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 Ninja
4.0
NerdWallet Rating
PayPal Business users
PayPal Invoicing
Our pick for
Comprehensive feature set
Zoho’s free invoicing software offers a long list of features, including time and expense tracking, reporting and a customer portal. The software integrates with numerous payment gateways to easily accept online payment as well as many other Zoho apps for customer management, advanced analytics, employee management and more.
Zoho Invoice
4.5
NerdWallet rating
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 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.
Cons
- Limited third-party integrations outside of other Zoho products and QuickBooks Online.
Our pick for
Built-in payment processing
Square is foremost a top-rated payment processor and POS provider. It charges some of the most competitive processing rates among the competition. The company offers high-quality software at an affordable price, and it tends to be generous with the features and functionality it offers with its free plans — Square Invoices among them. Note that Square does charge a higher online transaction rate if you opt for its free monthly invoice plan.
Square Invoices
5.0
NerdWallet rating
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.
Read full review
Our pick for
Ease of use
From setup to customization to automated payment reminders, Wave’s invoicing software ensures an easy and intuitive user experience. All your invoicing data flows seamlessly into Wave’s free accounting software, and if you want to easily collect online payment from your customers, you can choose to use Wave’s paid payment processing service.
Wave Invoicing
4.0
NerdWallet rating
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16.
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 small service-based businesses and other very small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. 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. Read full review
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.
Read full review
Our pick for
PayPal Business users
If you already have a PayPal Business account, then using PayPal’s free invoicing software makes great sense. Like any of the other free products on this list, you’ll pay only a transaction fee for each payment you accept. Your customers can pay using PayPal or Venmo as well as a debit or credit card.
PayPal Invoicing
Starting at
$0
Free.
Promotion
N/A
If you’re already using PayPal for any of its myriad 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’s software is developed and tested within the open-source community, which means it is regularly tested and improved by a community numbering in the thousands. As open-source software, Invoice Ninja can be self-hosted and you or your team can make use of its open API to customize the software for your needs.
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
Hiveage software makes it easy to manage invoicing and billing. It includes a clear and simple dashboard to show you a real-time view of your income and expenses as well as invoices that are paid and outstanding. Hiveage also simplifies the subscription billing process with automatic scheduling and recurring payment capabilities.
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
If your work is largely project-based, then Harvest’s invoicing software is worth consideration. It has a strong focus on time tracking and gives you access to detailed reports to best manage projects and teams. The free plan is designed for freelancers and solopreneurs with access for a single user and a tight limit on the number of projects for which you can invoice. If you find you can’t work within those constraints, you can upgrade to the paid Pro plan for unlimited users and projects.
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 allows members of a project team to track their hours and expenses 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 only give clients the option to pay 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 automatically add payment gateway fees to your invoices to 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.
» MORE: NerdWallet’s list of best payment gateways
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 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. 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.
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.
» MORE: Best accounting and bookkeeping apps for small businesses
A version of this article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.
