Finding the best invoicing software for consultants Canada has to offer is about more than creating a professional invoice.
Consultants often bill by the hour, by project, by milestone, or through retainers. They may need to track time, pass expenses to clients, collect deposits, accept online payments, manage GST/HST, send proposals, monitor unpaid invoices, and keep records ready for an accountant.
That makes the ideal invoicing platform different from software designed for a retail store or a simple one-person side business.
For Canadian consultants in 2026, our top choices are Zoho Books, FreshBooks, Bonsai, Xero, Wave, and QuickBooks Online. Each serves a different type of consulting business, from a new independent professional to an established consultancy with employees and complex accounting.
Best Invoicing Software for Consultants Canada: Quick Verdict
Best overall value: Zoho Books Professional
Best for invoicing and time tracking: FreshBooks Plus
Best for proposals, contracts and client workflow: Bonsai Essentials
Best for advanced accounting: Xero Standard
Best free option: Wave Starter
Best for businesses already working closely with a bookkeeper or accountant: QuickBooks Online
For most solo Canadian consultants, Zoho Books Professional offers the strongest combination of price, invoicing, project billing, time tracking, retainers, multi-currency support and accounting tools.
FreshBooks is the better choice when simplicity and client billing matter more than accounting depth.
Quick Comparison
| Software | Best For | Starting Price | Free Plan | Time Tracking | Projects | GST/HST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Books | Best overall value | $20 CAD/month | Yes | Professional+ | Professional+ | Excellent |
| FreshBooks | Client billing & time tracking | $26 CAD/month | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bonsai | Proposals, contracts & workflow | $15/month | No | Yes | Yes | Basic accounting focus |
| Xero | Full accounting | $25 CAD/month | No | Add-on | Add-on | Yes |
| Wave | Free invoicing | $0 | Yes | No comparable built-in tool | Limited | Yes |
| QuickBooks Online | Accountant-focused businesses | From $30 CAD/month | No | Higher plans | Higher plans | Yes |
1. Zoho Books — Best Overall Value for Consultants
Zoho Books is our overall recommendation for many Canadian consultants because it combines professional invoicing with full accounting, project billing, expenses, taxes, recurring transactions and automation.
The Canadian Free plan already includes invoices, quotes, expenses, recurring invoices, bank reconciliation, contractor tracking and more than 50 reports. Standard costs $20 CAD per month, or $15 per month when billed annually. Professional costs $35 monthly, or $30 with annual billing.
Professional is particularly attractive for consultants because it adds billable timesheets, projects, project profitability, retainers and multi-currency transactions.
Why Zoho Books Works Well for Consultants
A consultant can use Zoho Books to:
- create quotes before starting work;
- turn approved work into invoices;
- track billable time;
- bill project expenses to clients;
- create recurring invoices;
- issue retainer invoices;
- reconcile bank transactions;
- track GST/HST;
- generate Canadian tax-return reports;
- monitor project profitability;
- automate payment reminders.
Zoho Books also supports detailed expense tracking, including categorizing spending, linking expenses to projects and billing those expenses back to customers when required.
This is particularly useful for consultants who travel, purchase software or subcontractors for a project, or incur reimbursable client expenses.
Zoho Books Pricing for Consultants
| Plan | Monthly | Annual Billing | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | New consultants |
| Standard | $20 | $15/month | Simple consulting businesses |
| Professional | $35 | $30/month | Most established consultants |
| Premium | $50 | $40/month | Businesses needing more automation |
Best plan for consultants: Professional.
For detailed pricing, read our Zoho Books Pricing Canada guide.
Try Zoho Books for Canadian invoicing and accounting.
2. FreshBooks — Best for Invoicing and Time Tracking
FreshBooks is one of the most natural fits for consultants because the platform was built around service-based businesses.
A consultant can track hours, assign them to a client or project, add expenses, and turn the work directly into an invoice.
FreshBooks Plus costs $42 CAD per month at the regular monthly rate and supports up to 50 billable clients. It includes proposals, client retainers, accountant access, financial reports and receipt scanning. Premium costs $72 CAD and removes the client limit while adding project profitability and additional accounting features. FreshBooks is currently advertising a temporary 90% discount for the first six months, but long-term comparisons should use the regular prices.
Why FreshBooks Works Well for Consultants
FreshBooks is particularly strong for consultants who:
- charge hourly rates;
- use different rates for different clients;
- send estimates before projects;
- need professional proposals;
- collect retainers;
- track reimbursable expenses;
- invoice tracked time;
- accept online payments;
- want automated payment reminders.
FreshBooks Payments in Canada currently charges 2.9% + $0.30 CAD for standard credit and debit cards, 3.5% + $0.30 for American Express, and 1% for pre-authorized debit, with other fees applying to specific payment methods.
FreshBooks is also one of the easiest platforms to learn. That matters when a consultant wants to spend time with clients rather than configuring accounting software.
Read our full FreshBooks Review Canada and FreshBooks Pricing Canada guide.
FreshBooks Pros
- Excellent professional invoices
- Built-in time tracking
- Proposals and estimates
- Client retainers
- Project billing
- Online payments
- Easy interface
- Accountant access on Plus+
- Financial reports
FreshBooks Cons
- No permanent free plan
- Lite supports only five billable clients
- Plus supports only 50
- Extra team members cost more
- Less accounting depth than Xero or QuickBooks
3. Bonsai — Best for Proposals, Contracts and Client Workflow
Bonsai is different from traditional accounting software.
Instead of starting with bookkeeping, Bonsai starts with the consulting workflow:
lead → proposal → contract → project → time tracking → invoice → payment
That makes it especially useful for consultants who want more than accounting.
Bonsai Basic costs $15 per user monthly or $9 per user monthly with annual billing. Essentials costs $25 monthly or $19 with annual billing and adds invoices, payments, proposals, contracts, forms, scheduling, a client portal, expenses and income tracking. Premium adds deeper project insights, workload management, reporting and integrations.
Why Bonsai Works Well for Consultants
Bonsai includes:
- CRM;
- proposals;
- contracts;
- questionnaires;
- scheduling;
- unlimited projects;
- time tracking;
- task management;
- invoicing;
- online payments;
- client portal;
- expense tracking.
It can also manage rate cards, allowing consulting firms to standardize hourly or daily rates by role or seniority.
Best Bonsai Plan for Consultants
Essentials is the strongest starting point for most solo consultants because it adds the commercial tools missing from Basic.
Premium becomes worthwhile when reporting, staffing and project profitability become more important.
Read our Bonsai Review Canada for a complete breakdown.
Bonsai Pros
- Excellent proposal-to-payment workflow
- Contracts included
- Strong project management
- Built-in CRM
- Unlimited projects
- Time tracking
- Client portal
- Scheduling
Bonsai Cons
- Not a full Canadian accounting platform
- Pricing is per user
- Advanced reporting requires higher plans
- Businesses may still need separate accounting software
4. Xero — Best for Consultants Needing Full Accounting
Xero is a stronger choice when the consulting business has outgrown simple invoicing and needs a complete accounting system.
Xero Starter costs $25 CAD per month, Standard $60 and Premium $80. New Canadian customers are currently eligible for an advertised 80% discount for the first three months. Starter is limited to 20 invoices and five bills, so Standard is the more practical choice for a busy consultancy.
Xero Standard includes:
- invoices and quotes;
- online payments;
- bills;
- bank reconciliation;
- document capture;
- reports;
- inventory;
- purchase orders;
- sales tax;
- bank connections.
Projects and employee expenses are optional add-ons. Xero currently lists project tracking from $10 per month.
Why Xero Works Well for Consultants
Xero becomes attractive when the consultant:
- works closely with a bookkeeper;
- has many monthly bank transactions;
- receives supplier bills;
- wants detailed financial reports;
- manages subcontractors;
- operates a larger consultancy;
- needs multi-currency accounting.
Read our Xero Review Canada for the full analysis.
Xero Pros
- Excellent bank reconciliation
- Full accounting
- Strong reporting
- Smart document capture
- Purchase orders
- Inventory
- Large integration ecosystem
- Strong accountant workflow
Xero Cons
- More expensive
- No permanent free plan
- Starter invoice limits
- Project tracking may cost extra
- More complex than FreshBooks
5. Wave — Best Free Invoicing Software for New Consultants
Wave is the most attractive option for a consultant who is just starting and wants to avoid software costs.
Wave Starter costs $0 and includes unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records.
Wave Pro costs $25 CAD per month or $250 CAD annually and adds automatic bank imports, transaction categorization, unlimited receipt scanning and unlimited user access.
Why Wave Works Well for Consultants
Wave Starter can handle the basics:
- send estimates;
- create unlimited invoices;
- track bookkeeping records;
- manage customers;
- accept online payments;
- invoice from a mobile device.
For a consultant with a simple workflow, this may be enough.
The problem appears when the business needs built-in time tracking, proposals, contracts, project profitability or deeper accounting automation.
Wave Pro solves some bookkeeping limitations, but it still does not become a full consulting workflow platform.
Read our Wave Review for Freelancers in Canada.
Wave Pros
- Free Starter plan
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited estimates
- Simple interface
- Basic bookkeeping
- Affordable Pro plan
- Online payments
- Unlimited receipt scanning on Pro
Wave Cons
- No comparable built-in time tracking
- Limited project workflow
- No proposal-and-contract system like Bonsai
- Less advanced accounting than Xero
- Less scalable for consulting firms
6. QuickBooks Online — Best for Consultants Already Working With an Accountant
QuickBooks Online is another full accounting option for Canadian consultants.
Its EasyStart plan is designed for sole proprietors and freelancers and includes income and expense tracking, invoicing, bank feeds, GST/HST tracking and standard reporting. QuickBooks Essentials adds bill management, multi-currency and time tracking, while Plus adds project profitability and inventory. QuickBooks also gives accounting professionals a separate seat without using one of the plan’s normal user slots.
QuickBooks currently lists EasyStart at a regular $30 CAD per month, with temporary promotional pricing available to eligible new customers.
Who Should Choose QuickBooks?
QuickBooks makes sense when:
- your accountant already uses QuickBooks;
- you need stronger bookkeeping;
- GST/HST tracking is important;
- the business has employees;
- project profitability matters;
- you expect the consultancy to grow.
For a solo consultant focused mainly on invoices and time tracking, FreshBooks or Zoho Books is usually easier.
What Consultants Should Look for in Invoicing Software
The best software depends on how the consulting business charges clients.
Time Tracking
Hourly consultants should prioritize built-in time tracking.
FreshBooks and Bonsai are particularly strong here. Zoho Books Professional also supports billable timesheets.
Proposals and Contracts
A consultant often needs approval before work begins.
Bonsai provides the strongest combined proposal-and-contract workflow.
FreshBooks Plus provides proposals and retainers.
Retainer Billing
Retainers are common in consulting because they provide predictable monthly revenue.
Zoho Books Professional and FreshBooks Plus both support retainer workflows.
Expense Billing
Travel, accommodation, software, contractors and other project costs may need to be billed back to clients.
Zoho Books allows expenses to be categorized and attached to customers or projects, while FreshBooks makes reimbursable client expenses easy to include on invoices.
GST/HST
Canadian consultants who cross the applicable registration threshold or register voluntarily need accurate sales-tax records.
Zoho Books, Xero and QuickBooks provide deeper accounting-oriented tax workflows, while FreshBooks and Wave can handle taxes on invoices and tax-related reporting.
Online Payments
Allowing customers to pay invoices electronically can reduce collection time.
FreshBooks, Wave, Xero, Zoho Books and QuickBooks all support online-payment workflows, though processing fees and available gateways vary.
Best Software by Consultant Type
Independent Management Consultant
Best choice: Zoho Books Professional
It combines retainers, projects, timesheets, accounting and Canadian tax tools at a competitive price.
IT Consultant or Developer
Best choice: FreshBooks Plus
Time tracking and project-to-invoice workflow are particularly useful for hourly technical work.
Marketing Consultant
Best choice: Bonsai Essentials
Proposals, contracts, scheduling and client management create a more complete commercial workflow.
Consultant Just Starting Out
Best choice: Wave Starter
Free unlimited invoicing makes it difficult to beat for a new business.
Established Consulting Firm
Best choice: Xero Standard or QuickBooks Online
Both are better suited to deeper accounting and accountant collaboration.
Consultant With International Clients
Best choice: Zoho Books Professional or Xero Premium
Both support multi-currency workflows, but Zoho Books provides access at a significantly lower subscription tier.
FreshBooks vs Zoho Books for Consultants
This is one of the closest comparisons.
FreshBooks is easier and more focused on client billing.
Zoho Books is less expensive and provides stronger accounting and tax functionality.
Choose FreshBooks when time tracking and a simple interface are the priority.
Choose Zoho Books when price, automation and accounting depth matter more.
Read our FreshBooks vs Zoho Books Canada comparison.
Xero vs FreshBooks for Consultants
FreshBooks is better for a solo consultant.
Xero is better when the consulting business starts behaving more like a company with a bookkeeping department.
Read our Xero vs FreshBooks Canada comparison.
Wave vs Zoho Books for Consultants
Wave is easier and cheaper.
Zoho Books provides far more room to grow.
Read our Wave vs Zoho Books Canada comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best invoicing software for consultants in Canada?
Zoho Books Professional offers the best overall balance of invoicing, time tracking, projects, retainers, accounting, GST/HST tools and price for many consultants.
What is the easiest invoicing software for consultants?
FreshBooks is one of the easiest platforms for consultants because time, expenses and projects connect directly to invoices.
What is the best free invoicing software for consultants?
Wave Starter is the best free option for consultants who need simple invoices, estimates and bookkeeping.
Which software is best for hourly consultants?
FreshBooks is particularly strong because built-in time tracking can flow directly into invoices.
Which software is best for consulting proposals and contracts?
Bonsai is the strongest option because proposals, contracts, client management and project workflow are integrated.
Which software is best for GST/HST?
Zoho Books, Xero and QuickBooks provide stronger accounting-oriented Canadian tax workflows.
Can consultants use Zoho Books for retainers?
Yes. Zoho Books Professional includes retainers along with billable timesheets, projects and multi-currency transactions.
Is FreshBooks worth it for consultants?
Yes, particularly for consultants who bill by time or project and want an easier workflow for proposals, expenses, invoices and payments.
Is Xero too complicated for a solo consultant?
It can be. A consultant with simple invoicing needs may find FreshBooks or Wave easier. Xero becomes more valuable as bookkeeping complexity grows.
Best Invoicing Software for Consultants Canada: Final Verdict
The best invoicing software for consultants Canada depends on how the consulting business operates.
Zoho Books Professional is our best overall value. At $35 CAD per month, it combines projects, billable timesheets, retainers, multi-currency transactions and full accounting in a package that is difficult to match at the same price.
FreshBooks Plus is the best option for consultants who prioritize ease of use and client billing. Its regular $42 CAD monthly price includes proposals, retainers, financial reports, accountant access and receipt scanning, while FreshBooks’ core workflow makes time and expense billing straightforward.
Bonsai Essentials is the best client-workflow platform for consultants who need proposals, contracts, CRM, scheduling, projects and invoicing in one place.
Xero is best for advanced accounting, while Wave is the strongest free starting point.
For most independent Canadian consultants in 2026, our ranking is:
- Zoho Books Professional — Best overall value
- FreshBooks Plus — Best for invoicing and time tracking
- Bonsai Essentials — Best for proposals and client workflow
- Xero Standard — Best for full accounting
- Wave Starter — Best free option
- QuickBooks Online — Best for accountant-led businesses
For a broader look at the market, see our Best Accounting Software for Small Business Canada.
Check current details on the official FreshBooks Canada pricing page, Zoho Books Canada pricing page, Xero Canada pricing page, and Wave pricing page.
Pricing and features were checked against official vendor websites on August 13, 2026. Plans, promotions and features can change.