Best Accounting Software for Freelancers in 2025
Lightweight accounting tools for freelancers and self-employed professionals. Invoice clients, track expenses, and prepare for taxes without an accountant.
Bottom line up front
Get paid faster and stop dreading tax season
Our Top Pick
FreshBooks
Start free — no credit card required for most plans
Why Freelancers Need the Right Tool
Freelancing is liberating right up until tax season, when you realize you have 11 months of receipts in a shoe box and no idea how much you actually made. Good accounting software doesn't have to be complicated — for most freelancers, it needs to do three things really well: send professional invoices, track every business expense, and give you a clear picture of your income and taxes owed at any point in the year.
In this guide, we've evaluated the top options based on features that matter specifically for freelancers: ease of setup, pricing at small-team scale, integrations with the tools you already use, and — most importantly — whether the tool actually gets used after the first month. These are not generic recommendations. Each pick is chosen because it solves the specific problems freelancers face.
The real problem to solve
Freelancers spend hours every quarter trying to reconstruct their finances because they didn't track as they went.
Top 5 Tools — At a Glance
| Feature | FreshBooks | QuickBooks Self-Employed | Wave | Bonsai | AND.CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | — | — | — | — | — |
| Starting Price | — | — | — | — | — |
| Free Plan | — | — | — | — | — |
| Best For | — | — | — | — | — |
| Free Trial | Visit site → | Visit site → | Visit site → | Visit site → | Visit site → |
In-Depth Reviews
Here's what you need to know about each option before starting a trial.
FreshBooks
Top PickDetailed review coming soon.
QuickBooks Self-Employed
Detailed review coming soon.
Wave
Detailed review coming soon.
Bonsai
Detailed review coming soon.
AND.CO
Detailed review coming soon.
How to Choose the Right Tool for Freelancers
Before you start a free trial, answer these three questions honestly:
- Who will actually use this every day? The best tool is the one your team uses consistently — not the one with the most features. If you're a solo operator, complexity is your enemy. If you have a team of 10+, look for tools with strong onboarding and admin controls.
- What does your workflow look like today? The tools that see the highest adoption are ones that fit into existing workflows rather than requiring a complete process overhaul. Look for tools that integrate with software you already use.
- What's your 12-month budget? Most tools start cheap and scale with usage. Run the numbers on what you'll pay at 6 months and 12 months — not just the entry price. Factor in user seats and any add-ons you'll need.
Our recommendation for most freelancers: start with FreshBooks. It strikes the best balance of features, ease of use, and value for this use case.
Ready to get started?
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Most plans include a free trial or free tier — no credit card required. Set up takes less than 10 minutes.
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