Now what? Create a professional invoice using the best invoicing software. But which invoicing software is the best for your company or team? We’re here to help you decide.
What to Consider: Key Invoicing Features
Templates
Most invoicing and billing software these days have pre-made, professional templates that allow you to easily input information and quickly get invoices out to your clients. Many of these have some level of customization capabilities, including changing color schemes and adding your brand logo.
Recurring Invoicing
A time-saving feature that many billing and invoicing software offer is recurring invoicing. Recurring invoicing automatically sends invoices to repeat clients on a recurring basis.
Payment Processing and Billing Features
Obviously, the most important step in the billing process is getting paid! A key feature in invoicing and billing software is a built-in payment processing system that allows clients to easily pay you online directly through the software. A quick and easy payment option for clients means you generally get paid faster.
Accounting & Bookkeeping Capabilities
Some invoicing software conveniently has accounting and bookkeeping features built right into the system, which saves you time by automatically syncing invoice and payment information.
Plan Scalability and Limitations
When looking for the invoicing software that best suits your company’s needs, it’s important to consider scalability. If you’re a growing business, you’ll want to make sure the billing software you choose cannot only handle your current needs but future needs as well. Consider the number of software users, the number of clients, and the number of invoices you regularly send out. Be aware of any plan limitations and whether there is flexibility to change from one tier to another.
Pricing
Pricing is another major factor in determining which invoicing software is best for your business. There are a number of fantastic free invoice software options out there that might be perfect for you. Or you may need a more robust set of tools to accommodate your growing business. Most paid online invoicing software offer tiered payment plans and packages as a monthly subscription, or they may offer a discounted rate when paid yearly. Prices and packages are included below.
AI-Powered Intelligence
AI has now entered the business world in a big way. If you’re looking for an effective payment processing system, AI comes to the rescue. You can use AI-powered intelligence software to turn your siloed documents into useful tools for your business. It provides automated data entry for automated processing and for invoices. When the mundane side of invoicing is taken care of by AI, you can focus on more important tasks.
Compare and Contrast: The Best Invoicing Software
Scoro – Best Comprehensive Business Management Software for Small to Medium Businesses
Scoro is a comprehensive business management system software. And by comprehensive, we mean it has it all: time management, project management, sales, CRM, reporting, and invoicing tools all in one easy-to-use hub. If you’re looking for all the bells and whistles, Scoro might be the right fit. You can register for a personal demo to see if it’s right for your business.
Key Features
Standard invoicing features such as automated billing, recurring invoices, and late invoice reminders – save time, improve accuracy, and get paid on time Automatic tax calculations – save time and improve accuracy Multiple languages* – deliver invoices to your clients in their preferred language Multi-currency billing – helpful when doing business internationally Scoro app for iOS and Android – a convenient way to keep tabs on business wherever you are
*Supported languages: English, French, Spanish, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian
Pros
User-friendly Comprehensive Numerous software integrations
Cons
Costly No payment processing Takes time to set up and learn
Prices & Packages
Scoro uses a tiered subscription based on the number of people on your team and your business’s needs. It’s important to note that many of the key features are considered add-ons and not part of the base rates. Each plan requires a 5 users minimum. Click here to find a detailed chart of their pricing.
Free: 14-day free trial Essential: $26/user/month Work Hub: (Standard) – $37/user/month (Pro) – $49/user/month Sales Hub: (Standard) – $37/user/month (Pro) – $49/user/month Ultimate: Contact Scoro for pricing
FreshBooks – Best All-in-One Invoicing and Accounting Software
This invoice and accounting software is for freelancers, self-employed professionals, and small businesses with contractors and/or employees. They boast the ability to create a professional-looking invoice in mere seconds. The software includes tools to assist with expense tracking, estimates and proposals, time tracking, projects, payments, clients, accounting and reports, and more.
Key Features
Standard invoicing features such as payment reminders and recurring invoices – benefit you and your clients by reminding them to pay on time Automatic late fees – give customers an extra incentive to settle up quickly Duplicate invoicing – easy to duplicate and adjust Deposits – request a deposit on your invoice upfront Discounts – include discounts on your invoices Retainers – collect payments in advance and then bill and track work against that amount Inventory – when you invoice an item, the stock is automatically reduced Multi-currency billing – use whichever currency best suits you and your clients Multi-language invoices* – deliver invoices to your clients in their preferred language Simple Summary – gives a quick overview of outstanding and overdue invoice Unlimited and customizable invoices
*Supported languages: French, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Spanish (Latin America), Swedish
Pros
Easy-to-use dashboard and interface More affordable than other paid cloud-based accounting software Accepts online payments
Cons
Limited clients Limited mobile app capabilities Not suited for larger or more complex companies FreshBooks branding is included on invoices unless you purchase specialized features
Prices & Packages
FreshBooks offers four plans based on your number of billable clients. Each tier offers additional benefits. Be sure to check the full plan details to see which option is best for you. You may choose to pay monthly, and for a limited time, receive the first three months at 50% off, or save an additional 10% and subscribe to the annual plan. Add team members for an additional $10 per person per month.
Free – 30 Day Free Trial Lite – $15/month – Unlimited invoices to up to 5 clients Plus – $25/month – Unlimited invoices to up to 50 clients Premium – $50/month – Unlimited invoices to unlimited clients Select – Custom pricing – Unlimited invoices to unlimited clients, receive custom onboarding services, and have access to lower credit card transaction rates and capped ACH fees.
QuickBooks Online – Best Business Accounting Software for Small Businesses
QuickBooks is probably one of the best-known accounting systems out there and for good reason. It has been the gold standard of accounting software for many years due to its easy-to-use interface and numerous features. Because QuickBooks Online is cloud-based, it makes it even easier to run your business from anywhere.
Key Features
Flexible online payments – Accept all credit cards and bank account transfers directly in the invoice Instant or next-day deposits – get paid quickly Simple bookkeeping – securely import transactions from your bank account and automatically sort them into tax categories On-site settlement – take contactless or in-person payments with the mobile app and card reader
Pros
Easy invoice tracking Exceptional customer support Integrates with online accounts
Cons
Price Minimal customization Multiple additional charges and fees
Prices & Packages
Each package comes with the same basic features. The price increase comes with the number of users. It’s also important to note that online payments, next-day deposits, and on-site settlement all require additional per-transaction fees.
Free – 30-day free trial Simple Start – $25/month Essentials – $50/month (3 users) Plus – $80/month (5 users) Advanced – $180/month (25 users)
Harvest – Best Software for Hourly Invoicing
Time is money, and Harvest knows it! At its core, Harvest is time-tracking software that allows you to easily create invoices from billable hours. Harvest also offers powerful reporting tools to help you make smart business decisions.
Key Features
Automatic invoice generator – save yourself the hassle of manually entering data by generating invoices from tracked time and expenses Simple invoice tracking – easily send invoices through email and see when customers have viewed them Automatic reminders and thank you notes – help your clients remember to pay on time and show them your appreciation Online payments through Paypal and Stripe integration – make it easy to receive payment Integrates with QuickBooks and Xero for accounting – for more comprehensive business management
Pros
Exceptional time-tracking tool Easy to create invoices Robust reporting
Cons
Does not work well for invoicing inventory
Prices & Packages
There are two options for Harvest: the Free version or the Pro version. Both allow you to track time, offer seamless invoicing, and give you insight into your projects. Ultimately, the cost is dependent on the number of seats and projects you need to track.
Free – 30-day free trial Free – The Free option allows for one seat and two projects. Pro – The Pro option allows for unlimited seats and unlimited projects at $12/seat/month or, pay yearly and save 10%.
Invoicera – Most Customizable Invoices Based on Your Industry
Invoicera’s stand-out feature is invoicing. Create a custom invoice based on your company’s needs. There are options for enterprises, small businesses, and freelancers. They even have specific solutions based on your industry needs. Invoicera offers many automation features that will streamline your billing system. You may even request a demo.
Key Features
Automated invoice scheduling, recurring expenses, and payment reminders – save time and money by automating many invoicing tasks Client & Vendor Portals – easily allow clients to pay, print, dispute, and/or view unpaid invoices Multi-currency – automatic currency calculating simplifies doing business internationally Multi-lingual invoicing – available in 16 different languages
Pros
Highly customizable invoices Can manage multiple companies in one account 30+ International Payment Gateways
Cons
No bookkeeping features or live bank feeds Not cost-effective for business with over 1000 clients Poor customer service
Prices & Packages
There are four tiered packages that include customizable invoicing. Levels are based on staff and client numbers. You may pay monthly or save 20% and pay yearly.
Free – 15-day trial Starter – Free for up to three clients. Pro – $15/month for 1 staff member and up to 100 clients Business – $29/month for 10 staff members and up to 1000 clients Infinite – $149/month for unlimited staff members and unlimited clients
Wave – Best Free All-in-One Invoicing and Accounting for Small Businesses
If you’re a small business owner or freelancer and are looking for a quick and easy, customizable invoicing solution that won’t break the bank, look any further than Wave. Wave has all of the standard invoicing features you want and is available to you at no cost!
Key Features
Standard invoicing features such as invoice reminders, recurring billing, and overdue follow-up statements – save time by automating these necessary tasks Customer transaction history – an all-in-one hub for quick reference Easily turn estimates into invoices – no need to input the information twice Multi-currency – do business in whichever currency works best for you and your customers Accept online payments – Accept credit cards and bank account transfers in as little as 2 business days Track payments, partial payments, and overdue invoices using the app – Access to your business information at your fingertips
Pros
It’s free! Unlimited invoicing Syncs with Wave’s free accounting software, included with your account Dedicated invoicing mobile app
Cons
Not suited for large or fast-growing companies Minimal customer service
Prices and Packages
Free – Accounting and Invoicing software Pay-Per-Use – Credit Card Processing (2.9% + 30cents per transaction with Visa, Mastercard, and Discover; 3.4% + 30cents per transaction with American Express) Bank Payments are 1% per transaction with a minimum $1 fee
Zoho Invoice – Best Automated Invoice Workflows
Zoho is another popular online invoicing software that has been around for quite some time. It has excellent features, hefty security, an easy-to-use interface, and more. One of the few complaints has been the cost. Well, in July of 2021, Zoho removed that factor and began offering the software to small- and medium-sized businesses for free.
Key Features
Standard invoicing features including customized invoices, recurring payments, and automated payment reminders – save time and streamline your billing process Adapt to local currencies and tax laws – customize invoices for wherever your clients are located Multi-lingual invoicing – available in 17 different languages Provide a customer self-service portal – simplify the payment process and allow clients to access their transactions in one place Accept payments via cash, checks, & ACH – allow your customers to conveniently pay however they prefer Record offline payments – easily record when a payment is made with cash or check Digitally sign your invoices – Zoho Sign integration allows for even more secure invoicing
Pros
It’s free! Quality mobile apps Excellent customer service
Cons
Limit of 1000 invoices/year
Prices and Packages
Free – Zoho Invoice is forever free Processing Rates
Square – Best Invoicing Software for Point-of-Sale
Square is well-known for its payment processing, but Square also has an entire library of features within the Square dashboard, one of which is Square Invoice. This is great for small product-based businesses that are looking for quick and easy invoicing and payment processing. Because Square doesn’t offer other business management tools, it does not work quite as well for service- or project-based businesses.
Key Features
Unlimited invoicing, estimates, and contracts – send digitally from anywhere Point-of-sale app – allows you to sell anywhere Save and charge cards on file – simplifies the payment process Track status in real-time – know how your business is doing at a glance
Pros
Easy-to-use Excellent mobile apps Numerous integrations
Cons
Minimal customization No multi-currency support Not for service- or project-based businesses
Prices & Packages
Free – Free unlimited invoicing, estimates, and contracts Free – 30 days free trial of paid subscription Plus – $20/month includes time-saving features Processing Rates
Xero – Best Business Accounting Software for Mid-to-Large-Sized Businesses
Xero is accounting software with built-in invoicing capabilities. With Xero, you can create quotes and purchase orders, send invoices, track inventory, capture data, view reports, manage contacts, etc. It even offers payroll with Gusto. Xero has the tools you need to keep your business running smoothly.
Key Features
Standard invoicing features including customizable invoices and automated payment reminders – save time and streamline your invoicing process Accept debit and credit cards or ACH – allows customers to pay quickly through a third-party payment system Xero mobile app – send invoices from your phone
Pros
Unlimited users Scalable and can grow with your business
Cons
Costly Learning curve
Prices & Packages
Free – 30-day free trial Early – $11/month (up to 20 invoices) Growing – $32/month Established – $62/month
PayPal – Best Free Mobile App for Invoicing
PayPal is another well-known payment processing system. Who doesn’t have a PayPal account these days? But did you know that you can upgrade your personal account to a business account? It’s completely free and allows you access to PayPal’s invoicing tools and is another great option for small businesses.
Key Features
Invoice templates, scheduled and recurring invoices, and follow-up reminders – automated to save you time Notification when a bill is undeliverable – so you can reach out and follow up with customers through alternative communication Payments are received in your PayPal account
Pros
Invoices are easy to create and send on your mobile app PayPal Business features are available through your regular PayPal account PayPal claims that most invoices are paid within a day Customers can use money already in their PayPal account to pay
Cons
Customers must have a PayPal account in order to pay Limited customization
Prices and Packages
Free – PayPal Invoice is free Processing Rates
Invoice Ninja – Best Free Open-Source Invoicing Software
If you are an experienced developer and are looking for invoicing software you can self-host and modify, look no further than Invoice Ninja. If you’re not a developer, no worries – there’s a cloud-based option as well.
Key Features
Customizable invoices, recurring invoicing and auto-bills, and payment reminder emails – to save you time Well-organized dashboard – to see your business at a glance Multi-currency – for international business Multi-lingual – supports 20 languages Google Analytics integration – to view website tracking data
Pros
Simply designed 45+ payment gateway integrations
Cons
Developer experience needed for self-hosting No inventory Invoice Ninja branding on free invoices
Prices and Packages
Forever Free – Unlimited invoices, 50 clients, 4 templates Free – 14 days free trial of the paid version Ninja Pro Plan – $10/month Unlimited invoices, unlimited clients, 10 templates Enterprise Plan – scaled, dependent on users
Hiveage – Best Invoicing Software for Freelancers
Hiveage wants to keep it simple for freelancers and small businesses. It is invoicing software with some basic accounting tools for non-accountants. You’ll be able to track time, mileage, and expenses, and view real-time financial reports simply.
Key Features
Create estimates, quotes, and customizable invoices, and set up recurring invoices – save time and energy by automating tasks Time, expense, and mileage tracking – all in one easy location Multi-currency – for international business
Pro
Create an online invoice from any device Multiple payment gateway options Run multiple businesses from one account
Cons
Minimal accounting features
Prices and Packages
Free – 5 clients, unlimited invoices Basic – $16/month, 50 clients, unlimited invoices Pro – $25/month, 250 clients, 5 team members, unlimited invoices Plus – $42/month, 1000 clients, 10 team members, unlimited invoices
Billdu –Best Rated Invoicing App
Billdu is an invoicing software for small businesses. It allows you to create personalized invoices, estimates, and other documents in seconds – whenever and wherever. Track invoices, send automatic payment reminders, and get paid faster.
Key Features:
Allows you to create and edit professional-looking templates Lets you accept card payments allowing your clients to pay you right on the spot Helps you to track your invoices, so you know which invoices are paid or overdue Offers template customization, including logos, brand, and signatures Tracks expenses – expense management and receipt scanner Sends Automatic Payment Reminders when invoices are overdue
Pros
Cheap User-friendly app Customizable invoices
Cons
Not suitable for large companies
Prices & Packages
Try Billdu for 30 days free (no credit card required) and then get it for as little as $3.99 on the Lite plan. Or go one step further and enjoy the extensive possibilities you get with the Standard plan for $8.99 or Premium for $16.99.
Free – 30-day free trial (no credit card required) Lite – $3.99/month up Standard – $8.99/month Premium – $16.99/month
What is the best free invoicing software?
There are actually a lot of great options when it comes to free invoicing software, and it really comes down to what your business needs are. Our top picks for free invoicing software include Wave, Invoice Ninja, Zoho, PayPal, and Square.
What is the best invoicing software for Windows?
QuickBooks and Freshbooks both work well for Windows.
What is the best invoicing software for Mac?
FreshBooks and Zoho Invoice are all excellent options to use on a Mac.
Which invoicing software is the easiest to use?
This really comes down to personal preference. Scoro and Zoho have consistently received positive reviews for their user-friendly interfaces.
What is the cheapest invoicing app?
There is nothing cheaper than free! Invoice Ninja and Wave both have free apps that complement their software.
Is invoicing software safe?
There will always be some risk when it comes to sharing data online, but most invoicing software developers take several safety precautions to keep user data safe, including encryption, password protection, and limited-access storage servers. Be sure to research the safety measures in place for whichever invoicing software you choose.
Can you make invoices with Microsoft Office?
You can absolutely make an invoice with Microsoft Office, and there are even templates out there to get you started, but know this will be time-consuming. Each of the software mentioned in this article has professional-looking invoice templates that will save you time and energy, allowing you to focus on the more important aspects of your business.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a small business owner who has been growing your business for years, or a freelancer just starting out, finding the best invoicing software is imperative in streamlining your workflow so you can focus on the more important things (and still get paid!) About
