When FreshBooks makes sense
FreshBooks is excellent general invoicing and accounting for solo professionals and small service businesses. If you bill hourly, track project time, and want clean Canadian-tax-aware books and reports, FreshBooks is a polished, well-supported tool with strong time tracking and project profitability features.
Where FreshBooks falls short for Canadian contractors
FreshBooks is built for general small-business invoicing, not construction compliance. Its invoices do not include the Ontario Construction Act section 6.1 proper-invoice fields by default, and it has no 28-day payment-clock tracking, no T5018 subcontractor tracking, no statutory holdback calculation, and no lien-deadline tracking. For a contractor working under the Construction Act, those gaps are the core of the job.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Markup | FreshBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario Construction Act proper-invoice fields | Advantage: Markup.All 7 section 6.1 fields by default, including period of work and contract reference. | General invoice templates. No proper-invoice fields. |
| 28-day payment clock tracking | Advantage: Markup.Automatic, with deadline alerts. | Not available. |
| GST/HST/PST/QST (province-aware) | Published rate for all 13 provinces and territories, including QST on the pre-GST base. | Native Canadian sales tax support across provinces. |
| T5018 subcontractor tracking | Advantage: Markup.Built-in YTD tracker with $500 threshold alerts. | Not available. |
| Statutory holdback (ON, BC, AB) | Advantage: Markup.Automatic per province with release timeline. | Not available. |
| Lien deadline tracking | Advantage: Markup.Per-project deadline by province with alerts. | Not available. |
| Pricing (CAD) | Free to $89/mo. Solo $49, Plus $89. | Lite ~$19, Plus ~$33, Premium ~$60/mo CAD. |
| Time tracking and project profitability | Not in current scope. | Strong: hourly time tracking, project profitability, retainers. |
| General accounting and reporting | Invoicing and compliance focused, not a full general ledger. | Full accounting, expenses, and CRA-compatible reports. |
Choose FreshBooks if:
- You are a freelancer, consultant, or small service business that bills hourly and wants polished general invoicing and accounting.
- Time tracking, project profitability, and clean financial reports matter more to you than construction-specific compliance.
- You do not work under the Construction Act and do not pay subcontractors who trigger T5018.
Choose Markup if:
- You are an Ontario or BC contractor who needs invoices that legally start the 28-day payment clock.
- You pay subcontractors and need T5018 tracking and statutory holdback handled automatically.
- You want lien-deadline tracking and CRA reminders in the same tool as your invoicing.
FreshBooks alternative: frequently asked questions
Is Markup a good FreshBooks alternative for contractors?
For construction trades, yes. FreshBooks is great general invoicing with solid Canadian tax support, but it has no Construction Act proper invoices, no 28-day clock, no T5018, no holdback, and no lien tracking. Markup adds exactly that compliance layer. Contractors who only need general invoicing may be happy on FreshBooks; those working under the Construction Act usually are not.
Does FreshBooks support the Ontario Construction Act?
FreshBooks handles Canadian sales tax (GST/HST/PST/QST) well, but its invoices are general-purpose. They do not include the section 6.1 proper-invoice fields, and FreshBooks has no 28-day payment clock, T5018, statutory holdback, or lien-deadline tracking.
Is FreshBooks Canadian?
Yes. FreshBooks was founded in Toronto in 2003 and prices in CAD. It is strong general small-business invoicing, but it is not construction-specific.
How much does Markup cost compared to FreshBooks?
Markup is Free, Solo $49/mo, or Plus $89/mo in CAD. FreshBooks is tiered from about $19/mo (Lite) to $60/mo (Premium) in CAD, before introductory discounts.
Related
Comparison data reflects publicly available information and Markup’s direct testing as of May 2026. Feature sets change. Verify current capabilities on each vendor’s website before making a purchasing decision. Prices shown in CAD where available.