FreshBooks Review: How to Make Money as an Affiliate

Disclosure: some links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What Is FreshBooks?

FreshBooks is accounting and invoicing software for small businesses. It's built mostly for freelancers, consultants, and service businesses that bill clients for their time and work.

Think of it as the place where your money paperwork lives. You send invoices, get paid online, track expenses, and pull reports when tax time comes around. All without needing to be an accountant.

Here's the simple version of what you get:

• Professional invoices and estimates you can send in a few clicks
• Online payments by card, ACH, Apple Pay, and Google Pay
• Expense tracking, with receipt scanning on higher plans
• Time tracking and project tools for client work
• Proposals and client retainers on the Plus plan and up
• Financial and accounting reports, plus access for your accountant
• Add-ons for team members and payroll

Most small business owners hate bookkeeping. FreshBooks makes it feel less painful. That's why it sells.

How Does FreshBooks Work?

FreshBooks runs in your browser and on your phone. You add your clients, send them invoices, and FreshBooks keeps track of who has paid and who hasn't. Expenses and payments flow into your reports, so your books stay mostly up to date as you go.

For Users

1. Start a free trial. No credit card is needed.
2. Add your business details, logo, and clients.
3. Create an invoice or estimate and send it by email.
4. Turn on online payments so clients can pay you right from the invoice.
5. Track expenses and time as you work, then pull reports at tax time.

For Affiliates

1. Apply to the FreshBooks affiliate program (it runs on PartnerStack).
2. Get your unique referral link once you're approved. Most applications are reviewed within a few business days.
3. Send readers to it from reviews, tutorials, comparisons, or your email list.
4. Earn a commission when people start a trial and when they upgrade to a paid plan.

That's it. No product to build, no support tickets to answer.

FreshBooks Pricing

FreshBooks charges a monthly fee per business. The main difference between plans is how many clients you can bill and which accounting tools you get.

There are a few add-ons too. Team members are $11 per user per month. Advanced Payments is $20 per month (it's included on Select). Payroll is $40 per month plus $6 per person.

FreshBooks often runs an intro discount for the first few months, and it offers a 30-day FreshBooks free trial with no credit card. Paying yearly also knocks a bit more off. That's a nice thing to tell your readers. It lets them test it with real clients before they commit.

Always check FreshBooks' pricing page for current numbers. Plans and discounts change.

Who Should Use FreshBooks?

Users

FreshBooks is a good fit if you:

• Are a freelancer, consultant, or coach who bills clients
• Run a small agency or service business
• Want to send invoices and get paid online without a lot of setup
• Don't have a bookkeeping background and want something easy

Affiliates

It's a good fit if you:

• Write about freelancing, small business, or starting a side business
• Have an audience of service providers, consultants, or new business owners
• Run a real content site or blog (FreshBooks requires one to join)

Pros and Cons of FreshBooks

Pros

• Clean, friendly design that beginners can figure out quickly
• Invoicing and online payments are its strongest features
• Free trial with no credit card
• Good fit for service businesses that bill by the hour or project
• Your accountant can log in on the Plus plan and up
• Well-known brand, which makes it easier to recommend

Cons

• Client limits on Lite and Plus mean costs rise as you grow
• Team members cost extra on every plan except Select
• Some useful tools, like receipt scanning and proposals, are locked to higher plans
• It's built for service businesses, so product sellers with inventory may want something else
• Affiliates need a real content site. Social-only, email-only, ad-only, and coupon sites aren't accepted.

FreshBooks vs Alternatives

Here's the short answer. If your reader bills clients for services and wants invoicing that just works, FreshBooks is one of the easiest tools to get started with.

FreshBooks also pairs well with other tools a new business needs. If your readers are just setting up their company, my doola review covers forming a US business. If they get paid by international clients, my Airwallex review is worth a look. And for keeping client projects organized, see my ClickUp review.

How to Make Money with FreshBooks as an Affiliate

This is where FreshBooks gets interesting.

The Commission

FreshBooks says affiliates can earn up to $200 per paid subscriber. You're also paid for valid free trial sign-ups, and the commission structure is customized and can grow as you send more customers.

FreshBooks doesn't list exact amounts per trial or per plan on its affiliate page, so you'll see your real rates once you're approved.

A few other details:

• The program runs on PartnerStack
• New commissions sit in a 14-day hold to allow for cancellations, then get reviewed
• Approved commissions are paid on the next monthly PartnerStack invoice, in USD
• You need a live content site aimed at service businesses, freelancers, or would-be business owners
• Coupon, cash back, social-only, email-only, and ad-only publishers aren't accepted
• Self-referrals don't count

FreshBooks doesn't list a cookie length on its affiliate page. Check the terms inside PartnerStack once you join.

Content Angles That Work

1. Tutorials. "How to send your first invoice as a freelancer" is a real problem people search for. Walk them through it in FreshBooks, step by step.

2. Comparisons. People shopping for accounting software compare. Write FreshBooks vs QuickBooks or FreshBooks vs Wave. Those readers are close to buying.

3. Use-case posts. "Best invoicing software for photographers" or "for consultants." Show how FreshBooks fits that one type of business.

Keyword Ideas

• FreshBooks review
• FreshBooks pricing
• FreshBooks alternatives
• FreshBooks vs QuickBooks
• Best invoicing software for freelancers
• Best accounting software for small business

Comparison and "best of" posts tend to convert well, because the reader is already deciding.

Common Questions About FreshBooks

Is FreshBooks good for beginners?
Yes. It's one of the easier accounting tools to learn, especially if invoicing is your main need.

Does FreshBooks have a free trial?
Yes. It's 30 days, with no credit card required.

How much does FreshBooks cost?
Regular prices are $23 a month for Lite, $43 for Plus, and $70 for Premium. Select is custom. Intro discounts are common, so check their pricing page for the latest.

How much do FreshBooks affiliates earn?
Up to $200 per paid subscriber, plus commissions on valid trial sign-ups. Exact rates are set inside the program.

Can I join with just a social media account?
No. FreshBooks wants a live blog or content site. Social-only and email-only publishers aren't accepted.

Final Thoughts

FreshBooks does one job, and it does it well. It takes the stress out of invoicing and getting paid.

Is it perfect? No. Client limits and extra charges for team members add up as a business grows, and it's not built for product sellers.

But for freelancers, consultants, and small service businesses, it's an easy tool to recommend. And with commissions of up to $200 per paid subscriber, it's a good one to have in your affiliate lineup.

Try FreshBooks free here.

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