Compared · checked 2026-10-24
The best free invoicing software, compared
Free invoicing tools differ in what "free" means: a cap on invoices or clients, branding on your invoices, or paid extras for reminders and recurring bills. Here is what each one gives without paying, from their own pages.
We make Invoices, one of the tools on this page. Every fact about the other tools comes from their own pages, linked under each one, as they read on 2026-10-24. Prices and features change: check each site before you choose.
How we compared them
- How much is free: limits on invoices, clients and users
- The invoicing basics: templates, PDF, tax, recurring invoices, quotes
- Getting paid: online payments and reminders
- Whether you need an account, and where your invoices are kept
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan limits | Account | Online payments | Where invoices are kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invoices ours | Free | None set by us | Not needed | No (record payments by hand) | In your browser, on this device |
| Zoho Invoice | Free | Up to 500 invoices a year, 2 users, 3 projects | Zoho account | Yes ("multiple payment options") | Zoho's servers |
| Wave | Starter free; Pro $19 a month or $190 a year (USD) | Unlimited invoices and estimates on Starter | Wave account | Yes: 2.9% + $0.60 per card payment on Starter | Wave's servers |
| Invoice Ninja | Free; Pro $14 a month or $140 a year | 5 clients, unlimited invoices | Invoice Ninja account | Yes: Stripe, PayPal, Square, GoCardless and more | Invoice Ninja's servers (its site links to a self-hosting option) |
| Feature | Invoices ours | Zoho Invoice | Wave | Invoice Ninja |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invoices on the free plan | No limit | 500 a year | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Clients on the free plan | No limit | Not stated | Not stated | 5 |
| Invoice templates with your logo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PDF invoices | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tax rates per line | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Yes |
| Several currencies | No | Not stated | Not stated | Yes |
| Recurring invoices | Yes | Yes | Partly | Yes |
| Quotes or estimates | In Quotes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Online card payments | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic payment reminders | Partly | Yes | Partly | Partly |
| Client portal | No | Yes | Not stated | Yes |
| Expense tracking | In Expenses | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Time tracking | In Timesheets | Partly | Not stated | Yes |
| No branding of the tool on your invoices | Yes | No | Partly | Partly |
| Mobile app | Works in the browser | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No account needed | Yes | No | No | No |
| Invoices kept on your device | Yes | No | No | No |
1. Invoices (ours)
Best for: Freelancers and small firms who want unlimited invoices with no account, and books kept on their own device
An invoicing app in the browser: gapless numbers on issue, five PDF templates, tax by rate, payments, credit notes, recurring drafts and customer statements, posted to a double-entry ledger.
Good
- No limit on invoices, customers or templates, and no branding added to the PDF
- Gapless numbering, credit notes and customer statements, posted to double-entry books
- Quotes, orders, expenses, timesheets and reports are sibling apps that share the same data
- Installs on phone, tablet and desktop from the browser, and works offline; nothing is uploaded
Not so good
- Does not email invoices: you send the PDF yourself
- No card or bank payments, no client portal, no bank feed
- One person in one browser: no team, no sync between devices (move data with a backup file)
2. Zoho Invoice
Best for: A complete free invoicing service with payments, a client portal and mobile apps, if 500 invoices a year is enough
Good
- Email invoices, automatic payment reminders and recurring invoices on the free plan
- Quotes, expenses, time tracking and a self-service customer portal
- Apps for iOS, Android, Windows and Mac
Not so good
- Invoices carry "Powered by Zoho Invoice" branding
- Up to 500 invoices a year and two users
- Data of an account inactive for over 180 days is deleted, as its FAQ says
Zoho Invoice website · Sources: Zoho Invoice pricing and FAQ
3. Wave
Best for: Unlimited free invoices with card and bank payments, plus free bookkeeping
Good
- Unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records on the free Starter plan
- Card and bank payments through the invoice
- Invoice on the go with its mobile app
Not so good
- Recurring invoices, automatic reminders and removing Wave branding are on Pro
- Bank import and receipt capture are paid (Pro or an add-on)
- Online payments need approval, including identity checks and a credit review
Wave website · Sources: Wave pricing, Wave invoicing
4. Invoice Ninja
Best for: Feature-rich invoicing with a client portal, if you have up to five clients or will pay for Pro
Good
- Recurring invoices, auto-billing, a client portal and deposits on the free plan
- Quotes that clients approve online, multiple currencies, expenses and time tracking
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android; code on GitHub
Not so good
- Free plan is limited to 5 clients
- Removing "Created by Invoice Ninja", automatic reminders and reports are on Pro
- Bank sync and extra users are Enterprise only
Invoice Ninja website · Sources: Invoice Ninja pricing, Invoice Ninja features
Which one to choose
Invoices is our pick when you want free invoicing with no limits, no account and no branding: gapless numbers, credit notes, statements and recurring drafts posted to double-entry books, kept on your device and usable offline. You send the PDF and record payments yourself.
Choose Wave or Zoho Invoice if you want customers to pay by card from the invoice: Wave has no invoice cap, and Zoho Invoice adds free recurring invoices, reminders and a client portal up to 500 invoices a year. Choose Invoice Ninja for the longest feature list and native apps on every platform, if five clients on the free plan is enough.
Questions
Which free invoicing software has no limits?
Of these, Wave Starter allows unlimited invoices and estimates, and Invoices sets no limits at all. Zoho Invoice allows 500 invoices a year and Invoice Ninja five clients on their free plans.
Which free invoice tools take card payments?
Zoho Invoice, Wave and Invoice Ninja connect to payment providers so a customer can pay from the invoice; Wave lists its card fees on its pricing page. Invoices does not take payments; you record them when they arrive.
Can I make invoices without creating an account?
Invoices needs no account: it runs in your browser and keeps the invoices on your device. Zoho Invoice, Wave and Invoice Ninja are online services you sign up for.
Is free invoicing software safe for my data?
The online services keep your invoices on their servers and describe their security on their own pages. Invoices uploads nothing, so download a backup now and then: clearing the browser's site data deletes it.
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