inv.so vs Notion Invoice Templates (2026 Comparison)
Notion invoice templates are free and customizable. inv.so is a paid invoicing tool built for creatives.
This comparison helps you choose: free Notion templates or paid invoicing tool.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | inv.so | Notion Templates |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9/month | Free |
| Invoicing | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Payment Links | ✅ | ❌ |
| Status Tracking | ✅ | ❌ |
| Automation | ✅ | ❌ |
| Design | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Speed | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Customization | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
inv.so Overview
What It Is
inv.so is:
- Simple invoicing tool
- Built for designers and creators
- Minimal, fast, beautiful
- Automated workflow
Best for: Creatives who want fast, automated invoicing.
Key Features
✅ Fast invoicing — Create invoice in under 2 minutes
✅ Payment links — Stripe integration for card payments
✅ Status tracking — Automatic draft/sent/paid tracking
✅ Clean design — Modern, minimal interface
✅ Automation — No manual work
Pricing
- Free: 3 sends
- Pro: $9/month (unlimited)
Notion Templates Overview
What It Is
Notion templates are:
- Free invoice templates
- Fully customizable
- Manual workflow
- No automation
Best for: People who love Notion and don't mind manual work.
Key Features
✅ Free — No subscription
✅ Customizable — Full control over design
✅ Notion integration — Works in Notion
✅ No limits — Unlimited invoices
❌ No payment links — Manual payment collection
❌ No status tracking — Manual tracking
❌ No automation — Everything is manual
❌ Time-consuming — Takes longer per invoice
Pricing
- Free: Completely free
Detailed Comparison
Invoicing Speed
inv.so:
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Create invoice in under 2 minutes
- Automated workflow
- Templates included
- Fast and efficient
Notion:
- ⭐⭐ Create invoice in 5-10 minutes
- Manual entry
- Customize template each time
- Time-consuming
Winner: inv.so — 3-5x faster.
Payment Collection
inv.so:
- ✅ Payment links (Stripe)
- ✅ Clients pay instantly
- ✅ Automatic payment tracking
- ✅ Professional
Notion:
- ❌ No payment links
- ❌ Manual payment collection
- ❌ No payment tracking
- ❌ Less professional
Winner: inv.so — Payment links are huge advantage.
Status Tracking
inv.so:
- ✅ Automatic tracking
- ✅ Visual dashboard
- ✅ Payment notifications
- ✅ No manual work
Notion:
- ❌ Manual tracking
- ❌ No dashboard
- ❌ No notifications
- ❌ Everything manual
Winner: inv.so — Automatic tracking saves time.
Design & Customization
inv.so:
- ⭐⭐⭐ Good design (modern, minimal)
- ⭐⭐⭐ Limited customization
- ⭐⭐⭐ Professional by default
Notion:
- ⭐⭐⭐ Customizable design
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Full control
- ⭐⭐⭐ Can look good if designed well
Winner: Notion — More customizable, but takes time.
Cost
inv.so:
- $9/month
- Automated workflow
- Payment links
- Status tracking
Notion:
- Free
- Manual workflow
- No payment links
- Manual tracking
Winner: Notion — Free, but you pay with time.
When to Choose inv.so
Choose inv.so if:
✅ You value speed — Want fast invoicing
✅ You want payment links — Accept card payments easily
✅ You want automation — Automatic tracking, no manual work
✅ You send many invoices — Time savings add up
✅ You want professional appearance — Modern, clean design
✅ $9/month is worth it — Better experience, saves time
Most creatives should choose inv.so.
When to Choose Notion
Choose Notion if:
✅ You want free — Can't pay subscription
✅ You love Notion — Already use Notion for everything
✅ You want full control — Maximum customization
✅ You send few invoices — Manual work is acceptable
✅ You don't need payment links — Manual payment collection is fine
✅ You enjoy manual work — Don't mind spending time
Only if you want free and don't mind manual work.
The Bottom Line
For Most Creatives: inv.so
Why:
- 3-5x faster
- Payment links (huge advantage)
- Automatic tracking
- Better experience
- Worth $9/month
Most creatives should choose inv.so. The time savings and payment links are worth $9/month.
For Notion Lovers: Notion Templates
Why:
- Completely free
- Full customization
- Works in Notion
- Maximum control
Only if you love Notion and don't mind manual work.
Cost Comparison
inv.so
Monthly: $9
Time per invoice: 2 minutes
Payment links: ✅
Tracking: Automatic
Value: Fast, automated, professional.
Notion
Monthly: $0
Time per invoice: 5-10 minutes
Payment links: ❌
Tracking: Manual
Value: Free, but you pay with time.
If you send 10 invoices/month:
- inv.so: $9/month, 20 minutes total
- Notion: $0/month, 50-100 minutes total
inv.so saves 30-80 minutes/month. Is that worth $9? For most people, yes.
Recommendation
For 90% of creatives: Choose inv.so
- Faster workflow (saves time)
- Payment links (huge advantage)
- Automatic tracking
- Better experience
- Worth $9/month
For 10% who want free: Choose Notion
- Completely free
- Full customization
- Don't mind manual work
- Already use Notion
Most people should choose inv.so. The time savings and payment links are worth $9/month.
Hybrid Approach
Use Both?
Possible:
- Use Notion for planning/organization
- Use inv.so for actual invoicing
- Best of both worlds
Why:
- Notion: Free planning
- inv.so: Fast invoicing
- Combine strengths
Hybrid = free planning + fast invoicing.
Ready to try the faster option? Try inv.so free — 3 free sends, then $9/month.