Most small businesses do not have a revenue problem so much as a collection problem. The work is done, the client is happy, and the money arrives forty-seven days later after three awkward emails. Invoicing software exists to shorten that gap: a clean bill sent the day the job finishes, a pay-now button the client can use from a phone, reminders that go out without anyone having to feel rude, and a record of who has paid that your bookkeeper can trust. This ranking judges tools on exactly that loop. We looked at how fast a first invoice goes out, what the payment fees really add up to on a year of billing, whether estimates, deposits and recurring retainers are handled without workarounds, and how easily the whole billing history moves to another product. Payment giants sit below the smaller specialists by rule, so the podium goes to tools that win on invoicing itself.
Visibility in this ranking can be paid for. Payment moves a vendor's position within the
shortlist; it never adds a vendor, and it never changes a word of the review. The largest vendors in invoicing software
cannot hold places 1 to 3. How it works: placement disclosure ·
editorial process.
How we ranked these
Setup: from blank account to a paid first invoice
The fair test is simple: how long from signing up until a real client has paid a real invoice. That covers uploading a logo, entering tax rates and payment terms, importing a client list, connecting a payment processor and, for some countries, registering the numbering sequence the tax office expects. We timed that path in each product and noted where it stalled. Payment onboarding is the usual bottleneck, since processors run identity checks that can hold funds for days. We also checked whether invoice templates can carry the legal fields your jurisdiction requires, such as a VAT number, a reverse-charge note or a sequential number that cannot be edited, and whether a mobile app lets a tradesperson bill from the driveway before leaving the job.
The real price: subscription plus the cut on every payment
For invoicing tools the subscription is often the smaller cost. Card processing typically takes around three percent of each paid invoice, some tools add their own platform percentage on top, and instant payouts or international cards cost extra again. A business billing twenty thousand dollars a month by card can hand over more in fees than it pays for the software in a year. We therefore modeled a year of billing at a realistic mix of card and bank transfer for each product. Tools that let you choose your own processor or push clients toward cheap bank payments scored better. We also watched for caps on clients, invoices or users on low tiers, and for features such as recurring billing or removing the vendor's branding that are held back to force an upgrade.
Getting your data out: clients, invoices and the payment trail
Billing history is evidence. You may need it for a tax audit, a dispute over an unpaid job or a lender asking for revenue proof. When leaving an invoicing tool you want the client list, every invoice with its line items and tax breakdown, the matching payments with dates and fees, and ideally the PDFs as sent. We checked whether each product exports those as CSV or through an API, whether sent PDFs can be downloaded in bulk, and whether payment records live in the invoicing tool or only at the processor. Tools tied to one payment network sometimes keep the useful detail on the processor's side, which means two exports and some matching in a spreadsheet. A sync to accounting software softens this, since the ledger keeps its own copy.
Independence from the vendor: processors, payouts and client links
The strongest lock-in in invoicing is not the software but the money pipe. When a tool only accepts payments through its own processor, your payout schedule, reserve holds and dispute handling all depend on that company, and moving means asking every client with a saved card to enter it again. Recurring clients paying by stored card or direct debit are the hardest to migrate. We rated each product on whether it supports more than one gateway, whether it lets clients pay by ordinary bank transfer, and whether saved payment methods can be ported. Ownership counted too. Several tools on this list belong to payment companies, bill-pay platforms or private-equity groups, and their pricing tends to follow the parent's priorities rather than yours.
Who it's for: freelancers, trades, agencies and B2B sellers
Billing habits vary more than people expect. A freelance writer sends a dozen invoices a month and needs time tracking and a polished PDF. A plumber needs a phone app, a quote that becomes an invoice on the spot and a card reader. A creative studio needs proposals, contracts, deposits and a milestone schedule. A small wholesale supplier needs net-thirty terms, purchase order numbers and structured reminders to a finance department that pays in batches. Each entry below names the biller it suits. We also flag the point where invoicing software stops being enough, typically when you need a full ledger, subscription billing with usage metering, or accounts receivable collection across hundreds of business customers.
The 14 tools, reviewed
#1 Invoice Ninja
Open-source invoicing with hosted and self-hosted options · United States · invoiceninja.com
Open source Many gateways Client portal
Invoice Ninja does nearly everything a small business asks of an invoicing tool and hands you the source code on top. Quotes convert to invoices, recurring invoices charge stored cards on schedule, clients get a portal to view and pay, and support for a long list of payment gateways means you choose the processor. The hosted version needs no technical skill and costs less than most rivals, while the self-hosted edition gives agencies and privacy-minded firms full control over client data.
Where it falls short
The interface is dense and settings pages sprawl, so first configuration takes longer than in simpler apps. The mobile experience trails Invoice2go and Square. Support comes from a small team and a community forum, and self-hosters handle updates, backups and email deliverability themselves.
Wrong for
A tradesperson who invoices from a phone between jobs will be happier with Invoice2go or Invoice Simple; a firm wanting invoicing tied to full books should look at FreshBooks or Zoho Books.
Pricing: Open-source code free to self-host; hosted plans include a free tier and low-cost paid tiers that remove limits and branding. (open source)
Visit Invoice Ninja →
#2 Zoho Invoice
Free invoicing with a client portal and automation · India · zoho.com
Free plan Client portal Zoho ecosystem
Zoho Invoice gives away what many competitors charge for. Recurring profiles, automated reminders, a customer portal where clients approve quotes and pay, project time billing and support for several payment gateways all come in the free edition, within limits on customer count and users. Templates are clean and editable, and the mobile apps are competent. Because the data model matches Zoho Books, moving up to full accounting later means switching modules rather than migrating to a different vendor.
Where it falls short
Limits on customers and users in the free plan will pinch a growing firm, and the upgrade path runs through Zoho's own products. The settings area is extensive and can confuse first-time users. Integrations outside the Zoho family are fewer than with Stripe or FreshBooks, and support on free accounts is slow.
Wrong for
Businesses already committed to QuickBooks or Xero gain little from a separate Zoho tool; those who want everything bundled with card processing may prefer Square Invoices or PayPal.
Pricing: Core invoicing is free with limits on customers and users; larger needs are pointed toward paid Zoho plans or Zoho Books. (free plan)
Visit Zoho Invoice →
#3 FreshBooks
Hours-to-invoice billing for client service firms · Canada · freshbooks.com
Time billing Proposals Clean client view
FreshBooks remains the most pleasant tool for anyone who sells time. A timer runs against a project, the hours land on a draft invoice with rates already applied, and a proposal or retainer can precede the whole engagement. Clients see a tidy invoice with a pay button and can leave comments on it. Late fees, reminders and deposit requests are one toggle each. For consultancies and small agencies, invoicing is quicker here than in any rival on this list.
Where it falls short
The lowest tier caps the number of billable clients very tightly, and each extra team member adds a monthly fee. You pay for accounting features even if an accountant runs the books elsewhere. Payments go through FreshBooks' own processing or Stripe, with limited choice beyond that.
Wrong for
Businesses that only need invoices and already keep books elsewhere should look at Zoho Invoice or Invoice Ninja; trades billing from a van will find Invoice2go faster.
Pricing: Published tiers priced by billable clients, with extra team members charged individually and card fees on paid invoices. (free trial)
Visit FreshBooks →
#4 Stripe Invoicing
Invoicing layer on top of Stripe payments · United States · stripe.com
Payment methods API-first Global reach
If Stripe already processes your payments, its invoicing is hard to beat on the collection side. The hosted invoice page accepts cards, bank debits, wallets and local methods across many countries, and smart retries recover failed payments on autopay invoices. Stripe Tax can calculate sales tax or VAT on each invoice. Everything is scriptable through the API, which is why software companies and online sellers invoice enterprise clients here.
Where it falls short
The dashboard is built for people comfortable with Stripe's concepts, and owners without that background find invoice setup less direct than dedicated tools. Payments only flow through Stripe, and the per-invoice fee stacks on processing costs. Time tracking, proposals and client project views do not exist.
Wrong for
Service firms that bill hours or trades that invoice from a phone should choose FreshBooks, Invoice2go or Invoice Ninja; anyone wary of single-processor dependence should avoid it.
Pricing: No subscription; a small percentage per paid invoice on top of standard Stripe processing fees, with a higher-feature plan available. (none)
Visit Stripe Invoicing →
#5 Square Invoices
Free invoices tied to Square's payments stack · United States · squareup.com
No monthly fee Card reader tie-in Single processor
Square Invoices makes sense the moment a business already takes payments through Square. Invoices, in-person card swipes and online orders land in one dashboard and one payout, and a card stored during an in-store sale can be charged later against an invoice. The free plan covers estimates, deposits, recurring invoices and simple contracts, which is a lot for a salon, a landscaper or a small caterer paying no monthly fee.
Where it falls short
Payments go exclusively through Square, so fees and payout holds are on Square's terms, and leaving means re-collecting stored cards. Customization of invoice design is limited, and reporting stays basic. Availability of features varies by country, and B2B conveniences such as purchase order fields are thin.
Wrong for
B2B sellers billing on net terms and firms that want processor choice should look at Invoice Ninja or Zoho Invoice; hourly-billing consultancies fit FreshBooks better.
Pricing: Free plan with per-transaction processing fees; a paid Plus plan adds features such as multi-package estimates and custom fields. (free plan)
Visit Square Invoices →
#6 PayPal Invoicing
Basic invoices paid through a PayPal checkout · United States · paypal.com
No monthly fee Global buyer base Basic features
PayPal's invoicing is basic but reaches a huge pool of clients who already have PayPal accounts in dozens of countries. For a freelancer billing small clients abroad, a PayPal invoice is often the path of least resistance: the client pays with a balance or a card they have saved there, and funds arrive without the client entering any bank details. The tool supports partial payments, recurring invoices and reminders at no subscription cost. It is also easy to explain to a client who has never paid a small business online before.
Where it falls short
Fees are high relative to bank transfers, especially for international and currency-converted payments, and accounts can be frozen or funds held with little warning. Invoice design and reporting are limited, integrations with accounting tools are uneven, and there is nothing for time tracking, projects or proposals.
Wrong for
Businesses invoicing larger amounts or domestic B2B clients should avoid paying PayPal's rates and choose a tool with bank transfer support, such as Invoice Ninja or Zoho Invoice.
Pricing: No monthly fee; per-transaction fees on paid invoices, with higher rates on cross-border and currency-converted payments. (free plan)
Visit PayPal Invoicing →
#7 Harvest
Time tracking that turns hours into invoices · Italy · getharvest.com
Timesheets first Agency billing New ownership
Harvest earns its place when invoices come straight from team timesheets. Staff log hours against projects and tasks, a manager reviews them, and Harvest builds an invoice from the approved hours and billable expenses in a few clicks, grouped the way the client wants to see them. Budget alerts warn before a project runs over. For design, development and marketing agencies of five to fifty people, the chain from timesheet to invoice is reliable.
Where it falls short
Invoice design and payment options are basic next to invoicing specialists. There are no quotes-to-invoice workflows, contracts or deposits. Harvest now belongs to Bending Spoons, a group known for restructuring the products it acquires, so pricing and roadmap may change.
Wrong for
Businesses that bill fixed prices, products or project milestones rather than hours should choose Invoice Ninja, Zoho Invoice or HoneyBook instead.
Pricing: Free plan for a single seat with very limited projects; paid plan per seat per month with unlimited projects. (free plan)
Visit Harvest →
#8 HoneyBook
Proposal, contract and invoice in one client flow · United States · honeybook.com
Creative services Payment schedules US and Canada focus
HoneyBook suits the wedding photographer, event planner or small design studio whose sale runs inquiry, proposal, signed contract, deposit and final payment. A single client-facing file combines all of those, and payment schedules with autopay handle the balance without chasing. The pipeline view shows which bookings are waiting on a signature or a deposit. For businesses whose revenue comes in a few large bookings a month, that flow matters more than invoice design.
Where it falls short
Its markets are essentially the US and Canada, which rules out many international users. Pricing has risen notably in recent years. Invoicing for businesses that bill many small jobs, bill hours or sell to finance departments is awkward, and accounting sync covers few ledgers beyond QuickBooks.
Wrong for
Businesses billing by the hour, selling B2B on net terms or operating outside North America should look at FreshBooks, Zoho Invoice or Invoice Ninja.
Pricing: Published monthly or annual tiers with processing fees on client payments; higher tiers add automation and team seats. (free trial)
Visit HoneyBook →
#9 Invoice Simple
Phone-first invoices and estimates for small operators · Canada · invoicesimple.com
Mobile first Very quick Light features
Invoice Simple does what its name says. A contractor finishing a job can open the app, choose the client, add line items and a photo of the work, capture a signature and send the invoice before driving away. Estimates convert to invoices in a tap, and card payments land in the same app. For a handyman, cleaner or mobile mechanic who sends a few invoices a week, there is almost no learning curve.
Where it falls short
Features are shallow: few automation options, limited reporting, and weak integration with accounting tools. Tier limits on invoices force upgrades as volume grows. The product belongs to EverCommerce, a private-equity-backed group, so the roadmap follows portfolio priorities. Multi-user access for a small crew is limited on lower tiers.
Wrong for
Businesses with staff, recurring clients or a bookkeeper who needs clean data should look at Invoice2go, Zoho Invoice or FreshBooks.
Pricing: Published monthly or annual tiers limited by the number of invoices, with card processing fees on paid invoices. (free trial)
Visit Invoice Simple →
#10 Invoice2go
Mobile invoicing for trades, owned by BILL · United States · invoice.2go.com
Trades Mobile app Volume-capped tiers
Invoice2go has served tradespeople for years, and the mobile app shows that maturity: estimates, invoices, photo attachments, reminders and card payments are all quick, and a simple business website comes included. It handles more than the barest mobile tools, such as expense capture and client history, while staying manageable for an electrician or painter. As part of BILL, it has stable backing.
Where it falls short
Tiers are capped by invoices per year, so a busy trade business pays for a larger plan than the feature list suggests. Reporting and accounting integrations are modest, and the marketing extras add clutter for users who only want to bill. Desktop use feels secondary.
Wrong for
Trades businesses that need scheduling and dispatch should move to field service software; office-based service firms billing hours will prefer FreshBooks or Harvest.
Pricing: Published tiers set by annual invoice volume, with discounts on card fees at higher tiers. (free trial)
Visit Invoice2go →
#11 Billdu
European invoicing app with bookings and web shop · Slovakia · billdu.com
European focus Bookings included Small vendor
Billdu is a sensible pick for a European micro-business that wants invoicing plus a couple of front-office tools in one subscription. Invoices and estimates can be issued in several languages and currencies, recurring billing is simple, and optional modules add appointment booking and a basic web shop. For a beauty studio, tutor or repair shop in Central Europe, that combination replaces two or three separate apps. Pricing is modest, and the mobile app lets an owner issue a receipt at the counter.
Where it falls short
It is a small company, so integrations with larger accounting systems and payment gateways are limited compared with Zoho or Stripe. Country-specific compliance, such as structured e-invoicing formats, depends on the market. Advanced automation and reporting are missing.
Wrong for
B2B firms facing e-invoicing mandates or companies needing tight accounting sync should look at Zoho Invoice, Invoice Ninja or their accounting package's own invoicing.
Pricing: Published monthly tiers in euros and other currencies, differing mainly by document volume and extra modules. (free trial)
Visit Billdu →
#12 Chaser
Automated credit control on top of your ledger's invoices · United Kingdom · chaserhq.com
Collections Ledger sync B2B focus
Chaser picks up where invoicing stops. It reads open invoices from Xero, QuickBooks, Sage and others, then sends escalating reminders that look like they were written by your credit controller, with statements, a payment portal and SMS when email fails. Replies land in one inbox. For a wholesaler or agency with dozens of business customers paying late, it recovers cash measurably faster than the basic reminder built into most tools.
Where it falls short
It is an add-on rather than an invoicing tool, so it only works on top of a supported accounting system. Setting up tone and escalation for different customer groups takes thought. Pricing climbs with the number of contacts, and very small businesses rarely need it.
Wrong for
Freelancers with a handful of clients and anyone without a supported ledger should rely on the reminders built into Invoice Ninja, Zoho Invoice or FreshBooks.
Pricing: Published monthly tiers that step up with business size and features, with add-ons for SMS and managed credit control. (free trial)
Visit Chaser →
#13 Wave
Free invoicing tied to free bookkeeping · Canada · waveapps.com
Free core Books included US and Canada only
Wave's argument is that the invoice and the books live in the same free account. A dog walker in Ohio or a bookkeeper in Manitoba can send unlimited invoices and estimates, set up recurring bills for monthly clients, and see each payment land in a proper ledger without a sync to configure or a connector to pay for. Clients pay by card or bank transfer from the invoice link, and customer statements help with the few clients who pay in lumps. For a one-person business that bills a handful of clients a month, that combination is difficult to beat on cost.
Where it falls short
Online payments go only through Wave's in-house processor, so there is no shopping around for a cheaper gateway, and a frozen payout has no fallback. Payments work for US and Canadian businesses only. Automation and faster reconciliation sit on the paid Pro tier, time tracking is absent, and support on the free plan is largely self-service.
Wrong for
A business billing clients in Europe or in several currencies, or anyone who wants a choice of payment gateway. Invoice Ninja or Zoho Invoice give far more room on both counts.
Pricing: The Starter plan is free with unlimited invoices; a paid Pro tier adds automation and lower payment rates, and every card or bank payment carries Wave's processing fee. (free plan)
Visit Wave →
#14 Moneybird
Dutch invoicing and bookkeeping with Peppol built in · Netherlands · moneybird.com
Peppol e-invoicing Benelux focus Bookkeeping included
Moneybird is widely used by Dutch freelancers and small BVs, and the reason it earns a place here is e-invoicing. Businesses in the Netherlands and Belgium can send and receive Peppol invoices from the ordinary invoice screen at no extra charge, which matters now that Belgium requires structured B2B invoices from 2026. Beyond that it does the Benelux basics properly: sequential numbering, reverse-charge wording, iDEAL payment links, reminder sequences and bank matching that feeds the VAT return. An accountant can log in to the same administration rather than receive exports.
Where it falls short
Everything is shaped around Dutch and Belgian tax practice. A US or UK business will find little reason to use it, and some help content and settings assume Dutch-language users. The free package is too small for regular billing. There is no time tracking or proposal tooling, and payment options lean on iDEAL and bank transfer rather than international card acceptance.
Wrong for
A business outside the Benelux, or a firm selling mostly to foreign clients by card. Invoice Ninja handles several currencies and gateways, and FreshBooks suits time-based billing better.
Pricing: A free package capped at a few invoices a month, then published monthly plans in euros that differ mainly by bank transactions, documents and users. (free plan)
Visit Moneybird →
What the data says about this market
Invoicing has become a free on-ramp for payment companies. Three of the fourteen products on this page, Stripe, Square and PayPal, earn nearly all their invoicing revenue from processing fees rather than subscriptions, and all three let a business send invoices without paying a monthly subscription. We marked those three as majors, so they start at fourth place. Six of the fourteen are headquartered in the United States and three in Canada; the rest come from India, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovakia and the United Kingdom. All fourteen publish their pricing, and half of them offer a free plan or open-source edition, which makes this one of the easiest software categories to trial honestly.
Consolidation is steady. BILL bought Invoice2go in 2021, EverCommerce bought Invoice Simple in 2020, and the Italian group Bending Spoons now owns Harvest. Zoom completed its purchase of the freelancer suite Bonsai in late 2025, which is one reason Bonsai does not appear here. Buyers should expect pricing and support to change after a sale, and keep exports current. Ownership also shapes incentives: a tool owned by a payments company wants your card volume, while one owned by a portfolio group tends to raise subscription prices on a steady schedule. Neither is fatal, but both deserve a line in the buying notes.
Cross-border billing matters more each year. World Bank figures show ICT services climbing from 9.1% of world service exports in 2013 to 14.48% in 2023, and in the European Union from 10.58% to 17.55%. Some of that growth is small firms and freelancers billing clients in other countries, so currency handling, foreign VAT notes and cheap international payment rails now belong on an invoicing shortlist. EU e-invoicing mandates, rolling out country by country, add structured formats to the list.
The 14 ranked vendors, counted
- Headquarters by region: North America 9, Europe 4, Asia-Pacific 1
- By country: United States 6, Canada 3, India 1, Italy 1, Netherlands 1, Slovakia 1, United Kingdom 1
- Pricing model: Per account / month 6, Free + processing fees 2, Free + paid tiers 1, Open source + paid tiers 1, Per company / month 1, Per seat / month 1, Transaction fees 1, Usage-based 1
- Free option: Free plan 6, Free trial 6, None 1, Open source 1
Counted from the 14 vendors on this page. More in our market data.
For the wider market behind invoicing software, read our report The Global Shift to ICT Services,
or browse all industry reports.
Questions and answers
What is the best invoicing software in 2026?
Invoice Ninja is our first pick: it covers quotes, recurring invoices, a client portal, many payment gateways and multiple currencies, and it is open source, so you can self-host it or use the inexpensive hosted plans. Zoho Invoice is the better pick if you want a free, polished tool with no technical setup. FreshBooks wins for service firms that bill by the hour and want invoicing that grows into full bookkeeping later.
Is free invoicing software good enough for a small business?
Often, yes. Zoho Invoice, Wave, Square Invoices, PayPal's invoicing and Invoice Ninja's free options all send professional invoices, accept payments and send reminders. The catch is usually elsewhere: payment processing fees, vendor branding on invoices, limits on clients or users, or a push toward the vendor's own payment rails. Calculate processing fees on your real volume before calling any option free.
How can I cut card processing fees on invoices?
Offer bank transfer or ACH as the default and card as an option, since bank payments usually cost a fraction of card fees. Some tools let you pass a surcharge to the client where local law allows it, and some let you disable card payments for large invoices. Choosing a tool that supports several gateways also lets you compare processor rates rather than accepting a single bundled price.
Do I need separate invoicing software if I already have accounting software?
Usually not. QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho Books and FreshBooks all include decent invoicing. A separate tool earns its place when your billing is unusual: time-based billing across many projects, proposals and contracts for creative work, on-site invoicing from a phone, or specialized collection workflows. In those cases, confirm the tool syncs payments and fees cleanly into the ledger.
What must a legally valid invoice contain?
Requirements vary by country, but most tax authorities expect a unique sequential invoice number, issue date, the seller's and buyer's names and addresses, a description of goods or services, amounts before tax, the tax rate and tax amount, and the total. In the EU and UK, VAT registration numbers and notes such as reverse charge are required where relevant. Good invoicing software enforces numbering and carries these fields automatically.
What is e-invoicing and does it affect my invoicing software choice?
E-invoicing means sending invoices as structured data, such as Peppol UBL or country formats, rather than PDFs. Several EU countries are phasing in mandates for business-to-business invoices, with Belgium starting in 2026 and others following. If you sell to businesses in those markets, check that your tool can issue compliant structured invoices or connect to an access point; many small-business tools are still catching up. Moneybird already sends and receives Peppol invoices for Dutch and Belgian companies at no extra cost.
Which invoicing software handles recurring retainers and deposits best?
Invoice Ninja and Zoho Invoice both schedule recurring invoices with automatic card charging and handle deposits or partial payments well. HoneyBook is strongest for creative businesses that take a retainer at booking and bill the balance on a payment schedule. For true subscription businesses with plan changes, proration and usage charges, look at subscription billing software instead of stretching an invoicing tool.
Can invoicing software chase late payments automatically?
Nearly all tools on this list send scheduled reminders before and after the due date, and several add late fees automatically. Chaser goes further, running escalation sequences, SMS reminders and a payment portal on top of invoices raised in Xero, QuickBooks or other ledgers. Automatic reminders work better than manual follow-up mainly because they arrive on time without anyone deciding whether it is awkward to send them.
What is the best invoicing app for contractors and trades?
Invoice2go and Invoice Simple are built for billing from a phone: create an estimate on site, convert it to an invoice, take a card payment and attach photos of the finished job. Square Invoices suits trades that already use Square hardware. If the business also needs scheduling and dispatch, field service management software usually includes invoicing and may replace a standalone app.
How do invoicing tools handle clients paying in other currencies?
Most tools here let you issue invoices in the client's currency, and several show both currencies on the document. The harder part is getting paid cheaply: card processors add currency conversion fees, and international wire costs can land on either side. Look for tools that support local bank details in major currencies through a multi-currency account, and record the exchange rate used for your books.
Why isn't Stripe Invoicing ranked first, given its popularity?
Stripe is one of the largest payment companies in the world, and our rules keep dominant platforms out of the top three. It is also a developer-oriented product whose invoicing makes most sense when Stripe already processes your payments. For a business already on Stripe it can be the best choice, and it sits fourth, just below the three specialists.
