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Top List · Accounting

The 10 Best Invoicing Software Picks for Small Business in 2026

Free options, full accounting suites and pay-per-invoice tools, with prices and fees checked on each maker's site.

The best invoicing software for small business is the one that gets you paid on time without eating your margin in fees. Some of these tools are free to send but charge on every payment. Others charge a monthly fee and give you better rates. Look at both before you pick, and remember that most card fees apply on top of any subscription.

If you want invoicing inside full accounting software, start with our QuickBooks vs. Xero comparison.

1FreshBooks

From: FreshBooksPrice: Lite $23 a month (80% off for 4 months on the pricing page)Best for: Freelancers and service businesses

Every plan includes unlimited custom invoices, recurring invoices, scheduled late fees and automatic payment reminders, and NerdWallet rates it best for freelancers. The catch is client caps: Lite allows only 5 billable clients and Plus allows 50, and each extra team member costs $11 a month.

Visit FreshBooks →

2Square Invoices

From: SquarePrice: Free plan; Plus is a paid tier (see Square for the monthly price)Best for: Businesses that also take payments in person

The free plan includes unlimited invoices, recurring invoices, estimates and contracts. The catch is fees: card payments on invoices cost 3.3% plus 30 cents on the free plan, versus 2.9% plus 30 cents on Plus, and online payments run through Square.

Visit Square Invoices →

3Zoho Invoice

From: ZohoPrice: FreeBest for: Truly free invoicing for a small team

Zoho Invoice is free for up to two users and 500 invoices a year, and NerdWallet points to its client portal as a plus. The catch is those limits and fewer integrations; Zoho steers growing businesses to its paid Zoho Billing instead.

Visit Zoho Invoice →

4Wave

From: Wave FinancialPrice: Starter free; Pro $19 a month or $190 a yearBest for: Basic free invoicing plus bookkeeping

The free Starter plan includes unlimited invoices, estimates and bills, with card payments at 2.9% plus 60 cents. Pro adds automated late payment reminders and lets you remove Wave branding, and NerdWallet notes that most third-party connections go through Zapier.

Visit Wave →

5QuickBooks Online

From: IntuitPrice: Free plan; Simple Start $38 a monthBest for: Invoicing inside full accounting

Paid plans include invoicing with online payments and bookkeeping in one place, and Essentials adds AI that proposes personalized payment reminders. The catch is that the Free plan sends only 2 invoices a month, and NerdWallet notes there is no client portal.

Visit QuickBooks Online →

6Xero

From: XeroPrice: Early $27 a month (90% off for 6 months for new US customers through November 2, 2026)Best for: Teams that want accounting with no per-user fees

Xero includes invoices, quotes and online invoice payments on every plan and says it charges no per-user license fees. The catch is the Early plan's limit of 20 invoices and 5 bills, and NerdWallet flags the lack of inbound phone support.

Visit Xero →

7Invoice Ninja

From: Invoice NinjaPrice: Free for up to 5 clients; Pro $14 a month or $140 a yearBest for: Flexible payment options on a budget

The free plan gives unlimited invoicing for up to 5 clients, and Pro removes the client cap. NerdWallet likes its wide choice of payment gateways but notes it has no direct bookkeeping integrations.

Visit Invoice Ninja →

8PayPal Invoicing

From: PayPalPrice: Included with a PayPal business account; fees per paymentBest for: Quick invoices to clients who already use PayPal

Creating and sending invoices is included, with recurring invoices, reminders and card payments for clients without a PayPal account. The catch is the fee: 3.49% plus 49 cents when clients pay with PayPal or Venmo, and 2.99% plus 49 cents by card. TechRadar calls it easy but notes limited automation.

Visit PayPal Invoicing →

9Stripe Invoicing

From: StripePrice: 0.4% per paid invoice (Starter); 0.5% (Plus)Best for: Businesses already taking payments with Stripe

Stripe charges only on invoices paid through it, with no setup or fixed fees, and Plus adds quotes. The catch is that this fee sits on top of Stripe's normal payment processing, which starts at 2.9% plus 30 cents for cards.

Visit Stripe Invoicing →

10HoneyBook

From: HoneyBookPrice: Starter $29 a month billed yearlyBest for: Client-based service businesses that need contracts too

HoneyBook bundles invoices and payments with client management, and invoices can run on one-time, recurring or custom schedules. The catch is that automations and SMS reminders start on Essentials at $49 a month billed yearly, and the pricing page does not list monthly prices.

Visit HoneyBook →

How we picked

On October 20 and 25, 2026, we opened each maker's official pricing or product page to confirm the product is on sale and to record starting prices and payment fees. We cross-checked picks and known drawbacks against NerdWallet's invoicing software roundup (updated March 2026) and TechRadar's billing and invoicing software guide (updated February 2026). Prices are in US dollars, exclude taxes, and promotions can end at any time, so confirm on the maker's site before you sign up.