FreshBooks vs Tillage: Quote-to-Cash for Agencies

FreshBooks is everywhere. If you've Googled "invoicing software" even once, you've seen their ads. And for good reason—they're excellent at what they do.

But here's the thing: FreshBooks was built for accounting, not agency workflows.

If you're running an agency, you don't just need invoices. You need quotes that protect your margins. Contracts that generate automatically. Payment schedules that don't require manual duplication. And profitability tracking that tells you if you actually made money on that project.

FreshBooks can't do that. Not without a lot of manual work, spreadsheets, and duct tape.

Let's break down exactly where FreshBooks falls short for agencies—and what to use instead.

The Core Problem: Accounting-First vs. Quote-to-Cash

FreshBooks is an accounting-first platform. It's designed to help you track expenses, send invoices, and manage your books.

That's great if you're a freelancer with a handful of clients and straightforward projects.

But agencies? You need a quote-to-cash platform. Something that handles the entire lifecycle:

1. Quote: Generate a detailed, profitable proposal
2. Contract: Turn that quote into a signed agreement
3. Invoice: Automatically create invoices based on payment schedules
4. Payment: Collect money and track profitability

FreshBooks handles steps 3 and 4 pretty well. But steps 1 and 2? You're on your own.

Where FreshBooks Falls Short for Agencies

1. Manual Quote-to-Contract-to-Invoice Process

In FreshBooks, here's what you have to do:

1. Create an estimate (their version of a quote)
2. Send it to the client
3. If they approve, manually create a proposal or contract in a separate tool (DocuSign, PandaDoc, etc.)
4. Once signed, manually create invoices based on your payment schedule
5. Hope you didn't miss anything

Every step is manual. Every step is a chance for error.

In Tillage:

1. Generate a quote (with AI assistance if you want)
2. Client approves
3. Click "Create Contract" → 3-minute wizard pulls in all the details
4. Contract signed → Invoices generate automatically based on your payment schedule

Three clicks. Done.

2. No Variance Buffers or Profit Margin Protection

FreshBooks lets you create line items with costs and prices. But it doesn't help you protect your margins.

When you're quoting a $50K website redesign, you need:

• Variance buffers: Add 15-20% risk padding to account for scope creep
• Global profit margins: Ensure every quote hits your target (e.g., 30% profit)
• Real-time profitability tracking: See if you're actually making money as the project progresses

FreshBooks has none of this. You're doing margin math in your head (or in a spreadsheet).

In Tillage:

• Add variance buffers to any line item (visible to you, hidden or blended for clients)
• Set a global profit margin that auto-applies to all quotes
• Track profitability in real-time as expenses and time are logged

3. Limited Quote Customization

FreshBooks estimates are... fine. But they're basic.

You can't:

• Use smart variables like `{clientName}` to personalize descriptions
• Create optional line items or package tiers
• Show/hide variance buffers based on client type
• Generate quotes with AI based on project descriptions

In Tillage:

• AI-powered quote generation (describe the project, get a full quote)
• Smart variables for dynamic personalization
• Flexible line item options (optional, packages, tiers)
• Variance visibility controls (show, hide, or blend into pricing)

4. No Post-Acceptance Workflows

In FreshBooks, when a client accepts an estimate, you get a notification. That's it.

Now you have to:

• Manually create a contract
• Manually set up invoices
• Manually configure payment schedules

In Tillage:

When a quote is accepted, you choose:

• Generate Invoice: Instant invoice with payment link
• Create Contract: 3-minute wizard → signed agreement → automatic invoice generation

Everything flows automatically.

5. Weak Team Collaboration

FreshBooks has basic team features (multiple users, permissions). But it's not built for agencies with complex projects and multiple stakeholders.

You can't:

• Assign role-based permissions (e.g., "Account Manager can view quotes but not edit pricing")
• Track who worked on what project for profitability analysis
• Collaborate on quotes with team members before sending

In Tillage:

• Role-based permissions for team members
• Project-level profitability tracking (who worked on it, how much time, actual vs. estimated)
• Collaborative quote editing and approval workflows

Feature-by-Feature: FreshBooks vs Tillage

Real Scenario: $50K Website Redesign

Let's say you're quoting a $50K website redesign for a client. Here's how it plays out in each platform:

In FreshBooks:

1. Create estimate: Manually add line items (design, development, content, etc.)
2. Calculate margins: Open a spreadsheet, do the math to ensure 30% profit
3. Add variance: Mentally add 15% buffer to each line item (or forget and hope for the best)
4. Send estimate: Email to client
5. Client approves: Get notification
6. Create contract: Open PandaDoc, manually copy all the details from the estimate
7. Send contract: Email to client
8. Contract signed: Get notification
9. Create invoices: Manually create 3 invoices (50% deposit, 25% at milestone, 25% on completion)
10. Send invoices: Email each one at the right time

Time spent: 3-4 hours (plus ongoing manual invoice management)

In Tillage:

1. Generate quote: Use AI ("$50K website redesign for tech startup, 3-month timeline") or build manually
2. Add variance: Click "Add 15% variance buffer" on each line item
3. Set profit margin: Global 30% margin auto-applies
4. Send quote: One click
5. Client approves: Get notification
6. Create contract: Click "Create Contract" → 3-minute wizard → done
7. Contract signed: Invoices generate automatically (50% deposit, 25% at milestone, 25% on completion)

Time spent: 30 minutes (everything else is automated)

Time saved: 2.5-3.5 hours per project

If you quote 10 projects a month, that's 25-35 hours saved. Every month.

When FreshBooks Makes Sense

FreshBooks isn't bad. It's just not built for agencies.

Use FreshBooks if:

• You're a solo freelancer with simple projects
• You don't need contracts or complex payment schedules
• You want deep accounting features (expense tracking, tax reports, etc.)
• You're okay with manual quote-to-invoice workflows

Use Tillage if:

• You're an agency (or growing into one)
• You quote complex, multi-phase projects
• You need to protect your margins and track profitability
• You want to automate the entire quote-to-cash workflow

Switching from FreshBooks to Tillage in 3 Steps

Ready to make the switch? Here's how:

Step 1: Export Your Data

• Export clients from FreshBooks (CSV)
• Export any active estimates or invoices you need to reference

Step 2: Import to Tillage

• Import clients (CSV upload)
• Recreate any active quotes or contracts (Tillage's AI can help)

Step 3: Start Quoting

• Create your first quote in Tillage (use AI or build manually)
• Set up your global profit margin and variance defaults
• Send it to a client and watch the magic happen

Migration time: 1-2 hours (we also offer custom migration support)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use Tillage and FreshBooks together?

A: Yes! Some agencies use Tillage for quotes, contracts, and invoices, then sync to FreshBooks for accounting and expense tracking. We don't have a direct integration yet, but you can export data from Tillage and import to FreshBooks.

Q: Does Tillage have expense tracking like FreshBooks?

A: Tillage has basic expense tracking for project profitability (log expenses against projects to see actual vs. estimated costs). But if you need advanced accounting features (tax reports, receipt scanning, etc.), FreshBooks is stronger. Many agencies use both.

Q: Is Tillage cheaper than FreshBooks?

A: Yes. Tillage has a free forever plan with unlimited quotes and invoices (1% platform fee on payments). FreshBooks starts at $19/month after a 30-day trial. Tillage Premium (0% platform fees) is also cheaper than FreshBooks' higher tiers.

Q: Can I migrate my FreshBooks data to Tillage?

A: Yes! You can export clients and invoices from FreshBooks and import them into Tillage. We also offer custom migration support for agencies with complex setups.

Q: Does Tillage integrate with QuickBooks or Xero?

A: Not yet, but it's on our roadmap. For now, you can export data from Tillage and import to your accounting software.

The Bottom Line

FreshBooks is a great accounting tool. But if you're running an agency, you don't just need accounting—you need a quote-to-cash platform that automates your entire workflow.

Tillage gives you:

• AI-powered quoting with variance buffers
• 3-click contract generation
• Automatic invoice scheduling
• Real-time profitability tracking
• A free forever plan

Stop duct-taping your workflow together. Start quoting, contracting, and invoicing like a modern agency.

Ready to switch? Start free forever (no credit card required).