Invoicing software, also known as billing software, helps small-business owners and freelancers track the goods and services they provide and how much customers owe. The best options help you automate the entire invoicing process online — from creating estimates to tracking hours to collecting payments. Our top invoicing software picks offer a combination of these features, plus mobile apps and more.
Many times, accounting software has built-in invoicing features that may offer everything you need. If you dislike that software’s invoicing templates or you’d benefit from specific features, like project management tools, separate invoicing software could be worth it. An invoicing-only product can also be a less expensive, simpler solution if you need only invoicing and expense tracking.
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Our Nerdy picks for
Best Invoicing and Billing Software for Small Businesses
Product | Promotion | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
FreshBooks Learn more on FreshBooks' secure website | 4.5/5 Best for All-in-one invoicing and accounting software | $19/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $33, $60, custom. | 30-day free trial or monthly discount (terms vary). | Learn more on FreshBooks' secure website |
QuickBooks Online Learn more on QuickBooks Online's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for All-in-one invoicing and accounting software | $30/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $60, $90, $200. | 50% off for first three months or free 30-day trial. | Learn more on QuickBooks Online's secure website |
Xero Learn more on Xero's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for All-in-one invoicing and accounting software | $15/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $42, $78. | 30-day free trial or monthly discount (terms vary). | Learn more on Xero's secure website |
Square Invoices Learn more on Square Invoices' secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Sending digital contracts | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20. | 30-day free trial of the Plus plan. | Learn more on Square Invoices' secure website |
Zoho Invoice Learn more on Zoho Invoice's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Free invoicing software | $0 Free. | N/A | Learn more on Zoho Invoice's secure website |
Wave Invoicing | 4.5/5 Best for Free invoicing software | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16. | N/A | |
Invoice Ninja | 4.0/5 Best for Payment flexibility | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $12, $16. | N/A | |
Hiveage | 4.5/5 Best for Simple billing software | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $19, $29, $49. | 14-day free trial of the Pro plan. | |
Harvest | 5.0/5 Best for Project invoicing | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $12 per user. | 30-day free trial of the Harvest Pro plan. | |
Hopscotch | 3.5/5 Best for Cashing unpaid invoices | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $45. | 45-day free trial of the Pro plan. | |
Invoice Home | 4.0/5 Best for Free online invoice templates | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $9. | N/A |
Our picks for
All-in-one invoicing and accounting software
These selections are some of NerdWallet’s top-rated accounting software solutions that also include strong invoicing tools. They’re an excellent choice for businesses that want to streamline bookkeeping tasks and the invoicing process from one place.
FreshBooks
Learn more
on FreshBooks' secure website
Starting at
$19/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $33, $60, custom.
Promotion
30-day free trial
or monthly discount (terms vary).
FreshBooks is a simple and affordable option for freelancers and very small businesses that don’t require many users and prioritize being able to operate on the go via mobile app. It’s an especially inexpensive choice for those who can work within lower-tier plans’ billable client limits, and all plans include time tracking.Read full review
Pros
- Stay in touch with clients through the FreshBooks mobile app and get notified when invoices have been viewed or become overdue.
- Intuitive, customizable invoicing capabilities compete with those of more robust accounting solutions.
- Track time and add billable hours to invoices in all plans.
- Weekday phone support in all plans.
Cons
- Lacks features that quickly growing companies need, like audit trails for accountants to review.
- Highest-tier Select plan only comes with two users (additional users add $11 per month) and lower-tier plans put limits on billable clients.
- Least expensive plan lacks double-entry accounting reports, bank reconciliation and accountant access.
QuickBooks Online
Learn more
on QuickBooks Online's secure website
Starting at
$30/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $60, $90, $200.
Promotion
50% off
for first three months or free 30-day trial.
QuickBooks Online is an industry leader in the accounting field, thanks to its strong feature set, scalability and ability to accommodate small businesses with more complex financial needs. With millions of users worldwide, your accountant will likely be familiar with it.Read full review
Pros
- Easy to share information with your accountant and to find QuickBooks experts and online resources if needed.
- More than 750 app integrations, including live, in-house bookkeeping.
- Robust feature set includes thorough record-keeping, comprehensive reporting, excellent invoicing and inventory management, plus a capable mobile app.
- Daily phone support and 24/7 chat support in all plans.
Cons
- Expensive compared with the competition.
- Limited account users with each plan.
Xero
Learn more
on Xero's secure website
Starting at
$15/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $42, $78.
Promotion
30-day free trial
or monthly discount (terms vary).
Xero allows unlimited users at every subscription tier, a valuable feature for businesses where several users may need at least limited access to the system to run reports or analyze performance. Xero also has a customizable analytics dashboard that lets each user rearrange or hide panels.Read full review
Pros
- Unlimited users in all pricing plans.
- Integrates with more than 1,000 third-party apps.
- Feature set includes an excellent mobile app and suite of reports, capable invoicing features, plus automated bill and receipt capture through Hubdoc.
- Simple layout and easy to use.
Cons
- No phone number for customer support listed.
- Entry-level plan limits bills and invoices to five and 20 per month, respectively.
Our pick for
Sending digital contracts
Square stands out among many of its invoicing competitors with its built-in contracts feature. In addition to creating and sending estimates, which you can auto-convert to invoices, Square Invoices allows you to create custom contracts, send the contracts to clients as part of your estimate and invoice workflow, and collect digital signatures.
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 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.Read full review
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 picks for
Free invoicing software
Free software doesn’t have to be light on features and functionality. Zoho Invoice and Wave Invoicing both deliver quality invoicing software with the option to send hundreds of invoices a year at no cost. Both companies offer accounting software, as well, so they can grow with your business if you find you’re outgrowing simple invoicing software and want the benefits of integrating your billing and accounting.
Zoho Invoice
4.5
NerdWallet rating Learn more
on Zoho Invoice's secure website
Starting at
$0
Free.
Promotion
N/A
Zoho Invoice software is free and allows you to send up to 500 invoices per year. It carries all the core invoicing features you’d need and expect, including automatic payment reminders, online payments, expense tracking, invoice customization and more.
Pros
- Send up to 500 invoices per year for free.
- Portal lets clients pay invoices and view their transaction history.
- Payment gateway integrations include Stripe, PayPal, Square and more.
- Photograph receipts and attach them to expense reports.
- Free invoice app for iOS lets you add a timer widget to your home screen, send invoices via iMessage and add new contacts by taking photos of their business cards.
Cons
- Limited third-party integrations outside of other Zoho products and QuickBooks Online.
Wave Invoicing
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16.
Promotion
N/A
Wave offers free invoicing and accounting software, with the option to upgrade plans or pay additional fees for payment and payroll features. The company’s software is ideal for small service-based businesses and other small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. In addition to invoicing capabilities, users get access to income and expense tracking, along with reporting. You have to pay for the Pro plan to add additional users.Read full review
Pros
- No billable client or invoice limits.
- Integrates with Wave Accounting.
- Recurring invoices and automatic billing for repeat clients.
- Automatic online 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
Payment flexibility
Invoice Ninja integrates with more than a dozen payment gateways. Some are strong on accepting foreign currencies, some let customers use a variety of payment methods and some have highly competitive processing fees. Invoice Ninja gives you the freedom and variety to choose the right option for your business and your customers.
Invoice Ninja
4.0
NerdWallet rating Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $12, $16.
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).
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
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of the features other software programs offer and all you need to do is send professional invoices and receive payments, Hiveage stands out for its simplicity.
Hiveage
4.5
NerdWallet rating Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $19, $29, $49.
Promotion
14-day free trial
of the Pro plan.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of the features other software programs offer and all you need to do is send invoices and receive payments, 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, customer relationship management 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’s invoicing and time tracking software is particularly strong on features for project tracking and management. The software contains an easy start-stop timer for tracking time spent by client, task and project.
Harvest
5.0
NerdWallet rating Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $12 per user.
Promotion
30-day free trial
of the Harvest Pro plan.
Harvest wraps tools for time and expense tracking, invoicing and reporting in a single software solution. It integrates with populate accounting and business applications.
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.
Our pick for
Cashing unpaid invoices
Hopscotch’s Flow feature is comparable to invoicing financing, in that it lets you access invoice funds before your client pays them. Since this service comes with a fee, it’s not something you’ll want to use for every invoice. However, if you trust that your customers will promptly pay their outstanding invoices, it can be a helpful short-term solution to cash flow issues.
Hopscotch
3.5
NerdWallet rating Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $45.
Promotion
45-day free trial
of the Pro plan.
Hopscotch enables you to manage invoicing and bill payment within a single software product. It syncs with QuickBooks and offers a unique solution for managing cash flow if you struggle with unpaid invoices.
Pros
- Offers a free plan.
- Flow feature allows you to access funds from unpaid invoices (comes with a service fee).
- Pro plan subscribers can integrate with QuickBooks.
- Offers option to pass credit card processing fees to client.
Cons
- Invoice customization options are limited, with just two main templates available.
- Business software integrations are limited; third-party payment integrations are not available.
- No time-tracking features.
Our pick for
Free online invoice templates
Many invoicing products offer at least a few invoice templates, often that allow you to customize with your business logo and other details. Invoice Home, however, offers one of the largest libraries of free invoice templates. They’re customizable and enable you to collect online payment from your customers.
Invoice Home
4.0
NerdWallet rating Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $9.
Invoice Home offers free and low-cost monthly plan options for generating and customizing invoices as well as collecting payment online.
Pros
- Large library of customizable invoice templates.
- Invoice up to $1,000 a month for free.
- Payment gateway integrations include PayPal, Authorize.net and Stripe.
- No contract and no cancellation penalty.
Cons
- Lacks additional features such as time and expense tracking.
- No direct integrations with accounting software.
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FreshBooks
Best for all-in-one invoicing and accounting software
- $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.
Why we picked it: FreshBooks offers invoicing features that are competitive with others in this space, although it doesn’t offer a free plan like some of its competitors do. Still, its accounting services — including double-entry accounting reports and online bank feeds — set it apart from standalone invoicing products. In addition to accepting online credit card, Stripe and PayPal payments, the software enables ACH transfers for a small fee. Unlike some of its competitors in the accounting software industry, all of its plans include time tracking, mileage tracking and the ability to mark expenses as billable. If you’re a solopreneur or freelancer looking for an all-in-one invoicing and accounting product with a sleek mobile app, FreshBooks is a great choice. Read our complete FreshBooks review.
QuickBooks
Best for all-in-one invoicing and accounting software
- $30 per month for the Simple Start plan.
- $60 per month for the Essentials plan.
- $90 per month for the Plus plan.
- $200 per month for the Advanced plan.
Why we picked it: QuickBooks Online is known first and foremost as accounting software. However, its reporting suite and transaction-tracking capabilities make it a better solution for growing businesses with more complex financial needs. You’ll get the most out of its invoicing features if you subscribe to the Plus plan or higher. That way, you can mark expenses as billable and let your clients pay in increments over the course of a project. All plans let you set up recurring invoices and give clients the option to add tips to their invoices. You can also accept ACH transfers, PayPal, Apple Pay and Venmo payments in addition to card payments. Read our QuickBooks Online review.
» MORE: Compare QuickBooks with Xero
Xero
Best for all-in-one invoicing and accounting software
- $15 per month for the Early plan.
- $42 per month for the Growing plan.
- $78 per month for the Established plan.
Why we picked it: When it comes to invoicing, Xero delivers on all the basics and then some. You can send automatic payment reminders to clients, create customizable invoice templates and accept payments via ACH transfer, Google Pay, Apple Pay or card. To access time tracking and mileage tracking or claim expenses, you’ll have to subscribe to the Established plan. On the accounting software front, Xero stands out as a scalable solution that supports an unlimited number of users in all plans. This makes it a great fit for small-business owners who need to give multiple employees access to the software. Read our full Xero Accounting review.
Square Invoices
Best for sending digital contracts
- $0 per month for the Free plan.
- $20 per month for the Plus plan.
Why we picked it: You can include terms in a typical invoice, but you never know if your clients take the time to read and understand them. Square Invoices lets you emphasize those terms by supplementing your invoices with contracts that require clients’ e-signatures. That way, you can make sure you and your customers are on the same page when it comes to payment terms, due dates and refund policy. Another highlight of Square Invoices is its clean layout. The simple, user-friendly interface makes it easy to create invoices or contracts, set up recurring invoices or request a deposit upfront. Read our Square Invoices review.
» MORE: Explore Square’s POS solution
Zoho Invoice
Best for free invoicing software
Price: $0
Why we picked it: Zoho Invoice is comprehensive yet easy to use. You can keep track of hours, expenses and inventory items 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 500 per year. In addition to online credit card payments, Zoho Invoice lets you accept cash, check and ACH payments. Zoho Books, the company’s accounting software product, also comes with invoicing features.
Wave Invoicing
Best for free invoicing software
- $0 for the Starter plan.
- $16 per month for the Pro plan.
Why we picked it: Wave is a simple accounting and invoicing solution for freelancers, solopreneurs and microbusinesses that mostly receive payments via invoice. It keeps a log of all the products or services you sell so that you can quickly select them as line items in invoices. Wave will send automated email reminders to clients who haven’t paid you yet, and enables you to set up recurring invoices and customer payments. If you want to be informed each step of the way, it will also send you notifications as soon as an invoice has been viewed, paid or is due. However, there is no easy way to mark expenses as billable so that you can add them to invoices later. While you can create a reimbursable expense account as a workaround, it isn’t as convenient as the billable expense features other accounting products offer. Read our full Wave review.
» MORE: Best free invoicing software
Invoice Ninja
Best for payment flexibility
- $0 per month for the Free plan.
- $12 per month for the Ninja Pro plan (or $120 billed annually).
- $16 per month for the Enterprise plan for up to 2 users (or $160 billed annually); price increases with more users.
Why we picked it: In addition to the payment gateway freedom Invoice Ninja offers, it also enables you to ask customers to pay a deposit upfront, set a minimum payment requirement, and add taxes and a tipping option 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. You can add additional users to only the most expensive Enterprise plan (for a fee).
Hiveage
Best for simple billing software
- $0 per month for the Free plan.
- $19 per month for the Basic plan (or $16 per month billed annually).
- $29 per month for the Pro plan (or $25 per month billed annually).
- $49 per month for the Plus plan (or $42 per month billed annually).
Why we picked it: With Hiveage, creating one-time and recurring invoices is straightforward and the dashboard is easy to navigate. The billing software includes 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, customer relationship management (CRM) and project management software via Zapier.
Harvest
Best for project invoicing
- $0 per month, 1 user, for the Free plan.
- $12 per user per month for the Pro plan (or $10.80 per user per month billed annually).
Why we picked it: Harvest allows members of a project team to track their hours in detail, often within whatever apps project managers are using. Managers can set the budget for a project and track expenses and hours to make sure teams are working efficiently. 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.
» MORE: Best business expense trackers
Hopscotch
Best for cashing unpaid invoices
- $0 per month for Hopscotch plan.
- $45 per month for Hopscotch Pro plan (or $36 per month billed annually).
Why we picked it: Hopscotch is a simple invoicing solution for sending invoices and paying your business’s bills. The software lets you connect your bank account, send payment reminders to clients and pass on credit card fees to clients. Its invoicing templates have a relatively generic design, but allow you to add payment terms, due dates, item quantities, rates and tax. You’ll need to upgrade to the paid plan to add brand details to your invoices, automatically send recurring invoices and automatically extract info from uploaded bill photos.
Invoice Home
Best for free online invoice templates
- $0 per month for the Free plan.
- $9 per month for the Unlimited Invoicing plan.
Why we picked it: Invoice Home offers a generous library of free invoice templates, and for a reasonable monthly fee, you can send an unlimited number of invoices to an unlimited number of customers. If all you need from your invoicing software is the ability to quickly spin up a large volume of invoices and make it easy for your customers to pay them online, then Invoice Home is a strong solution. You can use the billing software for free if you invoice less than $1,000 per month.
Invoicing software makes it easier to bill clients for products or services and accept payments. It allows you to create estimates and convert them into invoices, keeps track of outstanding invoices and may send payment reminders to clients as due dates approach or pass. Some options also let you set up recurring invoices for clients who make the same recurring payments to your business on a set schedule.
Invoices for products typically include line items for each product, while invoices for services can be a bit more complex and might include line items for billable expenses (like gas, meals or material costs) and billable hours (organized by task, project, etc.). For that reason, invoicing software usually comes with time and expense trackers, too. Other invoice components include payment terms, descriptions of products or services, billable rates and fields for adding sales tax.
Each of NerdWallet’s invoicing software picks enables online invoicing, meaning you can send invoices and accept payments digitally. They’re also cloud-based and accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.
Consider the following factors to help determine what invoicing software is right for your small business.
Scalability
Make sure to think about the future, not just the present. Because most invoicing software determines pricing based on how many clients you have, business growth could mean rising costs. Look for software that will support the business you’re planning to be running in a year without requiring you to leap to a much higher pricing tier.
Ease of use
Most invoicing software makers offer free trials to potential customers. Take advantage of these to make sure you understand how to use the features you need. Choose payment gateways that accommodate your clients, especially if you have clients abroad and need to support multiple currencies. Take time to test the software from the client's end, too.
Software integrations
If you rely on other software programs already, look for an invoicing option that integrates with them. Many of the options on this list integrate with other software via Zapier, intermediary software that users have to set up themselves. Make sure to test those integrations before you commit to one program.
The right invoicing software might allow you to consolidate some of your tasks into one place. If you use a time-tracking app, for instance, consider switching to an invoicing software with native, or built-in, integrations that can meet those needs, too.
Cost
The “freemium” model of most invoicing software programs can make it hard to project costs. Growth in your client base or changes to your staffing levels might bounce you into a different price tier. Plus, some important features might actually be add-ons with additional fees. If budget is top of mind, though, there are plenty of free invoicing software options available.
Online invoicing is similar to paper invoicing, but you send the information to your customers in a digital format. You can use online invoicing software to select a template and add the billing information. Once you generate the invoice, the software notifies the customer by email. The customer can view the invoice immediately and pay digitally on the spot if you've enabled online payments.
Online invoicing software, as opposed to paper invoicing, has become the norm for many small businesses. Consider online invoicing if you’re interested in the following benefits:
- Immediate customer receipt. Customers receive online invoices instantly, cutting out the delivery time of nondigital methods.
- Faster payments. Adding a link in an invoice to pay it online is not only convenient for customers but also good for your business’s cash flow. And if you’ve connected your bank account to the invoicing software, the funds should get directly transferred.
- Streamlined accounting records. Invoicing software options usually integrate with accounting programs and consolidate record-keeping in one location. For example, lots of accounting software products let you view unpaid invoices right from your dashboard.
- Saved time. You’ll spend less time tracking which invoices are paid, prepping new ones by hand and mailing them to customers.
While online invoicing is preferable to paper invoicing in most situations, there are a few potential pitfalls to be aware of:
- Processing fees. Offering your customers the option to pay online is convenient, but it often comes with a payment processing fee, unlike receiving payment by check.
- Spam filters can hide invoices. Sending invoices by email means a customer’s inbox could tag them as spam, so you might still have to call a few customers who are unaware they have an invoice waiting.
- Email can be hacked. Privacy might be compromised if a customer’s email is hacked, which is much less likely if an invoice is mailed.
Last updated on May 3, 2024
Methodology
To determine the best invoicing and billing software for small businesses, NerdWallet considered the following features:
Invoicing capabilities. The best invoicing and billing software should offer invoice customization options, the ability to send automatic payment reminders and accept online payments, a dashboard to easily track invoice and billing status plus some reporting capabilities. Standout products also make it easy to convert estimates to invoices and offer most or all features within a mobile app as well.
Affordability. Most of the plans for the software included on our list start below $20 per month (and many offer free plans).
Integrations. Ideally, standalone invoicing and billing software directly integrates with popular accounting software, like QuickBooks Online and Xero. Some of the higher-rated products on our list also offer direct integrations with e-commerce, CRM, inventory and other software applications.
Additional consideration was given to customer support availability, pricing transparency and whether a free trial is offered for paid products.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bills are technically different from invoices, but the terms are often used interchangeably. Both indicate that payment is due, but bills are typically paid on the spot, whereas invoices include payment terms that establish a set amount of time a client has to submit full or partial payment. Invoices also serve as a detailed, itemized record of goods and/or services exchanged and the costs associated with each line item, whereas a bill typically offers more general price and tax information. Regardless of when payment is due, you might hear clients refer to an invoice you issued as their “bill.”
In that sense, invoicing software and billing software are essentially the same thing, unless you run a subscription-based business. In that case, you might look specifically for subscription billing software.
The best invoicing software for your small business depends on what type of company you own, whether you provide products or services, your budget and which features you need. For example, project-based businesses may need more granular invoicing details, like billable hours by task or person, than retail businesses.
Think about where your billing process begins and ends. Maybe it starts with a quote and progresses into recording billable hours and expenses. After creating and sending an invoice, you might email automated payment reminders to your client and, finally, accept their payment online. The best invoicing software for you will be able to accommodate each step.
If you’d like to accept payments online, make sure your payment gateway is PCI compliant — this means it follows the data security standards established by global leaders in the payment industry.
When choosing invoicing software, look for basic features like the ability to send estimates and bill for hours and expenses. Each product also has its own invoice templates, so you’ll want to verify that they contain the fields you need. You’ll usually find invoice fields for sales tax and due dates, for example.
Other invoice software features to consider include the ability to set different billable rates depending on the job, a client portal and integrations. Ideally, your invoicing software will share data with your accounting software and accommodate your payment gateway.
Standalone invoicing software can cost from $10 to $49 or more per month, but many products offer free subscriptions, too. Some invoicing software charges per user, while other products make you upgrade if you want to send unlimited invoices to an unlimited number of clients.
However, if you already use accounting software, the least expensive option would be sticking with its invoicing feature as opposed to subscribing to an additional product.
