7 Best Free Small Business Invoice Generators in 2023
This article is part of a larger series onAccounting Software.
The best free invoice generators should be easy to use and must provide plenty of invoice customization options, such as the ability to choose from different templates and upload your company logo. It should be able to track outstanding invoices and offer enhanced features to simplify the billing process, such as the ability to set up recurring invoices and add tracked expenses to invoices.
我们搜集了七个最好的免费发票情况ators for small businesses:
- Zoho Invoice:Best overall free small business invoice generator
- Square Invoices:Best for accepting point-of-sale (POS) and online payments
- Wave:Best for built-in accounting features
- Invoice Ninja:Best for frequent invoicing
- ZipBooks:Best for occasional invoices
- PayPal:Best for mobile devices
- Invoice Generator:Best for sending invoices without setting up an account
Comparison of Best Free Invoice Generators
Pricing (Paid Plans, If Any) |
Choose From Different Templates |
Upload Logo |
Change Invoice Colors |
Track Outstanding Invoices |
Set Up Recurring Invoices |
Add Tracked Expenses to an Invoice |
Doesn’t Require Accounting Integration |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✕ |
|
$20 per month |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✕ |
✕ |
|
N/A |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✕ |
✓ |
|
From $10 per month |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✕ |
✕ |
|
From $15 per month |
✕ |
✓ |
✕ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
N/A |
✓ |
✓ |
✕ |
✓ |
✓ |
✕ |
✕ |
|
1% of invoice issued |
✕ |
✓ |
✕ |
✕ |
✕ |
✕ |
✕ |
Zoho Invoice: Best Overall Free Invoice Generator
Pros
- Ability to automate workflows like calculating and adding discounts
- Supports multiple currencies and languages
- No limitations to the number of clients you can invoice
- Integrates with other Zoho apps to manage your whole business
- Can completely customize invoices
- Can add tracked expenses to invoices
Cons
- Can’t edit invoice templates on the mobile app
- Some functions require developer skills
- Extensive features make it more difficult to use
- No live chat and telephone support
Features
- Self-service client portal:Your customers will log into the portal to view and pay invoices, and you will receive an alert. Users can also share project data with clients, accept or decline estimates, or provide comments and feedback.
- Customizable invoices:You can select the invoice template and customize it with your logo, font, and colors.
- Mobile app:Zoho Invoice has a full-featured mobile app that is also available on Apple Watch. It allows you to send invoices, estimates, and account statements to customers via iMessage, and use the time tracking widget for billing.
- Multiple currencies and languages:Not only can you send your invoice in your customer’s currency, but you can also select from a variety of languages.
- Time and reimbursements:You can track time, mileage, and billable expenses, which you can add to invoices.
Zoho发票成为我们最好的发票生成器due to its user-friendly interface and exceptional features, most notably the ability to completely customize invoices, set up recurring invoices, and add tracked expenses directly to invoices.
Unlike other invoicing software that often provide limited design templates to choose from, Zoho Invoice presents a wide selection of professionally designed templates as a starting point. Also, invoices in Zoho Books are more customizable than those in similar software. You can effortlessly personalize your invoices by customizing the design elements, such as colors, fonts, and layouts, to align with your brand aesthetics.
Additionally, Zoho Invoice allows you to include your tracked expenses within your invoices, meaning that you can easily add relevant expenses, such as project-related costs or reimbursable items. You can even set up recurring invoices if you have ongoing or repetitive billing cycles, such as retainers or service contracts and subscriptions.
In addition to its free invoice generator, Zoho Invoice comes with other free features, including an estimate generator, revenue forecaster, income tax calculator, expense report generator, and stock-keeping unit (SKU) generator. Zoho Invoice seamlessly integrates with other Zoho apps and third-party applications, such as Stripe, PayPal, Google Drive, and Dropbox.
On the downside, Zoho Invoice doesn’t allow you to edit invoice templates on the mobile app, which can be problematic if you are frequently on the go and need to send invoices at any time. If you rely heavily on mobile invoicing, we recommend PayPal, which is also our best free invoice generator for mobile devices.
Zoho Invoice Overview
Square Invoices: Best for Accepting POS & Online Payments
Pros
- Send unlimited estimates and invoices for free
- Recurring and future-dated invoices
- Automatic payment reminders
- Ecommerce capabilities for sales
- Robust mobile app
- Integrates with Square for Retail
Cons
- Limited invoice customization options
- Limited reporting
- Not able to edit an invoice after it is marked as paid
- Not a complete bookkeeping solution
Features
- Invoice customization: Within your account settings, you’ll find a few options for customizing your invoices—including adding a logo, selecting a color, adding a custom message or return policy, and choosing whether you want your address displayed.
- Item library:To speed up the invoice creation process, Square allows you to build an item library of your products and services. Once an item is in your library, it can be added to any invoice.
- Invoice scheduling:For your convenience, Square allows for both recurring invoices and scheduling your invoice to be sent in the future.
- Mobile app:No matter where you are, the Square Invoices mobile app allows you to send digital estimates and invoices, track the status of payments, send payment reminders, and accept payments.
Square Invoices works with almost any ecommerce platform, such as Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce, making it an ideal choice if you’d like to accept POS and online payments. It offers flexible payment options, including bank transfers, credit and debit cards, Square gift cards, and mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Also, it has seamless integration with another Square product called Square for Retail, a comprehensive POS system designed specifically for retail stores, offering advanced inventory management, sales, and staffing tools. This integration allows you to unify your POS and online payment workflows—meaning all transactions, whether in-person or online, are seamlessly processed within the Square platform. You can read ourreview of Square for Retailto learn more about the solution.
Just like Zoho Invoice, Square Invoices has more enhanced invoicing features compared to most other free invoice generators. For instance, it offers plenty of ways to customize your invoices and allows you to set up recurring invoices and track the status of invoices from any digital device. You can also schedule invoices to be sent at a later date and schedule automatic payment reminders.
While Square Invoices offers robust invoicing features, it lacks the extensive bookkeeping capabilities typically found in complete accounting software like Wave and ZipBooks.
Square Invoices Overview
Wave: Best Free Invoicing Solution as a Part of Bookkeeping Software
Pros
- Easy set-up
- Unlimited users for free
- Lets you send unlimited invoices
- Free accounting, invoicing, and receipt scanning services
- Easy to record a bill and manage unpaid bills
Cons
- Not a good fit for businesses with inventory
- Poor customer support
- Can’t track income and expenses by class or location
- Can't reconcile bank statements when timing differences exist
Features
- Unlimited users:波允许无限的用户免费,真希ng it an excellent option for businesses seeking an affordable and flexible solution.
- Sales tax:Wave lets you add sales tax to invoices, bills, estimates, and expense and income transactions. Whenever you enter a transaction with sales tax, it records the amount automatically in the sales tax liability account.
- Invoice customization:There are different ways to customize your Wave invoices, including the ability to choose from different templates, add your logo, change colors, and include a personalized message.
- Reporting:Wave has a robust reporting capability as free software, with all standard reports, such as profit and loss (P&L) statement, general ledger, trial balance, accounts receivable (A/R) aging, and accounts payable (A/P) aging, included.
Wave offers built-in accounting capabilities, setting it apart from other free invoice generators that are solely focused on invoicing. As an all-in-one accounting and invoicing solution, you can generate invoices, track payments, manage expenses, and generate financial reports for free—all in one place.
As ourleading free accounting software, Wave offers free invoicing and receipt scanning services. You can create invoices easily and customize them by adding your logo, selecting invoice colors, and choosing from prebuilt templates. You can also email and print invoices if needed.
While Wave’s invoicing service is free, there are associated costs for payment processing. However, these fees are generally affordable and enable you to receive payments from your clients through your invoices conveniently.
If you only require an invoicing solution, then Wave is a good choice. However, if you anticipate needing more advanced bookkeeping features, such as inventory management and class and location tracking, you may need to upgrade to a premium accounting solution, such as QuickBooks Online.
Wave Overview
Invoice Ninja: Best for Frequent Invoicing
Pros
- Free, open-source software
- Accept credit cards, PayPal, automated clearing house (ACH), and Bitcoin
- Supports multiple currencies and languages
- Set up automatic payments for recurring customers
- Generate one-click pay invoices to send to clients
- Mobile app
- Project management tools
Cons
- Invoices come with Invoice Ninja watermark unless you upgrade to paid plan
- Inventory not available
- Limited reports
Features
- Client portal:Invoice Ninja provides a portal for your clients that allows them to open and view your invoices and make payments. You can also view when a client has opened your invoice and track the status of payments.
- Bulk invoicing:If you need to send the same invoice to multiple customers, you can take advantage of this timesaving feature.
- Automatic payments:You can set up automatic payments for recurring customers, and also automatic reminders for late payments.
- Time tracking:Invoice Ninja also comes with a free time tracker, which can be launched from within your online account or by using a downloaded desktop icon. Once you have completed the task, you can click and add your time to an invoice.
- Fully customizable:Invoice Ninja also has a free, open-source version for local installation and customization.
Invoice Ninja is an excellent tool for small business owners who invoice frequently. This is because of its ability to accommodate bulk invoicing and set up automatic payments for recurring customers.
If you sign up for the free plan, you can manage up to 20 clients and unlimited invoices, plus get advanced features like branded invoices, auto-billing, time tracking, and direct payment integration with over 40 gateways. However, the drawback is that each invoice has a “Created by Invoice Ninja” watermark unless you upgrade to the paid plan for $10 per month.
Invoice Ninja is available as a cloud-based software, but you can also download the open-source version that you can self-host.
Unfortunately, the presence of watermarks on invoices in Invoice Ninja’s free plan can be an issue for businesses, especially those wanting to maintain a professional impression with their clients. If you can’t afford Invoice Ninja’s paid plan but wish to create professional-looking invoices, try Zoho Invoice.
Invoice Ninja Overview
ZipBooks: Best for Occasional Invoices
Pros
- Highly customizable invoices
- Very easy to use
- Send unlimited invoices
- Track time and projects
- Integrates with other popular applications
Cons
- Free plan requires typing of invoice detail each time
- No inventory management feature
- Mobile app only available on iOS
- No field on invoice form for sales tax, it must be adjusted manually
Features
- Customizable invoices:ZipBooks offers a variety of customizable invoices that can be sent as a PDF, or it creates a link automatically for your customer to access the invoice.
- Late payment reminders:The ability to send late payment reminders to customers is a convenient feature that lets you stay on top of your A/R.
- Ease of use:ZipBooks consistently receives high praise for its ease of use and its highly intuitive and color-coded UI.
- Invoice Quality Score:ZipBooks created the Invoice Quality Score to let you know how your invoices rate on a scale of 1 to 100. The higher the score, the more likely you are to receive optimal outcomes like getting paid on time.
- Time and project tracking:You can track time by multiple activities, create projects and assign them to customers, and then add specific tasks to those projects. These are paid features that are available with the Smarter and Sophisticated plans.
ZipBooks requires manual input for each invoice, making it particularly well-suited for businesses engaging in occasional invoicing rather than high-volume invoicing. For instance, if you are a project-based freelancer or a very small service provider that works less frequently, you can use ZipBooks to bill for services rendered as needed rather than on a set schedule.
One thing we like about ZipBooks is that it offers a unique feature called invoice quality score, which assigns a score to each invoice you create. This score indicates how well your invoice is structured and suggests the important details that can help you get paid faster.
Its free plan (Starter) offers a good variety of features, including the ability to connect a single bank account and track unlimited customer and vendor details. If you need to track time and send recurring invoices, you have to upgrade to a paid plan.
ZipBooks Overview
PayPal: Best Free Invoice Generator App for Mobile Devices
Pros
- Batch invoicing capability
- You can customize invoices with your logo, contact information, and custom fields
- Send unlimited invoices
- Ability to track invoice status and enable recurring payments
- Software provides security and integration with multiple platforms and marketplaces
Cons
- Free bank transfer can take several days
- 1% fee is charged if you want instant access to your money
- You are limited in terms of use
- Accounts are subject to suspension at any time, which can result in frozen funds
Features
- Mobile app:PayPal has been configured for mobile devices, making invoicing a breeze.
- Ease of use:With a user-friendly display and intuitive navigation, it is a great option for new businesses or computer novices.
- Batch invoicing:PayPal允许你发送100发票一起taneously, making your invoicing process more efficient.
- Multicurrency support:You can invoice customers and accept payments in 25 currencies.
One of the biggest names in online payment processing, PayPal is a mobile-friendly invoice software that allows you to create and send invoices in just minutes from any digital device. You can also save online invoice templates for quick entry, send automated payment reminders, review account activity, and issue refunds on the go.
Once logged in, you’ll see a dedicated tab for invoicing, and PayPal will pull data from your recent contacts to create the invoice. The invoice editor is configured for mobile devices with large buttons and easy data entry. Access to invoicing features requires a PayPal Business account.
While it is free to sign up for PayPal, its pricing structure can be a bit confusing because of the various fees associated with different types of transactions. Square Invoices is a good alternative as it’s known for its transparent, predictable payment processing fees.
PayPal Overview
Invoice Generator: Best for Sending Invoices Without an Account
Pros
- No sign-in or account required to create invoices
- Able to add payment links to invoices for PayPal, Venmo, and Square Cash
- Able to add tax, shipping, and discounts
- Easy-to-use interface
- Invoice on the go from any device
Cons
- Can’t save invoices
- Doesn't track outstanding receivables
- Limited invoice customization options
Features
- Ease of use:With only one main page to navigate, it can’t get any easier than this when it comes to creating and sending invoices to your customers.
- Payment links:You have the option of adding payment links for PayPal, Venmo, and Square Cash to any invoice.
- Invoice customization:Although customization options are limited, you can add your logo to invoices.
- No sign-in required:The only option in this buyer’s guide that doesn’t require you to create an account to create and send invoices, Invoice Generator is a great option if you need quick access to billing customers.
Invoice Generator allows you to create and send invoices to clients and accept payments online without having to create an account and log in first. You need to type the relevant information, add your logo, and opt for any tax, shipping, or discount costs. When creating the invoice, you can choose which payment methods you plan to accept. Invoice Generator lets you add links for PayPal, Venmo, and Square Cash.
The program doesn’t keep a copy of invoices that you create, so you won’t be able to track your A/R. This can cause a problem in monitoring payments due from your customers, identifying delinquent accounts, and following up on overdue invoices. If you want to keep a copy of all invoices issued to your customers for proper record keeping, we recommend Square Invoices.
Invoice Generator Overview
How We Evaluated Free Invoice Generators
We evaluated and rated our best free invoice generators using the rubric below.
15% of Overall Score
Pricing is evaluated based on the software’s cost and limitations, including the number of clients you can manage and the number of invoices you can send.
20% of Overall Score
The best invoicing software lets you customize your invoice by adding your company logo, choosing from different templates, changing the invoice color, and adding a personalized message for your clients.
30% of Overall Score
Some of the general invoicing features we wanted to see include the ability to create recurring invoices and accept short payments from customers.
25% of Overall Score
We checked how easy it is to create and send invoices using the software and what types of customer service options it offers to support new users.
10% of Overall Score
We gathered unbiased user reviews from popular online review websites.
Selecting the best invoice generator for your business involves the consideration of several factors. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Features:Look for an invoice generator that offers the features you need, such as the ability to track payments and manage customer information. Some invoice generators offer additional features, such as time tracking or expense management, so consider which features will be most useful for your business.
- Email:If you want to email invoices, make sure the invoice generator allows you to email directly from the program rather than having to save the invoice and send an email separately.
- Customization:Many free invoice generators allow you to customize your invoices with your business branding, color, and logo. Look for a tool that offers a high level of customization so that you can create invoices that are consistent with your brand.
- Ease of use:A good invoice generator should be easy to use and have a user-friendly interface. Look for a tool that is intuitive and doesn’t require a lot of technical know-how.
- Customer support:Look for an invoice generator that offers good customer support in case you have any issues or questions. Some tools offer online support resources while others offer email or phone support.
- Integration:If you use other tools for your business, such as accounting software or payment processors, consider whether the invoice generator integrates with those tools. This can save you time and streamline your invoicing process.
If you’re looking for a solution that offers more than invoicing capabilities, then you might want to consider full bookkeeping software that also offers great invoicing, such as FreshBooks, which you can learn about in our in-depthFreshBooks review. You should consider bookkeeping software for:
- Tracking income and expense to file a tax return
- Tracking cash flow
- Managing bills from vendors
- Analyzing profit and loss from specific projects
- Printing financial statements for banks, insurance companies, or other interested parties
Check out our article on thebest small business accounting softwarefor a list of great bookkeeping software.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
An invoice generator is an online tool that allows you to create and send invoices for your business. It typically includes features like invoice templates, the ability to customize your invoices with your branding, and tools to track payments and customer information.
Yes, it is. Once you create your invoice, you can download it as a PDF and send your invoice via email. No account is required to create an invoice, but you do need to enter your email address to complete these actions.
We selected PayPal as the best free invoice generator for mobile users because you can create and send invoices in minutes on any digital device. You can also save online invoice templates for quick entry, send automated payment reminders, review account activity, and issue refunds no matter where you are.
Yes, there are many high-quality invoice apps that are absolutely free. Our recommendation for the best free invoice app is Zoho Invoice, which offers all features completely free, regardless of your company size.
Bottom Line
Invoicing customers for the products and services that you sell is a key component of your cash flow. Using an invoice generator is a great option if you’re on a budget or have a new small business with very few expenses. Each of the options discussed allows you to create professional-looking invoices and, in many cases, accept payments online. The best option for you is the one that suits the needs of your business.