If your budget is zero, start with Wave Starter for invoicing and books, and Harvest Free for time tracking, because both cost $0. Most contractors need invoicing and client records, time tracking, and a basic set of books covered, and one tool rarely covers all three well. FreshBooks at $23 per month and QuickBooks Online at $38 per month lead on accounting, while HoneyBook at $29 per month and Dubsado at $35 per month lead on client management.
We compared 8 options for best software for independent contractors. Each profile below lists the price, free plan, pros and cons as published by the company.
On this page
Best software for independent contractors: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FreshBooks | Invoicing and simple books for service contractors | $23 per month | Free trial (30 days) | Visit |
| 2 | QuickBooks Online | Full accounting with bank feeds and reports | $38 per month | Yes | Visit |
| 3 | HoneyBook | Proposals, contracts, and client payments in one place | $29 per month | Free trial | Visit |
| 4 | Bonsai | Proposals, contracts, and invoicing for freelancers | $15 per user per month | Free trial (7 days) | Visit |
| 5 | Wave | Free invoicing and double-entry books | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 6 | Xero | Clean cloud accounting with unlimited users | $27 per month | Free trial (30 days) | Visit |
| 7 | Dubsado | Branded client workflows and scheduling | $35 per month | Free trial (21 days) | Visit |
| 8 | Harvest | Time tracking that turns hours into invoices | $11 per seat per month | Yes | Visit |
The 8 best best software for independent contractors, in detail
FreshBooks
Best for: Invoicing and simple books for service contractors
FreshBooks is built around the invoice, which suits contractors who bill by the hour or by the project. You can track time, add expenses, send an estimate, and turn that estimate into an invoice without moving between tools. Lite covers unlimited invoices, estimates, time tracking, and expense tracking.
- The limits matter as soon as your client list grows.
- Lite allows 5 billable clients, and Plus allows 50, so a contractor with more than 5 active clients should budget for Plus at $43 per month.
- Accountant access and bank reconciliation start on Plus, and project profitability starts on Premium at $70 per month.
Pros
- Clean invoicing with estimates, expenses, and time tracking in one place
- Lite starts at $23 per month for up to 5 billable clients
Cons
- Lite caps you at 5 billable clients, so growing rosters need Plus at $43 per month
- extra team members cost $11 per user per month
QuickBooks Online
Best for: Full accounting with bank feeds and reports
QuickBooks Online is the fullest accounting option in this list, and that depth is the reason many contractors choose it once their books get more complex. Simple Start at $38 per month covers income and expense tracking, invoicing, bank feeds, and general business reports. Essentials at $85 per month adds bill management, time tracking, multi-currency accounting, and 3 users.
- Plus at $140 per month adds inventory tracking, project profitability, budgets, and 5 users.
- The Free plan is useful as a starting point, but its limits are tight.
- It allows 1 user, 1 bank connection, and 2 invoices per month, with no accountant access and no mobile app or integrations.
- Choose QuickBooks Online when you want one ledger that your accountant already knows, with reports that hold up at tax time.
Pros
- Free plan costs $0 with basic income and expense tracking
- Simple Start at $38 per month adds invoicing, bank feeds, and reports for one user
Cons
- Simple Start allows only 1 user, so a second user forces Essentials at $85 per month
- Free plan allows only 2 invoices per month and has no accountant access
HoneyBook
Best for: Proposals, contracts, and client payments in one place
HoneyBook is a client management tool first and an accounting tool second, which fits contractors who live on proposals and bookings. A client can receive a proposal, sign a contract, and settle an invoice from one file. Starter at $29 per month billed annually, or $36 per month on monthly billing, covers unlimited clients and projects, invoices and payments, proposals and contracts, a calendar, templates, and a client portal.
- The step up to Essentials is where the time saving starts.
- Essentials at $49 per month billed annually, or $59 per month on monthly billing, adds a scheduler, automations, QuickBooks Online sync, SMS reminders
- Premium at $109 per month billed annually adds unlimited team members, priority support, and multiple companies.
- Card fees sit on top, at 2.9% plus 25 cents for card payments and 1.5% for bank transfers.
Pros
- Starter covers unlimited clients and projects, invoices, contracts, proposals, and a client portal
- Essentials adds a scheduler and automations
Cons
- Scheduler and automations start on Essentials at $49 per month billed annually, not on Starter
- card payments add 2.9% plus 25 cents per transaction
Bonsai
Best for: Proposals, contracts, and invoicing for freelancers
Bonsai is a freelance business suite that chains the client workflow together: proposal, contract, invoice, time tracking, and payment. Essentials at $25 per user per month, or $19 billed annually, is the first plan that includes invoices and payments, proposals and contracts, forms, scheduling, a client portal, and expense tracking. Premium at $39 per user per month, or $29 billed annually, adds a deals pipeline, Gantt view, profit reports, branding removal, and QuickBooks and Xero sync.
- The headline price needs care, because Basic at $15 per user per month, or $9 billed annually, covers time tracking, tasks, and a CRM, but it cannot s
- Budget for Essentials if you plan to bill through Bonsai.
- Card fees add 2.9% plus $0.30 for cards and 1% for bank transfers, with a $1 minimum on bank transfers.
Pros
- Essentials covers proposals, contracts, invoicing, scheduling, and a client portal in one account
- plans are priced per user, so a solo contractor pays for one seat
Cons
- Basic at $15 per user per month has no invoicing, proposals, or contracts, so working contractors need Essentials at $25 per user per month
- the free trial lasts only 7 days
Wave
Best for: Free invoicing and double-entry books
Wave is the only tool in this list that gives a contractor a real set of books for $0. Starter includes unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, and bookkeeping records, plus a profit and loss report, a balance sheet, and mobile invoicing. That covers a new contractor who sends a modest number of invoices and can enter bank transactions by hand.
- Pro at $19 per month, or $190 per year, adds automatic bank import, receipt capture, automated late-payment reminders, branding removal, and extra use
- Card payments cost 2.9% plus $0.60 per transaction on Starter, and Pro waives the $0.60 fixed fee on the first 10 card transactions each month.
- Payroll is a separate add-on from $25 per month in the United States, plus $6 per person.
Pros
- Starter costs $0 with unlimited invoices, estimates, bills, and bookkeeping records
- Pro at $19 per month adds automatic bank imports and late-payment reminders
Cons
- Starter needs manual bank entry, because automatic bank import is Pro only
- online payments are limited to the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom
Xero
Best for: Clean cloud accounting with unlimited users
Xero is a cloud accounting platform that suits contractors who want tidy books and room to add people without the price rising per seat. Early at $27 per month covers invoicing, bills, bank reconciliation, and basic reporting, with a 30-day cash-flow forecast. Growing at $59 per month removes the Early caps and adds automatic reconciliation, dashboards, and budgets.
- Established at $97 per month adds multi-currency support, project time and cost tracking, expense claims, and a 180-day forecast.
- The Early caps are the main thing to check.
- If you send more than 20 invoices or record more than 5 bills in a month, you need Growing.
- Payroll is a separate add-on at $36 per month plus $6 per employee or contractor.
Pros
- Every plan includes unlimited users with no per-user fee
- Growing at $59 per month removes the Early invoice and bill caps
Cons
- Early caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills per month
- multi-currency, projects, and expense claims need Established at $97 per month
Dubsado
Best for: Branded client workflows and scheduling
Dubsado is a client management platform for service contractors who want every client document to look like their own brand. Starter at $35 per month, or $335 per year, covers unlimited clients and projects, invoicing with payment plans, contracts with e-signatures, forms, templates, and a branded client portal. Premier at $55 per month, or $525 per year, adds scheduling, automated workflows called Flows, public proposals, Zapier, and QuickBooks Online integration.
- Both plans include up to 3 users.
- The automation depth is the reason contractors pick Dubsado over simpler tools, and it is also the reason setup takes longer.
- Flows can send forms, invoices, and emails when a client signs, books, or settles an invoice, but you need to build those steps first.
- Starter allows only 1 active lead-capture form, while Premier allows unlimited lead forms.
Pros
- Both plans include unlimited clients and projects, invoices, contracts, forms, and a client portal
- first 3 team members are included at no extra cost
Cons
- Scheduling and Flows automation start on Premier at $55 per month, not on Starter
- there is no free plan, only a 21-day trial
Harvest
Best for: Time tracking that turns hours into invoices
Harvest is a time tracking and invoicing tool that suits contractors who bill by the hour and need clean records of where each hour went. You start a timer or enter hours by hand, attach them to a project, and turn the tracked time into an invoice inside the same tool. The Free plan costs $0 for 1 seat and 2 projects, with time tracking, invoicing, and expense tracking.
- Pro at $11 per seat per month billed annually, or $13.75 on monthly billing, adds unlimited seats and projects, team reporting, and integrations with
- Premium at $14 per seat per month billed annually, or $17.50 on monthly billing, adds profitability reporting, timesheet approvals, and custom reports
- Forecast, the companion scheduling tool, costs extra at $5 per person per month billed annually.
- Harvest has no full accounting ledger of its own, so it copies invoices to QuickBooks Online or Xero.
Pros
- Free plan costs $0 for 1 seat and 2 projects with time tracking and invoicing
- Pro adds unlimited projects, team reporting, and accounting integrations
Cons
- Free plan allows only 1 seat and 2 projects
- Pro is priced per seat, so the monthly cost rises with every person you add
How we chose
We checked each vendor pricing page on 12 November 2026 and used the list price shown there, not a short-term promotion. FreshBooks showed $23, $43, and $70 for Lite, Plus, and Premium, with an 80% discount for 4 months that we did not use as the starting price. QuickBooks Online showed $0, $38, $85, $140, and $340 for Free, Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, and Advanced. HoneyBook showed $29, $49, and $109 billed annually. Bonsai showed $15, $25, $39, and $59 per user per month. Wave showed $0 and $19. Xero showed $27, $59, and $97. Dubsado showed $35 and $55. Harvest showed $0, $11 per seat billed annually, and $14. We matched each tool to a contractor job: invoicing, time tracking, client management, or accounting. We kept tools that serve independent contractors directly, and we left out tools built for large teams. We read plan pages for the limits that change the real cost, such as client caps, invoice caps, user caps, and processing fees. We did not claim hands-on testing, and we did not use review scores, awards, or customer counts to rank the tools. Prices change, so check the pricing page linked in Sources before you buy.
What to check before you buy
Start with the work you do most. If you bill by the hour, time tracking and invoicing matter most, so Harvest, FreshBooks, or Bonsai should lead your shortlist. If you bill by the project and need a signed agreement first, HoneyBook, Dubsado, or Bonsai should lead, because contracts and proposals are built in. If your books are the hard part, QuickBooks Online, Xero, or Wave should lead. A contractor who needs all three jobs covered will often run two tools, such as Harvest for time and QuickBooks Online for books. Check the caps on the cheapest plan before you enter card details. FreshBooks Lite allows 5 billable clients, Xero Early allows 20 invoices and 5 bills per month, QuickBooks Free allows 2 invoices per month, and Harvest Free allows 2 projects. Check the card processing fee on every invoice, because 2.9% plus 25 to 60 cents per transaction adds up on large invoices. Check whether payroll, scheduling, and extra users cost extra. Check export terms, so your client list and invoices can leave with you if you switch. Use the table below to match a monthly budget to a starting point. The figures are list prices checked on 12 November 2026, and they exclude card processing fees.
| Monthly budget | Best starting point | What to accept | | $0 | Wave Starter, Harvest Free, QuickBooks Free | Manual bank entry on Wave, 2 projects on Harvest, 2 invoices a month on QuickBooks Free | | $1 to $30 | Bonsai Essentials $25, FreshBooks Lite $23, Xero Early $27, HoneyBook Starter $29 billed annually | Bonsai Basic has no invoicing, FreshBooks Lite caps at 5 clients, Xero Early caps at 20 invoices a month | | $31 to $60 | QuickBooks Simple Start $38, Dubsado Starter $35, HoneyBook Essentials $49 billed annually, Xero Growing $59 | QuickBooks Simple Start allows 1 user, Dubsado Starter has no scheduling or Flows, HoneyBook Essentials allows 2 team members | | $61 to $150 | Xero Established $97, HoneyBook Premium $109 billed annually, QuickBooks Plus $140 | Higher plans add multi-currency, unlimited team seats, inventory, and project profitability, so only move up when you use those features |
Frequently asked questions
What software do most independent contractors need first?
Most contractors need invoicing first, then time tracking, then a basic set of books. Start with Wave Starter at $0 for invoices and books, or Harvest Free at $0 for time tracking, and add a subscription tool only when a cap blocks your work. A client management tool such as HoneyBook or Dubsado comes next, once proposals and contracts take more time than the work itself.
Is free software enough for an independent contractor?
Free software is enough when your volume is low and your needs are simple. Wave Starter covers unlimited invoices and books at $0, and Harvest Free covers 1 seat and 2 projects at $0. You will outgrow a free plan when you pass its caps, need automatic bank imports, or need scheduling and automations that only sit on a subscription plan.
How much should an independent contractor budget for software each month?
Budget $0 to $30 per month when you work solo with a small client list, because Wave at $0, FreshBooks Lite at $23, Bonsai Essentials at $25, and Xero Early at $27 all sit in that range. Budget $35 to $60 per month when you need scheduling or a second user, because Dubsado Starter at $35, QuickBooks Simple Start at $38, and HoneyBook Essentials at $49 sit in that range. Add card processing fees on top.
Do I need separate tools for invoicing and accounting?
You can use one tool when your needs are simple, because FreshBooks, QuickBooks Online, Wave, and Xero all send invoices and keep books. You need separate tools when one job is deep, such as hourly time tracking in Harvest with books in QuickBooks Online, or client workflows in Dubsado with books in Xero. Check that the two tools connect before you buy.
Can I switch tools later without losing client records?
You can switch in most cases, but the ease depends on export options. Before you buy, check that you can export clients, invoices, time entries, and expenses as a file, and check whether contracts export as PDFs. Keep a copy of your client list and open invoices outside the tool, and test the export before you move a large client base.
Sources
- https://www.freshbooks.com/
- https://www.freshbooks.com/pricing
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/
- https://www.honeybook.com/
- https://www.honeybook.com/pricing
- https://www.hellobonsai.com/
- https://www.hellobonsai.com/pricing
- https://www.waveapps.com/
- https://www.waveapps.com/pricing
- https://www.xero.com/
- https://www.xero.com/us/pricing-plans/
- https://www.dubsado.com/
- https://www.dubsado.com/pricing
- https://www.getharvest.com/
- https://www.getharvest.com/pricing
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.