# FreeMaker vs Self Employed

The clearest difference is review sentiment: FreeMaker at 91% against Self Employed's 47%. FreeMaker also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.2) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). Self Employed's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and chart position there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FreeMaker sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Self Employed sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

FreeMaker holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.8K and 2.1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of FreeMaker's written reviews are positive against 47% of Self Employed's.

FreeMaker ships an update every 3 months, Self Employed fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | FreeMaker | Self Employed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freemaker-invoice-maker/id1593605951/reviews)** | [4.2 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/self-employed-accounting/id6450295655/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.8K** | 2.1K |
| Positive reviews | **91.3% of reviews** | 47.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | #90 | **#88** |
| Size | 67 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Simple Apps s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1809132613) | [Protection & Security App LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1282949976) |

## What reviewers say

### FreeMaker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freemaker-invoice-maker/id1593605951)

**Currently charting:** #90 Top Grossing · Finance (US App Store)

Create, send, and share professional invoices directly from your mobile device. This app helps small businesses, contractors, and freelancers manage their finances by offering features like client management, product/service saving, and digital signatures. Track sent invoices and boost productivity with AI tools.

**Highlights:** Create and send professional invoices, Client management from contact list, Save product and service details, Digital client signatures, Customizable invoice templates, Automatic tax calculation, Invoice tracking and summary

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic - 1 month | $5.99 | per month |
| Standard - 1 month | $12.99 | per month |
| Premium - 1 month | $24.99 | per month |
| Basic - 1 year | $49.99 | per year |
| Standard - 1 year | $99.99 | per year |
| Premium - 1 year | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Quick and efficient
- 💻 Professional-looking invoices
- 💰 Free to use
- 🤝 Helps small businesses

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited features in free version
- 🔍 Lack of customization options
- 🔄 Difficulty updating sent invoices

**Reported bugs**

- Missing amount due in print preview
- Faded text in printed invoices

**Requested features**

- Copy invoice feature
- Multi-currency support
- Backup and sync functionality
- Export to spreadsheet


### Self Employed

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/self-employed-accounting/id6450295655)

**Currently charting:** #88 Top Grossing · Finance (US App Store)

Streamline business operations for self-employed individuals. Manage invoices, track expenses and mileage automatically, and simplify tax compliance with US federal tax law features. Gain insights with reports and analytics.

**Highlights:** Professional invoice creation, Automatic GPS mileage tracking, Categorized expense tracking, Receipt scanning with OCR, US federal tax law compliance, Business finance reports and analytics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Employed Monthly Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Employed Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Simplicity and intuitiveness
- 💡 Useful for small businesses and families
- 🚀 Efficient for tracking expenses and income

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
- 🐛 Inability to add decimal points for expenses
- 🐛 Unreliable mileage tracking
- 🐛 Syncing and data loss problems
- 🔒 Concerns about security and account access

**Reported bugs**

- App not opening past initial screen
- Inability to log in to existing account
- Quota exceeded error messages
- Transactions not saving properly

**Requested features**

- Add ability to upload digital receipts
- Improve date and transaction editing functionality
- Integrate with other professional apps
- Provide better instructions and guidance for users


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FreeMaker free?

FreeMaker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Self Employed free?

Self Employed is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, FreeMaker or Self Employed?

FreeMaker is rated higher. FreeMaker averages 4.9 out of 5 from 3.8K ratings, while Self Employed averages 4.2 from 2.1K ratings.

### Do FreeMaker or Self Employed have ads?

Self Employed shows ads; FreeMaker does not.

### Which is updated more often, FreeMaker or Self Employed?

FreeMaker ships an update every 3 months, and Self Employed fortnightly. Most recently, FreeMaker was updated on October 19, 2026 and Self Employed on October 19, 2026.

### Which is more popular, FreeMaker or Self Employed?

FreeMaker currently peaks at #90 in the App Store charts, and Self Employed at #88. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*