Depending on how much work you do, how many clients you work with and how you manage your business, you may not need a full-blown accounting software to manage your books. In fact, many solo workers just need a streamlined way to send and track invoices to clients without being bogged down by the more advanced and feature-heavy applications.
I’ve used the QuickBooks full desktop version for years, so I never looked into online invoicing services. I was amazed by how many are out there! Here is a list with a quick breakdown of each to help you chose the best tool to manage your invoicing and billing process.
1. Bill4Time
- There are limits on the number of clients and projects.
- You can track time and manage projects.
- It includes mobile access.
Cost: Free to $40 per user per month
- Both available account options offer recurring invoices and payment tracking.
- You can send invoices with multiple recipients.
- Features include client tracking and reports.
Cost: $12 per month, or $0.94 to $2.50 per hard copy mailed invoice
3. Billing Manager (from Intuit)
- It allows you to send and track unlimited invoices.
- You have an option to send billing reminders.
- You can add your logo and terms to your invoices.
- It has mobile access.
Cost: Free
- Provides unlimited invoicing and clients for some plans.
- Some plans include automated invoicing and recurring billing.
- You can use your PayPal account to accept electronic payments directly.
Cost: $10 to $70 per month
5. Blinksale
- You can send 3-1,500 invoices monthly depending on the plan.
- The number of clients is always unlimited.
Cost: Free to $49 per month
6. Cashboard
- It includes time tracking.
- You can generate invoices and estimates.
Cost: Free to $140 per month (pricing based on active projects and number of employees who can login)
7. Easy Bill
- You can customize your invoices and estimates.
- The service creates PDFs for printing and record-keeping.
- It includes auto billing options.
Cost: $9 to 29 per month
8. Free Agent
- It allows unlimited clients, users and projects.
- You can track time, expenses and mileage.
- You can upload bank statements for analysis.
- Data can be exported and used in other applications.
Cost: $20 per month
9. Freshbooks
- Unlimited contractors can track time and send you an invoice, on any plan.
- Time tracking is available on all plans.
- There are limits on how many clients you can manage and how many staff members can access your account.
Cost: Free to $149 per month
10. The Invoice Machine
- You can send 3-3,000 invoices per month.
- It integrates with PayPal and Basecamp.
- Time-tracking capability is provided.
- It allows unlimited clients at all levels.
Cost: Free to $48 per month
11. Invoice Place
- It allows an unlimited number of customer records, but has limits on amount of invoices/quotes per month.
- The service supports multi-currency invoicing.
Cost: Free to $20 per month (discounts available when paid yearly rather than monthly)
- Through the service, you can create, email, print, and manage your customer invoices.
- You can have the invoices printed and mailed for an additional fee.
- It allows you to accept payments via PayPal or Authorize.Net.
Cost: $5 per month
13. Invotrak
- There are many invoice templates to choose from.
- Clients can log in and see their account.
- Paid account does not limit number of clients or employees.
- There are limits based on number of invoices.
Cost: Free to $45 per month
14. Less Accounting
- You can track expenses and invoices.
- You can create proposals right from the website.
- They offer increasing robust reporting as monthly fee increases.
Cost: Free to $24 per month
15. LiteAccounting
- You can send 5 invoices per month to unlimited, depending on the plan.
- It allows for unlimited customers.
- You can generate customer statements.
- It allows you to accept payment via PayPal.
Cost: Free to $18 per month
16. PayPal
- Makes it easy for your clients to send payment.
- You can send reminders with one click.
Cost: Pricing is based on a percentage of the transaction fee. Most options have no setup or monthly fee, although merchant accounts or website payment integration may have a fee attached.
17. Simply Bill
- You can create quotes through the service.
- It provides time tracking via desktop widget.
- It has Flickr image integration for invoice branding.
- You can send 25 invoices per month to unlimited.
- You can have 10 clients per month to unlimited.
Cost: $5 to $25 per month
18. Simply Invoices
- Provides unlimited invoices with all plans.
- There is a limit on the number of templates.
- Invoices are generated as PDFs.
Cost: Free to $25 per month
19. Time 59
- It offers time and expense tracking.
- Invoices are produced as PDFs.
- You can use it to maintain client balances/trust accounting.
- It’s accessible from mobile browsers.
Cost: $50 per year
20. Winkbill
- You can create sub-accounts within your account.
- There are limits on the number of invoices per month.
- You can send payment reminders and thank you messages.
Cost: Free to $40 per month
21. Xero
- You can have unlimited users and transactions.
- You can upload your bank statements.
- You can generate real-time reports.
Cost: $29 per month
22. Zoho Invoice
- You can send 5 to 1,500 invoices per month.
- You can have unlimited customers.
- It provides multi-currency support.
- It includes invoice and payment tracking and recurring invoices.
- It integrates with Zoho Projects.
Cost: Free to $35 per month
Do you use any of these services? Would you recommend it?
All prices listed in USD.
Image credit: Kathryn McCallum
Alyssa Gregory is a digital and content marketer, small business consultant, and the founder of the Small Business Bonfire — a social, educational and collaborative community for entrepreneurs.