Updated June 27, 2026. All pricing verified from public sources.
Three invoicing tools, three very different use cases. Invoice Simple does one thing and does it cheap. FreshBooks balances simplicity with light accounting. QuickBooks is the full accounting platform your accountant actually wants you to use. Here is how to pick.
| Invoice Simple | FreshBooks | QuickBooks Online | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $5.99/month | $17/month | $30/month |
| Free trial | Yes | 30 days | 30 days |
| Best for | Solo operators, pure invoicing | Small teams, light accounting | Full books, payroll, complexity |
| Estimates | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Expense tracking | No | Yes | Yes |
| Time tracking | No | Yes | Yes |
| Double-entry accounting | No | Basic | Full |
| Payroll | No | No | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Invoice Simple does exactly what it says. You create estimates, convert them to invoices, and accept payment. That is the entire product. No accounting, no expense tracking, no reports beyond basic sales summaries.
The mobile app is the standout feature. You can build and send a professional invoice from a job site in under two minutes. For a solo contractor who just wants to get paid without learning accounting software, this is the tool.
At $5.99/month it is a fraction of the cost of FreshBooks or QuickBooks. But you get what you pay for. If you need anything beyond sending invoices and receiving payments, you will outgrow Invoice Simple quickly.
FreshBooks started as an invoicing app and grew into light accounting. It still feels like an invoicing tool first, which is what small business owners actually want. You get professional estimates, recurring invoices, expense tracking, time tracking, and basic profit and loss reporting.
At $17/month it costs more than Invoice Simple but less than QuickBooks. For a business with 1 to 5 employees that needs invoicing plus basic financial visibility, FreshBooks hits the sweet spot. The interface is clean and intuitive in a way QuickBooks is not.
The limitation: FreshBooks is not full double-entry accounting. Your accountant will not love it. But for most small service businesses, it covers everything you actually need day to day.
QuickBooks is what your accountant wants you to use. Full double-entry accounting, payroll, job costing, inventory, and integrations with basically everything. At $30/month it is the most expensive option here, but it is also the only one that can handle real business complexity.
The downside: QuickBooks is harder to learn and the interface was designed by accountants, not small business owners. If all you need is invoicing, QuickBooks is overkill. But if you have employees, run payroll, carry inventory, or your accountant demands QuickBooks files, it is not really optional.
Pick Invoice Simple if: you are a solo operator who just needs to send invoices and get paid. At $5.99/month it is hard to beat for pure invoicing.
Pick FreshBooks if: you have a small team and want invoicing plus light accounting without the QuickBooks learning curve. The best balance of price and features for most small service businesses.
Pick QuickBooks if: you have employees, inventory, payroll, or an accountant who requires it. It is the most powerful and the most complex. Only pay for it if you need it.