Understanding FreshBooks pricing Canada requires more than comparing the advertised monthly plan prices. The real cost can also depend on the number of billable clients, annual versus monthly billing, additional team members, payment-processing fees, optional Advanced Payments, provincial sales tax and temporary promotions.
FreshBooks currently offers four Canadian plans: Lite, Plus, Premium and Select. Regular monthly prices start at $26 CAD for Lite, increase to $42 CAD for Plus and $72 CAD for Premium, while Select uses custom pricing. FreshBooks is currently advertising a temporary 90% discount for six months, but regular prices remain the safer figures for long-term budgeting.
For most established freelancers, Plus is the best-value FreshBooks plan. Lite is cheaper but supports only five billable clients, while Premium is significantly more expensive and is mainly justified by unlimited clients, project profitability, accounts payable and advanced bill-receipt tools.
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FreshBooks Pricing Canada: Quick Answer
| Plan | Regular monthly price | Billable clients | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | $26 CAD/month | 5 | New freelancers with very few clients |
| Plus | $42 CAD/month | 50 | Established freelancers and consultants |
| Premium | $72 CAD/month | Unlimited | Agencies and growing service businesses |
| Select | Custom | Unlimited | Larger businesses needing advanced support |
FreshBooks also offers annual billing with an additional 10% discount. Every new FreshBooks business can begin with a 30-day trial, while limited-time “Buy Now & Save” promotions may replace the standard trial with a discounted paid subscription and money-back guarantee.
Best budget option: Lite, but only when five clients are enough.
Best overall value: Plus.
Best for unlimited clients: Premium.
Best for larger teams and lower payment rates: Select.
For a broader platform evaluation, read our complete FreshBooks Review Canada.
FreshBooks Monthly Pricing in Canada
FreshBooks displays the following regular Canadian monthly prices:
| FreshBooks plan | Regular monthly cost | Annual cost when paid monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $26 CAD | $312 CAD/year |
| Plus | $42 CAD | $504 CAD/year |
| Premium | $72 CAD | $864 CAD/year |
| Select | Custom | Custom |
These prices do not include applicable GST, HST, PST or QST, payment-processing fees or optional add-ons. FreshBooks charges sales tax on its subscription according to the credit card billing address and the applicable province or territory.
FreshBooks Annual Pricing in Canada
Annual billing provides an extra 10% discount compared with paying the regular monthly rate.
| Plan | Effective monthly price with 10% annual discount | Approximate annual total | Annual saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | $23.40 CAD | $280.80 CAD | $31.20 CAD |
| Plus | $37.80 CAD | $453.60 CAD | $50.40 CAD |
| Premium | $64.80 CAD | $777.60 CAD | $86.40 CAD |
Annual billing is usually better for businesses that already know FreshBooks suits their workflow. Monthly billing offers more flexibility for new businesses that are still testing client demand or comparing alternatives.
The annual discount reduces the subscription price, but it does not reduce payment-processing fees, team-member add-ons, Advanced Payments or applicable sales taxes.
Current FreshBooks Promotion in Canada
At the time of this review, FreshBooks Canada is advertising 90% off for six months on Lite, Plus and Premium:
| Plan | Current promotional monthly price | Regular monthly price after promotion |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $2.60 CAD/month | $26 CAD/month |
| Plus | $4.20 CAD/month | $42 CAD/month |
| Premium | $7.20 CAD/month | $72 CAD/month |
This is a limited-time offer and can change or disappear without notice. FreshBooks presents the promotional purchase with a 30-day money-back guarantee, while the separate standard option allows users to begin with a 30-day free trial.
A low promotional price should not be the only reason to choose a plan. The correct plan still depends on client limits, accounting features and the expected cost after the introductory period ends.
Check the current FreshBooks Canada offer.
FreshBooks Lite Pricing and Features
FreshBooks Lite costs $26 CAD per month at the regular monthly rate and supports up to five billable clients.
Lite includes:
- unlimited customized invoices;
- unlimited estimates;
- recurring invoices;
- automated payment reminders;
- scheduled late fees;
- deposits;
- online credit-card payments;
- Apple Pay and Google Pay;
- pre-authorized debit;
- Buy Now, Pay Later;
- unlimited time tracking;
- unlimited expenses;
- automated bank imports;
- mileage tracking;
- tax-time reports;
- business health reports;
- client self-service portal.
Lite is suitable for a new freelancer with a small group of regular clients. It includes most of the essential invoicing features, but it does not include proposals, client retainers, double-entry accounting reports, bank reconciliation or accountant access.
The Five-Client Limit
The biggest Lite limitation is that both active and archived clients count toward the client limit. Archiving a client does not free a space; the client must be deleted when the business no longer needs the record to count toward its plan.
This makes Lite less suitable for freelancers who complete many one-time projects. A photographer, designer or contractor may reach five historical clients quickly even when only one or two are currently active.
Is FreshBooks Lite Worth It?
Lite is worth considering when:
- you have five or fewer billable clients;
- invoices and estimates are your main requirements;
- you do not need proposals;
- you do not need bank reconciliation;
- you do not need accountant access;
- you want FreshBooks Payments and time tracking.
Lite is poor value when you are likely to exceed five clients within the next few months. In that situation, starting directly with Plus can avoid an early plan change.
FreshBooks Plus Pricing and Features
FreshBooks Plus costs $42 CAD per month at the regular monthly rate and supports up to 50 billable clients.
Plus includes everything in Lite, plus:
- unlimited proposals;
- electronic signatures;
- client retainers;
- double-entry accounting reports;
- bank reconciliation;
- chart of accounts;
- general ledger;
- trial balance;
- balance sheet;
- journal entries;
- automatic receipt-data capture;
- accountant access;
- up to ten accountant invitations at no additional charge.
FreshBooks confirms that double-entry accounting, bank reconciliation and accountant access are available on Plus, Premium and Select. Businesses can invite up to ten accountants without paying the normal team-member fee.
Why Plus Is the Best-Value Plan
Plus is the strongest overall FreshBooks plan for most established freelancers because the price increase from Lite provides significantly more practical value:
- the client limit increases from 5 to 50;
- proposals and e-signatures become available;
- retainers support recurring client relationships;
- bank reconciliation improves bookkeeping;
- accountant access supports year-end and tax preparation;
- double-entry reports provide a clearer financial picture.
For consultants, agencies, contractors and service businesses with more than five clients, Plus is usually the plan that best balances cost and functionality.
Is FreshBooks Plus Worth It?
Plus is worth the price when:
- you have between 6 and 50 clients;
- you send proposals;
- you use retainers;
- you want bank reconciliation;
- you work with an accountant;
- you need balance sheet and general-ledger reports;
- you want receipt scanning.
A freelancer who needs only basic invoices may find Plus excessive. However, businesses that require real accounting features will usually recover the extra cost through better organization and reduced manual bookkeeping.
FreshBooks Premium Pricing and Features
FreshBooks Premium costs $72 CAD per month and allows unlimited billable clients.
Premium includes everything in Plus, plus:
- unlimited billable clients;
- project profitability;
- accounts payable;
- bills and vendors;
- automatic bill-receipt data capture;
- line-item extraction from bills;
- customized email templates;
- more advanced project and expense management.
Premium is aimed at agencies, consultants and service businesses that have outgrown the 50-client limit or need stronger project profitability and accounts-payable tools.
When Premium Becomes Necessary
Premium becomes necessary when:
- more than 50 billable clients must remain in the account;
- project profitability is important;
- the business manages supplier bills;
- bill receipts need automatic data capture;
- the business wants more customized client emails.
The jump from $42 to $72 per month is substantial. A business should not choose Premium only because it sounds more complete; the unlimited-client limit and Premium-only features should solve a real operational problem.
Is FreshBooks Premium Worth It?
Premium is worth it for:
- agencies with many clients;
- contractors managing project costs;
- businesses with vendors and bills;
- companies that need project profitability;
- users who regularly exceed the Plus client limit.
Premium is not good value for a solo freelancer with fewer than 50 clients who does not use bills or project-profitability reports.
FreshBooks Select Pricing and Features
FreshBooks Select uses custom pricing rather than a published monthly rate.
Select includes:
- unlimited clients;
- lower credit-card processing rates;
- Advanced Payments;
- subscription-based payments;
- secure card storage;
- telephone and virtual-terminal payments;
- two team-member accounts;
- removal of FreshBooks branding;
- dedicated support;
- customized onboarding;
- data-migration assistance;
- advanced receipt capture.
Select is intended for larger service businesses that process substantial payment volume, need advanced payment controls or require onboarding and migration support.
The value of Select depends heavily on the custom quote. Businesses should compare the quoted subscription cost and lower processing rates with Premium plus any required add-ons.
FreshBooks Client Limits Explained
FreshBooks plan selection is based partly on the number of billable clients:
| Plan | Billable-client limit |
|---|---|
| Lite | 5 |
| Plus | 50 |
| Premium | Unlimited |
| Select | Unlimited |
A billable client is generally a client to whom invoices or estimates are sent. Both active and archived clients count toward the plan limit. Deleted clients do not count, but deleting a client can affect how easily historical information is accessed.
This pricing model creates three common situations:
- Lite becomes restrictive for freelancers with many one-time customers.
- Plus is sufficient for most established solo businesses.
- Premium is required when more than 50 client profiles must remain billable.
Businesses should count existing and expected clients before selecting a plan rather than choosing solely by feature list.
FreshBooks Add-On Costs
FreshBooks lists several optional add-ons that increase the total monthly cost.
Additional Team Members
Additional team members cost $13 CAD per month per person on Lite, Plus and Premium. Select includes two team-member accounts, while additional users still cost extra.
Examples:
| Base plan | Team members added | Total regular monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | 1 | $39 CAD |
| Plus | 1 | $55 CAD |
| Plus | 2 | $68 CAD |
| Premium | 2 | $98 CAD |
| Premium | 4 | $124 CAD |
Accountants are treated differently. Plus, Premium and Select businesses can invite up to ten accountants without paying the team-member fee.
Advanced Payments
Advanced Payments costs $25 CAD per month on Lite, Plus and Premium and is included with Select.
It provides tools for securely charging stored cards and processing payments initiated by the business, including virtual-terminal and AutoCollect workflows.
Adding Advanced Payments changes the regular monthly subscription cost to:
| Plan | Base price | With Advanced Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $26 | $51 CAD/month |
| Plus | $42 | $67 CAD/month |
| Premium | $72 | $97 CAD/month |
Payroll
FreshBooks lists PaymentEvolution Payroll as a Canadian payroll option, but pricing requires consultation. Payroll should therefore be treated as a separate business cost rather than a feature included in the FreshBooks subscription.
FreshBooks Payment-Processing Fees in Canada
FreshBooks Payments powered by Stripe charges fees only when a payment is processed.
| Payment method | Current fee |
|---|---|
| Standard credit and debit cards | 2.9% + $0.30 CAD |
| American Express | 3.5% + $0.30 CAD |
| Advanced Payments and AutoCollect | 3.5% + $0.30 CAD |
| Buy Now, Pay Later with Affirm | 6% + $0.30 CAD |
| Pre-authorized debit | 1% |
| Instant payout | Additional 1% |
| International card | Additional 0.8% |
| Foreign exchange | Additional 2% |
| Dispute or chargeback | $15 CAD |
| Failed PAD payment | $5 CAD |
Transaction fees are automatically recorded as expenses in FreshBooks. Payment-processing fees are not refunded when the business refunds the original customer payment.
FreshBooks Card-Fee Example
A client paying a $1,000 CAD invoice with a standard Canadian card would produce an estimated FreshBooks Payments fee of:
$1,000 × 2.9% + $0.30 = $29.30 CADThe business would receive approximately:
$970.70 CADA business processing ten separate $1,000 invoices would pay ten fixed $0.30 charges in addition to the percentage fee.
FreshBooks PAD-Fee Example
A $1,000 CAD pre-authorized debit at 1% would cost approximately:
$10 CADFor larger invoices, PAD may cost less than card processing. Select plans may qualify for capped or discounted PAD rates.
Foreign-Currency and International-Card Fees
FreshBooks adds a 2% foreign-exchange fee when the invoice currency differs from the FreshBooks Payments account currency. It also adds 0.8% when a client pays with an international card issued outside Canada.
A Canadian freelancer billing US clients should evaluate:
- invoice currency;
- card country;
- FreshBooks Payments account currency;
- bank-conversion costs;
- potential international-card fees.
Using CAD invoices can simplify domestic payments, but international clients may prefer USD. The cheapest option depends on the payment amount and the currencies used by both parties.
Taxes on the FreshBooks Subscription
FreshBooks charges the applicable Canadian sales tax on the subscription based on the credit card billing address.
Examples include:
- Alberta: 5% GST;
- Ontario: 13% HST;
- British Columbia: 5% GST plus 7% PST;
- Quebec: 5% GST plus 9.975% QST;
- Saskatchewan: 5% GST plus 6% PST.
The subscription price shown on the pricing page therefore may not equal the final amount charged to the card.
For example, a $42 Plus subscription billed in Ontario would cost approximately:
$42 + 13% HST = $47.46 CADThis calculation does not include payment-processing fees or optional add-ons.
Real FreshBooks Monthly Cost Examples
New Freelancer With Five Clients
- Lite: $26
- No team members
- No Advanced Payments
- Ontario HST example: $3.38
Estimated subscription total: $29.38 CAD/month before payment-processing fees.
Established Freelancer With 25 Clients
- Plus: $42
- No paid team members
- Accountant access: included
- Ontario HST example: $5.46
Estimated subscription total: $47.46 CAD/month before payment fees.
Consultant With One Assistant
- Plus: $42
- One team member: $13
- Ontario HST on $55: $7.15
Estimated subscription total: $62.15 CAD/month before payment fees.
Agency With Unlimited Clients and Two Team Members
- Premium: $72
- Two team members: $26
- Ontario HST on $98: $12.74
Estimated subscription total: $110.74 CAD/month before payment fees.
These examples show why the advertised base plan is only the starting point. Team size, provincial tax and payment volume can materially change the real cost.
Which FreshBooks Plan Is Best for Freelancers?
Choose Lite When:
- you have no more than five clients;
- you mainly need invoices and estimates;
- you do not need proposals;
- you do not need accounting reports;
- you do not work with an accountant inside FreshBooks.
Choose Plus When:
- you have between 6 and 50 clients;
- you send proposals;
- you use retainers;
- you want bank reconciliation;
- you need accountant access;
- you need double-entry accounting reports.
Choose Premium When:
- you need unlimited clients;
- you manage vendors and bills;
- you need project profitability;
- you want advanced receipt capture;
- you have outgrown Plus.
Choose Select When:
- payment volume is high;
- lower processing rates may create meaningful savings;
- you need Advanced Payments;
- you need dedicated onboarding;
- two included team accounts provide value;
- custom support is important.
FreshBooks Plus vs Premium
Plus and Premium share most core accounting features.
| Feature | Plus | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Regular monthly price | $42 CAD | $72 CAD |
| Billable clients | 50 | Unlimited |
| Proposals | Yes | Yes |
| Retainers | Yes | Yes |
| Bank reconciliation | Yes | Yes |
| Accountant access | Yes | Yes |
| Double-entry reports | Yes | Yes |
| Project profitability | No | Yes |
| Bills and vendors | No | Yes |
| Advanced bill capture | No | Yes |
Premium costs $30 more per month. The upgrade is justified primarily by unlimited clients, project profitability and accounts-payable tools.
A solo freelancer with fewer than 50 clients will normally receive better value from Plus.
FreshBooks Pricing vs Alternatives
FreshBooks vs Zoho Books Pricing
Zoho Books may provide stronger long-term value for businesses that need accounting automation, recurring workflows, detailed tax tools and pricing that is not primarily based on billable-client limits.
See our FreshBooks vs Zoho Books Canada comparison for a complete breakdown of pricing, invoicing, automation, accounting, and Canadian tax tools.
Review our Zoho Books Pricing Canada guide.
Try Zoho Books for Canadian invoicing and accounting.
FreshBooks vs Wave Pricing
Wave is the better starting point when free basic invoicing and accounting are the priority.
FreshBooks costs more but adds time tracking, proposals, retainers, bank reconciliation, accountant access, receipt scanning and stronger service-business workflows.
Read our Wave Review for Freelancers in Canada.
FreshBooks vs Bonsai Pricing
Bonsai is better when the business needs proposals, dedicated contracts, tasks, project management and a complete client workflow.
FreshBooks is better when invoicing, payments, expenses and accounting reports matter more.
Read our Bonsai vs FreshBooks Canada comparison.
FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Pricing
QuickBooks can cost more but provides deeper accounting, inventory, payroll options and broader accountant familiarity.
FreshBooks is generally easier for freelancers and service businesses whose main priorities are client billing and time tracking.
Read our FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Canada comparison.
For more options, compare the best accounting software for small business Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is FreshBooks per month in Canada?
Regular monthly prices are $26 CAD for Lite, $42 CAD for Plus and $72 CAD for Premium. Select uses custom pricing.
Does FreshBooks have a free plan?
No. FreshBooks offers a 30-day trial but does not provide a permanent free business plan.
Does FreshBooks offer a discount?
FreshBooks offers 10% off with annual billing and frequently runs temporary introductory promotions. At the time of this review, it advertises 90% off for six months.
Which FreshBooks plan is best for freelancers?
Plus is the best plan for most established freelancers because it supports 50 clients and adds proposals, retainers, bank reconciliation, accounting reports and accountant access.
Is FreshBooks Lite worth it?
Lite is worth it only when five billable clients are enough and the business does not need proposals, bank reconciliation or accountant access.
Do archived clients count toward the FreshBooks limit?
Yes. Active and archived clients count toward plan limits. A client must be deleted to stop counting.
How much does an additional FreshBooks user cost?
Additional team members cost $13 CAD per month per person. Plus, Premium and Select can invite up to ten accountants without the team-member fee.
How much does FreshBooks charge for card payments in Canada?
Standard Canadian credit and debit cards currently cost 2.9% plus $0.30 CAD per transaction. Higher rates apply to American Express, Advanced Payments and Buy Now, Pay Later.
Does FreshBooks charge foreign-exchange fees?
Yes. FreshBooks currently adds 2% when the invoice currency differs from the FreshBooks Payments account currency.
Is tax included in FreshBooks pricing?
No. FreshBooks adds the applicable GST, HST, PST or QST based on the card billing address.
Can I cancel FreshBooks after the promotion ends?
FreshBooks subscriptions can be managed through the Billing and Upgrade section. Businesses should review the current offer terms and cancellation rules before purchasing a promotional subscription.
Is FreshBooks cheaper than QuickBooks?
FreshBooks can be cheaper for small service businesses, but the answer depends on plan level, client limits, team members and required accounting features.
FreshBooks Pricing Canada: Final Verdict
This FreshBooks pricing Canada analysis shows that the advertised subscription price is only one part of the total cost.
Lite starts at $26 CAD per month and is suitable for freelancers with no more than five clients. Its client limit makes it difficult to recommend for businesses that regularly complete one-time projects.
Plus costs $42 CAD per month and is the best-value plan for most established freelancers. It supports 50 clients and adds proposals, retainers, bank reconciliation, double-entry reports, receipt scanning and accountant access.
Premium costs $72 CAD per month and is mainly justified by unlimited clients, project profitability, bills, vendors and advanced receipt capture.
Select is appropriate for larger businesses that need lower payment rates, Advanced Payments, included team accounts and dedicated support.
Businesses should also budget for:
- additional team members;
- Advanced Payments;
- card-processing fees;
- foreign-exchange fees;
- provincial sales tax;
- payroll;
- possible international-card fees.
Best budget plan: Lite, when five clients are enough.
Best overall value: Plus.
Best for unlimited clients: Premium.
Best for larger payment volume: Select.
View the latest FreshBooks Canada pricing.
Pricing, promotions and fees were checked against FreshBooks’ official Canadian website and Help Centre on August 3, 2026. Offers can change, so confirm the checkout total before purchasing.