7 Best invoice software for freelancers in 2023
As a freelancer, I understand that billing your clients is tedious. However, invoicing doesn’t need to be time-consuming and tiresome. Invoice software can make your life so much easier. In this blog, we’ll look at the 7 best invoicing software for freelancers in 2023.
What is the best invoicing software for freelancers?
Here are my top picks for the best invoicing software for freelancers in 2023:
1. Bonsai
Bonsai is undoubtedly one of the best invoicing tools available for freelancers. With its rich features and user-friendly interface, Bonsai is the go-to platform for many freelancers who wish to streamline their workflow and manage their finances.
Key features
Invoicing system
Bonsai is well-known for its invoicing features. The platform makes creating and sending invoices easy with customizable invoice templates and options for adding business information, logo, expenses, and payment terms.
Automatic payments
You can send automatic payment reminders to the system, and Bonsai will auto-generate recurring invoices.
Payments options
Bonsai also offers many payment options, including Bonsai Payments (debit card, credit card, and ACH payments), Stripe Payments, and Paypal, so your clients can have many ways to reward you.
Time-tracking
This tool ensures you charge your clients accurately by tracking your project time.
Project management
This tool offers features like project timelines, task lists, and collaboration tools, which help you stay organized and meet your deadlines.
Contract creation and e-signing
Bonsai provides a range of customizable contract templates, including proposals, NDAs, and more. You can customize these templates to fit your needs and then send them for e-signature directly from the platform.
Freelancers will save a lot of time and hassle, as they won’t have to spend hours drafting contracts from scratch or chasing down signatures.
Excellent customer support
Bonsai has a dedicated team that is always available to answer any question or concern. The company is committed to providing the best customer experience.
Price
Bonsai has 3 different pricing plans:
Starter: $24/month for the monthly plan and $17/month for the annual plan.
Professional: $39/month for the monthly plan and $32/month for the annual plan.
Business: $79/month for the monthly plan and $52/month for the annual plan.
Bonsai allows you to try the product for 7 days free. And even if you change your mind after your first payment, Bonsai guarantees you will get your money back.
Pros
Easy to set up and get started.
Customizable and professional invoice templates.
Easy to manage work time and project deadlines.
Cons
Online payment has geographical limitations.
Bonsai is only available in English.
The contract creation tool has limitations.
2. Invoicera
Invoicera is a comprehensive invoice tool offering various features to help freelancers manage their finances and grow their businesses. As someone who has been using Invoicera for some time now, I can attest to its effectiveness in invoicing and payment processing.
Key features
Customizable invoices
Invoicera offers many freelance invoice templates that you can benefit from. You can customize your invoice template by adding logos, creating personalized messages, or changing invoice colors.
Payment solutions
Invoicera supports over 30 payment options, including Paypal, Stripe, Alipay, etc. So you can choose a preferred payment method and get paid in the currency of your choice.
Multi-business account
You can add multiple businesses and send multiple invoices in one account, ensuring you can scale your customer base organizationally.
Time tracking
Invoicera allows freelancers to allocate their time to their clients and projects sensibly. They can create timesheets, send them to clients, and analyze their productivity in the work time report.
Expense management
Managing expenses is crucial for your business’s success. Invoicera allows you to track incurred expenses on projects, add costs to your invoices, and compare profits based on spending.
Invoicera also includes receipt scanning features to help you manage expense reports for your employees.
Project management
Invoicera allows you to assign tasks and track work hours for multiple projects, which ensures you stay consistent and organized when working with various clients.
Invoicera also allows you to set priorities for your tasks, which is not a standard feature for other invoicing apps.
Reporting
Invoicera allows you to export different types of business reports. From customized invoices and tax reports to expense reports, Invoicera got you covered.
Price
Invoicera offers 3 different plans:
Starter: Free!
Pro: $15/month for the monthly plan or $12/month for the annual plan.
Business: $29/month for the monthly plan or $23/month for the annual plan.
Infinite: $149/month for the monthly plan or $119/month for the annual plan.
Invoicera also offers a 15-day free trial. If you have just started freelancing, Invoicera is worth considering.
Pros
Offers a free forever plan.
Has a mobile app version.
Can manage multiple clients in one account.
Can track expenses using expense management tools.
Cons
Limited reporting feature, cannot create a balance sheet.
Cannot track work hours on the mobile app.
3. Quaderno
Quaderno is a top-rated freelance invoicing software designed to help freelancers and small businesses streamline their billing and invoicing processes.
Key features
Invoicing system
Quaderno makes creating, updating, deleting, and sending invoices incredibly easy. Also, you can add additional information to your invoices, including the due date, legal notes, etc.
Quaderno also offers a recurring invoice feature, ensuring you always remember to send regular bills to your clients.
Tax management
One of the most outstanding features of Quaderno is its tax management capability. This feature is suitable for freelancers who need to manage different tax requirements.
The software can automatically calculate and apply taxes, ensuring you stay compliant and avoid tax-related issues. The platform can also generate tax reports and handle VAT MOSS filings, saving you a ton of time and effort.
Integration ability
Quaderno also has excellent integration capabilities. The platform can be integrated with a wide range of other software, including payment integration (Paypal, Stripe), e-commerce platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce), online courses and memberships (Kajabi, Mighty Networks).
Quaderno provides an all-in-one solution to manage your business, invoicing, and billing, saving you time and effort.
Excellent customer support
Quaderno is well-known for excellent customer support. The customer support team is helpful and fast. They will help you find solutions even when your request is specific.
Besides, freelancers can earn knowledge and skills from other resources, including blog posts and webinars.
Price
Quaderno offers 4 plans:
Startup: €49 per month.
Business: €99 per month.
Growth: €149 per month.
Enterprise: Custom price.
Pros
Excellent tax capabilities. Business owners can focus on the business rather than the books.
Dedicated customer support team. They try their best to help you solve your problems.
Support many different integrations.
Cons
Limited reporting feature.
4. HoneyBook
HoneyBook is an all-in-one invoicing software for creative freelancers and small business owners. The platform is a one-stop shop to manage your workflow, invoicing, and client communication.
Key features
Invoicing system
One of the standout features of HoneyBook is its invoicing system. HoneyBook provides many customizable templates to easily create and send professional invoices in less than 30 seconds.
Advanced payment system
Honeybook accepts online payments, from credit and debit cards to ACH bank transfers. Moreover, your clients can pay you on any device and set automatic payment reminders in the future, removing all the hassle of chasing down late payments.
Project management
HoneyBook also offers project management tools that can be useful for freelancers working with multiple clients. You can see what happens with all projects, from inquiries to online payments and everything in between.
Scheduling
HoneyBook’s scheduling feature allows you to book appointments with clients. You only have to schedule a meeting and share the link.
Client communication
What sets HoneyBook apart from other invoicing software is its client communication tool. The platform provides freelancers with a clean space to manage all messages with their clients. Freelancers no longer need to worry about missing important messages in the text-chat-email jungle.
Automation
HoneyBook allows small businesses and freelancers to automate common tasks such as sending emails or following up on inquiries. Business owners can stay in touch with their clients even when they are off the clock.
Price
HoneyBook has 3 different plans:
Starter: $19/month for the monthly plan or $16/month for the annual plan.
Essentials: $39/month for the monthly plan or $32/month for the annual plan.
Premium: $79/month for the monthly plan or $66/month for the annual plan.
Pros
Intuitive and easy to use.
Customizable invoices and contracts.
Automated workflows and scheduling.
Dedicated customer support team that cares about its customers.
Cons
The calendar doesn’t work well with Google.
5. FreshBooks
FreshBooks is an all-in-one invoicing tool that helps freelancers and small businesses manage their invoices more effectively. With various features, freelancers can easily create professional-looking invoices, track expenses, and manage client relationships.
Key features
Invoicing system
FreshBooks helps you create professional invoices in seconds.
Payment system
Since FreshBooks offers a range of online payment options with no hidden fees, including FreshBooks payments (debit, credit, ACH transfers), Stripe, and Paypal, you don’t have to worry about chasing payments.
You can further improve your clients’ payment experience by setting up recurring payments and saving credit cards for later billing.
Accounting
FreshBooks has tools to track money in and out, so you will know where your business stands. You will find all vital accounting metrics in one platform, including costs of goods sold, accounts payable, trial balance, and general ledger.
Expense tracking
FreshBooks provides freelancers and small businesses with an outstanding expense-tracking tool. You can save your receipts and categorize them on the cloud, making it easier to calculate your deductions.
Client relationship management
When it comes to building good relationships with your clients, FreshBooks offers you a client relationship management tool. The platform allows you to manage client contacts, track communication, and even set up automated follow-ups to ensure you get all the important deadlines and opportunities.
Reporting
FreshBooks also offers robust reporting capabilities, which can provide valuable insights into your business finances. From revenue reports to expense reports, you will get a comprehensive view of your business’s performance and act accordingly.
Price
FreshBooks has 4 different pricing tiers:
Lite: $6.80/month for the monthly plan or $122.40/year for the annual plan.
Plus: $12/month for the monthly plan or $216/year for the annual plan.
Premium: $22/month for the monthly plan or $396/year for the annual plan.
Select: Customized plan.
At the time of this writing, FreshBooks has a limited-time offer of 60% off for the first 6 months and an additional 10% off for the annual plan.
Furthermore, you can try this product for free in 30 days. There’s no credit card required, and you can cancel anytime.
Pros
Great invoicing capabilities.
Simple to use in both web and mobile applications.
Dedicated customer support from 8a.m to 8p.m EST.
Cons
Accountants can only access a complete audit trail in some plans.
The Lite plan has limited accounting capabilities.
6. Plutio
Plutio is a powerful all-in-one invoicing tool in the industry. With many robust features, Plutio helps freelancers and small businesses get work done faster.
Key features
Invoicing system
Plutio provides a comprehensive system with many invoicing features. The platform allows you to invoice clients with ease. Furthermore, you can set up recurring invoices and track your payments in real-time, ensuring you stay on top of your finances.
Proposals & Contracts
Plutio helps you handle all your proposals and legal contracts with ease. You can create all documents, send them to your clients and ask for e-signatures, saving you time to focus on more critical business aspects.
Project management
Plutio also offers a range of project management tools to help freelancers stay organized and productive. You can manage tasks, documents, and deadlines and even track time spent on different projects to ensure you accurately bill clients.
Additionally, Plutio offers a portal where you can communicate with your teammates, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Client management
All businesses want to build long-lasting relationships with their customers. Plutio is here to help. Each client of yours will have a solid profile with contact information so you can keep in touch with them whenever needed.
Integrations
Plutio supports various external plug-ins, including Zapier, Stripe, Square, Paypal, Google Calendar, etc. This way, you can save time switching between platforms and be more productive.
Knowledgebase
Plutio has a Wiki feature that allows you to create a knowledge base for your team and clients, which helps new team members stay on track and your clients learn to use your service.
Customer support
Plutio provides excellent customer support service, with a dedicated team to help you with questions. Their help center also offers various resources, including video tutorials and a how-to-use manual to help freelancers improve their accounting management skills.
Price
Plutio has 3 pricing tiers:
Solo: $19 per month.
Studio: $39 per month.
Agency: $99 per month.
Plutio also has a free trial plan for you to try.
Pros
Simple invoicing tool and straightforward onboarding process.
Can create invoices in different currencies.
Support a wide range of integrations.
Cons
The chat feature is quite buggy.
No shortcuts to navigate between features.
7. Zoho invoice
Zoho Invoice is a free invoicing app designed to help freelancers and small businesses efficiently manage their accounting.
Whether you struggle to keep track of your bills, manually create invoices, or want to make your business more professional, Zoho Invoice got you covered.
Key features
Invoicing system
Zoho Invoice offers a solid invoicing feature. You can craft invoices that match your branding and payment terms and set up automatic reminders to ensure you get paid on time.
You can also create estimates for your service. These estimates can then be converted to invoices and sent to your clients.
Zoho Invoice accept online payments from many gateways, including PayPal and Stripe, which makes it easy for you to collect payments on time.
Time tracking
Freelancers can log and track time spent on different tasks, so they know how much they should charge their clients. You can also generate invoices directly from your time entries, saving you time and effort.
Expense tracking
Zoho Invoice also provides comprehensive expense tracking tools, which can eliminate all the hassle of keeping track of expense receipts. You can easily upload, organize your receipts and even analyze them to know where you spend your money.
Customer relationship management
In addition to its invoicing and project management capabilities, Zoho Invoice has a great customer relationship management service.
Your client can see the project’s progress, check previous transactions and provide feedback. This ensures your clients stay on the same page as you, and you can build trust with them over time.
Price
Free! You can start using Zoho Invoice at no cost.
Pros
Free product.
Provide some solid features related to invoicing.
Intuitive and easy to use.
Cons
Limited functionalities compared to other paid products like Bonsai, HoneyBooks, or Quaderno.
Doesn’t work with Zoho Inventory.
What is invoicing software?
Invoicing software is a type of software that helps businesses, freelancers, and other professionals to automate the billing creation process. Invoicing tools eliminate tedious tasks in the invoicing process, such as writing invoices by hand and sending invoices manually, which allows users to bill their clients quickly and easily.
Invoicing software lets freelancers and business owners create custom invoices that contain essential information such as business names, logos, and billing details. Users can also track invoices, send reminders, and even automate recurring invoices to save time.
In addition to simplifying the invoicing process, invoicing tools can provide valuable insights into a business’s financial health. You can track expenses, monitor cash flows, and generate reports so that they can make informed decisions for their businesses.
Invoicing tools can also offer add-on features such as time tracking and client management to streamline freelancers’ workflow, keep track of business information, and build long-lasting customer relationships.
How to choose the right invoicing software?
With many options available in the market, choosing the right invoicing tools can be a challenging task. However, there are a few key steps that you should consider when selecting invoice software for your business.
First, understand what features are essential for your business: invoicing, payment tracking, project management, and time tracking. Then, choose a platform that offers these features and any additional ones you may need.
Secondly, invoicing tools should be intuitive and have a user-friendly interface. This is crucial because you don’t want to spend too much time learning to use the software. Look for software that lets you start up quickly and easily create invoices.
Thirdly, you want to consider whether the software integrates with other services. Good invoicing apps can give you one-stop-shop solutions to manage all your business tools.
Fourthly, consider your budget. Invoice software can vary in price, from free options to paid subscriptions. If you have a fat wallet, go with services with more features at a high price. Otherwise, if you have little budget, you can consider free or low-budget options with fewer features.
Finally, you should pick a product that gives you solid customer support. When you first start using new software, it is easy to get lost. Therefore, a good support team will help you eliminate all your hassle.
By following these steps, you will have high confidence in choosing the right invoicing software for your business.
Conclusion
To sum up, invoicing software is a valuable tool for freelancers and small business owners to streamline their financial processes.
With so many available options, choosing the right invoice software can seem overwhelming. However, by considering factors such as features, ease of use, customization, integration, price, and customer support, you can select an invoice tool that meets your needs.
We have reviewed some of the best invoice software available, including Bonsai, Invoicera, Quaderno, HoneyBook, FreshBooks, Plutio, and Zoho Invoice. Each platform offers unique features that benefit freelancers and small business owners in managing their billing processes.
By choosing the proper invoice software, you can release your burden in financial practices and focus on what you do best – delivering high-quality work to your clients.
FAQs
Do I need accounting knowledge to use invoicing software?
No, invoicing software is usually user-friendly and intuitive, even for people with no accounting background. However, having basic accounting principles may help maximize the software’s potential.
Is invoicing software secure?
Yes, invoicing software typically uses encryption and other security measures to protect your financial data. However, you can further protect your data by choosing a reputable software provider and taking appropriate security precautions.
Is it necessary to have internet connectivity to use invoicing software?
Yes, invoicing software typically requires internet connectivity to access and store data in the cloud.
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