Invoicing software does one job: gets you paid faster with less chasing. You don’t need to spend much for that. Two of the best options are free.
Here are the 6 worth looking at, what each one really costs and the catch. Prices come from each company’s own pricing page, and card processing (what you pay when a client pays by card) is listed separately because that’s where the real cost hides.
| Software | Free plan | Paid plans from | Card payments on invoices | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wave | Yes, unlimited invoices | $19 a month (Pro) | 2.9% + $0.60 | Details |
| Zoho Invoice | Yes, up to 500 invoices a year | Free only | Depends on the gateway you connect | Details |
| Square Invoices | Yes, unlimited invoices | $49 a month (Plus) | 3.3% + 30 cents on the free plan | Details |
| FreshBooks | 30 day trial | $23 a month (Lite) | Shown in your account | Details |
| QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Free (limited) | $38 a month (Simple Start) | Shown in your account | Details |
| Xero | No | $27 a month (Early) | Shown in your account | Details |
The 6 best billing and invoicing software picks
1.Wave
Best free invoicing
- What it is
- Free invoicing and bookkeeping for small businesses.
- What it does for you
- Sends unlimited invoices and estimates, tracks what’s paid and what’s late, and keeps your books in the same place.
- What it costs
- Starter is $0. Card payments cost 2.9% + $0.60 each (3.4% + $0.60 for Amex). Pro is $19 a month or $190 a year, adds automatic bank imports and drops the 60 cents on your first 10 card payments a month.
- The catch
- The free plan makes you enter bank transactions yourself.
Worth it? Yes for most freelancers and small shops. Free invoices plus free books is hard to beat.
2.Zoho Invoice
Best free invoicing with automation
- What it is
- A completely free invoicing app from Zoho.
- What it does for you
- Sends invoices and quotes, runs recurring invoices and sends automatic payment reminders so you don’t have to.
- What it costs
- Free. Zoho caps it at two users, three projects and 500 invoices a year.
- The catch
- Invoices carry “Powered by Zoho Invoice” branding, and it’s invoicing only, not full bookkeeping.
Worth it? Yes if you send recurring invoices and hate chasing late payers.
3.Square Invoices
Best if you also take cards in person
- What it is
- Invoicing built into Square, the card reader and point of sale system.
- What it does for you
- Sends unlimited invoices and estimates, and puts your in-person and invoice payments in one place.
- What it costs
- Square Free is $0 a month. Card payments on invoices cost 3.3% + 30 cents on the free plan, or 2.9% + 30 cents on Plus at $49 a month per location. Bank transfers (ACH) cost 1%, with a $1 minimum.
- The catch
- The card rate on the free plan is higher than most, so big invoices get expensive.
Worth it? Only if you already use Square or take payments face to face. Otherwise Wave costs less per invoice.
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4.FreshBooks
Best for billing by the hour
- What it is
- Accounting software built around invoicing for service businesses.
- What it does for you
- Tracks your time and expenses and turns them into polished invoices, with accounting reports on top.
- What it costs
- Lite is $23 a month (bill up to 5 clients), Plus $43 (up to 50 clients), Premium $70 (unlimited). There’s a 30 day free trial, and the pricing page shows an intro discount for the first few months.
- The catch
- The client limits are tight. Hit client six on Lite and you’re paying $43 a month.
Worth it? Only if you bill hours to a handful of clients and want time tracking built in.
5.QuickBooks Online
Best if your accountant uses it
- What it is
- Full accounting software with invoicing, from Intuit.
- What it does for you
- Handles invoices, bills, sales tax and reports, with room to grow.
- What it costs
- Simple Start is $38 a month (1 user), Essentials $85, Plus $140, Advanced $340. QuickBooks Free costs $0 but has no mobile app or app integrations. No annual contract.
- The catch
- It’s a lot of software (and a lot of money) if all you do is send invoices.
Worth it? Only if your accountant asks for it or you need full accounting. For invoices alone, it’s overkill.
6.Xero
A QuickBooks alternative
- What it is
- Cloud accounting software with invoicing.
- What it does for you
- Sends quotes and invoices, takes online payments and reconciles your bank transactions.
- What it costs
- Early is $27 a month, Growing $59, Established $97. The pricing page shows an intro discount for new signups.
- The catch
- Early only covers 20 invoices and 5 bills a month. Send more and you’re on the $59 plan.
Worth it? Skip it unless your accountant works in Xero. For a small business, Wave or QuickBooks is a better deal.
How to pick invoicing software
Start with how your clients pay you.
If they mostly pay by bank transfer or check, card rates barely matter, so take the best free option (Wave or Zoho Invoice). If they pay by card, compare the card rate, because on a $2,000 invoice the difference between 2.9% and 3.3% is $8 every single time.
Then look at the limits. Client caps (FreshBooks), invoice caps (Zoho Invoice and Xero Early) and user charges are what push you to the next plan, usually right when business picks up.
Last, ask your accountant. If they work in QuickBooks or Xero, using the same thing can save you more in their bill than the software costs.
Features that actually matter
Automatic reminders for late invoices. Online payments, so clients can pay from the email. Recurring invoices if you bill monthly. A mobile app if you invoice from job sites.
Fancy templates and dashboards are nice. They won’t get you paid any faster.
Keep the money separate from your personal account too. These business bank accounts for freelancers make that easy, and our list of tools for entrepreneurs covers the rest of a lean setup.
FAQ
What is the best free invoicing software?
Wave and Zoho Invoice. Wave gives you unlimited invoices plus free bookkeeping. Zoho Invoice is free up to 500 invoices a year and adds automatic reminders and recurring invoices.
How much does it cost to accept card payments on invoices?
It depends on the app. Wave charges 2.9% + $0.60 per card payment. Square charges 3.3% + 30 cents on its free plan, or 2.9% + 30 cents on Plus.
Is FreshBooks worth it?
If you bill hours to a few clients and want time tracking, yes. Lite is $23 a month but only bills 5 clients, so check that limit first.
Do I need QuickBooks for a small business?
Not to send invoices. QuickBooks starts at $38 a month and makes sense when you need full accounting or your accountant asks for it.
Next step
Freelancing and just landing clients? See jobs that pay $20 an hour for more work to bill, or browse more business advice.
Sources (6)
Prices come from each company’s own pricing page. Intro prices change often, so check the checkout page before you pay.
- Wave. Pricing. waveapps.com. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- Zoho. Zoho Invoice pricing. zoho.com. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- Square. Invoices pricing and plans. squareup.com. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- FreshBooks. Pricing. freshbooks.com. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- Intuit. QuickBooks Online pricing. quickbooks.intuit.com. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- Xero. Pricing plans. xero.com. Accessed October 22, 2026.
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