Updated: May 2026 | All Reviews
Quick verdict: FreshBooks wins for freelancers who want the simplest invoicing experience. Wave is the best free option for solo entrepreneurs. Xero is the best value for growing businesses with complex accounting needs. QuickBooks is the standard for US-based businesses that work with accountants. And Gusto handles the payroll and contractor payment side of your billing operations.
Rating: 4.5/5 — FreshBooks makes invoicing genuinely pleasant. Create a professional invoice in under 30 seconds, set up recurring billing for retainer clients, and accept credit card payments directly from the invoice. Time tracking is built-in — log hours on a project and convert them to an invoice with one click. The mobile app lets you snap receipts for expense tracking. Plans start at $19/month for the Lite plan (5 billable clients).
Rating: 4/5 — Wave is completely free for invoicing, accounting, and receipt scanning. You only pay for payment processing (2.9% + 60¢ per transaction) and payroll services. For freelancers and very small businesses with basic needs, Wave is unbeatable value. The invoicing features include recurring invoices, automatic payment reminders, and professional templates. The trade-off is limited customer support (email only) and fewer integrations than paid competitors.
Rating: 4.5/5 — Xero is the fastest-growing accounting platform for good reason. Bank reconciliation is automatic and accurate, inventory tracking works for product businesses, and the 1,000+ app integrations cover almost every business tool. Multi-currency support is standard on all plans. Starting at $13/month for the Early plan and $37/month for the Growing plan, Xero offers the best feature-to-price ratio for businesses that have outgrown basic invoicing.
Rating: 4/5 — QuickBooks is the most widely used accounting software in the US, which means most accountants already know it. Invoice customization, expense tracking, mileage logging, and sales tax management are all solid. The Self-Employed plan ($15/month) works for freelancers, while Simple Start ($30/month) covers growing businesses. QuickBooks' main weakness is the dated interface and occasional performance issues with large datasets.
Rating: 4.5/5 — Gusto integrates with accounting software to handle payroll, contractor payments, and benefits administration. If you're invoicing clients through FreshBooks or QuickBooks, Gusto ensures your employees and contractors get paid accurately with automatic tax filings. Plans start at $40/month plus $6 per person, making it the most accessible full-service payroll platform for small businesses.
Wave for free invoicing as a solopreneur. FreshBooks for service businesses that bill by the hour. Xero for product businesses that need full accounting. QuickBooks if your accountant demands it. And Gusto when you hire your first employee. Manage it all in ClickUp with invoice tracking dashboards and payment reminders.