Tillage vs FreshBooks Comparison
This comparison helps you understand the differences between Tillage and FreshBooks for managing your agency or service business.
Overview
| Tillage | FreshBooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Quote-to-cash for agencies | General small business accounting |
| Best for | Agencies, consultants, freelancers | Service + product businesses |
| Starting price | Free (unlimited) | ~$19/month |
| Free tier | Unlimited quotes, invoices, clients | Trial only |
Quote Generation
Tillage
- AI-powered quoting - Describe projects, get comprehensive quotes
- Variance buffers - Built-in scope creep protection
- Profit margins - Automatic profitability calculations
- Client-context intelligence - AI considers client industry and size
FreshBooks
- Manual quoting - Create quotes/estimates by hand
- No variance buffers - Standard line items only
- No AI generation - All manual entry
- Template-based - Basic reusable templates
Contract Management
Tillage
- Built-in contracts - Generate from approved quotes
- Digital signatures - Legally binding, no extra tools
- Payment schedules - Deposits, milestones, recurring
- Automated invoicing - Invoices trigger from contract events
FreshBooks
- Limited contracts - Basic proposal features
- Separate tools needed - DocuSign, HelloSign, etc.
- No payment schedules - Manual invoice creation
- No automation - Create invoices manually
Invoicing
Tillage
- From contracts - Auto-generate from payment schedules
- Recurring invoices - Weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual
- Smart variables - Dynamic invoice naming
- Automatic reminders - Configurable follow-ups
FreshBooks
- Manual creation - Or basic recurring
- Recurring invoices - Yes, similar capability
- Limited variables - Basic customization
- Payment reminders - Yes, automatic
Payment Processing
Tillage
- Stripe integration - Cards and ACH
- One-click payment - No client login needed
- ACH bank transfers - Lower fees
- Convenience fees - Pass costs to clients
- Automatic payments - For recurring with consent
FreshBooks
- FreshBooks Payments - Proprietary system
- Cards and bank - ACH available
- Higher fees - Often 2.9%+ on all methods
- No convenience fees - You absorb costs
- Recurring billing - Auto-charge available
Profitability Tools
Tillage
- Variance buffers - Per-line-item risk percentage
- Global profit margin - Ensures minimum profit
- AI-suggested pricing - Market-appropriate rates
- Locked pricing - Quote prices preserved through invoicing
FreshBooks
- None - Standard pricing only
- No margin tools - What you enter is what you get
- No suggestions - All manual pricing
- No variance - Same calculation throughout
Pricing Comparison
Tillage
| Plan | Price | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | 1% platform fee on payments |
| Premium | $49/month | 0% fee, AI, advanced features |
FreshBooks
| Plan | Price | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | ~$19/month | 5 clients |
| Plus | ~$33/month | 50 clients |
| Premium | ~$60/month | 500 clients |
Cost Example: $10,000/month in Invoices
Tillage Free:- Platform fee: $100 (1%)
- Stripe fees: ~$300 (cards)
- Total: ~$400
- Subscription: $49
- Stripe fees: ~$300 (cards)
- Total: ~$349
- Subscription: ~$33
- Payment fees: ~$300+
- Total: ~$333
Similar costs, but Tillage includes AI, contracts, and profitability tools.
Target Audience
Tillage is Better For
- Creative agencies
- Marketing agencies
- Consultants
- Freelancers
- Service-based businesses
- Project-based work
- Retainer management
FreshBooks is Better For
- Product + service businesses
- Need full accounting features
- Simple invoicing needs
- Less complex projects
- Expense tracking focus
Feature-by-Feature
| Feature | Tillage | FreshBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | ✓ Unlimited | Trial only |
| AI quoting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Variance buffers | ✓ | ✗ |
| Profit margins | ✓ | ✗ |
| Built-in contracts | ✓ | Limited |
| Digital signatures | ✓ | ✗ (needs add-on) |
| Payment schedules | ✓ | ✗ |
| ACH payments | ✓ | ✓ |
| Convenience fees | ✓ | ✗ |
| Time tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Expenses | ✗ | ✓ |
| Full accounting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bank reconciliation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile app | ✗ | ✓ |
When to Choose Tillage
Choose Tillage if you:
- Need AI-powered quote generation
- Want built-in profitability protection
- Create contracts for your projects
- Bill based on milestones
- Manage retainer clients
- Want unlimited free tier
- Focus on quote-to-cash workflow
When to Choose FreshBooks
Choose FreshBooks if you:
- Need full accounting features
- Track expenses extensively
- Require bank reconciliation
- Need time tracking built-in
- Prefer established mobile app
- Mix products and services
- Want all-in-one accounting
Migration from FreshBooks
Moving to Tillage:
- Export client list from FreshBooks
- Import to Tillage (or manual entry)
- Set up payment processing
- Create quote and contract templates
- Start new projects in Tillage
Historical invoices remain in FreshBooks for records.
Summary
Tillage excels at the quote-to-cash workflow for agencies with unique profitability tools, AI quoting, and integrated contracts. FreshBooks is a more general accounting tool with time tracking and expense management but lacks the agency-specific features.For agencies focused on quoting, contracts, and getting paid—Tillage is purpose-built for your workflow.
Try Tillage free at https://app.tillage.ai/signup Related: Pricing | Features Overview | Getting Started