tech from europe
FreshBooks

The best alternatives to FreshBooks

7 European alternatives · updated 11 October 2026 · How we select

FreshBooks users looking for European options often cite data residency as the deciding factor, with many preferring tools that store and process invoicing data solely within the EU. Others switch to avoid lock-in, seeking platforms with simpler export or more transparent pricing. FreeAgent, for example, offers EU-hosted accounting with direct bank feeds and project time tracking.

In short

FreshBooks covers invoicing & billing, expense management, time tracking, project management and reporting & insights. European alternatives: Collmex, sevDesk, FreeAgent, Zervant and Lexware and 2 more. By area: Collmex, sevDesk and FreeAgent for invoicing & billing; Collmex, sevDesk and FreeAgent for expense management; FreeAgent, Zervant and Banana Accounting Plus for time tracking; Collmex, FreeAgent and Reviso for project management; Collmex, FreeAgent and Lexware for reporting & insights.

European alternatives to FreshBooks

Collmex🇩🇪 DE

German cloud accounting with VAT returns and online banking

Replaces FreshBooks for German SMEs with VAT returns, online banking, and full ERP.

Invoicing & billingExpense managementProject managementReporting & insightsFrom €8.95/mo★ 3.9 (6 reviews)
EU hostingGDPRFree planISO 27001
Collmex vs FreshBooks →
What users praise and criticise
  • Comprehensive feature set covering invoicing, bookkeeping, inventory and project management
  • Flexibility to manage multiple companies within one account
  • Customizable workflows tailored to individual business needs
  • Interface can be overwhelming for beginners with a steep learning curve
  • Email-based invoice storage requires constant account linking and is impractical for many workflows
  • Missing some necessary integrations
sevDesk🇩🇪 DE

German accounting and invoicing software for freelancers and small businesses

Replaces FreshBooks for German freelancers and small businesses with invoicing and expense tracking.

Invoicing & billingExpense management★ 3.9 (3882 reviews)
EU hostingGDPR
sevDesk vs FreshBooks →
FreeAgent🇬🇧 GB

UK accounting software for freelancers and small businesses

Replaces FreshBooks for freelancers and small businesses with full accounting, VAT, and project tracking.

Covers all of FreshBooksFrom £5/mo★ 4.6 (5568 reviews)Import from FreshBooks: ✓ built-in FreshBooks client import · source
EU hostingGDPRFree planCyber Essentials Plus
FreeAgent vs FreshBooks →
What users praise and criticise
  • Intuitive and user-friendly interface with a well-organized dashboard
  • Automatic bank and PayPal transaction imports for streamlined bookkeeping
  • Built-in tax, National Insurance, and HMRC RTI submission automation
  • Higher pricing compared to competitors, perceived as expensive for small businesses
  • Mobile app lacks features like split transactions and has small, hard-to-read text
  • Interface for viewing recent expenses described as clunky and prone to freezing
Zervant🇫🇮 FI

Simple invoicing and billing for freelancers and small businesses

Replaces FreshBooks for invoicing and time tracking but lacks expense management and reporting.

Invoicing & billingTime trackingFrom €9.99/mo★ 4.7 (6265 reviews)
EU hostingGDPRFree plan
Zervant vs FreshBooks →
What users praise and criticise
  • Intuitive interface and clean design for easy navigation
  • Straightforward setup with guided assistance
  • Simple and efficient invoice and quote creation
  • Free version limits customers to 10–30, requiring an upgrade for larger client bases
  • Invoice templates are basic with minimal customization options
  • Occasional VAT/TAX calculation issues reported by users
Lexware🇩🇪 DE

German accounting and invoicing with DATEV integration

Replaces FreshBooks for German SMEs with DATEV integration, invoicing, and expense management.

Invoicing & billingExpense managementReporting & insightsFrom €7.90/mo★ 3.3 (1778 reviews)
EU hostingGDPR
Lexware vs FreshBooks →
Banana Accounting Plus🇨🇭 CH

Swiss accounting software with double-entry bookkeeping and multi-currency support

Replaces FreshBooks for SMEs with double-entry accounting, multi-currency, and VAT management.

Invoicing & billingExpense managementTime trackingReporting & insightsFrom 89 CHF/yr★ 4.5 (810 reviews)
Free plan
Banana Accounting Plus vs FreshBooks →
What users praise and criticise
  • Excel-like interface for quick and easy transaction entry
  • Simple but comprehensive design accessible to non-accountants
  • New balance column and improved error alerts
  • Switch from one-time license to subscription model
  • Poor integration with other applications
  • Modest speed and performance
Reviso🇩🇰 DK

Cloud accounting and invoicing for SMEs with VAT and project tracking

Replaces FreshBooks for SMEs with cloud accounting, VAT, and project profitability tracking.

Invoicing & billingExpense managementProject managementReporting & insightsFrom £20/mo★ 2.8 (3 reviews)
EU hostingGDPR
Reviso vs FreshBooks →

All FreshBooks alternatives at a glance

Which part of FreshBooks each alternative covers.

ProviderInvoicing & billingExpense managementTime trackingProject managementReporting & insightsFromRatingImport from FreshBooks
FreshBooks 🇨🇦 (the tool you are replacing)✓✓✓✓✓$17/mo★ 4.4–
Collmex 🇩🇪✓✓✓✓€8.95/mo★ 3.9 (6)–
sevDesk 🇩🇪✓✓On request★ 3.9 (3882)–
FreeAgent 🇬🇧✓✓✓✓✓£5/mo★ 4.6 (5568)✓ built-in
Zervant 🇫🇮✓✓€9.99/mo★ 4.7 (6265)–
Lexware 🇩🇪✓✓✓€7.90/mo★ 3.3 (1778)–
Banana Accounting Plus 🇨🇭✓✓✓✓89 CHF/yr★ 4.5 (810)–
Reviso 🇩🇰✓✓✓✓£20/mo★ 2.8 (3)–

Prices per user and month in the cheapest paid plan. Ratings are weighted across G2, Capterra, OMR and other portals, with the review count in brackets.

FreshBooks: the facts

What to know about the tool you are replacing, with sources.

Headquarters
🇨🇦 CA · since 2003
Where your data is stored
EU region only on some plansEU data residency available on request for enterprise plans.
Transfers to the US based on
Standard Contractual Clauses
Contracts
DPA · Sub-processors
Price
from $17/mo
Rating
★ 4.4 (5,000 reviews)

What users value in FreshBooks

  • Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • Strong invoicing and expense tracking features
  • Good mobile app for on-the-go management

What they criticise

  • Limited advanced accounting features for larger businesses
  • No built-in payroll functionality
  • Higher cost for additional team members

Sources: freshworks.com · freshbooks.com · capterra.com · g2.com · researched 5 October 2026

Moving away from FreshBooks

FreshBooks exports your data as CSV, PDF and Excel. FreeAgent imports FreshBooks content with a built-in importer. Every import above links its source on the product card.

Frequently asked questions

Which European tool fully replaces FreshBooks?

FreeAgent, Reviso, Collmex and Banana Accounting Plus cover invoicing, expense management, time tracking, project management and reporting. Zervant and sevDesk handle invoicing and billing, while Lexware adds expense management and reporting.

Which European FreshBooks alternative is best for freelancers?

FreeAgent and Zervant are designed for freelancers and small businesses, with invoicing, time tracking and expense management. FreeAgent also includes project management and reporting.

Are there free European alternatives to FreshBooks?

FreeAgent, Collmex, Zervant and Banana Accounting Plus offer free plans. Open-source tools are not listed here.

Where does FreshBooks keep my data?

FreshBooks is based in Canada. EU data residency is available on request for enterprise plans, with standard contractual clauses as the transfer mechanism.

Why do businesses switch from FreshBooks to a European alternative?

Companies often switch for EU data hosting and compliance with GDPR. European tools like FreeAgent, Reviso and Collmex provide EU-based server locations and meet regional data protection standards.

What are the European alternatives to FreshBooks for German SMEs?

Lexware and Collmex both replace FreshBooks for German SMEs. Lexware offers DATEV integration, invoicing, and expense management, while Collmex provides VAT returns, online banking, and full ERP capabilities.

Which European FreshBooks alternative supports project time tracking?

FreeAgent and Reviso both support project time tracking. FreeAgent also includes full accounting and VAT, while Reviso adds project profitability tracking.

You might also be interested in

Accounting & Invoicing SoftwareAlternative to QuickBooksAlternative to XeroAlternative to Wave