FreshBooks wins on more features overall (5 vs 3, 11 tied). Below is the full feature-by-feature breakdown.
| Feature | FreshBooks | Hiveage |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan |
✗ No
30-day trial only
|
— Limited
5 clients on free
|
| Entry paid plan |
— Paid add-on
AU$17/mo Lite, AU$30/mo Plus
|
— Paid add-on
Plus AU$16/mo
|
| Download PDF without signup |
✗ No
|
✗ No
|
| Feature | FreshBooks | Hiveage |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited invoices |
— Limited
Lite plan caps at 5 clients
|
✓ Yes
|
| Custom logo & branding |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Recurring invoices |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Email invoices to clients |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Multi-currency |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Client management |
✓ Yes
|
— Limited
5 clients free
|
| Feature | FreshBooks | Hiveage |
|---|---|---|
| ATO-compliant GST invoices |
— Limited
Configurable but not ATO-formatted by default
|
— Limited
Configurable tax rates
|
| ABN field built in |
— Limited
Manual setup via custom fields
|
— Limited
Custom field workaround
|
| Australian-focused support |
✗ No
|
— Limited
|
| Feature | FreshBooks | Hiveage |
|---|---|---|
| Bank reconciliation |
✓ Yes
Plus plan and above
|
✗ No
|
| Expense tracking |
✓ Yes
|
— Limited
|
| Payroll |
— Limited
US-only via Gusto integration
|
✗ No
|
| Inventory tracking |
✗ No
|
✗ No
|
| Feature | FreshBooks | Hiveage |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe payments |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Mobile app |
✓ Yes
|
— Limited
|
| Feature | FreshBooks | Hiveage |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time |
— Limited
~15 min onboarding
|
— Limited
Account signup required
|
Neither tool fits your invoicing-only workflow? Try InvoiceSonic — free for unlimited ATO-compliant tax invoices, no signup required.
Create a free invoice now →FreshBooks starts at AU$17/mo (Lite); Hiveage starts at Free; Plus from AU$16/mo. FreshBooks offers 30-day free trial. Hiveage offers free for 5 clients, unlimited invoices.
For ATO-compliant GST: FreshBooks = limited, Hiveage = limited. For native ABN field: FreshBooks = limited, Hiveage = limited. If you operate in Australia and either tool falls short here, InvoiceSonic handles both natively — and it's free.
Most freelancers want fast invoicing without paying for full accounting. Between these two, FreshBooks wins more categories overall. But if you're a freelancer who just wants ATO-compliant tax invoices for free, InvoiceSonic is purpose-built for that workflow.
Do not assume a one-click migration. Confirm each product's current export and import formats, then test contacts, opening balances, unpaid invoices, tax codes, attachments and reconciliations before cancelling the old account. Keep statutory records outside both systems.
Both tools include more than invoicing. If invoicing is your only need, a dedicated generator can be faster and more focused than a full accounting subscription.
Yes — InvoiceSonic lets you create and download an invoice without signup. Its account plans have separate limits and pricing, so compare current official plans before deciding.