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Freshbooks Review: Time & Billing Software for Lawyers

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Lawyerist Rating for FreshBooks

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Rating Breakdown

Our Rating: 4.5/5

Our rating is based on our subjective judgment. Use our resources—including our rating and community ratings and reviews—to find the best fit for your firm.

4.5/5

Overview
Featured Rating

What is FreshBooks?

Although FreshBooks markets itself as cloud-based accounting software, it’s really more of a timekeeping and billing platform. It’s a good choice for solo and small firms that want a solution that allows them to easily track time and who also have a practice that demands frequent recurrent billing.

Starting Cost: $7.60/month

Pros
  • ePayments
  • Client Portal
  • Project Management
Cons
  • Not for Large Firms
  • No LPMS Integrations
  • No LawPay Integration
Overview
Featured Ratings

Freshbooks Review: Time & Billing Software for Lawyers Features

Customer Experience & Support

/5

Price & Value

/5

Security

/5

Innovation & Future-Proofing

/5

Overview
Featured Rating
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Freshbooks Review: Time & Billing Software for Lawyers Video

Compare with Other Timekeeping & Billing Software Products Download the Field Guide

Product Details

Website
https://www.freshbooks.com/
Platforms
  • Android
  • iOS
  • Web
  • MacOS
  • Windows
Payment Processing Options
  • Built-in
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
Payment Forms Accepted
  • Major Credit Cards
  • eCheck/ACH
Accounting Integrations
  • QuickBooks Online
  • Xero
Document Management Integrations
Data Migration
  • Standard
Data Location
Miscellaneous Integrations

Core Features

For Timekeeping & Billing Software, the following are essential features, and you should therefore expect to see a check in every box in this section.

Yes
No

Free Trial

In-app Timer

AI Timer

Manual Timer

Invoicing

Estimates

Expense Tracking

Reporting

Split Billing

Online Payments

Recurring Payments

Universal Payment Link

Basic Bookkeeping

Trust Account Management

Full Accounting

Split Origination Reporting

Project Manager

Task Management

Document Management

Some timekeeping and billing software includes basic document management so that you can add documents and associate them with your cases/matters.

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FreshBooks

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Pros
  • ePayments
  • Client Portal
  • Project Management
Cons
  • Not for Large Firms
  • No LPMS Integrations
  • No LawPay Integration

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TimeSolv Product Logo
Pros
  • ePayments
  • Payment Reminders
  • Easy Migrations
Cons
  • No LPMS Integrations
  • Not Full Accounting
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Tabs3 Cloud

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Pros
  • Advanced Trust Accounting
  • 3-way Reconciliation
  • ePayments
Cons
  • Lack of Integrations
  • Not DIY
  • Not for Solos
Read Tabs3 Cloud Review

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I use FreshBooks?

As a web-based application, FreshBooks can be used in any modern browser on a Mac or PC. Additionally, its mobile apps will run on either iOS or Android platforms.

What is the price of FreshBooks?

At the time of this review, FreshBooks pricing starts at $7.60/month for 5 clients for the Lite tier. They have a Plus ($13.20/month for 50 clients) and Premium ($24/month for unlimited clients) tier and custom pricing for enterprise users. Moving up to Plus, Premium, or Enterprise add features at each tier in addition to clients.

Is FreshBooks secure?

Yes. FreshBooks uses 256-bit SSL security for data transfer. Their data centers have biometric access controls, constant surveillance, redundant power and internet, and robust fire suppression. Servers are backed-up, have redundant “fail over” infrastructure, and even have a method for you, or more likely a security researcher, to submit a potential vulnerability.

Does FreshBooks integrate with my Law Practice Management Software?

No. At the time of this review, FreshBooks does not natively integrate with any Law Practice Management Software.

Can FreshBooks handle my law firm's trust accounting?

Yes. But you should be careful when connecting a trust account as neither the built-in FreshBooks Payments, nor the integrated Stripe or PayPal are legal specific payment processors. Lawyers would be wise to be extra diligent to make sure no fees are withdrawn from their trust accounts.

Is FreshBooks good for solos?

Yes, it’s a good choice for solo and small firms that want a solution that allows them to easily track time and who also have a practice that demands frequent recurrent billing.

Will FreshBooks connect to my online bank account?

Yes. Depending on your country, FreshBooks connects with banks via Yodlee (U.S. customers), Plaid (Canada and the U.K.), and Salt Edge (many additional countries). Learn more about your specific setup here.

Can my law firm manage users with FreshBooks?

Yes, FreshBooks supports multiple roles, including business owners, team members, and accountant hub users.

Will my law firm's accountant be able to use FreshBooks?

Absolutely. Not only could you provide an accountant with access to your FreshBooks account, FreshBooks runs an Accounting Partner Program, Collaborative Accounting setup, and an Accountant Hub. All are designed to help accountants and clients use FreshBooks better together.

Can my firm accept ePayments with FreshBooks?

FreshBooks has its own built-in payment processor, called FreshBooks Payments. Additionally, it integrates with Stripe and PayPal. As none of these are Law Firm specific payment processors, attorneys should be careful when connecting the payment processors to their trust accounts.

Additional Details about FreshBooks

It’s Not Accounting Software

Although FreshBooks markets itself as “cloud accounting,” its use of the word accounting is misleading at best. FreshBooks is not a replacement for actual accounting software like Xero or QuickBooks. FreshBooks is excellent timekeeping and billing software with some nice-to-have features like expense tracking, but it is missing many essential features of actual small-business accounting software.

Customizable Invoices

Their invoicing feature is highly customizable, allowing attorneys to quickly add logos and other personalized touches such as a “thank you” email. Multi-language invoices and multi-currency are also available.

Security

Information traveling between your browser and FreshBooks is protected with 256-bit SSL encryption. Both the application and your data rest behind firewalls. Sensitive information such as credit card numbers and bank account information are encrypted in FreshBooks’ database using AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). FreshBooks uses redundant servers, and your data is replicated across multiple databases, which ensures that a single database failure won’t cause data loss. Data is backed up nightly and stored in an offsite location.

Migration

You can import your clients into FreshBooks via a CSV (comma-separated value) file. FreshBooks provides a sample file to help you format your file.

Who FreshBooks is for

FreshBooks is a good choice for solo and small firms that want a solution that allows them to easily track time and who also have a practice that demands frequent recurrent billing.

Not sure where to begin? Download our Field Guide

Take the guesswork out of researching, purchasing, and implementing the right legal tech products and services for your law firm. Our Field Guide answers your essential questions and breaks down the features most important to your business, so you can buy with confidence.

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