How is the billing & payment of FreshBooks?
Reviewers overwhelmingly express frustration with FreshBooks’ billing and payment features, with 55 negative mentions compared to just 12 positive ones. The sentiment has remained consistently poor over the past year, with monthly ratings hovering around 1 to 2 stars, and only brief spikes to 3 or 5 stars in isolated cases. Customers report persistent issues with payment processing, including failed transfers, unexplained fee increases, and unreliable bank feeds. Many describe being misled or ignored by support, with some stating they were charged unexpectedly or unable to cancel their accounts. A few positive reviews highlight the platform’s automation and ease of use, particularly for small-scale operations, but these voices are outnumbered and often tied to specific, limited experiences. Overall, the trend shows a steady decline in satisfaction, especially around payment reliability and customer service responsiveness.
What customers praise
Some users praise FreshBooks for its automation and user-friendly interface, particularly for small businesses managing a limited number of clients. They appreciate the ability to send invoices, track payments, and scan receipts with minimal effort. Several reviewers note that the platform helps reduce errors and saves time, especially when compared to manual methods like spreadsheets. The availability of human support is also highlighted as a key benefit, with one user calling it a 'massive operational advantage.'
What customers said:
- „It helps us save on time as well as reduce errors“
- „helping us to manage our finances from sending our invoices for collecting payments“
- „Our accountant was impressed at tax time!!“
Common complaints
The most common complaints center on payment processing failures, including money not reaching bank accounts despite successful invoice delivery. Users report being stuck in loops with support, receiving no response, or being charged fees without clear notice. Issues with receipt uploads, login errors, and broken data migration, such as client emails and refund records, further erode trust. Many feel misled by sudden fee hikes and lack of transparency, with some describing the experience as 'the worst' and warning others to 'avoid at all costs.'
What customers said:
- „I tried for at least 2 months to get a small payment from a client into my bank account“
- „this happened right when my card was charged“
- „There were constant holds, interferences from Stripe.“
How it has changed over time
Over the past year, the quality of billing and payment features has declined significantly. Ratings dropped to 1 star in multiple months, with only brief improvements in June and July. The frequency of negative feedback increased, particularly around payment failures, support inaction, and unexpected fee changes. While a few users reported positive experiences in early 2026, these were isolated and did not reflect broader trends. The pattern suggests a worsening user experience, especially in handling real-time transactions and client data integrity.
What customers said:
- „i had an account for 6 months“
- „my credit card got charged the full price in $70 U.S.“
- „CLIENT EMAILS DIDN'T PORT TO CLIENT EMAIL FIELD – WHEN ASKED TO FIX, THE FIRST 20 WERE…“
„CLIENT EMAILS DIDN'T PORT TO CLIENT EMAIL FIELD – WHEN ASKED TO FIX, THE FIRST 20 WERE FIXED, THE REST WERE NOT, EVEN THOUGH I WAS ASSURED THIS WAS DONE (1600 CLIENTS IN DATABASE)“
Practical takeaways
For most users, the billing and payment system is not reliable enough for serious business use. Those handling high volumes or relying on timely payments should consider alternatives. The platform may still work for very small operations with low transaction needs, but only if they can tolerate frequent technical issues. Users are advised to avoid automatic card storage due to fee increases and to keep backup records of all transactions. Clear communication with support is essential, but many report being ghosted or ignored.
What customers said:
- „QB REFUNDS TO CLIENTS HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO FB CREDITS. ALL REFUNDS FOR THE PAST 5…“
„QB REFUNDS TO CLIENTS HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO FB CREDITS. ALL REFUNDS FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS NOW NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY MY CPA FOR YEARS THAT WERE CLOSED.“
- „Sales taxes report is awful.“
- „the fields did not work“
Over time
Data as table
| Month | Avg. rating | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-09 | 1.25 | 4 |
| 2025-10 | 1.00 | 2 |
| 2025-11 | 3.00 | 1 |
| 2025-12 | 2.00 | 2 |
| 2026-01 | 5.00 | 1 |
| 2026-02 | 1.50 | 2 |
| 2026-03 | 2.33 | 3 |
| 2026-04 | 1.00 | 2 |
| 2026-05 | 1.00 | 2 |
| 2026-06 | 1.50 | 4 |
| 2026-07 | 2.33 | 3 |
| 2026-08 | 1.25 | 4 |
Sentiment over time
Data as table
| Month | Positive | Neutral | Negative | Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09 | 0% | 0% | 100% | 4 |
| 2025-10 | 0% | 50% | 50% | 2 |
| 2025-11 | 0% | 0% | 100% | 1 |
| 2025-12 | 0% | 0% | 100% | 2 |
| 2026-01 | 0% | 0% | 100% | 1 |
| 2026-02 | 0% | 0% | 100% | 2 |
| 2026-03 | 0% | 33% | 67% | 3 |
| 2026-04 | 0% | 0% | 100% | 2 |
| 2026-05 | 0% | 0% | 100% | 2 |
| 2026-06 | 0% | 0% | 100% | 4 |
| 2026-07 | 33% | 0% | 67% | 3 |
| 2026-08 | 0% | 0% | 100% | 4 |
Customer voices
Short excerpts - full reviews are available at the original source.
„They use stripe as their payment processor“
„making life pretty difficult when you’re actually dealing with 2-3 companies rather than 1“
„I got a last minute notice that the CC processing fees for saved cards are going from 2.9% to 3.5%“
„they refused to refund any of the money I’ve paid.“
„their decision to switch off their VAT integration“
„The invoices are important.“
„I would like the expense portion to be more user friendly.“
„I’ve been billed in USD instead of CAD“
Cite this page
Citatio (2026). FreshBooks Billing & payment: customer reviews 2026. Retrieved 29 August 2026 from https://citatio.ai/freshbooks-reviews/billing/
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