Do you know what’s better than doing work you love? Getting paid for it! And having the best invoicing software as a freelancer makes that possible.
But according to the Globe News Wire, 74% of freelancers don’t get paid on time and 59% are owed $50,000! Honestly, this is downright appalling.
If you need to remind someone to pay you, I have guidance on doing so professionally here.
This article will help you not up in these statistics! Your first step is picking the right software to help you get paid what you’re rightly owed on time.
What is invoicing software?
So, what’s invoicing software? Let’s break it down.
Invoicing software is a digital tool that bills a client for your rendered services. The tool creates a list of services your client has purchased, along with their costs.
The final bill is sent to your client and this is the invoice your client has to pay.
What Is the Best Invoicing Software for Freelancers?
The truth to finding the best contractor invoicing software is this: there’s no one size fits all software.
Every freelancer’s needs are different from the next. What you can do is recognize your unique business needs and find the invoicing system that solves them.
Consider these questions to know which software is best for you:
- How many clients do you have? This is crucial because some invoicing tools limit the number of clients you can manage in the software.
- How many invoices are you going to send each month? Some freelancers have retainer clients that require monthly invoices while others don’t.
- How do clients prefer to pay you? Consider your client’s preferred or common payment methods, such as a credit card, PayPal, or bank transfer. Make sure that your invoicing software supports these payment options.
- Do you need the software to be integrated with other apps or tools? If you use separate tools like time tracking or bookkeeping, it’s important to know that your invoicing software can smoothly integrate with them.
- What can I afford to spend on a software each month? If you’re on a low budget, this will impact the invoicing app you can pick. Budget wisely!
- Is this invoicing software something I can figure out? Some freelancers are tech-savvy while some simply aren’t. And that’s okay.
The freelancer invoicing apps I’ve listed below have excellent reputations and are known to be highly effective, ensure easy, on-time payments, and are user-friendly in the freelancer community.
But, they all differ from one another and are best suited for many freelancers with different needs. Go through the list and find the best invoicing software for yourself.
Wave
Overview
On Wave, you can send unlimited and personally customized invoices to your clients and manage your expenses. You get to choose the template that best reflects your business, use your own logo, and select a color for your invoices.
Email invoices and collect payments through payment processing. You also get invoicing tools to stay professional, get paid faster, and keep track of your money.
Top Features and Benefits
- “Forever free” version: Wave offers free invoicing software, which means zero payment details. This free version helps you manage your bookkeeping, accounting, and invoicing with a few integrations – making tax season easier!
- Many useful features: Wave lets you customize your payment terms, calculate sales tax, and offers easy-to-understand insight into your cash flow. You also get a clean, clutter-free dashboard with tabs for your sales, purchases, accounting, and banking.
- Unlimited expenses, invoices, and receipts: You can send unlimited, customized invoices to your clients, manage an unlimited number of expenses, and track receipts.
Price
Free plans: Their invoicing software is 100% free. Your invoices will look professional and customized to fit your brand. You can also send automated reminders and enable direct payment from your invoice!
Payments: Let’s say you want to get paid faster. Wave’s Payments feature, which is pay-per-use, lets your client pay with a bank deposit, credit card, or Apple Pay in just 1-2 days.
The Bottom Line
If you’re a newbie or can’t invest in fancy software, Wave could be the best contractor invoice software you’re looking for. If you’re okay with keeping your invoicing game simple, this free and easy-to-do software is a match for you.
Overview
Freshbooks
FreshBooks is an invoicing software designed to make invoicing clients and getting paid easier. It keeps you organized and also tracks your sales tax. This invoicing software is designed for freelancers specifically.
You can manage your projects easier, keep track of your invoices, your expenses, and can accept payments.
Top Features and Benefits
- Freelancer targeted features: FreshBooks is recognized as one of the best invoicing software for freelancers because it’s specifically for them. You can easily create invoices and accept payments via credit and debit cards, Stripe, and PayPal.
- Lower prices: For freelancers looking for something low-budget, their Lite or Plus versions are only $8.50 or $15.00 per month.
- Easy-to-use software: FreshBooks is easy to navigate, even if you’re new to an online business. If you’re looking for a simple solution to get organized, this is a great choice for your basic invoice necessities.
Price
If you’re looking for basic invoicing software for freelancers, you have a few plans to pick from.
Lite plan: $8.50 per month and covers your basic necessities by sending unlimited invoices to up to 5 clients and getting paid with credit cards/bank transfers and tracking your sales.
Plus plan: $15.00 per month gives you the above and a bit more. If you’re looking for deeper insight and sending invoices to more clients, this is worth looking at.
The Bottom Line
FreshBooks is a great freelancer invoicing app for those who need to get paid in a simple and straightforward manner. It especially fits if you’re on a tight budget. But if you’re part of a larger team or want more customization options, it might not be the best invoicing software for you.
HoneyBook
Overview
HoneyBook sets out to be an all-in-one platform for freelancers to stay on top of their workload in every online business aspect – and delivers.
This software lets you manage projects, book clients, send invoices, sign online contracts and manage payments. Its roots are in scheduling but they deliver pretty much everything in the freelancer business.
Top Features and Benefits
- Multiple features: Honeybooks is an all-in-one platform for modern-day freelancers. You get all tools imaginable for invoicing, contracts, payment collection, scheduling, and more.
- HoneyBook creatives: You get a built-in resource for event networking called HoneyBook creatives. You can search for photographers, makeup artists, event rentals, and have your own business featured!
- User-friendly: If you get tech-stressed, this software is designed to be easy to understand.
- Customization: Customize your invoices to fit your unique brand; like choosing colors, your logo, font, and more.
Price
HoneyBook has several monthly subscriptions depending on what you need.
Starter plan: $9.50 per month. Perfect if you want to keep things low-budget yet have exactly what you need to invoice and get paid! And do up contracts.
Essentials plan: $19.50 per month. You get what you do in Starter plus the Honeybook signature removed if that’s something you really want.
The Bottom Line
When giving a taste with its free trial period, Honeybook is known as one of the top invoicing softwares due to its ease of use, security, and updates.
It’s easily recognized as one of the best invoicing software for freelancers because it accommodates all industry needs and helps get you paid with organized ease.
Quickbooks
Overview
Initially designed for small business owners, Quickbooks was redesigned to keep up with its customers’ progress should they need more advanced options; whether that’s invoicing, accounting, bookkeeping, or more.
QuickBooks offers top-grade invoicing solutions for freelancers so you can get paid on the go – and keep track of your money and bills with excellent summaries.
Top Features and Benefits
- Invoicing ease: You get industry-specific invoice templates of your choosing. You can also get paid faster by adding a “Pay Now” button in your client invoices.
- Bills and accounts payable: Your Bill Tracker provides a detailed summary of your purchase orders, overdue bills, and a total of your recently paid bills.
- Track income and expenses: You can connect your banking info to manage your expenses and pay any bills you owe that keep your business running.
Price
For the solo freelancer, you can pick an invoicing software plan that meets your invoicing needs.
Simple Start plan: $15.00 per month. You can track income, invoice and accept payments, and get a free guided set-up. If you’re brand new to invoicing, you can request walk-through help.
Essentials plan: $27.55 per month. Of course, you get everything in the Simple Start and a tad more. You can get Bill Management and connect 3 sales channels if you need to.
The Bottom Line
QuickBooks is an excellent invoice app for freelancers on the smaller side looking to make invoicing clients easy while customizing how you use the platform. Try out the full 30-day free trial and see for yourself!
Plus, if you’re someone who’s always on the go, you’ll love the mobile app because it works just easily as the desktop version.
Zoho
Overview
Zoho makes it easy to get started with invoicing, especially if you’re new to it. Their free plan includes just enough of your necessary features to be helpful for an individual new to freelancing software.
Plus, their interface is intuitive and clean, which makes it easy to figure out. For many solopreneurs, Zoho is one of the best invoicing software for freelancers.
Top Features and Benefits
- Free plan: Sure, like any other free pan, it’s limiting. But, it’s still valuable as you still can create contact lists, and even generate leads.
- Easy interface: Their interface is easy to adjust to, which is awesome if you’re new to using invoicing software.
- Easy mobile app: You get quick access to your contacts, leads, notes, and deals. Plus, you can easily call clients directly from your phone.
- Ai “Zia”: She can find the info you need to keep your clients and improve your professional performance. She’s only for top-tier plans, but its predictions are very helpful.
Price
Zoho has a 100% FREE plan that is perfect for the solo freelancer.
Free plan: You can bill multiple clients, create invoices, store client information securely, and collect payments online 24/7. You can also accept payments via cash, checks, and bank transfers.
- Create secure, PCI-compliant payment pages effortless
The Bottom Line
Zoho is one of the best invoicing software options for freelancers on the market if you just want the absolute best of the basics.
Its versatility to fit every industry and user-friendly makes it a top software contender – especially helped by its 30-day refund and a five-day buffer period in case you forget to cancel!
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Overview
Sage Business Cloud Accounting is made to simplify life for freelancers. It provides the best contractor invoice software that takes care of daily business to-dos, such as invoicing and accounting.
You can create professional quotes and invoices, track income and expenses, and every subscription includes unlimited access to support. You also get automatic backups and product updates.
Top Features and Benefits
- Simplified accounting: This software makes it easier to understand and eliminates the frustrating steps you’d rather avoid.
- Invoicing ease: Easily create and send invoices fast. Just choose an invoice template, add a logo, include the details, and hit send.
- Quotes and estimates: Look professional with customizable quotes.
- Bank integration: You can connect your bank and import and categorize bank transactions on automatic.
- Unlimited support: Phone, email, chat, and online support are included!
Price
Sage Business Cloud Accounting has three plans available…
- Pro accounting: $45.74 per month and supports a single user. It includes invoicing and bill tracking, automatic bank reconciliation, and even fraud protection. Mobile apps are available for both Apple and Android!
- Premium accounting: $73.60 per month and supports multiple users. It has all of the features in Accounting Start, plus benefits like advanced budgeting.
The Bottom Line
Sage Business Cloud Accounting is for tech-savvy business owners or those who can hire software developers who create custom solutions.
But, if you’re a budget-conscious business owner who needs a lower-priced invoicing solution, this might not be a great choice. Take it for a test drive and decide for yourself!
Dubsado
Overview
Dubsado is a popular invoicing software for freelancers because it has all the tools you need to run a business. You can invoice, create contracts, manage projects, create questionnaires, and schedule client calls.
Recognized as an all-in-one solution, its software is easy to use and helps increase your productivity, and helps grow your business.
Top Features and Benefits
- Lead Capture: You can create a lead capture form that automatically puts someone’s information in when they become a client. This makes invoicing them easier.
- Project management: Dubsado provides project management so you can see all your leads and active projects. Just click on a client and see all their details and information related to your service.
- Invoices: You can create invoices and send out as many as you need. Dubsado automatically sends out recurring invoices to retainer clients, which means one less thing to worry about.
- Contracts: If you’re working with clients, you should have contracts, which Dubsado provides for you and can be handled 100% digitally.
Price
Dubsado’s subscription plans are conveniently lower budget.
Starter plan: $20 per month or $200 a year. You get to create unlimited projects, clients, invoices, email templates, and more digital valuables.
Premier plan: $40 per month or $400 per year. You get everything in the Starter plan, plus scheduling, automated workflows, multiple lead capture forms, and more benefits to boost your business.
The Bottom Line
Dubsado is a top choice for solo freelancers because its platform is tailored to what a one-person business specifically needs.
It’s flexible for every type of industry, customizable for your unique brand, and its customer support team has a strong reputation. They offer a no-strings-attached, free trial for 3 clients.
The Wrap-Up
You deserve to be paid! And the work you write for your clients deserves it.
As a freelancer, the best invoicing software will be the tool that enables your business for smooth success.
I found the best invoicing software as a freelancer. It’s time to find yours – and never miss another payment!
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