As a freelancer, you probably dread the end of the month. You have to take care of all the administrative tasks that have been piling up over the last few weeks — including sending out invoices for your work.
If trying to get paid every month feels like a chore, it’s time to improve or upgrade your process (goodbye creating invoices in word processing software!).
But if looking for a new solution sounds like about as much fun as maintaining the status quo, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Read on to see the best freelance invoice software on the market today.
The Best Freelance Invoice Software
- Best Customer Service: Square
- Best Budget-Friendly Option: Wave
- Best Onboarding Process: QuickBooks
- Best Free Resources: FreshBooks
- Best Standalone Solution: Invoicely
- Best App Integrations: Xero
1. Square
Best Customer Service
Square won for best customer service because it’s one of the few invoice software options that offer phone support. Customers can call 12 hours a day, five days a week to get the help they need.
Features
Square Invoicing allows you to:
- Send invoices (individually or in batches)
- Create custom invoices or use templates
- Send estimates that can get converted into invoices
- Send contracts that can get signed digitally
- Send automated recurring invoices and payment reminders
- Accept payments in person, over the phone, or online
- Offer online payment options like ACH transfer, credit cards, Square gift cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Afterpay (a buy now, pay later service)
- Log check and cash payments
- Collect deposits, send receipts, accept tips, and issue refunds
- Add taxes and discounts to invoices
- See all of your customers, estimates, invoices, contracts, and business reports in one place
You can also manage your invoices from your cell phone or tablet via the Android or iOS Square Mobile App.
Pricing
The base version of Square Invoicing is free. However, if you’d like advanced features like invoice customization, the software costs $20 per month.
Customer Service
Square offers many ways to get support and service when you have an issue or question. You can call the Square Customer Success Team Monday to Friday, 6a-6p PST. You can also interact with the company’s chatbot, use the online live chat feature, engage with other platform users in the Square Seller Community, take a tutorial, or browse through helpful articles and videos.
Online Reputation
Square is highly rated on Trustpilot, earning 4.3 out of five stars across 3,700+ reviews. However, Square has received almost 5,000 now-closed complaints through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in the past three years. The company is accredited and A+ rated by the BBB, though.
Want to learn more? Read our full Square review.
2. Wave
Best Budget-Friendly Option
We chose Wave as the best budget-friendly option because the company only charges a payment processing fee on each invoice. That means you don’t pay anything to use Wave if your customers don’t pay you!
Features
When you use Wave, you can:
- Send and track invoices and estimates
- Schedule automatic recurring credit card payments
- Send overdue reminders
- Accept online payments by credit card, Apple Pay, and bank transfer
- Accept customer payments over the phone or in person
- See customer details, including payment history and average time to pay
- Get instant notifications when a customer views or pays your invoice
- Send and manage invoices through the Android or iOS mobile app
Wave invoicing activity also automatically syncs with the company’s free bookkeeping software, saving you the hassle of manually updating your books.
Pricing
Wave’s pricing model is simple: only pay when your customer pays your invoice. Then, your fee is based on how they pay:
- ACH transfers: 1% of the transaction
- Credit cards: 2.9% of the transaction, plus $0.60
- American Express cards: 3.4% of the transaction, plus $0.60
Customer Service
Since Wave doesn’t charge you a fee to use the software, the company’s customer service options are very limited. If you need support, you can turn to articles on Wave’s website. Or, you can talk to the provider’s chatbot, Mave.
Online Reputation
Wave’s online reputation isn’t impressive. The firm is accredited by the BBB and has an A rating through the authority. However, customers have given the company 1.2 out of five stars and lodged more than 160 now-closed complaints over the last three years.
Wave doesn’t fare much better on Trustpilot. Reviewers on that platform have given the software provider 1.3 out of five stars.
3. QuickBooks
Best Onboarding Process
QuickBooks won the best onboarding category, hands-down. You’ll receive a guided setup session with a QuickBooks expert when you purchase access to QuickBooks Online. That way, you can get the system up and running for your business quickly — and properly.
Features
Using QuickBooks, you can:
- Send and track invoices (one-time and recurring)
- Customize invoices with your company logo and colors
- Add billable hours automatically via QuickBooks Time and Google Calendar
- Send automated payment reminders
- Allow customers to pay over time (submit a deposit, remit payment at project milestones, etc.)
- Accept online payments via bank transfer or credit card
- See when invoices are viewed and paid
- Manage your invoices via the mobile app
Plus, all of your paid invoices automatically get recorded in your books.
Pricing
QuickBooks offers multiple pricing tiers. But if you only need an invoicing solution, the company’s Simple Start plan will work for you.
The plan’s regular price is $30 per month. However, QuickBooks is currently running a promotion that gives you 50% off for the first three months.
Please note: If you opt for the 50% off deal, you’re ineligible for the 30-day free trial.
Customer Service
When you need help, you can contact QuickBooks via chatbot or online chat. You can also request a callback. If your question or concern is common enough, you may be able to get your answer from the website’s many articles or tutorials.
Online Reputation
Intuit’s (the company that owns QuickBooks) reputation has some blemishes. For example, the software provider has received 1.2 out of five stars on Trustpilot and one out of five stars on the BBB website.
Intuit is not rated or accredited by the BBB. However, the company had more than 3,200 now-closed complaints lodged against it within the last three years. Plus, in 2022, Intuit had to pay $141 million in restitution to customers who were unfairly charged for tax services.
Interested in this software? Learn more by reading our full QuickBooks Online review.
4. FreshBooks
Best Free Resources
FreshBooks took this category because the company offers website visitors free access to a wide array of educational materials and tools. For example, you can read blog articles, listen to podcasts, look up words in a glossary of accounting and business terms, and more. You can also download accounting templates and play with business calculators.
Features
With FreshBooks, you can:
- Create custom invoices with your company logo
- Accept online payments via credit card, ACH, and Apple Pay
- Send personalized thank you emails when payment is received
- Send automated payment reminders
- Charge automatic late fees
- Add billable hours and expenses to your invoices
- Send recurring invoices and set up retainers
- See when invoices get paid
- Request deposits and offer discounts
- Choose the currency and language of your invoices
- Manage the invoicing process from the iOS or Android mobile application
Plus, if you bill for an item in your inventory, FreshBooks will automatically adjust your counts to reflect the sale.
Pricing
FreshBooks offers three different plans to suit a variety of budgets and business needs:
| Lite | Plus | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| $17/month | $30/month | $55/month |
| 5 clients Unlimited invoices |
50 clients Unlimited invoices, plus features like: Recurring invoices, retainers, and other features |
Unlimited clients Unlimited invoices, plus features like: Automatic payment reminders and late fees |
The various tiers also offer different accounting functionality beyond invoicing.
Currently, FreshBooks is running a promotion that gives new users 60% off for six months. If you pay for the entire year upfront, you’ll get an additional 10% off.
Please note: If you take advantage of the promotional pricing, you can’t get a 30-day free trial. But, if you’re on the fence about FreshBooks, you can request a software demo.
Customer Service
FreshBooks offers several ways to get in touch if you need help. You can send an email, call, use the online chat, or engage with the chatbot. You can also look through the support article library.
Online Reputation
FreshBooks’ online reputation is mixed. The company received 3.2 out of five stars across more than 700 reviews on the Trustpilot website.
However, the software provider did get a few complaints on the BBB platform and is not accredited by the authority. But, despite some customer concerns, FreshBooks does have an A+ rating there.
5. Invoicely
Best Standalone Option
We chose Invoicely as the best standalone option because, unlike its competitors, the software focuses solely on creating, sending, tracking, and managing invoices. The solution’s specialization makes it easier to learn and use.
Features
Invoicely lets you:
- Create and send estimates, bills, and invoices
- Send recurring invoices
- Accept online payments via credit card, bank transfer, Stripe, PayPal, Millie, and Authorize.Net
- Set up automatic payment reminders
- Add taxes, shipping, and discounts to invoices
- Track time, mileage, and expenses
- Review invoicing-related reports
- Add your logo to invoices
Invoicely also offers iOS and Android mobile apps to manage your invoices while away from the office.
Pricing
Invoicely offers four plans:
| Free | Basic | Professional | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0/month | $9.99/month | $19.99/month | $29.99/month |
| 5 invoices 3 saved clients Can only accept PayPal Business branding is limited |
100 invoices 25 saved clients 2 team members Full business branding, plus features like: Sending estimates and recurring invoices, accepting all online payment methods, tracking time, mileage, and expenses |
250 invoices 100 saved clients 10 team members All the features of the Basic plan |
Unlimited invoices Unlimited saved clients 25 team members All the features of the Basic plan |
Customer Service
Invoicely’s customer service options are more limited than some of its competitors. When you need assistance, you can email the company. Or, you can consult the Help Center, which has several articles and guides that may answer your question.
Online Reputation
Invoicely’s online reputation seems decent, but available information is limited. The software provider received 3.3 out of five stars on Trustpilot across just three reviews.
The company has no presence on the BBB website. But, the G2 business software review website featured 26 customer write-ups that gave Invoicely 4.4 out of five stars.
6. Xero
Best App Integrations
Xero won for best app integrations because the accounting software can integrate with more than 1,000 other applications. When you visit the Xero App Store, you’ll see many popular business-related applications, such as ADP, Lightspeed Retail POS, Fishbowl Inventory, HubSpot, Mailchimp, and Constant Contact.
Features
You can use Xero to:
- Send invoices
- Customize invoices with the logo, layout, and data fields of your choice
- Accept online payments via credit card, bank transfer, Stripe, or GoCardless
- Set up automatic payments and automatic payment reminders
- Turn quotes into invoices
- See if your customer has viewed or paid your invoice
- Import invoices from other tools
You can also use Xero’s mobile app to manage your invoices from anywhere.
Pricing
Xero offers three pricing tiers:
| Early | Growing | Established |
|---|---|---|
| $13/month | $37/month | $70/month |
| Send quotes and up to 20 invoices Capture receipts Reconcile banking transactions |
Send unlimited quotes and invoices All features from the Early plan, plus capabilities like: Bulk transaction reconciliation |
Send unlimited quotes and invoices All features from the Early plan, plus the ability to: Track projects, claim expenses, view advanced analytics, use multiple currencies |
Xero is currently running a promotion that gives new customers 75% off for three months. You could also opt for a 30-day free trial.
Customer Service
Xero’s customer service options aren’t very robust. You can submit your questions via an online portal. Xero doesn’t publish a customer service phone number. However, someone from the company may call you if necessary. You can also browse through the provider’s library of articles for assistance.
Online Reputation
Xero’s online reputation is mostly positive. The company is very well-rated on Trustpilot, with an average of 4.2 out of five stars across more than 5,000 reviews. However, the software provider has an F rating through the BBB, despite only having three closed complaints over the past three years.
| Software | Category Won | Monthly Price | Support and Customer Service Options | Trustpilot Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square | Best Customer Service | $0-$20 | Resource library, tutorials, chatbot, online chat, or phone | 4.3/5 |
| Wave | Best Budget-Friendly Option | Processing fees only (1%-3.4% of each transaction, plus $0.60 for credit card use) | Resource library or chatbot | 1.3/5 |
| QuickBooks | Best Onboarding Process | $30 | Resource library, tutorials, community discussion board, chatbot, online chat, or callback | 1.2/5 |
| FreshBooks | Best Free Resources | $17-$55 | Resource library, chatbot, live chat, or phone | 3.2/5 |
| Invoicely | Best Standalone Solution | $0-$29.99 | Resource library or email | 3.3/5 |
| Xero | Best App Integrations | $13-$70 | Resource library or online form (possible callback) | 4.2/5 |
Common Questions About Freelance Invoice Software
What do freelancers use for invoices?
Freelancers often use word processing software to create invoices when they’re just getting started. However, once they’ve been in business for a while and have more clients to keep track of, many freelancers will transition to invoice software. That way, sending, tracking, and managing invoices is easier.
Do I need an LLC to invoice someone?
You don’t need an LLC to invoice someone. Sole proprietors without a formal business structure send invoices to clients every day. However, as your business grows, you may want to consider forming an LLC for its legal protection.
What is the best invoicing software for freelancers?
The best invoicing software for freelancers depends on the individual freelancer’s goals and needs. For example, free software may work well if the freelancer’s invoice volume is low. On the other hand, if the freelancer’s business is growing, they may want a more robust solution that can keep up with their expansion.
Can I create an invoice as a freelancer?
Yes, you can create an invoice as a freelancer. In fact, you should create and send invoices as a freelancer. That way, you can get paid for the work you did!
The post The Best Freelance Invoice Software in 2023 appeared first on Part-Time Money®.
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