FreshBooks and PayPal
It tops our “Easiest to start” ranking, out of 8 stacks.
Built from 2 tools · Momentum: Stable · Rated for freelancers and consultants
How it's built
FreshBooks and PayPal is built from 2 tools, each doing its own part.
- Accounting and invoicing Keeping your books, tracking tax and seeing where the money went. Sending invoices and chasing the ones that are late.
- FreshBooks
- $23/mo (Lite, 5 clients)
- Taking payments Getting paid by card or bank transfer, and what each payment costs you.
- PayPal
- 3.49% + $0.49 per payment, no monthly fee
How it rates
Six of these are the same everywhere. Price to start and Local fit are for this country, and each comes from the stack's weakest tool.
The working, lens by lens
Each lens weighs the eight differently, so FreshBooks and PayPal scores differently under each. The numbers below are only comparable with other stacks under the same lens.
Best all-rounder: 71 out of 100, ranked 6 of 8
- Score under “Best all-rounder”
- 71/100
- Rank
- 6thof 8
| Criterion | Rating | Weight | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price to start | 17% | 10.0 | |
| Price as you grow | 11% | 4.4 | |
| Quick to set up | 17% | 16.7 | |
| Easy day to day | 11% | 11.1 | |
| Works with the rest | 11% | 6.7 | |
| Local fit | 11% | 6.7 | |
| Help when stuck | 11% | 8.9 | |
| Easy to leave | 11% | 6.7 | |
| Score out of 100 | 100% | 71.1, rounded to 71 |
Weights come from the “Best all-rounder” lens, with freelancers and consultants counting Price to start ×1.5 and Quick to set up ×1.5. Points are rating × weight, scaled to 100. Momentum is never part of the score.
What each tool costs
- FreshBooks$23/mo (Lite, 5 clients)
- PayPal3.49% + $0.49 per payment, no monthly fee
Watch out for
- Takes a fee on every payment
- Cheapest plan caps clients or invoices
- Introductory price rises after the first months
Best on a budget: 62 out of 100, ranked 8 of 8
- Score under “Best on a budget”
- 62/100
- Rank
- 8thof 8
| Criterion | Rating | Weight | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price to start | 42% | 25.0 | |
| Price as you grow | 22% | 8.9 | |
| Quick to set up | 8% | 8.3 | |
| Easy day to day | 6% | 5.6 | |
| Works with the rest | 6% | 3.3 | |
| Local fit | 6% | 3.3 | |
| Help when stuck | 6% | 4.4 | |
| Easy to leave | 6% | 3.3 | |
| Score out of 100 | 100% | 62.2, rounded to 62 |
Weights come from the “Best on a budget” lens, with freelancers and consultants counting Price to start ×1.5 and Quick to set up ×1.5. Points are rating × weight, scaled to 100. Momentum is never part of the score.
What each tool costs
- FreshBooks$23/mo (Lite, 5 clients)
- PayPal3.49% + $0.49 per payment, no monthly fee
Watch out for
- Takes a fee on every payment
- Cheapest plan caps clients or invoices
- Introductory price rises after the first months
Easiest to start: 86 out of 100, ranked 1 of 8
- Score under “Easiest to start”
- 86/100
- Rank
- 1stof 8
| Criterion | Rating | Weight | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price to start | 8% | 5.0 | |
| Price as you grow | 6% | 2.2 | |
| Quick to set up | 42% | 41.7 | |
| Easy day to day | 22% | 22.2 | |
| Works with the rest | 6% | 3.3 | |
| Local fit | 6% | 3.3 | |
| Help when stuck | 6% | 4.4 | |
| Easy to leave | 6% | 3.3 | |
| Score out of 100 | 100% | 85.6, rounded to 86 |
Weights come from the “Easiest to start” lens, with freelancers and consultants counting Price to start ×1.5 and Quick to set up ×1.5. Points are rating × weight, scaled to 100. Momentum is never part of the score.
What each tool costs
- FreshBooks$23/mo (Lite, 5 clients)
- PayPal3.49% + $0.49 per payment, no monthly fee
Watch out for
- Takes a fee on every payment
- Cheapest plan caps clients or invoices
- Introductory price rises after the first months
Best as you grow: 60 out of 100, ranked 8 of 8
- Score under “Best as you grow”
- 60/100capped
- Rank
- 8thof 8
| Criterion | Rating | Weight | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price to start | 9% | 5.6 | |
| Price as you grow | 25% | 10.0 | |
| Quick to set up | 9% | 9.4 | |
| Easy day to day | 6% | 6.3 | |
| Works with the rest | 25% | 15.0 | |
| Local fit | 6% | 3.8 | |
| Help when stuck | 6% | 5.0 | |
| Easy to leave | 13% | 7.5 | |
| Score out of 100 | 100% | 62.5, rounded to 63 | |
| Deal-breaker | Capped at 60: rates 2 for Price as you grow | ||
Weights come from the “Best as you grow” lens, with freelancers and consultants counting Price to start ×1.5 and Quick to set up ×1.5. Points are rating × weight, scaled to 100. Momentum is never part of the score.
What each tool costs
- FreshBooks$23/mo (Lite, 5 clients)
- PayPal3.49% + $0.49 per payment, no monthly fee
Watch out for
- Takes a fee on every payment
- Cheapest plan caps clients or invoices
- Introductory price rises after the first months
Put it head to head
Down to a shortlist? Compare FreshBooks and PayPal with one other and see only what separates them.