If you’re still sending invoices as Word docs or PDFs, you’re wasting time. Here’s what actually works.
Freelancers need invoicing software that’s fast, professional, and doesn’t eat into margins with fees. I’ve tested dozens. Here are the six that matter, ranked by what they’re actually good at.
Quick Verdict
Best overall free tier: Wave
Best for growth: Zoho Invoice
Best for simplicity: Invoice Ninja
Best for international: PayPal Invoicing
Best for automation nerds: Invoice Generator + Zapier
Best for service businesses: FreshBooks (limited free)
Now let’s break down why.
1. Wave — Best Overall Free Tier
Price: Free forever (they make money on payments processing)
What you get:
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited clients
- Automatic payment reminders
- Expense tracking
- Receipt scanning (mobile app)
- Bank connection for reconciliation
- Basic reports
Payment processing:
- Credit card: 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction
- Bank transfer (ACH): 1% ($1 minimum)
Pros
- Truly free with no limits on invoice count
- Clean, professional templates
- Mobile app is solid
- Automatic late payment reminders
- Integrates with your bank for expense tracking
Cons
- Payment processing fees are slightly higher than competitors
- No time tracking built-in
- Limited customization on invoices
- Customer support is email-only (slow)
Who it’s for: Freelancers who need full-featured invoicing without paying a subscription. Best if you don’t need time tracking.
2. Zoho Invoice — Best for Growth
Price:
- Free: Up to 1,000 invoices/year, 5 clients
- Standard: $15/month (unlimited)
- Professional: $25/month (advanced features)
What you get (free tier):
- 1,000 invoices per year (83/month—plenty for most freelancers)
- 5 clients max
- Time tracking
- Expense tracking
- Payment reminders
- Multi-currency support
- Client portal
Payment processing:
- Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30
- PayPal: standard PayPal fees
- Razorpay (India): competitive rates
Pros
- Time tracking included (even on free tier)
- Multi-currency is huge for international clients
- Client portal lets them view invoice history
- Integrates with other Zoho apps if you expand
- Mobile app is excellent
Cons
- 5-client limit on free tier is restrictive
- Interface feels dated compared to Wave
- Payment gateway setup is clunky
Who it’s for: Freelancers who bill by the hour and want time tracking without paying for Harvest or Toggl. Good if you have a few recurring clients.
3. Invoice Ninja — Best for Simplicity
Price:
- Free: Self-hosted or 20 clients on hosted version
- Pro: $10/month (unlimited, white-label)
- Enterprise: $14/month (advanced features)
What you get (free tier):
- 20 active clients (hosted)
- Unlimited invoices
- Proposals and quotes
- Time tracking
- Expense tracking
- Client portal
- Recurring invoices
- Payment reminders
Payment processing:
- Integrates with Stripe, PayPal, Square, Authorize.net
- Fees depend on your processor
Pros
- 20 clients is more generous than Zoho
- Proposals/quotes built-in (rare for free tier)
- Recurring invoices for retainer clients
- Open-source (you can self-host for unlimited everything)
- Clean, modern interface
Cons
- Hosted free tier is limited; self-hosting requires technical chops
- Payment setup isn’t as streamlined as Wave
- Smaller user base = fewer integrations
Who it’s for: Freelancers comfortable with tech who want more control. If you can self-host, it’s unlimited and free forever.
4. PayPal Invoicing — Best for International
Price: Free (they make money on payment processing)
What you get:
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited clients
- Payment reminders
- Multi-currency support
- Mobile app
- Recurring invoices
Payment processing:
- Domestic: 3.49% + fixed fee
- International: 4.49% + fixed fee
- Friends/family: free (not for business use)
Pros
- Everyone has PayPal—low friction for clients
- Multi-currency is seamless
- Fast payments (funds available quickly)
- No monthly fee ever
Cons
- 3.49% is higher than competitors
- Invoices look basic (PayPal branding)
- Limited customization
- PayPal’s customer service is notoriously bad
Who it’s for: Freelancers with international clients. The higher fees hurt, but clients already trust PayPal, so conversion is high.
5. Invoice Generator — Best for Automation Nerds
Price: Free (no account required)
What you get:
- Generate unlimited invoices
- Download as PDF
- No branding (surprisingly)
- Basic customization
Payment processing: N/A (you send the PDF manually)
Pros
- No sign-up required
- Fast: fill out form, download PDF, send
- Can integrate with Zapier to auto-generate invoices
- Zero vendor lock-in (it’s just a PDF generator)
Cons
- No client database
- No payment tracking
- No reminders
- Manual workflow (unless you automate)
Who it’s for: Freelancers who invoice rarely and don’t want another SaaS account. Also works if you’re building custom automation with Zapier/Make.
Power user tip: Use Airtable or Notion to track clients/projects, then trigger Invoice Generator via Zapier when a project closes. Free tier handles 100 tasks/month.
6. FreshBooks — Best for Service Businesses (Limited Free)
Price:
- Free: 30-day trial (no credit card)
- Lite: $17/month (5 clients)
- Plus: $30/month (50 clients)
- Premium: $55/month (unlimited)
Why include it if it’s not free? Because the 30-day trial is full-featured, and many freelancers only invoice monthly or quarterly. If you invoice 12 times/year, you can run a new trial each time (grey area—use at your own risk).
What you get:
- Unlimited invoices
- Time tracking
- Expense tracking
- Proposals
- Client portal
- Project management
- Reporting
Payment processing:
- Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30
- ACH: 1% (capped at $10)
Pros
- Best user experience in the category
- Time tracking is excellent
- Project management built-in
- Great mobile app
- Top-tier customer support
Cons
- Not actually free long-term
- Expensive for what you get ($17/month for 5 clients is steep)
- Overkill if you just need basic invoicing
Who it’s for: Service-based freelancers (consultants, agencies) who need time tracking, proposals, and project management in one tool. Worth paying for if you bill $5k+/month.
Features Comparison
| Feature | Wave | Zoho | Invoice Ninja | PayPal | Invoice Gen | FreshBooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invoice limit | Unlimited | 1,000/year | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Client limit | Unlimited | 5 | 20 | Unlimited | N/A | 5 (Lite) |
| Time tracking | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Recurring invoices | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Payment reminders | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Multi-currency | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Client portal | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Mobile app | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Payment processing | 2.9% + $0.60 | Via Stripe | Via Stripe | 3.49% | Manual | 2.9% + $0.30 |
What About QuickBooks, Xero, and HoneyBook?
QuickBooks Self-Employed has a free tier, but it’s limited to tracking expenses—no invoicing. The paid tier ($20/month) is expensive for freelancers.
Xero has no free tier. Starts at $13/month. Great for small businesses, overkill for solo freelancers.
HoneyBook is $16/month (no free tier). Excellent for creatives (photographers, designers) but not free.
My Recommendation
Start with Wave. It’s free forever, unlimited invoices and clients, and the interface is clean. If you need time tracking, use Toggl’s free tier alongside it.
Upgrade to Zoho if you have fewer than 5 regular clients and need time tracking in one place.
Use PayPal if most of your clients are international. The fees hurt, but payment friction is lower.
Use Invoice Ninja if you’re technical and want to self-host. Unlimited everything, zero cost.
Avoid FreshBooks unless you’re billing $5k+/month and need project management. It’s overpriced for basic invoicing.
Common Mistakes Freelancers Make
1. Not sending invoices immediately
Bill when the work is done. Waiting a week to invoice adds a week to your payment timeline.
2. Not setting payment terms
“Due upon receipt” is vague. Use “Net 15” or “Net 30” and enforce it.
3. Not following up on late payments
Automatic reminders exist for a reason. Turn them on. Don’t rely on manual follow-ups.
4. Paying for features you don’t use
If you invoice 10 times a year, you don’t need a $30/month tool. Wave is free.
5. Not accepting credit cards
Yes, fees suck. But clients pay faster when they can use a card. The 2.9% fee is worth it to get paid in 2 days instead of 30.
Final Thoughts
The best invoicing tool is the one you’ll actually use consistently. Wave is free and good enough for 90% of freelancers. Zoho is better if you bill by the hour. PayPal is easiest for international work.
Don’t overthink it. Pick one, send invoices promptly, follow up on late payments, and get back to doing the work you actually get paid for.
Freelance Business Resources
If you’re building a freelance business, these books will help you get paid properly and grow sustainably:
- The Freelancer’s Bible by Sara Horowitz — Comprehensive guide to freelancing including contracts, invoicing, and taxes.
- Double Your Freelancing Rate by Brennan Dunn — Pricing strategies that actually work for consultants and freelancers.
Bottom line:
- Best free tier: Wave (unlimited everything)
- Best for time tracking: Zoho Invoice (free up to 5 clients)
- Best for international: PayPal (everyone has it)
- Best for nerds: Invoice Ninja (self-host for unlimited free)
- Best if you’re profitable: FreshBooks (worth paying for if you bill $5k+/month)
Stop sending invoices manually. Automate it.