Best Invoicing Software for Freelancers and Creators
As a freelancer, it is only wise that you know the best invoicing software available to you. Invoicing is a very important aspect of your business as it ensures you get paid correctly and promptly. Knowing how to handle freelance billing efficiently will make your freelancing journey less stressful.
Admittedly, not all freelancers use invoice management software. Instead, they rely on verbal communications or simple email exchanges to bill their clients. However, the problem arises when there are disputes with the rates and payment schedules. Some freelancers even do not get paid on time.
So, what is the best way to make sure you get paid correctly and promptly? Use invoicing software. Online billing software for freelancers are easy to use, plus, it will definitely make your business look more professional.
Best Invoicing Software to Check Out
Knowing how to invoice as a freelancer is a must. It is a good professional practice to issue invoices to clients. After all, you are actually running a business. Also, when tax season comes, you will need these invoices as these are legitimate records that your tax-collecting agency might look for. So, if you are still not using one, check out some of the best invoicing software for freelancers and see which one suits you best.
FreshBooks
One of the most user-friendly invoicing software for freelancers is FreshBooks. FreshBooks is an invoicing and accounting software designed for all types of businesses. They take pride in having features and solutions for freelancers and businesses of any size.
FreshBooks has automated the invoice generation process from creating your invoice to sending it to your clients and receiving payments. And because it is generally accounting software, all your financial data and transactions are integrated into one centralized hub.
Generating an invoice using FreshBooks is really simple; you just need to add your tracked time and expenses. It even has an automatic tax calculation feature. FreshBooks templates are customizable too, making your invoice look professional, and of course, branded specifically with your business. In creating your invoice, you can set it as a single invoice or a recurring invoice. The recurring invoice feature is best if you have a retainer agreement with your client. FreshBooks will automatically send your invoice based on the frequency you set. You can also set the app to send reminders to your clients and automatically charge late fees.
And here’s another cool feature of FreshBooks: you can set it to allow and accept online payments! So, once your client receives your invoice, they can pay directly from their email. It’s that convenient!
FreshBooks offers a free 30-day trial, and their monthly plans range from $15 to $55. Be on the lookout too for promos and limited-time offers!
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online is another good invoice and accounting software. Like FreshBooks, it has features that can help you organize your financial records. You can even organize your receipts (you can take a photo of your physical receipts and import them too) to categorize your expenses easily. Quickbooks also computes taxes and sends reminders for when you are due for filing. It’s like having your own personal accountant!
The platform has customizable invoice templates where you can add your logo and custom color schemes. Invoice generation is easy. On the invoice template, simply add your client or customer’s details, set when you want to be paid (terms of payment), then add the due date and payment options.
In adding items to the invoice, a tab will pop out where you can choose what kind of product or service you are billing for. After you have finished your invoice, you can preview it before sending the email so you can see what it looks like. Once your invoice is sent to your client, they can click the “Pay Now” button from your invoice to pay you immediately. QuickBooks will instantly indicate that the invoice has been paid.
QuickBooks Online also offers a free 30-day trial, and their plans and pricing start from $15 a month. The platform has four plans available depending on which features you need and how many users will utilize the platform.
Bonsai
Unlike FreshBooks and QuickBooks, Bonsai is not mainly designed as accounting software. Instead, it is a freelance management software with features like contracts, proposals, and scope of work templates. What most freelancers love about the invoice generation feature of Bonsai is that they have invoice templates specific to a freelance profession.
Bonsai allows customization so you can tailor-fit your invoice according to your brand’s colors and add your logo. You can also easily indicate costs to your line items and add taxes or discounts. A space is provided too where you can add notes to your invoice.
You can create a free account in Bonsai, but if you want to take advantage of its other features, its pricing starts at $24 per month, which is their recommended package for freelancers.
Kosmo
Another freelance management system that has an excellent invoicing generation feature is Kosmo. Kosmo is a complete overall project management platform that freelancers use for time and task management and project progress tracking. In addition, the platform has customizable proposals, contracts, and invoice templates that are all integrated into your project’s file folder.
In creating an invoice, you can add tasks to be billed from the project folder or manually encode line items. The template allows you to add banners and logos too to make your invoice more professional. You can also add payment terms and methods.
What makes Kosmo a good tool is that you not only get to generate invoices but you manage the project as a whole. And as a freelancer who is doing all the legwork, you definitely need a complete business solution like Kosmo.
Creating an account in Kosmo is free, but with just as low as a $9 monthly subscription fee, you can already get to enjoy all the features they offer. Now, that is a good deal!
Simplybill
Simplybill is a simple invoice generation software. It is created to simply bill your clients (that’s why it is named “Simplybill”). With Simplybill, you can also customize your invoice by adding a header. You also have a space at the bottom of your invoice to add notes.
In your Invoices tab, you will see an overview of all invoices sent. From there, you can see which invoices are received, read, or failed to deliver. In addition, you can keep track of payments made and how long they have been overdue if they remain unpaid. Through the Simplybill dashboard, you can see a summary of your invoices, such as your invoicing history.
Simplybill is a good platform for freelancers who want a simple yet powerful invoice generation tool. Without the complexities of other integrated features, its simplicity is its asset. You get to use Simplybill free for 14 days, and then choose a package that starts at $5 monthly if you want to continue using the tool.
Conclusion
As a freelancer who doesn’t have a sure monthly income, it is pretty important that you manage your billings well. To some, discussing payments when it is due feels awkward. At the same time, other freelancers, especially those who are currently engaged in other projects, fail to keep track of payment activities and dues. This is why you should know how to invoice a client.
By using a competent invoice management software, you not only get to do billing duties efficiently, but you also make filing taxes a breeze. Because invoices already reflect tax amounts per transaction, you now have a database to check when tax season comes. This means no more nightmare tax computations!
Another advantage of issuing invoices as a freelancer is that your clients see your professionalism. They know that you are a competent business. This can translate to good reviews and testimonials, referrals, and even convert them to returning and regular clients! And that is good for business.
So, check out and explore the best invoicing software available and see which will work best for you!
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