Clear Books vs FreshBooks: which fits your firm?
FreshBooks starts at $23 per month while Clear Books quotes pricing on request; both list solo and small firms.
Prices and details verified May 25, 2026 for Clear Books and August 15, 2026 for FreshBooks. Both records sit in Core ledger and bookkeeping and are compared on vendor-published specifications, the same way across every tool.
Clear Books vs FreshBooks side by side
7 of 13 dimensions differ. Rows marked "Differs" are where the two records do not match.
| Dimension | Clear Books | FreshBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Entry priceDiffers | Quoted on request | $23 per month |
| Pricing modelDiffers | Flat rate | Per entity |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Free planDiffers | Yes | No |
| Firm size fit | Solo, Small | Solo, Small |
| Built forDiffers | Firms and their clients | Small businesses |
| Specialisation | Bookkeeping | Bookkeeping |
| Automation profile | High volume, routine work | High volume, routine work |
| Deployment | Cloud, Mobile | Cloud, Mobile |
| Geo availabilityDiffers | UK | US, UK, Canada, Global |
| Integrations listedDiffersBoth list: PayPal, Stripe. | 7 listed | 7 listed |
| Certifications | Not published | Not published |
| Support channelsDiffers | Phone, Chat, Email, Knowledge base, Community forum | Phone, Email, Chat, Knowledge base |
Which one fits your firm
Choose Clear Books if
- UK sole traders, landlords, and small limited companies that need HMRC-recognized MTD filing.
- Small UK practices wanting affordable accounting software with VAT, payroll, and CIS built in.
- Businesses that want a free MTD filing tier before moving to a paid plan.
Think twice about Clear Books if
- Firms outside the UK. Clear Books is built around HMRC and UK VAT rules only.
- Mid-market or multi-entity groups needing consolidation. Clear Books targets small UK businesses.
- Teams wanting USD pricing. Clear Books is priced in GBP for the UK market.
Choose FreshBooks if
- Freelancers and solo service businesses that need invoicing-first accounting with built-in payment collection.
- Small service-based businesses that want time tracking, expense capture, and bookkeeping in one tool.
- Accountants who service-bill clients on Plus or Premium tiers. Accountant access is included from Plus up.
Think twice about FreshBooks if
- Practices whose clients run inventory-heavy or multi-entity businesses. FreshBooks targets service operations.
- Firms that want AI-driven coding or anomaly detection. FreshBooks does not highlight AI features.
- Practices that intend to use FreshBooks to run their own firm. FreshBooks is not a practice management tool.
What each one does
About Clear Books
Clear Books is online accounting software for UK sole traders, landlords, and small businesses. It handles invoicing, bank feeds, VAT, payroll, and the Construction Industry Scheme, files Making Tax Digital returns to HMRC, and offers a free tier for basic MTD filing. It is built specifically around UK tax rules rather than as a global tool.
Best for UK sole traders and small businesses that need affordable, HMRC-recognized accounting with MTD, VAT, payroll, and CIS.
About FreshBooks
FreshBooks is invoicing-first accounting software for freelancers and small service businesses. It covers expense tracking, time logging, and double-entry bookkeeping, with accountant access included on Plus plans and above.
Fits best when freelancers and solo service businesses need invoicing-first accounting with built-in payment collection.
FreshBooks profileFreshBooks pricing and plansFreshBooks vendor site
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, Clear Books or FreshBooks?
- FreshBooks publishes an entry price of $23 per month. Clear Books quotes pricing on request and publishes no figure, so the two cannot be compared on published prices alone.
- Do Clear Books and FreshBooks both offer a free trial?
- Yes. Both Clear Books and FreshBooks list a free trial. Clear Books publishes a permanently free plan, and FreshBooks does not.
- Which one integrates with QuickBooks and Xero, Clear Books or FreshBooks?
- Neither published integration list names QuickBooks or Xero. Both lists do share PayPal and Stripe. Check the vendor pages for anything added since these records were last checked.
- Which suits a smaller firm, Clear Books or FreshBooks?
- Both records list the same firm sizes: solo and small. The split comes from the rest of the record, including deployment, specialisation and the integrations each vendor lists.