How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
What's the best invoice generator software
Zoho Invoice is the best invoice generator software for most freelancers and small businesses in 2026 because it is free, with no monthly fee, and it includes templates, recurring invoices, automatic reminders and a client portal. If you also take card payments in person, Square Invoices is the better alternative because invoicing and point of sale share one account.
Separate Rankite guides cover broader invoicing software, including full accounting suites. This guide judges invoice generators specifically, on speed, templates, free tier and payment collection. Prices below were checked on 14 November 2026, so confirm the current price on the vendor page before you pay.
Key takeaways
- Zoho Invoice is the best free pick, with a $0 plan that includes recurring invoices and automatic reminders, capped at 500 invoices a year.
- Wave Starter is also free with unlimited invoices, and it adds bookkeeping for billing and books in one tool.
- Invoice Simple is the fastest option from a phone, but its cheapest paid plan allows only 3 invoices a month.
- Square Invoices and PayPal Invoicing charge no monthly fee, but you pay a processing fee on every card payment.
- FreshBooks is the most complete tool here, yet it has no free plan and Lite allows only 5 billable clients.
Comparison table
| Tool |
Best for |
Starting price |
Free plan |
| Zoho Invoice |
Free invoicing with reminders |
$0 |
Yes, free forever, 500 invoices a year |
| Wave |
Free invoicing plus bookkeeping |
$0 |
Yes, Starter, unlimited invoices |
| Invoice Simple |
Fast mobile invoicing |
$6.99 per month |
No lasting free plan, 14-day trial |
| FreshBooks |
Service businesses that bill time |
$23 per month |
No, 30-day trial |
| Square Invoices |
Businesses that also take in-person payments |
$0 |
Yes, unlimited invoices |
| PayPal Invoicing |
Freelancers whose clients already use PayPal |
$0 |
Yes, no subscription |
| Hiveage |
Small teams that want recurring billing |
$0 |
Yes, up to 5 clients |
| Invoicely |
Very small businesses on a tight budget |
$0 |
Yes, 5 invoices a month |
What is invoice generator software
Invoice generator software is a tool that turns your work into a professional invoice in minutes, then sends it to your client with a payment link. You add your logo, the client, line items, tax and payment terms, and the tool builds a clean document you can email, text or share as a link. Most tools also track whether the invoice was viewed and paid. A full accounting suite does this too, but it adds ledgers and reports you may not need, so a generator is faster to learn and often cheaper.
Is there a free invoice generator
Yes, several invoice generators have a free plan that stays free, and the limits decide which one fits you. Zoho Invoice is free with a cap of 500 invoices a year and 2 users. Wave Starter is free with unlimited invoices and adds bookkeeping. Square Invoices and PayPal Invoicing are free to send, with no monthly fee, and they earn from payment processing instead. Hiveage is free for up to 5 clients with unlimited invoices. Invoicely is free for 5 invoices a month and 3 clients. Invoice Simple offers only a free one-off generator, and FreshBooks has no free plan, only a 30-day trial. Free plans always have a trade off, so check the invoice cap, the client cap and the card fee before you commit.
How do invoice generators get you paid faster
Invoice generators get you paid faster by cutting the delay between finishing work and asking for money. You can send an invoice from your phone within minutes of finishing a job, while the work is still fresh in the client's mind. The invoice includes a payment button, so the client can pay by card or bank transfer without replying to an email. Automatic reminders then chase late payments for you, on the due date and after it. Recurring invoices bill repeat clients on schedule.
What to check before you choose
Check the free plan limits first, because a free plan that caps you at 3 invoices a month will force an upgrade within weeks. Next, look at the card processing fee, since a free tool can cost more than a paid one once clients pay online. Square charges 3.3% plus $0.30 per card payment on its free plan, and PayPal charges 2.99% plus $0.49, so compare the fee against your average invoice size. Then check whether reminders and recurring invoices are included on your plan. Finally, check whether you can export your invoices and client list, so you are not locked in if you switch later.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Zoho Invoice | Freelancers and small businesses that want a full-featured free invoice generator | $0 per month (free plan; upgrade path is Zoho Billing from $25 per organization per month billed annually, checked 14 November 2026) | Yes, free forever, up to 500 invoices a year, 2 users and 3 projects |
 Wave | Freelancers who want free invoicing and bookkeeping in one place | $0 per month (Starter plan; Pro is $19 per month or $190 per year, checked 14 November 2026) | Yes, Starter is free with unlimited invoices, estimates, bills and bookkeeping records |
 Invoice Simple | Tradespeople and freelancers who invoice from a phone at the job site | $6.99 per month (Essentials plan, up to 3 invoices a month; Plus $14.99, Premium $21.99, checked 14 November 2026) | No lasting free plan; a free one-off online invoice generator plus a 14-day Premium trial on the mobile app |
 FreshBooks | Service businesses that bill time, track expenses and need client limits that grow | $23 per month (Lite plan; Plus $43, Premium $70, checked 14 November 2026) | No free plan; 30-day free trial |
 Square Invoices | Businesses that take card payments in person and send invoices from the same account | $0 per month (Square Free; Plus is $49 per month per location, checked 14 November 2026) | Yes, Square Free includes unlimited invoices, estimates and recurring invoices with no monthly fee |
 PayPal Invoicing | Freelancers whose clients already have PayPal accounts and trust the PayPal checkout | $0 per month to send invoices (no setup or monthly fee; an optional Invoicing Subscription costs $14.99 per month, checked 14 November 2026) | Yes, all standard invoicing features are free with a PayPal Business account; you pay only when a client pays |
 Hiveage | Freelancers and small teams that want recurring billing and time tracking on a free plan | $0 per month (Free plan; Basic is $19 per month or $16 per month billed annually, checked 14 November 2026) | Yes, free for up to 5 clients with unlimited invoices, estimates, time tracking and expense tracking |
 Invoicely | Very small businesses and side businesses that send only a few invoices a month | $0 per month (Free plan; Basic is $9.99 per month, checked 14 November 2026) | Yes, free for 5 invoices a month and 3 saved clients, with PayPal payments only |
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#1Zoho Invoice
Best for: Freelancers and small businesses that want a full-featured free invoice generator4.7/5 on
G2 (365 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit zoho.com
Starting price$0 per month (free plan; upgrade path is Zoho Billing from $25 per organization per month billed annually, checked 14 November 2026)
Free planYes, free forever, up to 500 invoices a year, 2 users and 3 projects
Zoho Invoice is the strongest free invoice generator here because its free plan includes the automation other tools charge for. Recurring invoices, automatic reminders and a client portal all come with the $0 plan, along with estimates, time tracking and expense tracking. You accept online payments through a gateway you connect, and Zoho charges no processing fee itself. The trade off is the ceiling of 500 invoices a year, 2 users and 3 projects, with no paid Zoho Invoice tier to grow into. Price conflict flagged: older 2026 write-ups cite a 1,000 invoice cap and 10 users, while the current pricing page shows 500 invoices and 2 users, so trust the current figure.
What we like- Free plan includes recurring invoices, automatic reminders, estimates, time and expense tracking, multi-currency support and a client portal
- No payment processing fee from Zoho itself
Watch out for- The 500 invoice yearly cap and 2 user limit mean growing businesses must migrate to Zoho Billing or Zoho Books, and invoices carry Zoho branding
#2Wave
Best for: Freelancers who want free invoicing and bookkeeping in one place4.3/5 on
G2 (328 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit waveapps.com
Starting price$0 per month (Starter plan; Pro is $19 per month or $190 per year, checked 14 November 2026)
Free planYes, Starter is free with unlimited invoices, estimates, bills and bookkeeping records
Wave Starter is the best free option if you want invoicing and bookkeeping together without a subscription. The free plan sends unlimited invoices and estimates, tracks bills and keeps real bookkeeping records, which is more than most free invoice tools offer. You pay only when a client pays online, at 2.9% plus $0.60 per card transaction, or 1% on bank payments with a $1 minimum. Pro at $19 a month adds automatic bank imports, receipt capture and automated reminders. Price note: sources disagree on the standalone receipt capture add-on, reporting $8 or $11 a month, so confirm it on Wave's site.
What we like- Unlimited invoices on the free plan, genuine double-entry bookkeeping included, mobile app, and no per-user fee on Pro
Watch out for- Automatic bank imports, receipt capture and automated late-payment reminders need the $19 per month Pro plan, and Wave is only available to businesses in Canada and the United States
#3
Invoice Simple
Best for: Tradespeople and freelancers who invoice from a phone at the job site
Visit invoicesimple.com
Starting price$6.99 per month (Essentials plan, up to 3 invoices a month; Plus $14.99, Premium $21.99, checked 14 November 2026)
Free planNo lasting free plan; a free one-off online invoice generator plus a 14-day Premium trial on the mobile app
Invoice Simple is built for speed on a phone. You pick a client, add line items, attach a photo if needed and send, and the client gets a link with a pay button. Estimates convert to invoices in one click, and the app supports card, ACH, PayPal and Venmo payments, plus automatic receipts and reminders. The pricing model is the catch. Essentials at $6.99 a month allows only 3 invoices a month, Plus at $14.99 allows 10, and only Premium at $21.99 is unlimited, so a weekly biller outgrows Essentials fast. Price conflict flagged: one UK comparison lists Plus at $13.49 and Premium at $19.99, while US sources list $14.99 and $21.99.
What we like- Very fast mobile invoicing with 60 plus templates, estimates that convert to invoices in one click, client signatures, deposits and read receipts
Watch out for- Every paid tier below Premium meters your invoices, so Essentials allows only 3 invoices a month and unlimited invoicing costs $21.99 a month
#4FreshBooks
Best for: Service businesses that bill time, track expenses and need client limits that grow4.5/5 on
G2 (981 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit freshbooks.com
Starting price$23 per month (Lite plan; Plus $43, Premium $70, checked 14 November 2026)
Free planNo free plan; 30-day free trial
FreshBooks is the most complete invoicing tool in this guide, and it is priced like one. Lite at $23 a month covers invoicing, payments, estimates, expenses and time tracking for 5 billable clients. Plus at $43 raises that to 50 clients and adds bank reconciliation, double-entry reports, proposals and retainers. Premium at $70 allows unlimited clients and adds project profitability. Card payments cost 2.9% plus $0.30. The client caps matter most, so a freelancer with more than 5 regular clients needs Plus from the start. Price conflict flagged: older pages list $15, $25 and $50, and one shows $21, $38 and $65, but current list prices after the March 2026 rise are $23, $43 and $70.
What we like- Clean invoicing with time tracking, expenses, estimates, proposals and retainers, plus bank reconciliation and accountant access on Plus and above
Watch out for- Lite allows only 5 billable clients and drops bank reconciliation and accountant access, and each extra team member costs $11 a month
#5Square Invoices
Best for: Businesses that take card payments in person and send invoices from the same account4.7/5 on
G2 (217 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit squareup.com
Starting price$0 per month (Square Free; Plus is $49 per month per location, checked 14 November 2026)
Free planYes, Square Free includes unlimited invoices, estimates and recurring invoices with no monthly fee
Square Invoices suits anyone who already takes payments with Square, because invoices and in-person sales settle in one system. The free plan includes unlimited invoices, recurring invoices, estimates, contracts and automatic reminders, which is generous for a $0 plan. Clients can pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App Pay, ACH or Afterpay, and you can save cards on file for repeat billing. The cost lands on each payment: 3.3% plus $0.30 per online card payment on Free, and 1% on ACH with no cap. Square does not support multi-currency acceptance.
What we like- Invoicing, point of sale, estimates, contracts and customer records share one account, with recurring invoices and reminders on the free plan
Watch out for- The free plan charges the highest standard online card rate in Square's range at 3.3% plus $0.30, and ACH fees have no cap unless you pay for Plus
#6PayPal Invoicing
Best for: Freelancers whose clients already have PayPal accounts and trust the PayPal checkout4.4/5 on
G2 (245 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit paypal.com
Starting price$0 per month to send invoices (no setup or monthly fee; an optional Invoicing Subscription costs $14.99 per month, checked 14 November 2026)
Free planYes, all standard invoicing features are free with a PayPal Business account; you pay only when a client pays
PayPal Invoicing needs no new account if you already use PayPal, which is its main advantage. You create an invoice from your PayPal Business account, add your logo and brand colours, and send it by email, link or QR code. Clients can pay with PayPal, Venmo, Pay Later, Apple Pay, cards or Pay by Bank, and no PayPal account is required for them to pay. Recurring invoices, automatic reminders and batch invoicing by CSV are included. The fee depends on how the client pays: cards cost 2.99% plus $0.49, PayPal or Venmo cost 3.49% plus $0.49, Pay Later costs 4.99% plus $0.49, and Pay by Bank costs 1% capped at $10.
What we like- Almost every client recognises the PayPal checkout, with templates, recurring invoices, automatic reminders, batch invoicing by CSV and QR code payment links
Watch out for- Processing fees are among the highest here, at 3.49% plus $0.49 when clients pay with PayPal or Venmo, and PayPal can hold payments for up to 21 days
#7
Hiveage
Best for: Freelancers and small teams that want recurring billing and time tracking on a free plan
Visit hiveage.com
Starting price$0 per month (Free plan; Basic is $19 per month or $16 per month billed annually, checked 14 November 2026)
Free planYes, free for up to 5 clients with unlimited invoices, estimates, time tracking and expense tracking
Hiveage is a quiet, capable invoicing tool for small businesses that bill the same clients every month. The free plan covers up to 5 clients with unlimited invoices, estimates, recurring billing, time tracking, expense tracking and mileage, plus gateways including PayPal, Stripe and Square. Paid plans raise the client limit, with Basic at $19 a month for 50 clients, Pro at $29 for 250 and Plus at $49 for more. Price conflict flagged: one comparison lists a Starter plan at $7.60 a month billed annually, while Hiveage's own page lists Basic at $19 a month, or $16 billed annually.
What we like- Free plan includes unlimited invoices and recurring billing, more than a dozen payment gateways, multi-currency support and a 14-day Pro trial with no card required
Watch out for- The free plan caps you at 5 clients and holds automatic payment reminders back for paid plans, so a growing client list forces an upgrade
#8
Invoicely
Best for: Very small businesses and side businesses that send only a few invoices a month
Visit invoicely.com
Starting price$0 per month (Free plan; Basic is $9.99 per month, checked 14 November 2026)
Free planYes, free for 5 invoices a month and 3 saved clients, with PayPal payments only
Invoicely is a simple invoice generator for the smallest businesses. The free plan sends 5 invoices a month to 3 saved clients, with limited branding and PayPal as the only online payment option. Basic at $9.99 a month raises the limits to 100 invoices and 25 clients and adds estimates, recurring invoices, time and expense tracking and more gateways. Professional at $19.99 allows 250 invoices and 100 clients, and Enterprise at $29.99 is unlimited. The templates are basic, so it will not impress clients who expect polished branding. Price note: some directories round the paid plans to $10, $20 and $30, while the vendor lists $9.99, $19.99 and $29.99.
What we like- Simple web and mobile invoicing with a genuinely free plan, and paid plans add estimates, recurring invoices, time, expense and mileage tracking
Watch out for- The free plan is tight, with only 5 invoices a month, 3 clients and PayPal-only payments, and recurring invoices need a paid plan
Frequently asked questions
Is Zoho Invoice really free forever
Yes, Zoho Invoice is free with no time limit and no paid tier of its own. The single free plan covers invoices, estimates, recurring invoices, automatic reminders, expenses, time tracking and a client portal. The limits are 500 invoices a year, 2 users and 3 projects, with Zoho branding on invoices. If you outgrow those limits, the upgrade path is Zoho Billing or Zoho Books.
Which invoice generator has the best free plan
Zoho Invoice has the best free plan for most freelancers because it includes recurring invoices and automatic reminders at $0. Wave Starter is best if you also want bookkeeping, since it adds unlimited invoices and double-entry records. Square Invoices is best if you take in-person card payments, because invoicing and point of sale share one account.
Do free invoice generators charge fees when clients pay
Yes, most free invoice generators earn from payment processing rather than a subscription. Wave charges 2.9% plus $0.60 per card payment, Square charges 3.3% plus $0.30 on its free plan, and PayPal charges 2.99% plus $0.49 for card payments or 3.49% plus $0.49 for PayPal payments. Zoho Invoice charges no processing fee itself, since your payment gateway sets the rate.
Can I send recurring invoices with a free invoice generator
Yes, with the right tool. Zoho Invoice includes recurring invoices on its free plan, and Square Invoices and Hiveage also include recurring billing without a subscription. Wave holds automated reminders back for Pro, and Invoicely needs a paid plan for recurring invoices. If repeat billing is central to your business, pick a tool that includes it free.
What is the cheapest way to send invoices as a freelancer
The cheapest route depends on how many invoices you send and how clients pay. Zoho Invoice and Wave cost $0 a month, so they are the cheapest for regular billing. Square and PayPal also cost $0 to send, but their card fees add up on large invoices. Invoice Simple at $6.99 a month is cheap only if you send 3 invoices a month or fewer.
Sources we checked (15)
- https://invoicesimple.com/
- https://www.waffleinvoice.com/blog/is-invoice-simple-free
- https://www.zoho.com/invoice/
- https://saascrmreview.com/zoho-invoice-pricing/
- https://www.waveapps.com/
- https://www.stacknpilot.com/articles/wave-vs-quickbooks-2026-is-free-accounting-enough
- https://www.freshbooks.com/
- https://cpaadvisor.us/articles/freshbooks-review/
- https://squareup.com/us/en/invoices
- https://www.paypal.com/us/brc/article/invoicing-create-professional-invoices
- https://www.raoura.com/blog/paypal-invoicing-for-freelancers
- https://www.hiveage.com/
- https://business.marketingbyspencer.co.uk/post/hiveage-invoicing-software-review
- https://invoicely.com/
- https://www.forgevertical.com/articles/top-7-invoice-software-prices-free-tiers-compared.html
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.