Jam Makers 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 jam maker earns $35,000/year, so FreshBooks's annual cost is roughly 1.1% 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.
Jam Makers face unique challenges: Fruit is seasonal and perishable, so a peach glut has to be cooked the same week or it's lost, and off-season means buying frozen or going without. Hitting the gel point is a narrow window, so under-cooked jam runs and over-cooked jam turns to candy, and pectin behaves differently with every fruit. Cottage-food and labeling rules vary by state and event, so selling at a market means tracking what's allowed and what each label must say. Demand spikes at farmers markets and holidays, but a full canning day produces a fixed number of jars that can't be rushed. On top of all that, FreshBooks charges $33/month ($396/year) — money that comes directly from your revenue. The median jam maker earns $35,000/year. Software at $396/year is a meaningful percentage of that income, every year, forever. And you do not own anything.
Your wide heavy-bottomed maslin or copper preserving pan 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 jam makers are fully switched before the weekend.
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The day is dictated by what's ripe, so a flat of strawberries that came in yesterday has to be hulled and macerated this morning before it turns. She cooks in batches small enough to reach the gel point evenly, since a too-deep pan won't drive off water fast enough and the jam will run. The thermometer and the cold-plate test rule the stove: she watches for 220 degrees and drags a spoon to see if it sheets, because every fruit's natural pectin sets differently and a low-pectin batch needs more time or help. Once it gels she ladles into hot sterilized jars through a funnel, wipes the rims, caps with new lids, and lowers them into the water-bath canner for the timed process that makes them shelf-stable. While jars boil she's labeling the last batch, double-checking that each label carries what the cottage-food rules require for the market she's selling at. She tracks how many jars of each flavor she has, because a Saturday market can clear out the apricot and leave the plum untouched. The afternoon is the boil, the ping of lids sealing, and lining up finished cases. She logs market orders and wholesale requests, knowing every jar is hours of work and the next fruit window won't wait.
Real jam makers near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you a jam maker? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every jam maker 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 $2,880/year on software — and jam maker face their own version of that math. CA state licensing requirements apply.
Numbers reflect typical solo operators in the Chula Vista metro. Your situation will vary.
Specific gaps Jam Makers 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