The best free invoicing software makes it easy for small businesses and freelancers to send bills to clients and accept payments online. These solutions stand out for offering a mix of useful features, such as recurring invoicing, time tracking tools, client portals and automatic payment reminders to help you get paid on time.
Lots of NerdWallet’s picks for the best invoicing software have free options, and this list focuses primarily on those no-cost plans. “Free” here means that there’s no monthly subscription cost or software purchase to use the basic version of any of these programs. However, if you’re receiving payments online, you’ll be responsible for a per-payment transaction fee.
Here are the best free invoicing software options for small-business owners.
Our Nerdy picks for
Customization
Invoice NinjaPayPal Business users
PayPal InvoicingBest Free Invoicing Software for Small Businesses
Product | Promotion | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Zoho Invoice Learn more on Zoho Invoice's secure website | Best for Comprehensive feature set | $0 Free. | N/A | Learn more on Zoho Invoice's secure website |
Square Invoices Learn more on Square Invoices' secure website | Best for Built-in payment processing | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20. | 30-day free trial of the Plus plan. | Learn more on Square Invoices' secure website |
Wave Invoicing | Best for Ease of use | $0 Free. | N/A | |
PayPal Invoicing | Best for PayPal Business users | $0 Free. | N/A | |
Invoice Ninja | Best for Customization | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $10, $14. | N/A | |
Hiveage | Best for Simple billing software | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $19, $29, $49. | 14-day free trial of the Pro plan. | |
Harvest | Best for Project invoicing | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $12 per user. | 30-day free trial of the Harvest Pro plan. |
Our pick for
Comprehensive feature set
Zoho Invoice
Learn more
on Zoho Invoice's secure website
Starting at
$0
Free.
Promotion
N/A
Zoho Invoice is comprehensive yet easy to use. You can keep track of hours, expenses and tasks on a variety of projects in an app or browser. When work is complete, you can send highly customizable invoices to customers, along with automated email reminders if payments become overdue. Businesses can access all of Zoho Invoice’s features for free, but invoices are capped at 1,000 per year. In addition to online credit card payments, Zoho Invoice lets you accept cash, check and ACH payments.
Pros
- Send up to 1,000 invoices per year for free.
- Portal lets clients pay invoices and view their transaction history.
- Payment gateway integrations include Stripe, PayPal, Square and more.
- Autoscan uploaded receipts and convert them into expenses.
Cons
- Limited third-party integrations outside of other Zoho products and QuickBooks Online.
Our pick for
Built-in payment processing
Square Invoices
Learn more
on Square Invoices' secure website
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.
Promotion
30-day free trial
of the Plus plan.
Square is right up there with PayPal as one of the world’s foremost all-in-one payment platforms for small-business owners. User-friendly design is its style, so even tech-shy users will likely be able to navigate its invoicing platform. Unlike many of the software solutions on this list that require integration with a payment gateway, as a payment processor first and foremost, Square offers a built-in processing solution. That makes it a great option for existing Square POS users who want to add invoicing functionality and small-business owners who don’t want the hassle of choosing a separate payment gateway to accept payments.
Pros
- Unlimited invoicing, estimates, contracts, users and clients in all plans.
- Integrates with Square’s all-in-one payment platform.
- Streamlined and intuitive.
- Ability to process in-person and online card payments as well as cash, checks, ACH transfers, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
- Send recurring invoices.
- Automatic payment reminders.
- Gives clients the option to include a tip.
Cons
- Must use Square’s in-house payment processing to accept online payments.
- Free plan does not enable custom invoicing fields and the ability to auto-convert estimates into invoices.
Our pick for
Ease of use
Wave Invoicing
Starting at
$0
Free.
Promotion
N/A
Wave offers completely free invoicing and accounting software, with the option to pay additional fees for payment and payroll features. The company’s software is ideal for self-employed professionals. In addition to invoicing capabilities, users get access to income and expense tracking, along with reporting and the ability to add an unlimited number of users.
Pros
- Easily accessible online software; no installation needed.
- No billable client, invoice or user limits.
- Integrates with Wave Accounting, which is also free.
- Recurring invoices and automatic billing for repeat clients.
- Automatic payment reminders.
- Converts estimates into invoices.
Cons
- Limited features may not be suited for fast-growing businesses.
- Must use Wave’s in-house payment processing to accept online payments.
Our pick for
PayPal Business users
PayPal Invoicing
Starting at
$0
Free.
Promotion
N/A
If you’re already using PayPal for any of its many business services — PayPal’s POS systems, payment gateway and business financing are three of the platform’s more popular business services — then PayPal Invoicing, available through the free PayPal Business app, will fit nicely into your current workflow. The platform is primed for existing PayPal users to send basic invoices quickly, automatically and from anywhere.
Pros
- Straightforward and simple to use.
- No billable client or invoice limits.
- Send recurring invoices.
- Automatic payment reminders.
- Gives clients the option to include a tip.
- Converts estimates into invoices.
Cons
- Not as customizable as the competition.
Our pick for
Customization
Invoice Ninja
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $10, $14.
Promotion
N/A
Invoice Ninja’s free plan offers all of the key features that invoice software should, including time tracking, the ability to ask customers to pay a deposit up front and the opportunity to add taxes and discounts to invoices. Clients can pay online or use ACH payments to transfer funds. The paid plans come with additional useful features like bulk invoicing, but the free version is so robust that you may never need to upgrade, as long as you don’t exceed 20 clients. Keep in mind that you can only add additional users to the most expensive Enterprise plan (for an added fee).
The software’s basic plan is free and users can upgrade to the Ninja Pro plan or the Enterprise plan. Upgrading to a paid plan gives you the ability to invoice unlimited clients and to access dozens of other features.
Pros
- Free plan supports unlimited invoices for up to 20 clients.
- Automatically transfer credit card processing fees to customers and allow them to tip on invoices or pay incrementally over time.
- Integrates with more than a dozen payment gateways including Stripe, PayPal, Square and Apple Pay.
- Built-in inventory tool tracks items as they’re invoiced.
- Portal lets clients view their invoices and payment history.
Cons
- No direct integrations with bookkeeping or accounting software.
- Enterprise plan pricing increases as you add more users.
Our pick for
Simple billing software
Hiveage
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $19, $29, $49.
Promotion
14-day free trial
of the Pro plan.
Hiveage stands out for its simplicity. Creating one-time and recurring invoices is straightforward, the dashboard is easy to navigate, and it offers time and expense tracking even in the free version. You can accept online payments with any plan, but to accept offline payments through cash, check and bank transfer, you’ll have to subscribe to the most expensive Plus plan. Hiveage can also integrate with accounting, CRM and project management software via Zapier.
Pros
- Free plan supports unlimited invoicing for up to five clients.
- Integrates with a dozen payment gateways including Stripe, PayPal, Square and more.
- Assign different billable rates to each type of task.
- Direct clients to your own custom domain with the Plus plan.
Cons
- No built-in, direct integrations with bookkeeping or accounting software.
- All plans have client limits (highest-tier Plus plan caps at 1,000).
Our pick for
Project invoicing
Harvest
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $12 per user.
Promotion
30-day free trial
of the Harvest Pro plan.
When it comes to invoicing, Harvest’s estimate, invoice and payment collection tools are easy to navigate, and it offers helpful features like automated email reminders to customers with late payments. If you’re concerned about credit card processing fees adding up, you can switch off the ability to pay with a credit card through Stripe. Instead, your invoices will give clients the option to pay only via ACH transfer.
Pros
- Offers a free plan (limited to two projects).
- Advanced time-tracking features, including integrations with Google Calendar, Slack, Asana, Trello and other project management tools.
- Display billable hours by task, person or project on invoices.
- Snap and upload photos of billable expense receipts with the mobile app.
- Integrates with QuickBooks Online and Xero for accounting.
Cons
- Invoice customization options are limited. Free users can’t add company logos to invoices, and Harvest offers only two templates (one PDF and one GDoc).
- Payment integrations are limited to Stripe and PayPal.
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NerdWallet’s picks for best free invoicing software
Invoice Ninja: Best for customization
Why we like it: Invoice Ninja is an open-source platform, so developers from around the world can contribute to testing and improving the software. That also means you can write your own code (or hire a developer to do so) for a completely customized version, designed for exactly your business needs. Aside from the basics, Invoice Ninja includes unique features, like the ability to auto-match payment gateway fees and pass the fees along to your customers. However, there is no built-in, direct integration with QuickBooks Online or Xero for accounting.
The software’s basic plan is free and users can upgrade to the Ninja Pro plan or the Enterprise plan. Upgrading to a paid plan gives you the ability to invoice unlimited clients and to access dozens of other features.
Monthly fee:
- $0 per month for the Free plan.
- $10 per month for the Ninja Pro plan.
- $14 per month for the Enterprise plan for up to 2 users; price increases with more users.
Wave Invoicing: Best for ease of use
Why we like it: Wave offers completely free invoicing and accounting software, with the option to pay for payment and payroll features. The company’s software is ideal for self-employed professionals. In addition to invoicing capabilities, users get access to income and expense tracking, along with reports like a profit and loss statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement and sales tax breakdown. The system updates you when your client views an invoice, pays it or it becomes due so you can make sure you’re being paid on time.
Monthly fee: $0.
Zoho Invoice: Best for comprehensive feature set
Why we like it: Zoho Invoice is one of the most comprehensive free invoice software options, thanks to its multicurrency and multilanguage support, client portal features and automation capabilities. In addition to implementing automatic payment reminders and recurring invoices, users can schedule reports so that they’re automatically sent to their email. It also integrates with other Zoho platforms, including Zoho CRM, Zoho Projects and Zoho Analytics. Users have the option to upgrade to Zoho Books accounting software, too, which includes invoicing capabilities and offers its own free plan. Zoho Invoice integrates with other third-party programs, like QuickBooks Online, but accounting add-ons are limited beyond that.
Monthly fee: $0.
PayPal Invoicing: Best for PayPal Business users
Why we like it: If you’re already using PayPal for any of its many business services (PayPal's POS system, payment gateway and business financing are three of the platform’s more popular business services), then PayPal Invoicing, available through the free PayPal Business app, will fit nicely into your current workflow. The platform is primed for existing PayPal users to send basic invoices quickly, automatically and from anywhere.
Monthly fee: $0.
Square Invoices: Best for built-in payment processing
Why we like it: Square is right up there with PayPal as one of the world’s top all-in-one payment platforms for small-business owners. User-friendly design is its style, so even tech-shy users will likely be able to navigate its invoicing platform. Unlike many of the software solutions on this list that require integration with a payment gateway, as a payment processor first and foremost, Square offers a built-in processing solution. That makes it a great option for existing Square POS users who want to add invoicing functionality and small-business owners who don’t want the hassle of choosing a separate payment gateway to accept payments. For additional customization and project management features, you can upgrade to the Plus plan. Square also offers e-commerce, payroll, team management, customer relationship management (CRM), marketing and business banking tools that all integrate with its invoice software. Read our full Square Invoices review.
Monthly fee:
- $0 per month for the Free plan.
- $20 per month for the Plus plan.
Hiveage: Best for simple billing software
Why we like it: Hiveage stands out for its simplicity. Creating one-time and recurring invoices is straightforward, the dashboard is easy to navigate, and it offers time and expense tracking even in the free version. You can accept online payments with any plan, but to accept offline payments through cash, check and bank transfer, you’ll have to subscribe to the most expensive Plus plan. Hiveage can also integrate with accounting, CRM and project management software via Zapier.
Monthly fee:
- $0 per month for the Free plan.
- $19 per month for the Basic plan.
- $29 per month for the Pro plan.
- $49 per month for the Plus plan.
Harvest: Best for project invoicing
Why we like it: When it comes to invoicing, Harvest’s estimate, invoice and payment collection tools are easy to navigate, and it offers helpful features like automated email reminders to customers with late payments. If you’re concerned about credit card processing fees adding up, you can switch off the ability to pay with a credit card through Stripe. Instead, your invoices will give clients the option to pay only via ACH transfer.
Monthly fee:
- $0 per month for the Free plan.
- $12 per user per month for the Pro plan.
How does free invoicing software work?
Free invoicing software lets you bill clients and accept payments online without having to pay a monthly fee. Typically, you choose from a list of invoice templates, add your logo, enter payment terms and send the invoice to your client from within the software through email or text message. From there, your client can choose how they want to pay, whether it’s through a check, credit card, debit card or another payment method like PayPal or Apple Pay. Free invoice software tracks the invoice’s status each step of the way.
The free version of the software sometimes comes with invoice and client limits or fewer features than paid programs. Some options, like Square Invoices, offer paid plans that you can upgrade to should your needs change. Whether you use free or paid invoicing software, you will have to cover payment processing fees when a client pays their invoice online. These fees vary depending on your payment processor.
How to choose free invoicing software
As you weigh free invoice software options, consider them in the context of your entire business software ecosystem. Will all of the programs be able to exchange information with each other? In particular, check to make sure your free invoice software integrates with your small-business accounting software and your preferred payment processor.
Your business’s trajectory also plays an important role in the decision-making process. If you plan to grow your business, you may want to look for options with more robust paid plans that you can upgrade to in the future. Options that put a cap on invoices, clients or users could be limiting.
Here are some other free invoicing software features to consider:
- Recurring billing for repeat clients.
- Time-tracking tools.
- Built-in inventory tracking.
- Built-in accounting tools, like income and expense tracking, plus reports.
- The ability to get paid in different currencies.
- Automated features such as payment reminders or estimate-to-invoice conversions.
- Payment options (e.g., cash, check, credit card, ACH, etc.).
- Ability to let clients include a tip or pay in installments.
A version of this article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.
Last updated on September 18, 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
Lots of invoicing software programs, like the ones listed above, let you generate invoices for free. You can usually choose from various templates and upload your own logo. However, you’ll need to pay processing fees if you’re accepting payments online. Fees vary depending on which payment gateway you choose.
Simple invoicing software, like Wave, lets you create invoices on the go in just a few steps. It has enough automation features — like automatic payment reminder emails — to streamline the invoicing process, but not so many add-ons that you’re overwhelmed.
These types of invoice apps are best for businesses that only need to include basic information like due dates, sales tax, and product or service descriptions on their invoices and don’t require complex accounting features.
There are several free invoice apps on the market, including our top picks above. For more complex invoicing needs, many of these providers also offer paid plans, which can cost upward of $40 per month. Paid plans usually allow you to give access to more users and invoice more clients. If you already subscribe to accounting software, though, you’ll likely save money by using the invoicing features it includes. That way, you don’t have to add another monthly payment to your expenses.