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Invoicing & Payments

Best Invoicing Software for Freelancers

The best invoicing software for freelancers compared on price, payments, and ease of use, with strong free picks. Honest guidance for the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.

Last updated 4 min read

Invoicing software comes down to three questions: can you create a professional invoice quickly, can clients pay it easily, and what does it cost once you factor in payment fees. This guide compares the options we consider strongest for freelancers and solo businesses in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Everything here comes from the vendors' published features and prices.

How we picked

We looked at what matters for a one-person business: professional invoices, online payment options, recurring and automatic invoicing, reminders for late payers, light accounting, and availability across our four core markets.

Pricing last checked: November 1, 2026. Prices can change; confirm on the vendor's site.

At a glance

High-level comparison. Confirm current pricing on each vendor's site.
FreshBooksZoho InvoiceWave
Starting priceLow-cost paid plansFreeFree (pay per payment)
Free planTrial onlyYesYes
Online paymentsYesYesYes
Recurring invoicesYesYesYes
Automatic remindersYesYesYes
Accounting includedYesInvoicing onlyYes
Best forAll-roundFree & feature-richFree invoicing + books

FreshBooks: best all-round

FreshBooks began as invoicing software and it shows. Invoices look professional with minimal setup, recurring billing and automatic reminders are easy, and clients can pay online by card. It also includes time and expense tracking, so hourly work turns into an invoice without re-keying. The workflow from "log the work" to "get paid" is tight, which matters more to a freelancer than almost any other feature.

Pros

  • Polished invoices with little setup
  • Automatic reminders and recurring invoices
  • Time and expense tracking feed into invoices
  • Light double-entry accounting included

Cons

  • No permanent free plan
  • Client limits on lower tiers can force an upgrade
  • More than a pure invoicing tool if that's all you need

Pricing summary: FreshBooks is subscription-based, with a low-cost entry plan that typically caps the number of billable clients, and a free trial but no permanent free tier. Check the current price for the plan you need. See the full head-to-head in our FreshBooks vs QuickBooks Online comparison.

Zoho Invoice: best free invoicing

Zoho Invoice is a free, surprisingly complete invoicing tool: unlimited invoices, recurring billing, time tracking, a client portal, and online payments. For freelancers who don't need full accounting, it covers the essentials with no monthly fee. The catch is that deeper accounting lives in the separate Zoho Books product.

Pros

  • Free for its invoicing feature set
  • Unlimited invoices and recurring billing
  • Client portal and time tracking included

Cons

  • Full accounting needs Zoho Books (paid)
  • Most useful inside the wider Zoho ecosystem
  • Payment gateway availability varies by country

Pricing summary: Zoho Invoice's invoicing features are free to use; you pay only the standard processing fees when clients pay online.

Wave: best free invoicing with accounting

Wave rolls free invoicing and free accounting into one app, funded by payment-processing fees. For a freelancer who wants to send invoices and keep basic books without a subscription, it's a strong fit.

Pros

  • Free invoicing and accounting together
  • Unlimited invoices and clients
  • Good for simple, service-based freelancing

Cons

  • Payment features and availability vary by region
  • Fewer automation options than FreshBooks
  • Lighter support on the free product

Pricing summary: Wave's core invoicing and accounting are free; you pay per-transaction fees when clients pay by card or bank payment.

Who each tool is best for

  • You bill hourly and want everything automated: FreshBooks.
  • You want the most capable free invoicing: Zoho Invoice.
  • You want free invoicing with basic books: Wave.
  • You invoice international clients: any of these, plus a low-cost transfer service, see our best payment processors across borders.

Getting paid faster is a habit, not just a tool

Send invoices the day the work is done, set clear terms with an explicit due date, and turn on automatic reminders. When a payment slips anyway, our guide on how to chase late invoices gives you a calm, effective sequence with templates.

Our verdict

Frequently asked questions

What is the best invoicing software for most freelancers?

FreshBooks offers the best all-round balance of polished invoices, payments, and light accounting. For a free option, Zoho Invoice and Wave are both strong. The right pick depends on budget and whether you also need accounting.

Can I send invoices for free?

Yes. Zoho Invoice is free for its invoicing features, and Wave offers free invoicing and accounting funded by payment fees. Both let you send unlimited professional invoices without a subscription.

Do I need invoicing software or is a template enough?

A template works for a few invoices a month. Software pays off once you want automatic reminders, recurring invoices, online payments, and a clean record for tax time.

What's the cheapest way to get paid?

Bank transfer usually carries the lowest fees, while card and PayPal are more convenient but take a percentage. Many invoicing tools let you offer several methods so clients choose.

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