Alternative to FreshBooks

A free FreshBooks alternativefor invoices, with no client cap

Paperlane covers the invoicing side of FreshBooks: estimates that turn into invoices, recurring invoices, payments recorded against each one, and a dashboard of what is outstanding and overdue. The PDF looks exactly like the preview and downloads in a second. Unlimited clients, no account, nothing uploaded.

PaperlaneInvoices and estimates with a pixel-exact PDF, no subscription.

Get Paperlane free Choose its name and colour

Free, with no account. Pick its name and colour first if you like.

Free forever
No account
Works offline
Interface in English and French
Unlimited clients

Paperlane

Compare

FreshBooks and Paperlaneside by side

What you need	FreshBooks	Paperlane
Invoices and estimates	Yes	Yesestimate to invoice in one click
Recurring invoices	Yessent automatically	Partlycreated when you open the app, you send them
Record full and partial payments	Yes	Yes
Outstanding, overdue and aging dashboard	Yes	Yes
PDF download	Yes	Yesvector PDF, no watermark
French invoice mentions (SIRET, TVA, late fees)	No	Yes
Send by email and see when it was viewed	Yes	Partlyemail text ready to paste, no tracking
Clients take card payments online	Yes2.9% + $0.30 per card payment	No
Expenses, time tracking, accounting reports	Yes	No
Clients on the cheapest plan	5 billable clients	Unlimited
Account needed	Required	None
Price	From $23 a month, no free plan	$0, forever

What Paperlane does not do

Paperlane never sends anything for you: no automatic emails, reminders or 'viewed' status. You send the PDF from your own mailbox.
No online payments. You record payments by hand when they arrive.
No expenses, bank feeds, accounting reports or team members. It is an invoicing app, not accounting software.
No sync between devices. A JSON backup moves your data.

Price

What FreshBooks costsand what Paperlane costs

FreshBooks has no free plan. Each tier caps how many clients you can bill.

Plan	Price	What you get
Lite	$23 a month	5 billable clients
Plus	$43 a month	50 billable clients
Premium	$70 a month	Unlimited billable clients
Select	On request	For larger businesses

Source: freshbooks.com/pricing · freshbooks.com/faq-price-change, checked on 16 October 2026. US prices, billed monthly; yearly billing saves 10%. A promotion on that date discounted the first 4 months. Extra team members and card fees cost more.

$0No plan, no trial, no card, nothing to cancel.

Paperlane has no client count. Bill your 6th client, and your 600th, for $0.

Why people switch

Why people leave FreshBooks

The 6th client costs $20 more
Lite stops at 5 billable clients. One more client moves you to Plus, from $23 to $43 a month.
Source: freshbooks.com
A price rise in 2026
FreshBooks raised prices for existing customers from March 2026, with 30 days' notice.
Source: freshbooks.com
Fees on every card payment
In the US, card payments through FreshBooks cost 2.9% + $0.30, and 3.5% + $0.30 for Amex and commercial cards.
Source: freshbooks.com

Questions

Before you switch

Is there a free alternative to FreshBooks for invoicing?

Yes. Paperlane makes invoices and estimates, handles recurring invoices and payments, and downloads a real PDF, with no limit on clients or invoices and nothing to pay.

Can I create invoices without an account?

Yes. Paperlane opens on an example business. Replace it with your details and logo, add a client, and download your first PDF without signing up.

How do I turn an estimate into an invoice?

Open the accepted estimate and choose Convert to invoice. The lines, client and totals are copied into a new numbered invoice.

Does it handle French invoice rules?

Yes. Paperlane can add SIRET, VAT number, the 'TVA non applicable, art. 293 B du CGI' mention, late-payment penalties and the €40 recovery fee, with HT, TVA and TTC totals and continuous numbering.