Businesses can choose between a comprehensive payment platform and a specialized invoicing solution with FreshBooks and Square Invoices, each of which serves distinct business models and invoicing requirements.
Square Invoices is perfect for startups and independent contractors because it offers a fully free plan with unlimited clients and cloud storage. The cost of paid plans is $49 for Plus and $149 for Premium. FreshBooks has a 30-day trial and costs $10.50 a month without a free option. Scaling options are available for $19 and $32.50 for its mid-tier plans. Square Invoices promotes flexibility by having no user limitations whereas FreshBooks charges $11 for each new user. However, Square offers unlimited access which is essential for expanding businesses while FreshBooks’ Lite package only supports five clients.
For service-based companies that bill by the hour or project, FreshBooks is an all-inclusive time tracking and expenditure management solution. Unlike Square Invoices which primarily concentrates on invoicing and payment collection, it provides comprehensive time tracking and cost management tools. FreshBooks accepts fewer gateways whereas Square Invoices offers more payment alternatives, such as digital wallets and credit cards. Both platforms feature mobile apps but they are superior in various ways: Square focuses on creating invoices and accepting payments while FreshBooks offers time and cost tracking.
FreshBooks is unique in that it links to over 11,000 banks and has a wide range of third-party connections, particularly with CRM platforms like HubSpot, Salesforce and Pipedrive. This makes it perfect for intricate financial workflows. Square Invoices relies on its own Customer Directory and interfaces with Xero and QuickBooks Online but lacks external CRM integrations. Additionally, Square Invoices is only available in English and does not support different currencies which limits its usage for worldwide operations. In contrast, FreshBooks provides localization and multi-currency support for firms operating internationally.
Both platforms provide chat, phone and email assistance along with knowledge bases. While FreshBooks follows regular business hours, Square Invoices offers premium users round-the-clock service. Both use data encryption, guarantee automatic backups for data security and comply with GDPR. Square has an advantage since it can be tailored to particular businesses, particularly retail and dining.
While Square Invoices is an affordable and practical option for product-based enterprises and retail operations looking for a free, payment-focused solution with limitless clients, FreshBooks provides outstanding time tracking and international functionality for service-based freelancers and agencies.
| FreshBooks | Square Invoices | |
|---|---|---|
| Core Features | ||
| Custom Templates | 50+ professional invoice templates | Yes |
| Send Estimates / Quotations | Yes | Yes |
| Recurring Billing Automation | Yes | Yes |
| Expense Tracking | Yes | Limited |
| Time Tracking | Yes | No |
| Mileage Tracking | Yes | No |
| Automated Payment Reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Project-Based Billing | Yes | Yes |
| Tax Handling | Yes (automatic tax calculations) | Yes |
| User Permissions / Role Management | Yes | Yes |
| File Uploads | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing and Plans | ||
| Free Plan Availability | No | Yes |
| Pricing Range | Lite: $10.50/month Plus: $19.00/month Premium: $32.50/month Select: Custom |
Free: $0/month Plus: $49/month Premium: $149/month |
| Trial Period | 30-day free trial | No |
| User Limits | Lite/Plus/Premium: 1 user (+$11 per additional) Select: 2 users |
No strict limits |
| Client Limits | Lite: 5 clients Plus: 50 clients Premium & Select: Unlimited clients |
Unlimited clients |
| Storage Limits | Unlimited Storage | Unlimited cloud storage |
| Payment Processing Fees | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction | Varies by payment method |
| Ease of Use | ||
| User Interface | Simple to Moderate | Simple |
| Onboarding Experience | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile App Availability | iOS & Android | Yes |
| Mobile App Functionality | Full invoicing, time tracking, expense & mileage tracking |
Create & send invoices, accept payments |
| Integration | ||
| Payment Gateways Supported | Stripe, PayPal, WePay, Square | Credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App Pay, ACH, Afterpay |
| Accounting Software Compatibility | QuickBooks, Xero (via integrations) | QuickBooks Online, Xero |
| CRM Integration | HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive | Built-in customer directory |
| API Availability | Yes | Yes |
| Reporting & Analytics | ||
| Bank Connections | Yes (11,000+ banks) | Yes |
| Pre-Built Financial Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Report Creation | Yes | Yes |
| Security & Compliance | ||
| Dashboard Metrics | Yes | Yes |
| Data Encryption | Yes | Yes |
| GDPR Compliance | Yes | Yes |
| Backup Options | Automatic | Automatic |
| Customer Support | ||
| Support Channels | Email, Phone, Live Chat | Phone, Chat, Email |
| Help Center / Knowledge Base | Yes | Yes |
| 24/7 Support | No | Partial (24/7 for premium plans) |
| Adaptability | ||
| Multi-Currency Support | Yes | No |
| Localization | Multiple languages | English |
| Industry-Specific Customization | Limited | Yes |
| Scalability | Freelancers to SMBs | Freelancers to Small/Medium Businesses |
| Read FreshBooks Review | Read Square Invoices Review |
