The Cheapest (and Easiest) Invoicing Software for Freelancers in 2026

Plan prices don't tell you what you'll actually pay. Client limits, paid reminders, card fees and "US and Canada only" small print decide that. So instead of listing prices, this guide works out the yearly cost for two real freelance workloads, then looks at what each tool makes you do before you can send your first invoice.

We make Simple Invoice Generator, so read this as an informed comparison, not a neutral one. Every price and limit below comes from each company's own pricing and help pages, checked on 26 September 2026 (sources at the end), and our own gaps are included.

The short answer

What a freelancer actually pays in a year

Here are two common workloads, priced with each tool's cheapest plan that does the job. Where a tool offers yearly billing, both prices are shown.

Scenario 1: 8 clients, about 10 invoices a month, automatic payment reminders

This is a typical full-time freelancer: a handful of regular clients and no time to chase late payments by hand.

Scenario 2: 3 clients, a few invoices a month

A side business or a freelancer just starting out. Here the free plans win, and we'd rather tell you so.

Hidden costs: client limits, card fees and add-ons

• Client limits. FreshBooks Lite allows 5 billable clients, Plus allows 50. Invoice Ninja's free plan allows 5. Your 6th client can be what moves you to a pricier plan.
• Card processing fees. Taking card payments through the invoice costs 2.9% + $0.30 per payment with FreshBooks and 2.9% + $0.60 on Wave's free plan. On a $1,000 invoice that's $29–30 each time. Payment gateways connected to Zoho Invoice or Invoice Ninja charge their own fees.
• Extra users. FreshBooks charges $11 per team member per month.
• Invoicing in other currencies. Zoho Invoice only invoices in your base currency; for more, Zoho points you to its paid Zoho Billing.

What makes invoicing software easy to use

"Easy" is hard to measure, so here are four things you can check before you commit, and how each tool does on them.

Can you make an invoice before creating an account?

Every sign-up form is a moment to give up. Simple Invoice Generator lets you open the editor, fill in an invoice and download the PDF with no account; you only sign up when you want to save it or email it. FreshBooks, Wave, Zoho Invoice and Invoice Ninja all start with creating an account.

How much setup stands between you and "Send"?

Accounting suites need to know about your business before they're useful: company profile, tax settings, often a bank connection. That setup pays off if you use the bookkeeping. If you don't, it's time spent on features you'll never open. A pure invoicing tool asks for your details once, on the first invoice, and fills them in from then on.

Does it work for clients in other countries?

If you bill clients abroad, check two things: can you pick the currency on each invoice, and can the tool email invoices from your country? Zoho Invoice only invoices in your base currency, and Wave no longer emails invoices or reminders outside the US and Canada.

Is chasing late payments automatic?

The least easy part of invoicing is the follow-up. Automatic reminders take it off your plate, but on some tools they cost extra: Invoice Ninja needs Pro, and Wave needs Pro or online payments turned on. If you write reminders yourself, start with our payment reminder email templates.

FreshBooks vs Invoice Ninja: which is cheaper and easier?

They're the two names most freelancers compare first, so here they are head to head.

Price

Invoice Ninja is much cheaper. Its free plan covers 5 clients with unlimited invoices, and Pro is $14 a month or $140 a year with unlimited clients. FreshBooks has no free plan: Lite is $23 a month for 5 billable clients, Plus $43 for 50, Premium $70 for unlimited.

Ease of use

Both need an account and some setup before the first invoice. FreshBooks is built as accounting software, so there's more to it, but it's organised around that. Invoice Ninja packs in a lot too (client portal, expenses, time tracking, many payment gateways), and reviewers regularly mention its learning curve.

Which should you choose?

• FreshBooks if you want invoicing, expenses, time tracking and bookkeeping in one place, and the price is worth it to you.
• Invoice Ninja if you want lots of features for little money, or want to host it yourself.
• Neither if you mainly create invoices, send them and track who has paid. A simpler tool will do that faster for less.

More detail: FreshBooks alternative and Invoice Ninja alternative.

The cheapest invoicing tool for your situation

You're in the US or Canada and want free bookkeeping

Wave. Its free Starter plan includes invoicing and bookkeeping. Card payments cost 2.9% + $0.60.

All your clients pay in one currency and you want free

Zoho Invoice. Free, with reminders and recurring invoices, up to 500 invoices a year.

You have 5 clients or fewer and don't need reminders

Invoice Ninja's free plan, if you don't mind its branding on your invoices.

You need accounting, card payments and time tracking

FreshBooks. It's the most expensive here, but it replaces several tools.

You mainly send invoices and want unlimited clients and reminders

Simple Invoice Generator Pro, $9 a month or $79 a year. Nine currencies per invoice, invoices emailed with the PDF attached, and reminders sent automatically 1, 7 and 14 days after the due date.

What the cheapest option leaves out

Simple Invoice Generator is cheap because it does one job. Before you choose it, know that it has:

• No card payments on the invoice. Clients pay you directly, by bank transfer, PayPal or however you ask, and you mark the invoice paid.
• No recurring invoices. You can duplicate last month's invoice in one click, but nothing goes out on a schedule.
• No accounting. No expenses, time tracking or bank feeds.
• A small free plan. 3 invoices in total, and free PDFs carry a small "Created with Simple Invoice Generator" line that Pro removes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest invoicing software for freelancers?

If you only bill in one currency and send fewer than 500 invoices a year, Zoho Invoice is free. If you have 5 clients or fewer and don't need automatic reminders, Invoice Ninja's free plan costs nothing. For unlimited clients with automatic payment reminders, Simple Invoice Generator Pro is the cheapest at $79 a year.

What is the easiest invoicing software for freelancers?

The easiest tool is the one with the least between you and a sent invoice. Simple Invoice Generator lets you fill in an invoice and download the PDF before creating an account; FreshBooks, Wave, Zoho Invoice and Invoice Ninja all ask you to sign up first.

Is Invoice Ninja cheaper than FreshBooks?

Yes. Invoice Ninja Pro is $14 a month or $140 a year with unlimited clients. FreshBooks starts at $23 a month for 5 billable clients and $43 a month for up to 50. FreshBooks includes accounting, expenses and time tracking that Invoice Ninja Pro does not replace one for one.

Which invoicing software has automatic payment reminders on the cheapest plan?

Zoho Invoice includes them for free and FreshBooks on every plan. Invoice Ninja needs Pro ($14/month), Wave needs Pro or online payments turned on (US and Canada only), and Simple Invoice Generator includes them in Pro ($9/month or $79/year).

Which invoicing tools allow unlimited clients?

Wave, Invoice Ninja Pro, FreshBooks Premium and Simple Invoice Generator have no client limit. FreshBooks Lite allows 5 billable clients and Plus 50, and Invoice Ninja's free plan allows 5.

Do I need accounting software or just invoicing software?

If an accountant does your books, or you only need to bill clients and track who has paid, invoicing software is enough and costs far less. Choose accounting software when you need expenses, bank reconciliation or tax reports in the same place.

Sources

Checked on 26 September 2026. Plans and prices change; if something here is out of date, email hello@invoicegenapp.com and we'll correct it.

• FreshBooks pricing
• FreshBooks Payments fees
• Invoice Ninja pricing
• Invoice Ninja pricing update, January 2026
• Wave pricing
• Wave: changes outside the US and Canada
• Wave payment fees
• Zoho Invoice pricing and limits
• Zoho Invoice multi-currency FAQ