Best QuickBooks alternatives for freelancers
Five simpler, cheaper ways to invoice clients and keep freelance books, and who each one suits.
The best QuickBooks alternatives for freelancers are Kibble for invoices, time, expenses and quarterly tax estimates on your own PC next to your personal budget, Wave for free invoicing with online payments, FreshBooks for polished invoicing and teams, Zoho Invoice for a free plan with time tracking, and a spreadsheet with an invoice template if you only send a few invoices.
Facts about other tools come from their own websites, checked October 29, 2026. Links are at the bottom. Kibble is ours, and we’ve noted where others win.
Why freelancers look beyond QuickBooks
QuickBooks is powerful, but its solo plans are Free (2 invoices a month and 1 bank connection), Lite at $20 a month, and Simple Start at $38 a month, at list price. Many one-person businesses want something simpler or cheaper, or don’t want their books in the cloud.
At a glance
| Invoices | Online payments | Time tracking | Quarterly tax estimates | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kibble | Unlimited PDF invoices from your Gmail | No | Yes, plus Clockify import | Yes, federal and state | Free during early access |
| Wave | Unlimited on Starter | Yes, with fees | Not found on its pages | Not found on its pages | Starter free; Pro $19 a month |
| FreshBooks | Yes, by client limit | Yes, with fees | Yes | Not listed | $23, $43 or $70 a month |
| Zoho Invoice | Up to 500 a year | Yes | Yes, up to 3 projects | Not listed | Free |
| Spreadsheet | Template | No | By hand | By hand | Free |
1. Kibble: best for one-person businesses
Kibble tracks time, sends PDF invoices from your own Gmail, drafts late reminders for your approval, sorts expenses by Schedule C line, and estimates quarterly federal and state taxes. Your personal budget sits on the other side of a Personal | Business switch. Your books stay on your Windows PC, and Kibble never connects to your bank.
Not ideal for: taking card payments, payroll, or Mac users. Read Kibble vs QuickBooks.
2. Wave: best free invoicing with payments
Wave’s free Starter plan includes unlimited invoices and estimates, and clients can pay online for a fee. Pro, at $19 a month, adds bank connections and automatic reminders. Payroll costs extra.
Read Kibble vs Wave.
3. FreshBooks: best for polish and teams
FreshBooks is popular for clean invoices, online payments and accountant access. Lite is $23 a month for up to 5 clients, Plus $43 for 50, and Premium $70 for unlimited, with a 30-day trial.
Read Kibble vs FreshBooks.
4. Zoho Invoice: a free plan with time tracking
Zoho calls Invoice “forever free”. Its FAQ lists limits of 2 users, 3 projects and 500 invoices a year, and invoices carry “Powered by Zoho Invoice” branding. It includes online payments, time tracking and expenses.
Best for: freelancers with a few projects who want free online payments.
5. A spreadsheet and an invoice template
With a few clients a month, a simple system works. Our free freelance invoice template comes in Excel and Word. Pair it with a monthly expense routine from How to track freelance expenses for Schedule C.
How to choose
- Want invoices, time and taxes in one private app? Kibble.
- Clients must pay by card online? Wave, FreshBooks or Zoho Invoice.
- Working with a team or an accountant inside the software? FreshBooks or QuickBooks.
- Only a few invoices a year? A template.
Sources
Checked October 29, 2026. Prices change, so check each site for the latest.
QuickBooks, Wave, FreshBooks and Zoho are trademarks of their owners. Soggy Dog Studios isn’t affiliated with them. This round-up is based on public information as of the date above.
Questions people ask
What is the best free alternative to QuickBooks?
Kibble is free during early access with unlimited invoices. Wave's Starter plan and Zoho Invoice are free too, with their own limits. All three are worth a look.
Which alternative lets clients pay online?
Wave, FreshBooks and Zoho Invoice take online payments, with fees. Kibble doesn't process payments; it marks invoices paid when the money arrives.
Do I need accounting software at all?
Not always. With a handful of clients, a spreadsheet and an invoice template can work. Software pays off when you have many invoices, need quarterly tax estimates, or want less year-end work.
Still scratching your head?
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