16 invoicing software for service businesses, each with who it suits, where it falls short and a source for every price. No scores or star ratings.
Updated 28 Sep 2026 Next review 27 Dec 202616 tools · 22 min read
Disclosure: We make startbuddi, so we've put it first and been upfront about where it falls short. There are no scores or star ratings here. Every price and feature below comes from the tool's own website or our own test account, and each one links to its source.
Sole traders and service businesses sending a small number of invoices
$79.99 USD, per year, billed annually (Starter)
Trial only
Prices are list prices as each company publishes them, never converted. startbuddi's price is shown in your currency where we can.
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startbuddi
Our productBest for service businesses that invoice from the client record and take payment online
Best for
Service businesses that invoice from the client record and take payment online
Starting price
Free plan. Paid from $29 a month Starter plan, our pricing
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web
Invoices are created from the customer record and paid by card or bank transfer through Paystack or Stripe, with the payment matched back to the invoice. Invoices, estimates and payment links live in Money Manager.
Strengths
Invoice from the client record
Pay online through Paystack or Stripe
Free plan includes invoicing
Limitations
Customers can't accept an estimate online; they reply by email
Automatic reminders depend on a scheduled job being on in your workspace
Best for uS and Canadian freelancers who want unlimited free invoices
Best for
US and Canadian freelancers who want unlimited free invoices
Starting price
$19 USD, per month (Pro; $190 per year)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web, mobile app
Wave's free plan includes unlimited invoices and estimates with online card and bank payments. Pro adds automated late payment reminders and custom branding.
Strengths
Unlimited invoices, estimates and bookkeeping records on the free plan
Online card and bank payments on invoices
Pro adds automatic bank import and unlimited receipt capture
Optional payroll and bookkeeping services
Limitations
Only available to businesses in the US and Canada
Automatic bank transaction import and late payment reminders are Pro only
Removing Wave branding and adding more users need Pro
Best for freelancers who want invoicing tied to time tracking and accounting
Best for
Freelancers who want invoicing tied to time tracking and accounting
Starting price
$23 USD, per month (Lite), regular price
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
FreshBooks lets you track time, turn it into invoices and take online payments, with the accounting done in the same place. The Lite plan is limited to 5 billable clients.
Strengths
Invoicing, recurring billing and online payments
Receipt scanning and bank imports for expenses
Double-entry accounting and reports
iPhone and Android apps
Limitations
Lite plan allows only 5 billable clients; Plus allows 50
Each extra team member costs $11 a month
Project profitability and automated client emails need Premium ($70 a month regular price)
Best for small businesses that want invoices tied to their bookkeeping
Best for
Small businesses that want invoices tied to their bookkeeping
Starting price
$38 USD, per month (Simple Start, 1 user)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web, mobile (paid plans)
QuickBooks Online sends invoices and records payments inside a full accounting system. The US Free plan is limited to 2 invoices a month, and batch invoicing is on the Advanced plan.
Strengths
Free plan to track income and expenses and send 2 invoices a month
Bill pay, expense categorisation and automated bookkeeping from Simple Start
Accountant access on every paid plan
30-day free trial of paid plans
Limitations
Free plan has no mobile app, integrations or accountant access
Project profitability and inventory start on Plus ($140 per month)
Best for businesses that want invoicing tied to their accounts
Best for
Businesses that want invoicing tied to their accounts
Starting price
$25 USD, per month (Early, US)
Free plan
No
Platforms
Web
Xero sends quotes and invoices from inside its accounting software, so payments land in your books. The US Early plan caps invoices at 20, and Growing removes the cap.
Strengths
Quotes and invoices on every plan
Cash flow forecasts on every plan
Multiple currencies and project tracking on Established
Invoice Ninja is invoicing software with quotes, recurring billing, expenses, projects and a client portal. It is open source and can be self-hosted, and the hosted free plan allows up to 5 clients with unlimited invoices.
Strengths
Free plan with unlimited invoicing for up to 5 clients
Open source with a self-hosting option
Connects to Stripe, PayPal, Square, GoCardless and many other gateways
Native apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Limitations
Free plan is limited to 5 clients and shows 'Created by Invoice Ninja'
Extra account users, bank sync and e-invoicing (PEPPOL) need Enterprise, from $18 a month
Auto late-payment reminders and REST API access are not on the free plan
Best for freelancers who send proposals and contracts before invoicing
Best for
Freelancers who send proposals and contracts before invoicing
Starting price
$9 USD, per user per month, billed annually ($15 billed monthly)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
Bonsai links proposals, contracts and invoices so a freelancer can move a client from quote to payment in one place. Invoicing starts on the Essentials plan at $19 per user per month billed annually.
Strengths
Proposals, contracts, invoices and payments in one account (Essentials and up)
Client portal, forms and scheduling on Essentials
Unlimited projects and clients on every plan
iOS and Android apps
Limitations
No free plan, only a 7-day free trial
Invoicing and payments are not in the Basic plan; they start on Essentials at $19 per user per month billed annually
Integrations (QuickBooks, Xero, Zapier) and branding removal start on Premium
Best for freelancers and small service businesses that book clients with proposals and contracts
Best for
Freelancers and small service businesses that book clients with proposals and contracts
Starting price
$29 USD, per month, billed annually (Starter)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, mobile app
HoneyBook is a client management platform for small service businesses, covering proposals, contracts, invoices and payments, a client portal and lead forms. Every plan has unlimited clients and projects, and the Essentials plan adds more automation and team features.
Strengths
Starter includes unlimited clients and projects, proposals, contracts, invoices and payments
Client portal and all professional templates on every plan
Free trial with no card required
Limitations
No free plan, only a free trial
Starter allows up to 2 live lead forms
Most automation and team features start on Essentials
Best for service-based freelancers who send contracts, invoices and forms to clients
Best for
Service-based freelancers who send contracts, invoices and forms to clients
Starting price
$335 USD, per year, billed annually (Starter plan)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, mobile app
Dubsado is client management software for service businesses, covering lead capture forms, contracts, invoicing with payment plans and client portals. The Premier plan adds scheduling, automated workflows and a Zapier integration.
Strengths
Invoicing and payment plans, client portals and unlimited clients on both plans
21-day free trial with full Premier access and no credit card
Premier includes scheduling, automated workflows, public proposals and bookkeeping integration
3 additional users included free; extra brands are $10 per month each
Limitations
No free plan; plans are priced per year
Scheduling, workflows, proposals and Zapier are not on the Starter plan
Best for businesses already on Stripe that want hosted invoices and automatic collection
Best for
Businesses already on Stripe that want hosted invoices and automatic collection
Starting price
Pricing on the US page; no fixed fees or setup costs. Plus adds quotes.
Free plan
Not stated
Platforms
Web (Stripe Dashboard), API
Stripe Invoicing creates and sends invoices from the Stripe Dashboard or API, with a hosted payment page for each invoice. It charges a percentage of each paid invoice on top of Stripe's payment processing fees.
Strengths
No fixed fees or setup costs
Stripe-hosted invoice page and a customer portal
Automatic reminders and Smart Retries for failed payments
Auto-reconciliation of invoices paid by ACH credit or wire
Limitations
Stripe Payments processing fees apply on top of the invoicing fee
Best for african businesses that want invoices customers can pay online by card or transfer
Best for
African businesses that want invoices customers can pay online by card or transfer
Starting price
No setup or monthly fee. Fees vary by country; see Paystack's pricing page.
Free plan
No
Platforms
Web dashboard, Paystack Merchant App
Paystack Invoices let you send a simple or professional invoice from the dashboard or mobile app, with line items, tax and discounts, and the customer pays through Paystack Checkout. You can send reminders and mark invoices paid for offline payments. There is no subscription.
Strengths
No setup or monthly fee is listed; you pay per transaction
Payment Pages for one-time, subscription and product payments, shared as a link
Simple and professional invoices with line items, tax, discounts and reminders
Local methods such as mobile money, M-PESA and bank transfer where available
Limitations
Pricing documentation covers only Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Côte d'Ivoire
Payment methods differ by country, so check what your customers can use
Invoices are sent by email, so each recipient needs an email address
Best for businesses whose customers already pay with PayPal or Venmo
Best for
Businesses whose customers already pay with PayPal or Venmo
Starting price
Transaction-based pricing. Sending invoices has no fee; an optional Invoicing Subscription
Free plan
Not stated
Platforms
Web, PayPal mobile app
PayPal Business lets you send branded invoices and payment links that customers can pay by PayPal, Venmo, card, Pay Later or bank. There is no monthly fee for standard use; PayPal charges a fee on each payment.
Strengths
Customers can pay by PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, cards, Pay Later or bank (ACH)
Recurring invoices and automatic payment reminders
Branded invoices with logo, colours, taxes and discounts
Payment links and buttons as well as invoices
Limitations
Fees are charged on every payment and differ by country, so check PayPal's fees page for yours
Best for uS small businesses sending invoices and taking card or bank payments
Best for
US small businesses sending invoices and taking card or bank payments
Starting price
$49 USD, per month per location (Square Plus)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web
Square Invoices lets businesses send invoices, recurring invoices and estimates, and get paid by card or bank transfer. It is part of Square's free plan, with paid Plus and Premium plans that add features.
Strengths
Invoices, recurring invoices, estimates and contracts on the free plan
Customers can pay invoices by card or ACH bank transfer
Plus adds payment schedules and custom invoice templates
Premium includes 24/7 phone support
Limitations
Payments go through Square, so you can't bring your own processor
Paid plans are charged per location per month
This page covers US pricing; fees and features vary by country
Best for teams that bill clients for tracked time and expenses
Best for
Teams that bill clients for tracked time and expenses
Starting price
$9 USD, per seat per month, billed monthly ($108 per seat per year billed annually)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web, Mac, iOS
Harvest turns tracked time and expenses into invoices and connects to Stripe, QuickBooks Online and Xero. It suits service teams that bill by the hour rather than businesses needing full accounting.
Strengths
Free plan for 1 seat and 2 projects, including invoicing and expense tracking
Teams plan includes unlimited seats and projects and team reporting
Connects to Stripe, QuickBooks Online, Xero and Deel
30-day free trial on paid plans
Limitations
Timesheet approvals and profitability reporting are on the Enterprise plan ($14 per seat per month)
Best for sole traders and service businesses sending a small number of invoices
Best for
Sole traders and service businesses sending a small number of invoices
Starting price
$79.99 USD, per year, billed annually (Starter)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
iOS, Android, Web
Invoice2go is an invoicing app for service businesses, with estimates, reminders, card and bank payments and a US business bank account. Plans are limited by the number of invoices a year, and there is a 30-day free trial.
Strengths
Unlimited estimates, projects, clients and team members on every plan
Bank transfers (ACH) and a business bank account and debit card
QuickBooks and Xero integration and advanced reports on Professional
30-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee
Limitations
Starter is capped at 30 invoices a year and Professional at 100
Card payments are charged per payment, at rates that depend on the plan
Recurring invoices and phone support are only on Premium; banking is provided by a US bank
Built for or usable by small businesses and small teams
A published product page and pricing page we could check
Actively maintained, with a working sign-up or trial
Covers the core job this list is about, not just a feature of it
A mix of free, low-cost and established options
About this list
Where the facts come from
Every price, plan and feature comes from the tool's own website, pricing page or docs, or from our own test account. Each tool links to its sources and shows the date we checked them.
What we leave out
No scores, star ratings or review counts. If we can't confirm a fact from an official source, we leave it out and mark it "not published".
When it's reviewed
Last updated 28 Sep 2026. Next review due 27 Dec 2026. We review every list at least every 90 days.
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