10 Best Invoicing Tools for Freelancers in 2026

Finding the right invoicing tool as a freelancer is hard. There are hundreds of options, from simple invoicing apps to full accounting software. Most are built for businesses, not freelancers.

This comprehensive guide ranks the 10 best invoicing tools specifically for freelancers — designers, creators, consultants, and independent workers who need simple, fast invoicing without the bloat.

How We Ranked These Tools

Tools are evaluated on:

Ease of use — How easy is it to create and send invoices?
Speed — How fast is the workflow?
Features — Does it have what freelancers need?
Price — Is it affordable for freelancers?
Design — Does it look professional?
Payment options — Can clients pay easily?
Tracking — Can you track invoice status simply?

The best tools balance simplicity, features, and price.

1. inv.so ⭐ (Best for Creatives)

Overall Rating: 9.5/10

Best for: Designers, creators, freelancers who want simple, beautiful invoicing.

Key Features:

Create invoice in under 2 minutes
Clean, minimal design
Simple status tracking (draft, sent, paid)
Stripe integration for card payments
No accounting bloat

Pricing: Free (3 sends), then $9/month

Pros:

Fastest workflow
Best design
Built for creatives
No bloat
Affordable

Cons:

Free tier limited
Newer tool

Why it's #1: Built specifically for designers and creators. Fastest workflow, best design, no accounting bloat. Perfect balance of simplicity and features.

2. Bonsai

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

Best for: Freelancers who need invoicing plus contracts and time tracking.

Key Features:

Professional invoices
Contract templates
Time tracking
Client management
Payment processing

Pricing: $21/month

Pros:

Clean interface
Includes contracts
Time tracking
Good templates

Cons:

More expensive
More features than some need

Why it's #2: Best all-in-one freelancer suite. Great if you need more than just invoicing.

3. FreshBooks

Overall Rating: 8/10

Best for: Freelancers who need full accounting features.

Key Features:

Professional invoices
Expense tracking
Time tracking
Reports
Client portal

Pricing: $17-55/month

Pros:

Powerful features
Professional
Established tool
Good support

Cons:

Can be overwhelming
More than most freelancers need
Expensive

Why it's #3: Best full-featured option. Overkill for simple invoicing, but great if you need accounting.

4. Wave

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Best for: Freelancers who need free accounting software.

Key Features:

Free invoicing
Expense tracking
Accounting features
Payment processing
Reports

Pricing: Free (2.9% + $0.30 for payments)

Pros:

Completely free
Includes accounting
Good for small business

Cons:

Dated UI
Too many features for simple invoicing
Can be slow

Why it's #4: Best free option with accounting features. Good value, but UI is dated.

5. Stripe Invoicing

Overall Rating: 7/10

Best for: Developers or very simple invoicing needs.

Key Features:

Free (just fees)
Simple interface
Direct Stripe integration
Payment links

Pricing: Free (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)

Pros:

Completely free
Simple
Direct payment integration

Cons:

Very basic design
No status tracking
Limited features

Why it's #5: Best free option for simple needs. Limited features, but completely free.

6. Zoho Invoice

Overall Rating: 7/10

Best for: Freelancers who use other Zoho products.

Key Features:

Professional invoices
Time tracking
Expense tracking
Client portal
Reports

Pricing: Free (up to 5 customers), then $9/month

Pros:

Free tier available
Good features
Integrates with Zoho suite

Cons:

Can be complex
UI is dated
Limited free tier

Why it's #6: Good free tier, but can be complex. Best if you use Zoho products.

7. Invoice Ninja

Overall Rating: 6.5/10

Best for: Freelancers who want self-hosted option.

Key Features:

Self-hosted option
Open source
Customizable
Payment processing
Time tracking

Pricing: Free (self-hosted) or $8/month (hosted)

Pros:

Self-hosted option
Open source
Customizable

Cons:

Requires technical knowledge
Can be complex
Dated UI

Why it's #7: Best for self-hosted option. Requires technical setup.

8. HoneyBook

Overall Rating: 6.5/10

Best for: Creative professionals who need CRM features.

Key Features:

Invoicing
CRM
Contracts
Scheduling
Payment processing

Pricing: $19-39/month

Pros:

Good for creatives
Includes CRM
Scheduling included

Cons:

Expensive
More than invoicing
Can be complex

Why it's #8: Good for creatives who need CRM. Expensive for just invoicing.

9. Invoice2go

Overall Rating: 6/10

Best for: Mobile-first freelancers.

Key Features:

Mobile app
Simple invoices
Payment processing
Basic tracking

Pricing: $9.99-29.99/month

Pros:

Good mobile app
Simple
Easy to use

Cons:

Limited features
Basic design
Expensive for features

Why it's #9: Best mobile option. Limited features, but good mobile app.

10. PayPal Invoicing

Overall Rating: 5.5/10

Best for: Very simple needs, PayPal users.

Key Features:

Free invoicing
PayPal integration
Simple interface
Payment processing

Pricing: Free (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)

Pros:

Free
Simple
PayPal integration

Cons:

Very basic
Dated design
Limited features
PayPal only

Why it's #10: Simplest free option. Very basic, but free and easy.

Quick Comparison

Tool	Price	Best For	Rating
inv.so	$9/mo	Creatives	9.5/10
Bonsai	$21/mo	Freelancers	8.5/10
FreshBooks	$17+/mo	Small Business	8/10
Wave	Free*	Small Business	7.5/10
Stripe	Free*	Developers	7/10
Zoho	Free/$9	Zoho Users	7/10
Invoice Ninja	Free/$8	Self-Hosted	6.5/10
HoneyBook	$19+/mo	Creatives + CRM	6.5/10
Invoice2go	$10+/mo	Mobile	6/10
PayPal	Free*	Simple Needs	5.5/10

*Free tools charge processing fees

How to Choose

For Simple Invoicing (Most Freelancers)

Choose: inv.so or Stripe Invoicing

Why: Fast, simple, affordable. No bloat.

For Invoicing + Contracts

Choose: Bonsai

Why: Best all-in-one freelancer suite.

For Full Accounting

Choose: FreshBooks or Wave

Why: Complete accounting features.

For Free Option

Choose: Wave or Stripe Invoicing

Why: Free (with trade-offs).

For Mobile-First

Choose: Invoice2go

Why: Best mobile app.

The Bottom Line

For most freelancers: inv.so offers the best balance of simplicity, features, and price.

If you need more: Bonsai or FreshBooks offer full suites.

If you want free: Wave or Stripe work, but with limitations.

The best tool is the one that fits your workflow. Most freelancers need simple invoicing, not accounting software.

Ready to try the #1 tool for creatives? Try inv.so free — 3 free sends, then $9/month.

10 Best Invoicing Tools for Freelancers in 2026