For the longest time, I used to be on the fence about creating handbook invoices versus utilizing bill software program for my aspect hustle. My tech-savvy pals usually raved about utilizing the latter for his or her small companies. Nonetheless, I puzzled if it could work for me or if including a brand new instrument would make issues extra complicated and prolonged. Truthfully, I used to be too lazy to strive it out.
One lucky quarter, when enterprise was busier than common, I used to be scrambling to search out time; even sending my invoices on time felt like a battle. I used to be chatting with a buddy who stated, “Are you critically losing your time and never utilizing a free bill software program for small companies? They’ll make your life a lot simpler!”
That was my eureka second. This time, I made a decision to step again and put aside just a few hours (amidst all of the strain) to discover how bill software program works. As I dove deep into the options, I used to be impressed. I noticed how straightforward it made even different issues, after which there was no trying again.
If you’re the place I used to be, my expertise and learnings round bill software program would possibly assist you to make the shift. Learn alongside to study extra.
Desk of Contents
What’s bill software program, and who wants it?
Bill software program is a digital instrument that helps create, ship, handle, and observe invoices effectively. As a substitute of manually producing invoices utilizing an bill template in spreadsheets or phrase processors, the software program automates a lot of this course of.
Most individuals consider such instruments are for mid-sized or massive companies with excessive volumes and like to make use of a easy resolution like an bill template. I used to be one among them, too.
Nonetheless, I’ve skilled firsthand that bill software program is useful for anybody and everybody billing shoppers or clients, particularly those that love to do it sooner, smarter, and with fewer errors. Smarter as a result of you should use an bill software program to arrange templates, calculate taxes, ship cost reminders, and even observe which invoices are paid, overdue, or excellent.
Fashionable invoicing options for small companies additionally combine with accounting programs, CRM platforms, and cost gateways. This manner, they assist to streamline the complete billing and money circulation course of. On that notice, let me take you thru a number of the finest choices I’ve discovered.
Finest Bill Software program for Small Companies
You might marvel why undergo a roundup for a easy activity like invoicing that you just’re already doing manually. However right here’s the actual fact: With out clean invoicing, your money circulation can decelerate, admin work can pile up, and worse, you might even create friction with shoppers. These are dangers you may’t afford.
Listed below are a number of the finest free, freemium, and paid bill software program choices for small companies.
1. HubSpot Fee Hyperlinks
HubSpot Fee Hyperlinks is a strong bill software program characteristic in HubSpot’s Commerce Hub. With this resolution, your bill software program doesn’t simply combine with the HubSpot CMS — it’s already a part of it. I’ve tried it and might vouch that it makes sending out invoices and accumulating funds tremendous straightforward.
To make use of it, you merely must create a cost hyperlink to course of a one-time or recurring cost (relying in your necessities) utilizing easy steps. You possibly can even embed your handbook invoices with these hyperlinks or add them to your emails.
Subsequent, it’s important to share it along with your clients and receives a commission. They’ll be delighted with the convenience of cost and the distinctive checkout expertise. And that’s not it. Utilizing it could possibly additionally accomplish many duties {that a} generic bill software program can not do alone. As an illustration, it could possibly immediately replace buyer accounts with buy historical past.
Furthermore, because the Fee Hyperlinks integrates into HubSpot’s Sensible CRM, you now not have to modify between a number of tabs, instruments, and programs. You possibly can hold your commerce and buyer information in a single unified house for a seamless and environment friendly workflow. I discovered this characteristic extremely useful for a small enterprise with restricted assets.
The Particulars
- Value: Whilst you don’t must pay to check the instrument, you will need to enroll with Stripe; This instrument can be included in Gross sales Hub Starter, which prices $15 a month or $90 a month for knowledgeable plan
- Fee methodology for shoppers: Bank card, Debit card, ACH, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Stripe, and lots of extra
- Fee Value: Stripe charges plus 0.5% per transaction after 90 days
- A number of currencies? Sure
- Free trial or demo? Free demo
- Integrates with HubSpot? Constructed-in
What I Like
It’s a wise instrument that massively reduces work for these with present HubSpot accounts (which is most of us, proper?). Personally, I’ve used it to tug product data straight from my present HubSpot account with out manually inventing line objects, and that’s one thing I really like!
Professional Options for Small Companies
- Utterly built-in with gross sales and advertising processes to scale back work duplication
- Permits clients to pay instantly from the bill
- Creates safe, shareable hyperlinks to incorporate in quotes, emails, chats, and many others.
- Helps recurring funds or subscriptions by way of ACH or bank card
- Over 1,000+ customized instrument integrations can be found to make life less complicated
2. QuickBooks On-line
If in case you have a enterprise, you’ve in all probability already heard of QuickBooks. They’re thought-about by many to be the gold commonplace in accounting software program. I feel their invoicing instrument, QuickBooks On-line, is good too — and is far more than merely bill software program.
Very like the performance of the HubSpot Gross sales Hub, QuickBooks On-line robotically connects invoices and funds to accounting instruments. You should use it to create customized invoices, flip estimates into invoices, and even duplicate invoices throughout a number of clients. When a buyer pays an bill, it will get recorded in your bookkeeping and included in your reporting dashboard. This manner, you may see money circulation, revenue and loss, and different monetary information. You may also get assist with taxes.
The Particulars
- Value: Easy Begin – $17.50/month; Necessities – $32.50/month; Plus – $49.50/month; Superior – $117.50/month. The inclusions improve as you progress by way of the plans
- Fee methodology for shoppers: Bank cards, ACH, Apple Pay, PayPal, and Venmo
- Fee value: Is dependent upon the gateway
- A number of currencies? Sure
- Free trial? No
- Integrates with HubSpot? Sure
What I Like
I’m an enormous fan of the accessibility and integrations. Many companies are already conversant in and use QuickBooks. This familiarity and extra options, reminiscent of invoicing and connecting your billing to your essential QuickBooks software program, make it a winner. Furthermore, its intensive and clean integrations additionally save plenty of time.
Professional Options for Small Companies
- Accelerated invoicing options to duplicate comparable invoices throughout clients
- Cut up invoices by share of labor or line merchandise
- Detailed reporting with easy-to-read dashboards
- Actual-time bill monitoring can ship you updates by way of textual content message or electronic mail
Cons
- Lacks industry-specific options
- Person complaints of the system crashing/instability
- Studies of generic, impersonal assist
3. FreshBooks
FreshBooks is a payment-integrated bill software program that’s designed for small companies centered on companies. You should use the bill software program to set a retainer price and observe billable hours towards it. For any adjustments within the scope of labor, the instrument makes it straightforward to focus on what’s new and talk about it with the consumer. It additionally does the heavy lifting for admin duties like sending reminders and charging late cost charges.
Right here’s a video exhibiting the right way to use it.
The Particulars
- Value: Lite – $10.50 for 5 consumer invoices; Plus – $19 for as much as 50 shoppers; Premium – $32.50 for limitless shoppers; Choose – Contact FreshBooks for extra data
- Fee strategies for shoppers: Stripe, PayPal, Venmo, ACH, Credit score Card
- Fee value: ACH – 1%; Credit score – 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
- A number of currencies? Sure
- Free trial? 30 days
- Integrates with HubSpot? Sure
What I Like
I recognize that FreshBooks grows along with your small enterprise by way of its tiered pricing mannequin. Whereas their Lite plan focuses on primary invoicing, the software program rapidly turns into an all-in-one accounting resolution as you improve. Larger plans can even deal with different small enterprise wants like payroll, stock, and ecommerce.
Professional Options for Small Companies
- Entry bill software program on-line from desktop or cell gadgets
- Arrange automation for emails or funds
- Embrace deposits in your quotes
- Monitor income by stock or hours
Cons
- Requires a telephone quantity to join a free trial
- Form of dear for the options in comparison with others on this checklist
- Stock administration is manually entered, not a super resolution for companies managing intensive inventories
4. Indy
Indy is an bill software program designed from the bottom as much as give small enterprise house owners, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and different self-employed professionals every thing they should receives a commission sooner. It gives easy, easy-to-use invoicing and streamlines the enterprise. The way it integrates with the remainder of their instrument suite is what I feel makes their invoicing software program stand out.
With Indy, you get a shared house the place all of your work lives. You possibly can deliver shoppers into your workspace so that you’re at all times on the identical web page, even once you’re not in the identical room. You may also flip proposal estimates and time-tracking sheets into billable invoices with only a click on. The versatile on-line and offline cost choices it offers make it simpler for shoppers to pay you and so that you can keep away from expensive processing charges.
The Particulars
- Value: It’s free (producing three invoices monthly); Paid plans begin at $18.75 month-to-month for limitless invoicing, recurring invoices, and automatic workflows
- Fee strategies for shoppers: Credit score Card, Debit Card, ACH Fee (direct deposit), PayPal, Wire Switch, Mailed Verify, Zelle, and Stripe
- Fee value: Is dependent upon the cost gateway
- A number of currencies? Sure
- Free trial? Free plan with 7-day free trial for Indy Professional
- Integrates with HubSpot? By way of Zapier
What I Like
Indy is a wonderful alternative for small service-oriented companies trying to create and ship skilled invoices rapidly and create a unified supply of reality. I discover it’s good because it retains every thing from proposals to signing contracts, monitoring billable hours, managing duties, creating invoices, and receiving cost in a single house.
Professional Options for Small Companies
- Simply flip time-tracking sheets right into a billable bill with simply a few clicks
- Create recurring invoices for retainer shoppers
- Automated follow-up messages that remind shoppers to pay invoices
- Customizable sensible fields that pull information out of your CMS to make messaging extra private.
5. Zoho Bill
Zoho Bill is a light-weight, cloud-based, free invoicing software program that’s highly effective for small companies, particularly businesses. The software program handles invoicing, expense, and time monitoring, and provides you an in depth library of bill templates, all completely freed from cost.
I like that you may entry the invoicing resolution by way of the Zoho Bill app and Zoho’s on-line accounting software program, Zoho Books.
Once you ship out invoices utilizing it, your clients can entry a self-service buyer portal to make funds. They’ll do that manually or enable auto-debit for hassle-free recurring funds. As on your comfort, you should use it anyplace with an web connection. It additionally gives easy automation choices to simplify your life additional.
The Particulars
- Value: Free
- Fee strategies for shoppers: Credit score Card, ACH Fee, Sq., PayPal, and lots of different cost platforms can be found
- Fee value: Is dependent upon the cost gateway
- A number of currencies? Sure
- Free trial? It’s at all times free
- Integrates with HubSpot? Sure
What I Like
I really like that it’s free bill software program for small companies. It really helps take invoicing off the to-do checklist. Most different choices give this type of freedom at some value.
Professional Options for Small Companies
- Monitor varied bills minutely, together with mileage
- Ship invoices by way of textual content, electronic mail, or buyer portal
- Create and ship estimates that robotically flip into invoices
- Self-service buyer portal for patrons to view invoices and pay
6. InvoiceApp
InvoiceApp is one other main on-line invoicing and billing platform designed to simplify and streamline the invoicing course of for startups, small enterprise house owners, and freelancers. What stands out is its user-friendly interface and strong options, which make creating, managing, and sending skilled invoices straightforward.
The Particulars
- Value: Free plan (as much as 10 invoices); Primary – $5/month; Premium – $15/month
- Fee methodology for shoppers: Stripe and PayPal — solely out there on paid plans
- Fee value: Is dependent upon the cost gateway
- A number of currencies? Sure
- Free trial? 14 days
What I Like
Their software program is constructed on the muse of comfort and innovation, which I discover is a major differentiator. One other facet that stands out to me is how complete its options are, in comparison with the worth to pay. Utilizing it, small companies can concentrate on their core operations whereas managing their monetary transactions successfully.
Professional Options for Small Companies
- Affordable pricing
- Create and ship custom-made estimates, quotes, and invoices
- Complete monetary accounting automation options
- Studies for higher determination making
Cons
- Requires a telephone quantity simply to see the free model
- Fee Gateway Integrations and API entry solely out there on the paid plans
7. Billdu
Billdu is one other wonderful, easy-to-use invoicing software program for small companies. Its intuitive interface and complete options simplify creating and sending professional-looking invoices, all by way of the invoicing app.
As well as, Billdu helps you e book, promote, and even receives a commission. Its suitable apps, such because the appointments app, on-line retailer app, and web site builder, provide the comfort of every thing you want in a single place.
The Particulars
- Value: Lite – $4.99/month (10 invoices); Commonplace – $9.99/month; Premium – $19.99/month
- Fee methodology for shoppers: Credit score Card, Debit Card, and ACH Fee
- Fee value: Is dependent upon the cost gateway
- A number of currencies? Sure
- Free trial? 30 Days
- Integrates with HubSpot? No
What I Like
I really like the app’s simplicity and the truth that it provides you a full 30-day trial with every thing unlocked with out asking for any billing information. This communicates that they belief their work, and you’ll study what you want and don’t if you happen to resolve to go for a paid plan. I additionally like Billdu’s status for updating its options continuously to satisfy the evolving wants of its customers.
Professional Options for Small Companies
- Creating and managing a number of corporations from a single account
- Creating your group of customers with totally different roles and entry rights
- Suitable Billdu apps
8. PayPal
To date, all of my strategies have been invoicing software program choices that deal with funds. PayPal is barely totally different. It’s a cost software program that may additionally deal with invoicing. Its invoicing instruments are easy, intuitive, and free with the service provider account. Simply create an bill utilizing the template and ship it by electronic mail. That’s all!
Right here’s a video exhibiting how straightforward that is.
The Particulars
- Value: Free
- Fee methodology for shoppers: Credit score Card, Debit card, Apple Pay, PayPal, Venmo, Pay Later, QR Code
- Fee Value: Debit, Credit score, and Apple Pay – 2.99% + $0.49 per transaction USD; PayPal, Venmo – 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction USD; Pay Later – 4.99% + $0.49 per transaction USD; QR code Transactions – 2.29% + $0.09 per transaction USD
- A number of currencies? Sure
- Free trial? No arrange or month-to-month charges, you solely pay once you receives a commission
- Integrates with HubSpot? By way of Zapier
What I Like
In the event you want a cost gateway however don’t want fancy stock administration or different options, PayPal generally is a nice free bill software program on your small enterprise. That is very true if you happen to use it to promote with a QR code.
Professional Options for Small Companies
- No subscription price
- Partial funds and suggestions
- Mechanically sends scheduled or recurring invoices
What to Look For When Selecting Bill Software program For a Small Enterprise
I do know, I do know. Maybe your first intuition is value. That’s how most small enterprise house owners would method bill software program. I began in the identical vein as effectively as a result of, let’s face it, we’ve all obtained our budgets.
Nonetheless, from expertise, I can let you know that you will need to have a look at this barely in another way: Take into account your bill software program an funding. You wish to make certain you’re investing in an answer with the options it’s essential save what you are promoting time and enhance effectivity (and backside strains). How do you make the selection?
I’ve compiled some questions that will help you display.
Does it have the flexibility to develop with you?
Most freemium invoicing apps provide plans primarily based on the variety of invoices you may ship, the variety of shoppers you may invoice, or the variety of customers you have got. Shortlist one thing you may upsize primarily based in your anticipated wants just a few years later.
Having stated that, if you happen to don’t have that many necessities and are simply beginning, you may go for an easier instrument like HubSpot Funds Hyperlinks.
My two cents: Aiming increased might be higher than going by way of the botheration of switching instruments later due to limitations.
Does it assist automated invoicing and reminders?
Creating and sending invoices manually takes time that might be higher spent focusing in your shoppers. To not point out sending cost reminders or monitoring down late funds.
My two cents: Selecting a software program that provides such automation could also be definitely worth the extra value, even when it’s important to pay or pay further for that matter. Consider the chance value!
Does it settle for funds and a number of cost strategies?
Combining your bill software program along with your cost gateway considerably streamlines the billing course of and makes life a lot simpler for you and your clients.
My two cents: Once you make paying simpler on your clients, you’ll additionally receives a commission extra usually. The identical is true once you provide a number of methods to pay. So, attempt to shortlist primarily based on the cost choices most of your shoppers favor.
Does it combine along with your present gross sales instruments and CRM?
Having to enter information twice wastes time and will increase the probability of errors. Integrations reduce down on busy work and assist guarantee accuracy. They’ll additionally increase your reporting and improve your gross sales course of.
My two cents: I’ve seen that is notably good for small enterprise house owners and solopreneurs with just a few individuals donning many hats. It’s completely value shelling out an additional funds.
Which is probably the most worth for cash possibility?
Final however not least, when you’re clear with all of the above, weigh the professionals and cons, preserving the pricing and transaction prices in thoughts. Whereas many choices on this checklist are free or low-priced, finally, their plans could grow to be comparatively costlier once you upsize. Equally, in some platforms, the transaction charges could also be increased than others. So, it’s higher to maintain the larger image in thoughts.
My two cents: Shortlist the cost strategies you want for shoppers and the options you need in bill software program, and select the very best choices that present them. After you have that checklist, examine pricing and transaction prices to make a well-rounded determination.
Prepared, set, bill!
You’ve in all probability outgrown handmade invoices if you happen to’ve stayed with me till now. Now’s the time to decide on an bill software program on your small enterprise that may hold you rising. Take into consideration the options that may suit your small enterprise’s wants and the place you need it to be sooner or later.
Subsequent, you may resolve whether or not to choose at no cost plans or go for paid variations. If it’s the latter, I’ll counsel utilizing free trials and demos till you’ve discovered the very best match bill software program on your small enterprise. Blissful invoicing!
Editor’s notice: This put up was initially printed in Could 2022 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
