Automation is key product today, weather its invoicing software, online accounting, and bookkeeping. In the wake of the 2020 pandemic, businesses turned to online software to streamline their workflows.
With many working from home, the demand for free invoicing software has surged. These invoicing solutions offer ease of use and a variety of customisable features for payment processing, accounting, and invoicing.
Having already covered the best accounting software, it’s time to delve into best invoicing software.
Invoicing software enables small businesses and freelancers to create, deliver, and accept online payments swiftly, while also offering other accounting software features. However, not all freeware invoicing software options are reliable.
That’s why we’ve conducted a comparative analysis of the best free invoicing software. In this article, we explore the top-rated free invoicing software, focusing on their best use. Then we focus on invoicing software for small businesses, their main features and pros and cons.
We’ll also discuss the key criteria to consider when selecting the software that best fits your needs.
Stay tuned till the end!
Best Freeware Invoicing
These softwares will give you the option for invoicing for free. Signup to them now for free invoice template.
- Wave – Great for small businesses needing easy, all-in-one invoicing.
- Pandle – Simple and Perfect for beginners.
- Hiveage – Top pick for freelancers who want quick and easy invoicing.
- Invoicely – Best for startups.
- Harvest – Ideal for easy and straightforward invoicing.
- Zoho Invoice – Best billing software.
- Square – Best for combining point-of-sale and invoicing in one app.
- Paymo – Great for small teams needing invoicing with time tracking.
- Bookipi – Perfect for freelancers wanting simple invoicing.
- Invoice Ninja – Best invoice generator and custom options.
- Zervant – Best for invoicing and managing inventory.
- ZipBooks – Ideal for easy accounting and bookkeeping.
These free invoicing tools are perfect for freelancers and beginners, making invoicing easy and hassle-free. Sign up today to any of these above and simplify your invoicing for unpaid invoices!
Key Features in Invoicing Software
When choosing invoicing software, whether you’re a freelancer or a small business, it’s essential to look for features that ensure smooth, efficient, and accurate billing processes. Here are the key features a good invoicing software should have:
- User-Friendly Interface: Easy to navigate and use, even for beginners.
- Invoice Templates: Ability to add logos, colors, and custom fields to reflect your brand.
- Invoice Management: Create, send, and manage both one-off and recurring invoices. Support for multiple currencies and languages.
- Client Management: Store and manage client information efficiently.
- Automated Reminders: Automatically send payment reminders to clients for overdue invoices.
- Estimates and Quotes: Create and convert estimates and quotes into invoices with ease.
- Expense Tracking: Track expenses and associate them with specific clients or projects.
- Online Payment Integration: Accept online payments through various payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, etc. Support for multiple payment methods.
- Tax Calculation: Automatic tax calculation based on your jurisdiction. Support for various tax rates and rules.
- Financial Reporting: Generate financial reports such as income, expenses, and profit/loss statements. Insights into cash flow and outstanding payments.
- Mobile Apps: Create and send invoices from any device, including smartphones and tablets.
- Multi-User Support: Allow multiple users to access and manage invoicing, with different permission levels.
- Security Features: Secure data encryption to protect sensitive financial information.
These features ensure that your invoicing process is efficient, professional, and tailored to your business needs, helping you focus on growing your business rather than managing invoices.
Best Invoicing Software for Small Businesses
There are tonnes of online invoicing software out there, but for now, here are some of the most practical solutions
Wave
Wave is a top choice for freelancers and small business owners looking for a comprehensive, free invoicing software. Here’s why Wave stands out:
Key Features:
- Completely Free: Full free plan available.
- Professional Invoice: Create and send unlimited invoices with customizable templates.
- Expense Tracking: Monitor expenses and connect bank accounts for automatic transaction imports.
- Recurring Billing: Set up recurring invoices for regular clients.
- Online Payments: Accept credit card and bank payments online.
- Estimates and Quotes: Easily convert estimates and quotes into invoices.
- Accounting Reports: Access various accounting reports for financial insights.
- Mobile App: Available on both iOS and Android for on-the-go management.
- Automated Reminders: Send automatic reminders for overdue payments.
Wave is a fantastic choice for freelancers and small business owners looking to streamline their invoicing and accounting processes without any cost.
Zoho
Zoho Invoice is an excellent choice for small businesses and freelancers with a limited budget, offering a robust set of features in its free plan. Here’s what makes Zoho Invoice a standout option:
Key Features:
- Free Plan for Life: Invoice up to five customers at no cost, making it perfect for small-scale operations.
- Multi-Currency and Multi-Language Support: Localizes services to help you make quick conversions to different currencies and languages, ideal for businesses with international clients.
- Integration with Google Apps: Seamlessly connects with your Google account, enhancing collaboration and efficiency.
- User-Friendly Interface: Designed for beginners and entrepreneurs, with intuitive navigation and ease of use.
- Mobile Accessibility: Compatible with both Android and iOS, allowing you to manage your invoices on the go.
- Automated Billing: Streamline your billing process with automated recurring invoices, payment reminders, and thank-you notes.
- Money Back Guarantee: Plans come with a 30-day money back guarantee.
Paid Plans: Pricing starts from
Zoho Invoice provides a comprehensive, user-friendly invoicing solution, especially suited for small businesses and freelancers looking for a reliable, cost-effective tool.
Pandle
Pandle is a versatile cloud-based accounting solution perfect for small businesses. Here’s what makes Pandle stand out:
Key Features:
- Free Plan: Includes essential accounting and invoicing features.
- Comprehensive Accounting: Handles invoicing, receipt uploads, quotations, tax estimations, and payroll services.
- Multi-Currency Support: Supports different currencies and exchange rates for seamless currency conversions.
- Bulk Invoicing: Create and email bulk invoices, set up recurring invoices, and send notifications for pending payments.
- Banking Integration: Upload and pull transaction receipts from bank accounts, and manage your finances effortlessly.
- Inventory and Time Tracking: Keep track of inventory and time, making it ideal for project management.
- Mobile Accessibility: Available on both Android and iOS for managing your accounts on the go.
- Security and Support: Daily backups, encrypted data for security, and live chat support ensure your data is safe and help is readily available.
Paid Plan: Pricing starts from
Pandle is an excellent choice for small businesses seeking a flexible and comprehensive accounting solution.
Hiveage
Hiveage Hiveage, previously known as CurdBee, is a straightforward invoicing software designed primarily for freelancers and small businesses. It offers a variety of features that make managing invoices simple and efficient.
Key Features:
- Free Plan: Includes unlimited invoices for up to five clients, making it a great choice for starting entrepreneurs.
- Ease of Use: Hiveage has a clean, user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. Setting up your account, adding company details, and managing clients is simple and hassle-free.
- Customizable Invoices: Create and send professional invoices with your branding. The software supports multiple currencies and languages, making it ideal for international business.
- Payment Options: Accept online payments through various gateways, including PayPal, credit cards, and even Bitcoin.
- Expense Tracking: Track your expenses, mileage, and time, providing a comprehensive overview of your business finances.
- Multiple Profiles: Manage different companies under a single account, perfect for freelancers with multiple projects or small business owners with varied ventures.
- Reports: Access detailed reports, including profit and loss statements, revenue by client, tax summaries, and more.
- Mobile Accessibility: Available on both iOS and Android platforms, allowing you to manage your invoices on the go.
Paid Plans: Pricing starts from
Hiveage provides a simple, effective solution for freelancers and small businesses looking for an easy-to-use invoicing tool. While it may not offer advanced accounting features, its focus on simplicity and efficiency makes it a valuable asset for managing invoices and payments.
Invoicely
Invoicely, formerly known as Invoiceable, is an excellent online invoicing system tailored for small businesses and freelancers. It stands out for its flexibility and comprehensive free plan.
Key Features:
- Unlimited Invoices: The forever free plan allows users to send unlimited invoices to unlimited customers, making it an ideal solution for early-stage businesses.
- User-Friendly Interface: Create, send, and manage invoices easily, ensuring quicker payments.
- Expense Tracking: Track time, mileage, and all business expenses effortlessly.
- Payment Options: Accept payments via credit cards, bank transfers, and PayPal.
- Multi-Currency Support: Supports multiple currencies, simplifying international transactions.
- Client Management: Manage client information efficiently and generate detailed reports.
- Mobile Accessibility: Although it doesn’t have a dedicated app, Invoicely is accessible from mobile devices.
Paid Plans: Pricing starts from $9.99/month
Invoicely provides a robust invoicing solution for small businesses and freelancers, especially those in the early stages of growth. While the free plan is generous, upgrading to a premium plan unlocks valuable additional features that can further streamline your invoicing process.
Zervant
Zervant is a UK-based invoicing tool designed for European small business owners and freelancers. It offers a range of features to simplify invoicing and payment processing.
Key Features:
- Free Plan: For up to 5 clients and 5 invoices per month.
- Online Payments: Works with Stripe to accept major credit and debit card payments.
- Time Tracking: Track time spent on projects to ensure accurate billing.
- Payment Schedules and Reminders: Create payment schedules and set up automatic reminders for clients.
- Product-Based Invoicing: Ideal for businesses selling products; can also be adapted for service-based invoicing.
- Customizable Invoices: Customize invoice design with 18 colors, 23 fonts, and add your logo.
- Recurring Invoices: Set up recurring invoices with Pro or Growth plans.
- Multilingual Support: Invoices can be created in English, German, French, Finnish, and Swedish.
- Mobile Access: Available for both iOS and Android devices.
Paid Plans: Pricing starts from €9/month
Zervant offers a user-friendly platform with quick onboarding and a range of features that make it easy to manage invoicing and payments. Its product-based invoicing system is ideal for small businesses selling goods, and the customizable invoice options ensure professional-looking documents. The free plan provides a good starting point, with the option to upgrade as your business grows.
QuickBooks
QuickBooks is one of the most popular cloud accounting software solutions, used by millions of business owners worldwide. It offers a range of services tailored to different business needs, making it a versatile choice for various industries.
Key Features:
- Versatile Plans: Different plans for freelancers, small businesses, and larger enterprises, ensuring that you get the features you need based on your business size and type.
- Robust Reporting: Provides detailed financial reports, including profit & loss statements, balance sheets, and customizable reports by category.
- Automation: Automatically categorizes invoice items to simplify bookkeeping and tax preparation.
- Estimate Management: Allows invoicing based on estimates, ideal for freelancers and agencies who bill for projects as they are completed.
- Payment Flexibility: Accept payments via bank transfer, credit card, or debit card, and set up instant deposits and payment links.
- eCommerce Integration: New features for managing online sales and scheduling bills within the platform.
Paid Plans: Pricing starts from $15/month
QuickBooks online invoicing software is an excellent choice for businesses that need a multi-functional accounting system with robust reporting capabilities. While it might be on the pricier side, its comprehensive features make it a valuable investment for businesses that require detailed financial management and reporting.
Freshbooks
FreshBooks is renowned for its robust invoicing service, making it a top choice for small businesses and freelancers. Here’s what you need to know about FreshBooks:
Key Features:
- Customizable Invoices: Add your company logo, create recurring invoices, and accept payments in different currencies.
- Quick Invoicing: Create and share invoices within seconds.
- Business Reports: Generate detailed business reports to streamline operations and simplify tax time.
- Expense Tracking: Log expenses to keep track of spending and generate detailed financial reports.
- Online Payments: Integrate with PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.Net, Braintree, eWay, and 2Checkout to accept payments online, including partial payments and advance deposits.
- Time Tracking and Project Management: Track time, manage projects, and keep tabs on vendors.
- Mobile App: Available on both iOS and Android.
Paid Plans: Pricing starts from $15/month
FreshBooks is an excellent all-in-one invoicing software with comprehensive accounting features. While its pricing might be on the higher side, its robust features and integrations make it a valuable tool for businesses that require detailed financial management and streamlined invoicing processes.
Conclusion: The Right Invoicing Software for Your Business
In this guide, we’ve explored a variety of options, each catering to different needs and budgets. From the comprehensive freeware invoicing softwares offered by Wave and Pandle to the feature-rich services of QuickBooks and FreshBooks, there’s an invoicing solution for everyone.
Wave and Pandle provide excellent free options for small businesses just starting. If you’re looking for robust features without breaking the bank, Zoho Invoice and Invoicely offer powerful free plans with the option to scale as your business grows. For those who need specialised tools for freelancing or project management, Hiveage, Paymo, and Bookipi are fantastic choices.
QuickBooks and FreshBooks, while pricier, bring advanced accounting and reporting features that can significantly enhance your financial oversight and efficiency. They are ideal for businesses that require detailed financial management and customisable invoicing options.
When choosing your invoicing software, consider the key features that are most important for your business operations, such as user-friendliness, customisation options, automated reminders, online payment integration, and mobile accessibility.
Ultimately, the best invoicing software for your small business is the one that aligns with your specific needs and budget. By leveraging the right tool, you can streamline your invoicing process, enhance your financial management, and focus on what truly matters – growing your business.
So, take the next step towards simplifying your invoicing and choose the software that best fits your needs. Happy invoicing!