Whether you’re a freelancer, small business owner, or a manager, one of the apparent reasons for using invoicing software is to simplify your billing processes. The best invoice software offers automated workflows for tracking projects, payments, and, most importantly, converting quotes to invoices at an affordable price.
With many options available for different business needs, choosing the right one is critical. That’s why I’ve carefully selected the 10 best invoicing software solutions to help you make an informed decision.
The Best Invoicing Software for 2024
The Best Invoicing Software
- FreshBooks: Best for Instant Invoicing
- Zoho Invoice: Best for Free Invoicing
- Xero: Best Invoicing for Small Businesses
- Melio: Best for Payment Simplification
- HoneyBook: Best for Online Invoicing
- Square Invoices: Best for Recurring Billing
- Invoice Ninja: Best for Creating Customizable Invoice
- Invoice Home: Best for Easy Invoicing
- Avaza: Best for Contractors’ Project Collaboration
- Invoicely: Best for Multiple Small Businesses
- Show Full Guide
The Best Invoice Software Reviewed
Having tested several HR and invoicing solutions, I’ve narrowed down the list using criteria like providers that offer the best capabilities for a range of users, ease of use, pricing, and unique features.
1. FreshBooks – Best for Instant Invoicing
Free Trial | 30-day free trial |
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Price From | Starting from $19/month (60% off for first 4 months) |
Top 3 Features | Recurring Invoice Generator, Payment Reminders, Multiple Invoices |
Pros
- Multiple customization options to facilitate instant invoicing
- Variety of payment options
- Take up-front deposits
- Allows you to invite your accountant
Cons
- Unlimited invoicing to an unlimited number of clients is only available on its highest tiers
- Adding more team members makes it expensive
2. Zoho Invoice – Best for Free Invoicing
Free Trial | Yes, Invoicing is free |
---|---|
Price From | Starting from $15/org/month billed annually |
Top 3 Features | Project Management, Integration with Zoho Products, Professional Invoice Templates |
Pros
- Offers free application for Mac users
- Offers multiple professional invoice templates
- Free to use and allows recurring invoicing
- Integrates easily with other business tools and Zoho apps
Cons
- Limits the number of invoices you can send each year to 500
- It only allows you to create three projects
- You can only add up to two users
- It may not be suitable for a business that needs to send multiple invoices monthly
3. Xero – Best for Small Businesses
Free Trial | Yes, 30-day free trial |
---|---|
Price From | Starting from $15/month (70% off for first 6 months) |
Top 3 Features | Automatic Quotes to Invoice, Multiple Invoicing, Bulk Invoice Importation |
Pros
- Offers 30-day free trial
- Bulk invoice importation
- Bundled with accounting functionalities
- 1000+ integrations to support other business tools
Cons
- Lack of free forever plan
- Limited invoicing on its basic plan
- Multiple currencies support is only available on its highest plan
4. Melio – Best for Payment Simplification
Free Trial | Yes, Start for free |
---|---|
Price From | No monthly plan, but transaction fees |
Top 3 Features | Payment Categorization, Synchronization with Accounting Software, Reminders Tracker |
Pros
- Pay vendors and manage invoices from a single application
- No monthly fee
- Offers clients several ways to pay from their invoices
- Send personalized payment links
Cons
- Additional fees for payments
- It does not offer invoice templates, only sending
- No advanced accounting features compared with Xero
5. HoneyBook – Best for Online Invoicing
Free Trial | Yes, 7-day free trial |
---|---|
Price From | Starting from $16/month billed annually |
Top 3 Features | Online Document Signing, Online Scheduling, Automation |
Pros
- Easy to use
- Facilitates good client experience
- Provides automation to support online invoicing
- Helps in keeping projects organized
Cons
- Short duration of the free trial
- Its setup can be overwhelming
- Customer support needs improvement
6. Square Invoices – Best for Recurring Billing
Free Trial | Yes, 30-day free trial |
---|---|
Price From | Starting from $20/month + discounted processing rates |
Top 3 Features | Square Checking, Invoice Tracking, Batch Invoices |
Pros
- Its free plan supports unlimited invoicing
- Supports invoice tracking
- Offers square checking
- Automates recurring bills
Cons
- Its paid plan may be expensive for startups
- It does not support multi-currency acceptance
- Most customization is available on the paid plan
7. Invoice Ninja – Best for Creating Customizable Invoice
Free Trial | Yes, Free plan |
---|---|
Price From | Starting from $12/month billed monthly |
Top 3 Features | Custom Taxation Settings, Branded URL, Customize Invoice Designs |
Pros
- Exceptional customization options
- Offers a free forever plan
- It has a client-side payment portal
- Provides inventory management
Cons
- A limited number of templates compared with competitors
- Only one user is allowed per account
- It may be overwhelming for beginners to navigate its interface and find the most useful features
8. Invoice Home – Best for Easy Usage
Free Trial | Yes, Free plan |
---|---|
Price From | Starting from $5/month |
Top 3 Features | 100+ Beautifully Designed Templates, Mobile Support, Automatic Backup |
Pros
- Simple design
- Easy to use
- 100+ professional invoice templates
- Good for beginners
Cons
- Limited free plan features
- Editing after saving the invoice may be difficult
- Lacks more advanced accounting features
9. Avaza – Best for Contractors’ Project Collaboration
Free Trial | Yes, Free plan |
---|---|
Price From | Starting from $11.95/month |
Top 3 Features | Project-Specific Access, Team Chat, Integrations |
Pros
- Provides project management tools for contractors
- Allows various user roles access
- It offers a free forever plan
- Supports mobile devices
Cons
- Adding more users to different access could lead to more expenses
- Priority chat and email support is only available to paid users
- Its mobile version has some limitations
10. Invoicely – Best for Multiple Small Businesses
Free Trial | Yes, Free plan |
---|---|
Price From | Starting from $/month |
Top 3 Features | Free custom invoicing, Unlimited income and expense tracking, Mobile receipts |
Pros
- Supports multiple business management with one account
- Offers a free forever plan
- Easy to use
- Allows businesses to bill in multiple currencies
Cons
- The free plan only supports a team member and five invoices monthly
- Limited estimates on the free plan
- May not be able to support businesses with complex invoicing needs
The Best Invoicing and Billing Software 2024 – Compared
Now that we’ve explored the top 10 invoicing software in-depth let’s see how they stack up against each other:
Invoice Software | FreshBooks | Zoho Invoice | Xero | Melio | HoneyBook | Square Invoices | Invoice Ninja | Invoice Home | Avaza | Invoicely |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Best For | Instant Invoicing | Free Invoicing | Small Businesses | Payment Simplification | Online Invoicing | Recurring Billing | Customizable Invoice | Easy Usage | Contractors’ Project Collaboration | Multiple Small Businesses |
Free Trial | 30-day free trial | Yes, Invoicing is free | Yes, 30-day free trial | Yes, Start for free | Yes, 7-day free trial | Yes, 30-day free trial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Starting Price | $19/month (60% off for first 4 months) | $15/org/month billed annually | $15/month (70% off for first 6 months) | No monthly plan, but transaction fees | $16/month billed annually | $20/month + discounted processing rates | $12/month billed monthly | $5/month | $11.95/month | $7.99/month billed yearly |
Top Features | Recurring Invoice Generator, Payment Reminders, Multiple Invoices | Project Management, Integration with Zoho Products, Professional Invoice Templates | Automatic Quotes to Invoice, Multiple Invoicing, Bulk Invoice Importation | Payment Categorization, Synchronization with Accounting Software, Reminders Tracker | Online Document Signing, Online Scheduling, Automation | Square Checking, Invoice Tracking, Batch Invoices | Custom Taxation Settings, Branded URL, Customize Invoice Designs | 100+ Beautifully Designed Templates, Mobile Support, Automatic Backup | Project-Specific Access, Team Chat, Integrations | Multiple Currency, Expenses Management, Reporting |
How We Review and Test Accounting Products
To provide our readers with accurate and well-informed recommendations, we test the most popular accounting products on the market to find the best options for you. Our methodology consists of the following criteria:
- Features: We examine the features of each accounting software to determine what capabilities are offered- such as creating, editing, and deleting transactions.
- Compliance: We evaluate accounting software based on whether it offers local compliance when it comes to payroll, taxes, documentation, and more.
- Bank Reconciliation: We test the reconciliation process to ensure transactions match bank statements accurately.
- Multi-Currency Support: We verify the accuracy of currency conversions and transactions in multi-currency environments.
- User Experience: We get hands-on with each product and act as a new user, testing each platform to gain understanding if the platform is easy to use or not.
- Reporting and Documentation: We verify the accuracy of financial reports generated by the software such as balance sheets and income statements.
- Integrations: We evaluate the integrations of each piece of software to determine how well it fits in with other key pieces in a business’s software stack, and whether its functionality can be expanded as required.
- Audit Trails: We ensure the software maintains comprehensive audit trails for tracking changes made to financial data.
Why Do Businesses Need Invoice Software?
Invoice software allows businesses to manage their business effectively by providing them with automation and easy-to-use templates, freeing up extra time. According to research, 66% of businesses spend more than five days working on their invoices every month. While time management and error reduction are some of the reasons businesses use invoicing software, there are other benefits. Below are some advantages of invoice software for businesses.
- Time-Saving – Paper-based invoicing can quickly eat into your workday, requiring you to create detailed invoices, chase late payments, and track your expenses. With software that offers pre-built invoice templates, automated payment reminders, and the ability to create recurring invoices, you can save time on invoicing every month.
- Data Centralization – Invoice software helps manage your finance data in one platform, providing you with access to data such as expenses, revenue, gross profits, paid invoices, pending invoices, and overdue invoices. This way, you’ll be able to understand and analyze your finances.
- Professionally-looking Invoice Template – Regardless of your invoice design knowledge level, you can create professional invoices from templates and brand them with your business logo and color.
- Error Reduction – The best invoice apps and platforms can reduce your chance of making mistakes. By automating recurring invoices, centralizing and organizing your invoicing data, and taking payments right from your invoices, you can track your finances with ease and identify and fix mistakes.
- Quick Payment – Is there anything more frustrating than spending weeks or months chasing a late payment? QuickBooks reports that 73% of businesses are affected due to late payments. The best invoice software helps businesses avoid late payments with its automation, payment reminders, “pay now” options, and more.
How to Use Invoicing Software
This may be a burning question in your mind: How do I create an invoice for my small business? We've got you covered. We'll use FreshBooks, one of the best accounting tools, as an example, and here's how you can use it to create an invoice:
Select one of FreshBooks' downloadable invoice templates
Once you’re set up with FreshBooks and have chosen a template, add your name, contact details, and business address at the top of the invoice.Fill out all relevant details
Add your customer’s details, including their name and address, and add a line item for each service or product you need to invoice. Also, include a short description of each service or product, the quantity, the rate, and any additional taxes due. Once you’ve added your line items, you should include the total amount your clients owe under your line items, factoring in discounts and taxes in your calculations.Include payment information
Input your banking information and payment terms, for example, payment being due in 14 days. If you want to take payment via credit card, then include a payment link in your invoice. Also, remember to include your company logo and brand colors to help provide a professional branding edge for your invoices.Preview
Before printing or emailing the invoice to your client, make sure to preview it. This allows you to spot and correct errors that your client may see.
Key Features of Billing and Invoicing Software
Now that we’ve covered the benefits of billing software, let’s review the features that the best online invoice software solutions have in common.
Here are some key features to consider when choosing billing and invoicing software:
- Online Payment Functionality – Millions of businesses deal with late payments, which can have a serious impact on their cash flow. In fact, 79% of small business owners need to cut their pay due to payments not ending up in their bank accounts on time. Choose an invoice tool that allows your customers and clients to make credit, ACH, and debit card payments straight from their invoices.
- Automated Payment Reminders – With the best invoice management software, you can automate the majority of the process. You can use the best invoice processing software to set payment reminders both before and after payment is due.
- Customization Options – The best invoice software, especially if you’re looking for the best small business invoice software, is one that allows for a ton of customization options. An easy-to-customize invoice allows you to add your brand identity, such as color, logo, signature, and more.
- Recurring Invoicing – Do you work on a retainer or have a set number of deliverables for a client each month? That’s where recurring invoices come in. Look for invoice software that offers the option to automate the creation of recurring invoices for clients with the same monthly deliverables.
- Reporting Dashboard – The best invoicing solutions offer an accessible dashboard that provides a visual overview of your income and expenses to easily monitor your cash flow and see how your business is performing. You also get a snapshot view of which invoices are still pending payment and which have been paid.
Trends in Invoicing Software for 2024
Technological advancements have influenced various business operations long before the 20th century, but the surge in 2024 has taken a different direction. The rise of AI, the availability of big data, increased business needs as human behaviors evolve, and more factors have greatly impacted invoicing software.
Here are the trending topics influencing invoicing software in 2024:
- Automation: Artificial intelligence has been a major driver of increased automation in the business world, influencing how organizations handle billing. With automation, human error is reduced or eliminated during billing processes. This also increases business efficiency by saving time spent on manual invoicing.
- Mobile Priority: The demand for on-the-go solutions has had an impact on the finance software market, particularly among organizations that employ hybrid or remote work styles. As a result, invoicing software companies prioritize mobile accessibility. With more accessible mobile tools, business owners, freelancers, and team members can manage their invoicing operations regardless of location.
- Cloud Adaptability: Cloud-based invoicing software facilitates flexibility and accessibility, especially for remote teams. As technology advances, more cloud-based invoicing software will evolve to support current business needs, which include quick data accessibility and storage.
- Increased Security Needs with Blockchain Technology: As the use of cloud services grows, so does the necessity for comprehensive security measures. Currently, many e-invoicing solutions secure financial data from cyber threats using authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor/two-factor authentication, e-signature, and industry-standard encryptions. There is still a need for additional security measures, which is why blockchain technology is being used to boost security and transparency. This new technology is expected to increase the performance of e-invoicing operations while ensuring data privacy.
- Integration with Other Business Tools: Businesses are turning towards platforms providing a comprehensive approach to handling their business operations. As a result, invoicing software integrates with business tools such as CRM, payment gateways, HR, and more. This integration enables a smooth and convenient approach to data handling across several channels, eliminating the need for manual processes.
How to Choose the Best Invoicing Software
With the right invoicing software, you can create impressive-looking invoices and automate much of the invoicing process. To find the right software for your business, consider the elements below.
Consider how much you can afford and want to spend on invoicing software and compare it with the features available on the software you choose.
While you can use invoicing software to create invoices far faster than you can manually, choose an invoicing software that allows you to customize the invoice with your brand designs.
The more usable your software is, the less stressful it’ll be to run through your invoices every month. You want a clean, easy-to-navigate interface that clearly lays out your invoicing and other financial data, such as a solution like Wave.
Look for software that allows you to automate the bulk of the invoicing process, such as invoice creation, recurring invoices, chasing payments, and recording payments.
Some of the options on our list include additional features that could go a long way in helping you grow your business. Some of the additional features to look out for include accounting, expense tracking, multiple currency, integration, mobile accessibility, and compliance.
Examine the software’s customer service support offers in terms of availability, help channels, and response time. Customer service is extremely important, especially when dealing with technical issues.