Square Invoices Review: Features, Pricing, Alternatives
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Small-business owners use Square Invoices to send invoices and payment reminders, and to accept a variety of payment types, including credit card and Apple Pay. The invoicing software is a great option for businesses that already use Square’s point-of-sale system and don’t send invoices through their accounting software.
» MORE: How online invoicing works
How does Square Invoices work?
Aside from sending invoices and receiving payments, Square Invoices lets you track invoices, mark them as recurring, add attachments to them, accept e-signatures and send receipts. Invoicing software, in general, makes it easier to manage invoices and keep track of which customers have paid and which customers still owe you money.
Square Invoices pricing
Free | Plus | |
---|---|---|
Monthly cost | Free. | $20/month. |
Payment processing cost |
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Features |
| Everything in the Free plan plus:
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Pros
Valuable free features
Whereas some platforms limit how many clients you can invoice, Square Invoices lets you send unlimited invoices, estimates and contracts to an unlimited number of clients. Other free features include the following:
An unlimited number of users can send out invoices.
Send invoices through email, text or link.
Sign with an e-signature.
Square Payments integration.
Save customer details and credit card info.
Reporting and cash flow management tools.
Send digital receipts through email or text.
Schedule recurring invoices and automatic payment reminders.
Square Invoices app.
Apply discount offers and taxes.
Issue refunds.
Accept tips.
Contract templates and clauses.
Convenient integrations
Square Invoices integrates with accounting software products, including QuickBooks Online and Xero, but it’s especially convenient for small-business owners who already use one of the company’s other products, like Square POS. The system lets you send invoices to clients from within the POS software or use Square hardware to accept invoice payments in person.
Cons
Processing fees
As great as it is not to have a monthly fee to use the Square Invoices platform, giving up a percentage of each invoice can eat into revenue over time. And there’s no processing rate discount if you decide to subscribe to the Plus package — processing costs are the same for both plans. You’ll pay a price for convenience, but it’s up to you whether it’s worth it.
Even though processing fees can add up, there is an option that helps make the platform more affordable for high-volume businesses. Square’s payment processing platform offers custom pricing options for companies that process $250,000 or more in credit card sales and have an average transaction size over $15.
Square Invoices alternatives
Zoho Invoice
Pricing: Free.
Zoho Invoice is easy to set up and user-friendly, and it’s NerdWallet’s pick for best overall invoicing software. The platform comes with a slew of helpful features, such as billing, estimates and reporting options that are similar to what Square Invoices provides. The company also offers an accounting software product, which our Zoho Books review details.
FreshBooks
Pricing:
$19 per month for the Lite plan.
$33 per month for the Plus plan.
$60 per month for the Premium plan.
Custom pricing for the Select plan.
FreshBooks, which is rated the top mobile-friendly option in NerdWallet’s best accounting software roundup, offers invoicing capabilities within its core accounting product. Keep in mind that the Lite and Plus plans cap the number of clients you can invoice at five and 50, respectively. The company’s customer service stands out, and representatives aim to answer email inquiries within 90 minutes and phone calls within three rings. NerdWallet’s FreshBooks accounting review offers more information about the product.
QuickBooks Online
Pricing:
$35 per month for the Simple Start plan.
$65 per month for the Essentials plan.
$99 per month for the Plus plan.
$235 per month for the Advanced plan.
Like FreshBooks, QuickBooks Online also has invoicing features within its accounting software. The Simple Start accounting plan, for example, lets you create custom invoices, send payment reminders and track invoice status. But unlike FreshBooks, there’s no cap on the number of clients you can bill. Our review of QuickBooks Online provides an overview of its features and pricing.
Product | Starting at | Promotion | Learn more |
---|---|---|---|
QuickBooks Online NerdWallet Rating Learn more on QuickBooks' website | $35/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $65, $99, $235. | 50% off for first three months or free 30-day trial. | Learn more on QuickBooks' website |
Xero NerdWallet Rating Learn more on Xero's website | $15/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $42, $78. | 75% off for six months on Business Edition plans. | Learn more on Xero's website |
Zoho Books NerdWallet Rating Learn more on Zoho Books' website | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275. | 14-day free trial of the Premium plan. | Learn more on Zoho Books' website |
FreshBooks NerdWallet Rating Learn more on FreshBooks' website | $19/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $33, $60, custom. | 30-day free trial or monthly discount (terms vary). | Learn more on FreshBooks' website |