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FreshBooks alternative: free plan limits vs per-client pricing
Weighing a FreshBooks alternative? Compare PayToMe (beta) with FreshBooks on billable client limits, free plan limits, pricing and features.
Updated · By PayToMe Editorial
Facts about FreshBooks last verified on . Sources: FreshBooks pricing.
A FreshBooks alternative is usually a search about cost, and the real question is how each product prices growth. FreshBooks limits its plans by billable clients and sells team members and advanced payments as add-ons. PayToMe (beta) takes a different shape: a free plan counted in invoices, plus two paid tiers, and an AI assistant called Via that is live in beta. This page compares the two honestly. FreshBooks facts come from its official pricing page and are accurate as of October 2026. PayToMe is in public beta, and we mark what is live and what is still in development.
TL;DR comparison
| Item | PayToMe (beta) | FreshBooks |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Invoicing and get-paid product with an AI assistant, Via | Invoicing and accounting software for small businesses |
| Live today | Invoices, estimates, online payments, Via (beta), free tools | Full product with four plans |
| How limits work | Invoices: 100 per day, 500 per month, 1,000 in total on the Free plan | Billable clients: 5 on Lite, 50 on Plus, unlimited on Premium and Select |
| Entry price | Free plan, $0 | Lite at $23 per month list price |
| Mid plans | Pro $12/mo, Business $39/mo (or $120 and $390 a year) | Plus $43/mo, Premium $70/mo |
| Top tier | Business $39/mo, 15,000 invoices a month | Select, contact sales |
| Introductory offer | None announced | 80% off for 4 months listed |
| Card payment fees | Card payments run through Stripe | 2.9% + $0.30 per card transaction listed |
| Team members | See the pricing page | $11 per month per user as an add-on |
Who each is best for
FreshBooks is a good fit if
- You want invoicing together with expense tracking, estimates, mileage and reports in one product that works today.
- You need accountant access, bank reconciliation or double-entry reports. The pricing page lists these starting on Plus.
- You want proposals, retainers and e-signatures, listed from Plus upward.
- You prefer a mature product with a 30-day free trial to confirm it fits.
PayToMe is a good fit if
- You send many invoices to a small number of clients, or many clients, and you do not want your plan tier to depend on how many clients you have.
- You want a very large free allowance and exact invoice math.
- You like the idea of an assistant that drafts from a sentence. That is Via, and it is live in beta.
- You do not need bookkeeping features and would rather keep the tool light.
If you need accounting reports, FreshBooks is the one that offers them. If you need invoices and online payments, both do.
A FreshBooks alternative: where PayToMe is different
Speed: a sentence instead of a form
PayToMe is designed so that you describe the work and Via drafts the invoice with client, lines, tax and terms. You review and confirm, and nothing is sent without your approval. Totals come from a deterministic money engine rather than the AI model. See AI invoicing. Via is live in beta, so try it on a real invoice and judge it yourself.
The assistant, Via
The FreshBooks pricing page we reviewed did not describe an AI drafting assistant, so we make no claim either way about its roadmap. In PayToMe, Via is the main interface. Read about Via to see what it does and does not do.
Free limits: counted in invoices, not clients
This is the biggest structural difference. FreshBooks’ plans are priced by billable clients, with 5 on Lite and 50 on Plus. A growing client list pushes you to a higher plan. PayToMe’s Free plan is counted in invoices: 100 per day, 500 per month and 1,000 in total over the life of the account. That suits a business with many small clients, but there are tradeoffs. The 1,000 total cap is a real ceiling, and Pro at $12 a month lifts it. A business that bills the same few clients 50 times a month would burn through the total cap faster than the per-client model would ever bind it.
Free tools, no account needed
The invoice generator creates invoices with tax and discounts in your browser, and the late fee calculator helps you work out what an overdue balance costs. Neither needs an account. When you want to send and get paid, sign in to the Free plan.
Pricing comparison (as of October 2026)
FreshBooks, from its pricing page:
| Plan | List price per month | Introductory price listed | Billable clients |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | $23 | $4.60 (80% off for 4 months) | 5 |
| Plus | $43 | $8.60 | 50 |
| Premium | $70 | $14 | Unlimited |
| Select | Contact sales | Not listed | Unlimited |
Add-ons listed on the page: team members at $11 per month per user (Select includes 2), Advanced Payments at $20 per month on Lite, Plus and Premium (included in Select), and payroll at $40 per month plus $6 per month per user. Payment processing is listed at 2.9% + $0.30 per credit card transaction, and 1% for ACH bank transfers with an asterisk the page does not explain on that view. Select is described as having lower card and ACH fees, without figures. The page does not list a price for exceeding a client limit, and it says you can delete clients to free spots. It advertises a 30-day free trial with no credit card required and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
PayToMe (beta), pricing in US dollars:
| Plan | Price | Invoices | Via actions a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 100 per day, 500 per month, 1,000 in total | 50 |
| Pro | $12 per month or $120 per year | 3,000 per month | 1,000 |
| Business | $39 per month or $390 per year | 15,000 per month | 5,000 |
Plans are bought by card through Stripe and you can cancel any time. See the pricing page.
Switching notes
- Export before you do anything else. FreshBooks lists an “Easy Switch” import feature on its Select plan, which is for moving in. For moving out, check its help pages for export options, because we did not verify them.
- Keep the account while invoices are open. Let outstanding invoices finish on FreshBooks so payments land where clients expect.
- Count your clients and invoices. Note how many invoices you send per month and how many clients you have, so you can check a new tool’s limits against real numbers.
- Start new invoices on the Free plan. Sign in to create PDF invoices, or use the invoice generator with no account.
- Move payments last. Keep collection where it is until your open invoices are settled, then connect Stripe for new ones.
Mistakes to avoid when comparing
- Comparing the promotional price. The FreshBooks page shows an introductory discount. Compare the list price too.
- Forgetting add-ons. Team members, advanced payments and payroll are priced separately on the page.
- Ignoring total caps. PayToMe’s Free plan has a 1,000 total limit. Do the math on your invoice volume.
- Assuming planned features exist. Smart reminders, the cash-flow forecast, text-to-pay and the mobile app in PayToMe are in development.
You may also want the QuickBooks invoicing alternative comparison. Names are used only to identify the products being compared, and PayToMe is not affiliated with FreshBooks.