Pronto Invoice vs FreshBooks

We’re Pronto Invoice, so naturally we think our product is the better choice. But this is a comparison between two very different tools — and being honest about that matters.

FreshBooks is a full-featured accounting platform with invoicing, time tracking, expense management, double-entry bookkeeping, and financial reporting. It has been around since 2003 and serves millions of small businesses worldwide. FreshBooks is an accounting tool that includes invoicing.

Pronto Invoice is a dedicated invoicing platform with AI-powered creation, a mobile-first offline experience, and integrations with accounting tools like QuickBooks. Pronto Invoice is an invoicing tool that connects to accounting.

These are fundamentally different products solving overlapping but distinct problems. This comparison will help you figure out which approach fits your business.

Pricing Comparison

The pricing gap between these two platforms is significant.

Pronto Invoice Pricing

FreshBooks Pricing

FreshBooks frequently runs promotions offering discounted rates for the first few months. Prices above are the standard rates.

What the Numbers Mean

If you send fewer than 10 invoices/month: Pronto Invoice’s Free plan costs $0 vs. FreshBooks Lite at $19/month. That’s $228/year saved.

Client limits matter. FreshBooks Lite limits you to 5 clients. Plus allows 50. Only Premium ($60/month) gives you unlimited clients. Pronto Invoice’s Starter plan ($5/month) includes unlimited clients. The difference is $55/month — $660/year.

If you need unlimited invoices: Pronto Invoice Growth at $12/month vs. FreshBooks Premium at $60/month. You save $576/year with Pronto Invoice.

Payment processing: Pronto Invoice charges zero markup. FreshBooks charges 2.9% + $0.30 per credit card transaction and 1% for ACH payments (minimum $1). On $5,000/month in card payments, that’s approximately $175/month in FreshBooks processing fees vs. your own Stripe rate (roughly $145/mo at standard Stripe pricing).

The QuickBooks combo: Pronto Invoice Growth ($12/month) + QuickBooks Simple Start ($30/month) = $42/month. This gives you AI invoicing, offline mobile, AND full accounting — for $18/month less than FreshBooks Premium alone.

Where Pronto Invoice Wins

AI-Powered Invoice Creation

This is Pronto Invoice’s core advantage. Smart AI lets you create invoices by typing (or dictating) what you need:

• “Invoice John Smith $500 for plumbing repair”
• “Bill ABC Corp for 3 hours electrical work at $85/hour”
• “New invoice for Sarah Chen, website design, $3,000”

The AI handles client matching, item suggestions from your catalog, tax calculations, and document assembly. Repeat clients with saved items take under 15 seconds.

FreshBooks uses traditional form-based creation. It’s well-designed and includes helpful auto-fill, but it’s a fundamentally manual process — navigate through fields, search for clients, add items, configure settings.

For a contractor at a job site wanting to invoice before leaving, 15 seconds (AI) vs. 90+ seconds (forms) matters every day.

Learn more about Smart AI Assistance

True Offline-First Mobile Experience

Pronto Invoice was built mobile-first. The phone app isn’t a companion to a web platform — it IS the product.

• Full offline support. Create invoices, add clients, manage items, and preview PDFs with no internet. Everything syncs when you reconnect.
• One-handed operation. Every critical action reachable with your thumb.
• Sub-2-second launch. Fully native iOS (SwiftUI) and Android (Jetpack Compose).
• Voice input. Dictate invoices with dirty or gloved hands.

FreshBooks has mobile apps, but they’re companions to the web platform. FreshBooks requires an internet connection for all operations — creating invoices, viewing clients, checking payment status. In a basement, on a rural job site, or in a building with poor signal, FreshBooks simply doesn’t work.

Explore the Mobile App

Dramatically Lower Cost

At every comparison point, Pronto Invoice costs less:

For a business that needs unlimited invoices and clients, switching from FreshBooks Premium to Pronto Invoice Growth saves $576/year — and adds AI creation, offline mode, and SMS delivery that FreshBooks doesn’t offer.

Zero Payment Processing Markup

Pronto Invoice never takes a cut of your payments. Connect your own Stripe or PayPal account and pay your negotiated rate. FreshBooks charges 2.9% + $0.30 per card transaction. On $10,000/month in processed payments, FreshBooks fees total approximately $320/month.

SMS Invoice Delivery

Pronto Invoice sends invoices via text message (Growth plan, $12/month). For contractors and field service pros, SMS gets faster responses than email. FreshBooks delivers invoices via email only.

Where FreshBooks Might Be Better

We believe in honest comparisons. FreshBooks has significant advantages in several areas:

Full Accounting Platform

FreshBooks includes double-entry bookkeeping, chart of accounts, journal entries, profit and loss reports, balance sheets, and tax preparation features. Pronto Invoice does not do accounting — it syncs with QuickBooks for that. If you want one tool for invoicing AND accounting, FreshBooks is the more complete solution.

Time Tracking

FreshBooks includes built-in time tracking on all plans. Log hours, assign them to projects, and convert tracked time into invoices. Pronto Invoice does not offer time tracking. For hourly billing — consultants, lawyers, freelance developers — FreshBooks’ integrated time tracking is a genuine advantage.

Recurring Invoices on All Plans

FreshBooks offers recurring invoices starting from the Plus plan ($33/month). Pronto Invoice requires Growth ($12/month). While Pronto Invoice is cheaper, FreshBooks’ recurring invoices are part of a broader accounting automation workflow.

Team Scalability

FreshBooks supports unlimited team members (at $11/person/month add-on). Pronto Invoice supports up to 3 team members on the Pro plan ($24/month). For growing teams beyond 3 people, FreshBooks offers more flexibility.

Proposals and Project Profitability

FreshBooks includes proposal creation, project profitability tracking, and billable time management. These features help service businesses track project economics from proposal through final payment. Pronto Invoice focuses specifically on invoicing and doesn’t include proposal or project management tools.

Established Reputation

FreshBooks has operated since 2003 with millions of users. It’s a household name in small business accounting. Pronto Invoice is newer. If brand recognition, operational history, and a large community of users matter to your decision, FreshBooks has the track record.

What Real Users Say

Pronto Invoice Users

“I can invoice customers before I leave their driveway. The AI just gets it — I say what the job was and it builds the invoice. Game changer for a one-man plumbing operation.” — Mike R., Plumbing Contractor

“Finally an invoicing app that works without cell service. Half my jobs are in basements or rural properties.” — Dave T., Electrician

“We switched from FreshBooks and saved over $500/year. QuickBooks handles our accounting, Pronto handles our invoicing. Best of both worlds.” — Lisa M., Small Business Owner

What FreshBooks Users Say

“Great all-in-one solution for accounting and invoicing. The price is steep but it handles everything.” — G2 review

“Excellent desktop experience. The mobile app could be better — I mostly use it on my computer.” — App Store review

“Love the time tracking and project features. Wish the lower plans allowed more clients.” — Capterra review

Who Should Choose Pronto Invoice?

Contractors and Field Service Professionals

You finish jobs on-site and need to invoice immediately. AI creates invoices in seconds. Offline mode works at any job site. You don’t need full accounting in your invoicing app.

• See HVAC invoice templates
• See plumbing invoice templates
• See electrical invoice templates

Budget-Conscious Small Businesses

You need professional invoicing without paying $60/month. Pronto Invoice Growth ($12/month) + QuickBooks gives you invoicing AND accounting for less than FreshBooks alone.

• View pricing plans

Businesses Already Using QuickBooks

You already have QuickBooks for accounting. FreshBooks would be a redundant accounting tool. Pronto Invoice syncs with your existing QuickBooks and adds AI creation, offline mobile, and SMS delivery.

Making the Switch

Getting started with Pronto Invoice takes less than 2 minutes:

1. Download the app (iOS or Android) or sign up on the web
2. Enter your business name and email — that’s the only required setup
3. Create your first invoice using Smart AI or the guided 5-step workflow
4. Send it — via email, text, or share link

No data migration needed. Your Pronto Invoice account starts fresh, and you can build your client list and item catalog as you go. Your FreshBooks account remains active for historical records.

Try it risk-free:

• Free plan: 10 invoices/month, no credit card required
• Paid plans: 14-day free trial with full access