FreshBooks vs Ledger
FreshBooks
freshbooks.comLedger
ledger-cli.orgSide by side
| Figure | FreshBooks | Ledger |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $4.60/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 7 | 1 |
| Spec score · Bookkeeping Software | 9.2 (#7) | 8.2 (#32) |
| API | The public API exposes FreshBooks data as JSON for web and desktop integrations and uses OAuth2 access tokens. | The documentation links to Ledger 3 API documentation and describes it as a C++ API. |
| Founded | 2003 | 2003 |
| Purpose | FreshBooks describes itself as accounting software for freelancers, solopreneurs, and small businesses. | Ledger is a double-entry accounting system accessed from the UNIX command line. |
| Support | The Help Center organizes guidance for invoices, payments, expenses, projects, reports, payroll, integrations and mobile use, with FreshBot routing support options. | The project points users to its IRC channel and mailing list for questions and discussions. |
| What it does | FreshBooks is cloud accounting software for small businesses that combines invoicing, payments, expenses, time tracking, projects and reports. | Ledger is a double-entry accounting system accessed from the UNIX command line. |
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
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.
Ledger
Ledger is a double-entry accounting system used from the UNIX command line. Users record transactions in Ledger’s text format and maintain the files themselves; Ledger does not create or modify them. Entries must balance, and an unbalanced entry produces an error instead of a report. Commands can generate monthly and average reports, check balances, reconcile accounts, and track stock capital gains. Ledger supports multiple currencies in an account and can convert between them. Its data files accept UTF-8, dates use ISO format, and decimal values can follow US or European formats. The software is released under the BSD license and is listed as free. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows; downloads also include packages or binaries for BSD. The documentation links to the Ledger 3 manual, man page, C++ API documentation, and ledger-mode manual. The project directs users to an IRC channel and mailing list for discussion, and to GitHub for bug reports.