days.