It’s a universal fact that businesses only function if they’re being paid for their goods and/or services. Invoices facilitate making those payments occur.
However, creating invoices can be quite the task — be it the multitude of alignment changes you have to make for every field to look symmetrical and professional, or the fact that adding in taxes can be quite taxing. Simply put, invoices are not the favorite part of any business.
Still, they must be generated. And that is why invoicing software has proven to be one of the most useful innovations of the 21st century.
You can quickly itemize charges and get a comprehensive invoice with the click of a button.
But with all the options out there, how do you know which invoicing software is best suited to your business needs?
Fear not! We’ve rounded up a list of the best invoicing software available and compared all their aspects, including price, features, user reviews, etc., so that you can make an informed decision.
What is an invoice?
Sure, we all know what an invoice looks like, but do we really know what an invoice consists of?
Here are the basics:
- The very word itself (every invoice needs to have an indicator that it is an invoice — and there’s no better way to do that than to write the very word itself).
- Seller details (you need to address the invoice to someone; so, seller details, including their contact information will be mentioned in your invoice).
- Total amount due (this section includes pricing, purchase type, discounts applied, taxes levied, etc, etc.)
- Payment method (this one is not an absolute necessity but many contractors put payment methods on their invoices, sometimes including bank details).
What are the best options for invoicing software?
Since this is a subjective question, the answer is bound to be subjective too, but we’ll do our best to compare all elements of the top invoicing software choices so that you can select one based on your business needs.
Let’s get to it!
01. FreshBooks
Key features: Freshbooks can be installed as a mobile app (which, defying all norms, has a pretty great user interface). You can also track time and numbers easily.
Pros: Everything is automated with Freshbooks — and that may be an understatement because you can track payments, send customized reminders, access multiple files, chat with team members, and do lots more.
Cons: Since the product was created with the aim of serving SMBs, it does not suit the functions of a large enterprise.
Pricing: At the present moment, Freshbooks is available at an offer of 60% off for 6 months — so the pricing falls between $6 – $20/month. You can also access a free 30 day trial.
Customer reviews: The company has received a rating of 8.4/10 from TrustRadius.
Created specifically for small and medium enterprises, Freshbooks is an accounting and invoicing software that does a lot more than just invoicing.
It also explores other tasks, such as expense tracking, time tracking, management reporting, double-entry accounting, etc.
The main aim of Freshbooks is to streamline your business, and it does so by providing useful in-app features that come with an impressive amount of integrations.
Presently, the company has a presence in over 160 countries and more than 30 million people have used the software. According to the company’s claims, a business can save 192 hours a year by using their product.
02. PandaDoc
Key features: PandaDoc provides detailed insights and a bird’s eye-view on invoice metrics, including details like what might be creating payment delays, time spent viewing the invoice, when your client views the invoice, etc.
Pros: Since PandaDoc is more than just an invoicing software, its key feature is that you can attain many functions and capabilities other than just invoicing (esignatures, contract management, cloud-based backups, etc., are just some of the added benefits).
Cons: PandaDoc was not specifically created only for invoices, so “cons” in quotes here — it was created for a vast amount of functions, invoices being one of them.
Pricing: There is an option that allows you to use PandaDoc for free. However, pro versions like “Essentials” and “Business” plans are available at $19/month and $49/month, respectively. An enterprise version is available too — request for pricing.
Customer reviews: PandaDoc has a rating of 4.9/5 from Finances Online, along with a user satisfaction score of 95%.
We’re not ones to praise ourselves, but when it comes to our invoicing software, we deserve all praises.
And that’s partly because of the positive reviews we’ve garnered — with our software, you see an 87% increase in completed documents, a 50% decrease in document creation time, and a 36% increase in close rate. All in all, a total win-win.
Our main objective is to allow convenience and create easy accessibility, meaning that we go the extra mile to make our software easy to use, secure, and seamless.
You also get real-time analytics on payment delays, access to multiple integrations with payment platforms, automated systems, ready-made templates, customizable options, esignature capabilities, and much more.
03. Zoho Books
Key features: Everything is available at a glance — including how much time and money you’ve spent/sent, and your business information (products/services sold, customers, etc).
Pros: Making invoices on Zoho is extremely easy — from payment options, to verifying transactions, to handling returns, to automated processes — everything is right there on the dashboard.
Cons: Its mobile application is not as easy to use, nor does it have all the features and integrations as the website.
Pricing: You can use Zoho for free if your team is small. However, there are several other pricing options starting from $15/month and ending at $60/month.
Customer reviews: TrustRadius rates Zoho Books at 8.8/10, keeping all factors in mind.
In its own words, “Zoho Books makes invoicing and managing receivables effortless.” The company was launched in 2005 as an office suite and has recently expanded into Zoho Sites, Zoho CRM, and Zoho Workplaces.
The best part of Zoho is that it can function in many countries, and because of the way that it’s developed, it allows for easy currency conversion.
Similar to other software on the list, its expertise is to serve small and medium enterprises.
You can create invoices and set them to auto-repeat, integrate multiple payment options (cash, credit card, check, web), and can automate follow-ups.
04. QuickBooks
Key features: There are two distinct features of QuickBooks that make it stand out:
- You can easily access and upgrade client files in batches.
- The product offers industry-specific solutions to meet the requirements of every business.
Pros: The best part about QuickBooks is that it allows you to deal with multiple invoices and accounts all at the same time (in batches), which is a feat that not all invoicing software achieves.
Cons: Since it’s been around for several years, QuickBooks has worked on many of its major flaws. That being said, customer service is usually a worrying problem for the company.
Pricing: QuickBooks humbly starts off at a price of $7.50/month (for all the basic features), but it also has options between that and the price point of $54/month (for all the advanced features).
Customer reviews: Based on Kylie McQuarrie’s review on Business.org, QuickBooks has been rated at 3.9/5.
Marketed by Intuit, the QuickBooks software is most commonly referred to as “QuickBooks-Intuit” and it stands out as a veteran in the world of invoicing software.
As of today, the app has over 650 integrations and more than 4.5 million users globally.
With QuickBooks, you can track expenses, organize receipts, accept payments, send estimates, oversee cash flow, check tax payments, pay bills, track time and inventory, manage contracts, and check profitability.
If you think that’s comprehensive, there’s much more to add. Here are some of the other features QuickBooks has: business insights, analytical interpretation, data backup, automated workflows, customized access, and tons of other features.
05. Wave
Key features: The app allows for instant notifications and tax calculations — a feature, despite being listed for free on this app, is missing from other e-invoicing software that are available at a fee.
Pros: Wave has all the credibility and features of a paid invoicing software — be it creating invoices, automated payments, recurring bills, accessing information, tracking payment, accepting payment through multiple options, and lots more.
Cons: Here’s a hidden cost that the software has: if you accept electronic payments, you’ve agreed to pay an extra charge.
Pricing: Wave is entirely free to anyone who wants to use the software.
Customer reviews: Erica Sappala from Merchants Maverick gives Wave a rating of 4/5.
Launched in 2009, Wave has created “waves” in the e-invoicing industry.
For a brief period of time, it also delved into credit card processing, receipt scanning, payrolls, and lending — a few of these features which have now been discontinued by the app.
This app is best for small businesses and self-employed folks who are looking to track monthly invoices without spending any money (yes, it’s entirely free and it doesn’t even have a freemium option attached to it). The software is well-equipped, customizable, and makes invoicing work stress-free.
06. Xero
Key features: You can work on multiple client accounts and give approvals with the click of a button. Alongside this, the product also has two-factor authentication and an easy-to-use dashboard.
Pros: The software provides a lot of accessibility. So, whether you want to pay now or pay later, if you want to keep draft invoices or not, or if you want to compare finances, or embed options in invoices, everything can be done with a click of a button.
Cons: Same as Wave, digital payments require an extra fee — however, you’ll have to buy a subscription here. Another complaint customers have about the app is that it has limited payment options.
Pricing: The starter plan is quoted at $22/month, the standard plan for $35/month, and the premium plan for $47/month.
However, other add-ons (claim expenses, track projects, analytics) cost extra and can be purchased for $4, $7, and $7 respectively.
Customer reviews: Based on 3604 user reviews, Trust Pilots rates Xero 3.9/5.
With a user base of more than 3 million people, Xero is one of the most popular invoicing software choices used in the small business community.
Launched in 2006, the product functions just as well as any other option on the list (mainly because it has all the same features, including bank reconciliations, monthly pay runs, capturing data, inventory tracking, reporting, etc.).
The software is presently available in over 180 countries in the world, and it explores more tools than just invoicing — Xero HQ, Xero Cashbook, Xero Ledger, Xero Practise Manager, Xero Workplaces, are all popular tools amongst its user base.
And this has no relevance to what the app does, but it’s worth a mention: the website is designed wonderfully — it loads fast and it has one of the best UI/UX interfaces ever seen.
07. Sage
Key features: Perhaps the best part of Sage is that it allows you to track your cash flow in real-time. Alongside this, you can also easily access, edit, create, and send invoices at the click of a button.
Pros: Sage is especially famous amongst its users for its Office 365 integration. It also provides secure access, an option to choose from multiple hosts of currencies (and their values), and the ability to do income tracking.
Cons: Some users point out that getting accustomed to Sage’s invoicing software takes a little learning (mostly because of the number of options it provides). A few key features also cost extra.
Pricing: At the present moment, Sage is available at a 70% discount so the prices are $7.5/month for its basic plan and $10/month for its starter plan.
Customer reviews: Sage 50 has a score of 7.7/10 from TrustPilot.
Although relatively new to the e-invoicing industry, Sage has all the product features and gushing customer reviews to make it a worthwhile competitor to any other product on the list.
The software leverages the power of Microsoft tech and is also known as “Sage 50” in many parts of the world.
The company has a user base of more than 2 million companies worldwide, with brands like Radisson, AVIS, University of Maryland, Meals on Wheels, Pukka Pad, Food Corps, Children’s Hunger Fund, being some of their loyal users.
The software is best for small and medium enterprises, and in that subset, it has specially carved a niche for itself in the real estate and construction industry.
08. Simplybill
Key features: The way that it’s developed becomes a key feature of Simplybill — that is to say that being cloud-based is perhaps Simplybill’s biggest selling point, as all data and its backups are securely available on the cloud.
Pros: Its level of security is the same as online banks. The brand takes collective measures to assure the user that they’re safe and secure with their initiative of having a certificate on each page of the software.
Cons: Simplybill’s mobile app is less than impressive, and it doesn’t have all the functions or features as the desktop version.
Pricing: Their basic package starts at $5/month, whereas the “enhanced” and “premium” options are placed at $15/month and $25/month, respectively. There’s also a free plan available but it only allows you to send three invoices per month.
Customer reviews: Simplybill received a rating of 7.6/10 from the editor of Predictive Analytics Today.
Simplybill may look like basic software at first glance but it can pack quite a punch with the features and integrations that it offers.
The software doesn’t overly complicate things with a multitude of clicks and buttons; it just provides all that you would need for business invoicing in a systematic manner.
Here’s what users have to say about the product: 99% of them would recommend Simplybill to others and 100% of them rate Simplybill on a high bar when it comes to reliability.
Since the entire software is cloud-based it doesn’t require you to download or function from anywhere — giving you more accessibility to do remote work (which is a huge need in today’s world).
09. Invoicera
Key features: Invoicera’s multitude of features allow for business management, rather than just invoice management. Its project management feature is, by far, its greatest selling point.
Pros: Invoicera has many more features and integrations than any other options on this list. The rich feature profile makes it a better option for larger enterprises, whereas the rest of the products are more suited to smaller enterprises.
Cons: The mobile app needs some fine-tuning — mainly due to the number of bugs it has (this is by far Invoicera’s biggest con). Alongside this, the customer service is also lackluster.
Pricing: Payment starts at $15/month and can be up based on the number of users and clients you add to the software.
Customer reviews: Invoicera received a score of 7.7/10 from the editors of Finances Online.
With over three million subscribers, a presence in 40+ countries, and over 14+ years of industry experience, Invoicera stands to be one of the best software choices within this niche.
The product has a host of features and functions, including subscription billing, staff management, option to choose from multiple currencies and multiple languages, project management, financial forecasting, business management, and more.
The product uses legacy systems to operate on and it is created in such a way that you can easily customize it based on your business needs.
Hosting the product in your own environment is an option too. All of this allows for easy invoicing, automation every step of the way, and cloud-based access to use the product whenever you want.
10. Sunrise App
Key features: Although Sunrise is available for free to any user, it still has a lot of promising features and functions. Some of them are expense tracking, tax assistance, transaction recording, reports, and contact management. However, these features are just the tip of the iceberg.
Pros: The biggest pro of Sunrise App and the most common reason why people employ its services is because you can access bookkeeping services for only $149/month.
Cons: Many of the add-ons and key features cost extra. For example, payrolls and SunrisePay (which is a payment portal) are available at an extra cost. The mobile app also needs some work.
Pricing: Sunrise App is available for free to anyone who wants to use the software.
Customer reviews: Erica Seppala from Merchants Maverick (mentioned again on this list) gave Sunrise App a rating of 4/5.
Sunrise App has its eyes set on the “American dream.” The brand currently functions under Lendio studio, an online service that helps small businesses finance their dreams with the help of 75+ lenders.
Sunrise app was created with the aim to serve such businesses by tracking their business expenses, cash flow, capital, and more.
The app (and Lendio, by extension) donate some percentage of their income to low-income entrepreneurs.
Sunrise was previously known as “Billy” before it was acquired by Lendio. Aside from the basic functions of an invoicing software, you can also access bookkeeping services at a minimal fee.
11. Scoro
Key features: You can get access to real-time reports when it comes to invoices, revenue estimates, and more.
Pros: The best part about Scoro is that you can get an overview of a client’s (or a project’s) profitability.
Cons: Since it is not an invoicing software company, its main capabilities do not lie in making invoices the best part of your business — they’re simply one part of your business.
Pricing: The product is available at a fee of $26/month, per user, which officially makes it one of the more pricey options on the list.
Customer reviews: Users on TrustRadius gave Scoro a rating of 8.5/10.
Founded in 2013 in Estonia, the company is now headquartered in London and has been listed as one of the fastest growing companies in America.
Scoro, as a whole, is an enterprise management software and it provides a host of business features, invoicing being one of them.
In the company’s own words,
“While being easy to use, Scoro is not a simplistic tool – it helps you manage not just invoices but your entire company in one place. Moreover, Scoro’s reporting capabilities are incomparable to any other invoicing solution on the market.”
With Scoro, you get a complete overview of expenses, reports, client profitability, and more — which are functions that many other options on this list do, too, though not as extensively.
12. Intacct
Key features: Intacct can be extremely easy to use, and more importantly, has a fast order processing option (which, in our opinion, is its key feature), as it allows you to streamline processes while working with clients.
Pros: There isn’t just one that we could focus on, so here are a few: interactive CRM that gives you a broad overview of all activities, customizable user accessibility, and, at the same time getting real-time data on your business’ hustle and bustle.
Cons: You cannot access Intacct through a mobile-only version (there is no app). Seeing as how mobile apps can create many bugs and errors, this may be both a pro and a con for them.
Pricing: Intacct works on a quote-based fee. You’ll need to get in touch with the company directly to know about the pricing.
Customer reviews: Based on 1611 user views on TrustPilot, the software got a rating of 8.6/10.
Sage Intacct, also known as Intacct, is software that far too often gets confused with Sage 50 — option 7 on this list.
Although created for the same reasons and by the same brand, both of them are different in functionality.
The main difference between these options is the capabilities. Sage 50 serves smaller enterprises, whereas Sage Intacct is a preferred tool amongst larger enterprises.
Sage Intacct has robust functionality, is completely cloud-based, and has a range of features, including (but not limited to) comprehensive reporting (which can be customized), multi-currency consolidation, automated processes, bank feeds, and more.
If your business has always been on Sage and you’re looking to advance, then Sage Intacct may just be the ideal upgrade.
13. Brightpearl
Key features: Brightpearl functions quite differently than any other software on this list. With this software, you get a bird’s eye view of all your business dealings and transactions.
Aside from that, you also get to manage marketplaces and inventory with the help of real-time updates.
Pros: You get to create invoices for e-commerce platforms in real-time, while also getting payment reminders, and automated reports to check your finances.
Cons: The software is only relevant to those who work in retail or with a lot of inventory. The mobile application also has some bugs and load time issues.
Pricing: The software is for businesses trading above a million dollars and it works on quote-based pricing.
Customer reviews: Unfortunately, Brightpearl received a rating of 4.4/10 from TrustPilot.
Brightpearl is a ROS (retail operating system) that is built for the purposes of hyper-scalability. It works best for businesses that are in the retail segment and need help with inventory management.
Since Brightpearl was created specifically for keeping that niche in mind, their software works best for anyone with an inventory (or anyone in the retail business).
Customized templates are available on Brightpearl and you can automate your entire process with them.
Here are some of the benefits that Brightpearl aligns with by having a systemic invoicing process: you get access to real-time income statements, you can streamline processes, you get paid faster and deliver a better customer experience, and you can also expand into wholesale without added admin costs.
Conclusion
This wraps up our list of the best invoicing software choices on the market. The list is comprehensive, and each of these software options has its own share of benefits.
That said, at the end of the day, you’ve got to choose software that suits the needs of your business.
Our opinion: we suggest going forward with software that has high ratings when compared to other users.
At the same time, consider looking at software that can manage many other business documents, aside from strictly invoicing.
PandaDoc can be that software for you. Our all-in-one solutions help you keep track of all aspects of your business at the same time.
You can join 35,000+ companies by being a trusted partner. If you want to take us for a spin, simply click here and access your free trial!
