For invoicing apps that are also payment gateways, we've listed the applicable fees. Others use third-party payment gateways to process payments. Some of the tools below-like PayPal and Stripe-are payment gateways. Those fees are automatically deducted from any payment you receive. So even though the invoicing software itself is free to use, all of the apps charge payment processing and transaction fees for accepting payments. But if you want your tool to be part of a broader workflow, the apps below are your best options.Īnother important thing to note: all online payments require the use of a payment gateway-a service that processes card and bank payments. Or you could use a free invoice generator like Invoice Generator. In that case, you can use this invoice template in Google Docs and just email it off when it's ready. If you only send one or two invoices a month, you might not need the bells and whistles of a complete platform. I looked specifically for tools that offer this feature whenever possible. Whether you have a subscription-based company or use retainers, being able to bill automatically can save you tons of time. I chose invoicing tools that offer robust reporting features, so you can see where you stand. Knowing where your money is going is crucial to running a successful business. I tested all the customization features for each of these invoice tools. Customizing your invoice to add brand colors and logos also helps your clients know your invoice is legitimate. Branding is what sets your business apart. All the invoicing tools on this list offer a solid suite of features for free.Ībility to customize invoices. Some 'free' plans are just lead magnets to get you to sign up for a paid plan. To find the best platforms, I signed up for a free version of each and tested it by creating and customizing an invoice, adding new clients, digging into the report settings, and testing any automation features. That's because every business is different-a freelance SEO consultant, for example, needs different features than a business coach. There's no one perfect solution when it comes to the best free invoicing tools.

For more details on our process, read the full rundown of how we select apps to feature on the Zapier blog.

We're never paid for placement in our articles from any app or for links to any site-we value the trust readers put in us to offer authentic evaluations of the categories and apps we review. We spend dozens of hours researching and testing apps, using each app as it's intended to be used and evaluating it against the criteria we set for the category. All of our best apps roundups are written by humans who've spent much of their careers using, testing, and writing about software.

Invoicing software for consultants