About FreshBooks
FreshBooks, founded in 2003 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, is a prominent provider of cloud-based accounting software primarily designed for small business owners, freelancers, and self-employed professionals. The company’s mission is to simplify the challenges of running a business by making invoicing and accounting tasks easy and intuitive.
The software offers a comprehensive suite of features, including:
- Invoicing: Creating professional invoices and getting paid faster online.
- Expense Tracking: Easily logging and organizing expenses to track cash flow.
- Time Tracking: Logging billable hours and adding them directly to invoices.
- Accounting Reports: Generating essential financial reports like profit and loss statements.
- Payments: Accepting online payments via credit cards and ACH.
- Project Management: Collaborating with teams and contractors.
FreshBooks is known for its user-friendly interface, which is often cited as being easier to use than other platforms, allowing business owners to focus more on their work and less on their books.
FreshBooks Affiliate Program Overview
The FreshBooks Affiliate Program allows individuals and businesses to earn commissions by recommending the FreshBooks software to their audience. It’s an excellent way for partners to monetize their content and network by promoting a well-known and respected financial management solution for small businesses.
| Factor | Description |
| Industry | Finance, Insurance, Software, B2B (Business-to-Business) |
| Product Type | Cloud-based Accounting Software (SaaS – Software as a Service) |
| Affiliate Program Type | Cost Per Lead (CPL) for free trials and Cost Per Sale (CPS) for paid subscriptions (Single-Tier) |
FreshBooks Affiliate Commissions & Payments
The FreshBooks program offers a performance-based commission structure, rewarding affiliates for both free trial sign-ups and paid subscription conversions. High-performing affiliates may also qualify for customized or VIP commission rates.
| Factor | Details |
| MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) | No, it is a single-tier affiliate program. |
| Commission Rate | Up to $10 USD for a free trial sign-up, and up to $200 USD for an upgrade to a paid subscription (fixed commission structure). VIP commissions are available for top performers. |
| Commission Structure | Fixed commission per action (free trial and paid subscription). |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly (payments are processed for the previous month’s referrals). |
| Payout Methods | Check, Direct Deposit, Wire Transfer (via the affiliate network). |
| Minimum Payout | $50 USD. |
FreshBooks Affiliate Program Offers
FreshBooks provides its affiliates with competitive terms and resources to help them succeed in their promotions.
| Factor | Details |
| Promotional Materials | Text links, image banners, email templates, social media tips, and content creation ideas. |
| Affiliate Cookie Duration | 120 days (One of the most competitive in the industry). |
| Accepted Traffic Sources | PPC (Paid Search, with restrictions on brand bidding), Link and banner advertisements, Social media advertisements, Blogs, Videos, Email, etc. |
| Accepted Countries | Worldwide. |
| Explicit Content | Not accepted (must comply with the program’s terms). |
| Religious or Political Content | Typically not accepted for promotion (must comply with the program’s terms). |
Suitable Affiliates for FreshBooks Affiliate
The FreshBooks Affiliate Program is highly suitable for content creators and marketers whose audience primarily consists of self-employed individuals, small business owners, and those who need financial/invoicing software.
| Affiliate Type | Suitability & Why |
| Bloggers | High. Excellent for finance, business, productivity, and freelance-niche blogs offering in-depth software reviews, “best of” lists, and tutorials. |
| TikTokers | Moderate to High. Good for short-form video content demonstrating a quick business tip or software feature (e.g., “30-second invoicing”). |
| KOC (Key Opinion Consumers) | High. KOCs who genuinely use and love the product can provide authentic testimonials to their small, highly engaged communities of fellow small business owners. |
| KOL (Key Opinion Leaders) / Influencers | High. KOLs and Influencers in the business, entrepreneurship, or finance space with an audience of small business owners/freelancers. |
| YouTubers | High. Ideal for video reviews, tutorials, comparisons with alternative software (e.g., FreshBooks vs. QuickBooks), and “how-to” guides for small business finance. |
| Video Editors | Low to Moderate. Only if their content niche is centered around tools and business management for freelancers/video editors. |
| Livestreamers | Moderate. Suitable for live Q&A sessions or working sessions where the software is demonstrated, especially on platforms like Twitch or YouTube for a business audience. |
FreshBooks Affiliate Software
FreshBooks does not use in-house affiliate management software. They manage their worldwide affiliate program through a well-known third-party affiliate network:
- Affiliate Software: ShareASale (Awin).
3 Alternatives for FreshBooks Affiliate Program
Here is a comparison of the FreshBooks Affiliate Program with three popular alternatives in the accounting and financial software niche: QuickBooks, Xero, and Zoho Books.
| Comparison Factor | FreshBooks | QuickBooks | Xero | Zoho Books |
| Average Bill (Product Price Range) | From $19 to $60+/month | From $15 to $200+/month | From $15 to $78+/month | Free to $70+/month |
| Entry Fees | None (Free to join) | None (Free to join) | None (Free to join) | None (Free to join) |
| Withdrawal Threshold | $50 (via ShareASale) | Varies (often low, around $10 via Impact) | Varies (e.g., $10 via PartnerStack) | Varies (often low or none) |
| Payment Frequency | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly |
| Commission | Up to $10 per free trial + up to $200 per paid sale. | Varies, can be 25-40% revenue share or fixed bounty (e.g., up to $100). | Fixed bounty (e.g., up to $25-50) or revenue share (e.g., 10%). | Fixed bounty (e.g., up to $100 per paid referral). |
| Conversion | Free Trial (CPL) to Paid Subscription (CPS). | Paid Subscription (CPS). | Paid Subscription (CPS). | Paid Subscription (CPS). |
| Marketing Materials | Banners, Text Links, Email Templates, Tips. | Banners, Text Links, Landing Pages, Co-branded Assets. | Banners, Text Links, Dedicated Support. | Banners, Links, Marketing Assets. |
