Aircraft Detailer on FreshBooks pay $33/month — $396/year. Over three years, that's $1,329. Nexa is $279 once. Break-even runs about 8.5 months. The median Aircraft Detailer earns $48,000/year, so FreshBooks's annual cost is roughly 0.8% of typical revenue — every year, forever.
That's $1,329 gone. And you don't own anything. Stop paying, lose access.
You're not the only one who's had enough.
Aircraft Detailer face unique challenges: Working to aviation rules where the wrong chemical or a scratch on an acrylic window is a serious problem, not a cosmetic one. Bug strikes, exhaust soot and brake dust baked onto leading edges and bellies that hand-washing won't lift. Polishing bare aluminum brightwork and de-ice boots without harming the surface or the rubber. Hangar and ramp access scheduling around flight times, FBOs and the owner's travel. On top of all that, FreshBooks charges $33/month ($396/year) — money that comes directly from your revenue. The median Aircraft Detailer earns $48,000/year. Software at $396/year is a meaningful percentage of that income, every year, forever. And you do not own anything.
Your Aviation-approved waterless / dry-wash products safe for painted and bare aluminum skins is yours. You bought it once. Nexa works the same way — $279 once for invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, and full accounting. All connected. All offline-capable. You own it like you own your tools.
FreshBooks is just one piece. What else are you losing money on?
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Your exact FreshBooks cost, full stack total, and what switching saves. 10 seconds.
| Feature | FreshBooks | Nexa |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scheduling | ✗ | ✓ |
| CRM | ✗ | ✓ |
| Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Full Accounting | ✗ | ✓ (SIMPL) |
| Task Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Price | $33/mo forever | $279 once or 3 × $99 |
| 3-Year Cost | $1,329 | $279 |
| Stop paying? | Lose everything | Keep everything forever |
Most aircraft detailer are fully switched before the weekend.
Go to Settings → Export Data. Download clients, invoices, expenses, and time entries.
15-minute setup. Import your client list and expense categories from CSV.
Run both for 1-2 weeks. Verify invoice history and recurring invoices.
Cancel subscription. Download a final data export for your records.
Detailing aircraft is detailing with consequences. Everything I touch is governed by what's safe for aviation surfaces, so I can't grab a product off a parts-store shelf; the wrong chemical near an acrylic window, a control surface, or a static wick can create a real airworthiness problem, not just a cosmetic one. A lot of my work is a careful dry or waterless wash because hangars and ramps often don't want runoff, and I'm lifting baked-on bug strikes from the leading edges, exhaust soot from the belly and tail, and brake dust off the gear. Brightwork is its own craft, hand-polishing bare aluminum and leading edges to a mirror without burning the surface or harming de-ice boots. Windows get acrylic-safe cleaner only, worked gently, because crazing or a scratch in a windscreen is expensive and dangerous. I work off non-conductive ladders and platforms to reach the tail and the top of the fuselage, and I'm constantly mindful of antennas, probes, and pitot tubes I must never bump. Scheduling is a dance with flight times, the FBO, and the owner's travel, so a wash window can be narrow. When a plane rolls out of the hangar gleaming for its owner's trip, clean belly and polished spinner, that's the satisfaction, done by the book.
Real aircraft detailer near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you an aircraft detailer? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every aircraft detailer on Nexa →
For solo operators and small teams (1-5), yes. Nexa includes invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, task management, and full accounting. FreshBooks may be better if you have a large team (10+) or need enterprise-specific features.
It's $7.75/month over 3 years. FreshBooks is $33/month — that's $1,329 over 3 years. Which is more? And if you'd rather split it, Nexa is also available as 3 payments of $99.
Yes. Nexa is $279 as a one-time payment, or 3 payments of $99 ($297 total). Either way it's a one-time purchase — no subscription, no recurring fees ever.
30-day money-back guarantee. Full refund. If Nexa doesn't save you $500 in year one, you get every penny back.
Export your data from FreshBooks as CSV, import into Nexa in about 5 minutes.
The average solo operator there spends about $2,200/year on software — and Aircraft Detailer face their own version of that math. California's high income tax applies but Sacramento cost of living is lower than Bay Area, making the effective burden more manageable. California CSLB license for contractors. Sacramento requires a business operations tax certificate. State capital has additional government contracting rules.
Numbers reflect typical solo operators in the Sacramento metro. Your situation will vary.
Specific gaps Aircraft Detailer run into with FreshBooks, and what Nexa does instead.
$1,329 over 3 years. Or $279 once (or 3 × $99). Own your tools.
Get Nexa — $279 Once