Buyer’s guide · Technology
Best Invoicing Software for Small Businesses in 2026: Pricing & Comparison
We compared five invoicing platforms on public pricing, client or invoice limits, free plans or trials, and core billing features so you can shortlist by budget and team size.
- Solo freelancers or micro businesses under revenue thresholds: Wave Starter or Zoho Books Free — unlimited or high-volume invoicing at $0.
- Service businesses that bill by time or project: FreshBooks Lite — published starting price with time tracking and client limits.
- Growing teams that need multi-currency or inventory later: Xero Early or Zoho Books Standard — published monthly rates with clear invoice caps.
- Businesses that already use Intuit tools or need deeper books: QuickBooks Online Simple Start — published entry plan with accountant access.
Invoicing software lets small businesses create and send professional invoices, track payments, record expenses, and generate basic financial reports. Most tools in this category also handle estimates, recurring billing, and online payment acceptance.
We used the same fields for every vendor: published pricing, free plan or trial, core focus, and main limitation. The order is not a quality ranking. We sorted by public $0 or published list price first, then quote-led plans last.
| Platform | Published pricing | Free plan or trial | Best for | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Wave | Starter $0; Pro from $19/mo | Forever free Starter | Freelancers who want $0 invoicing and basic books | Visit → |
| 2. Zoho Books | Free (under $50k revenue); Standard from $15/mo annual or $20 monthly | Free plan; 14-day trial on paid | Micro businesses that may grow into multi-currency or inventory | Visit → |
| 3. FreshBooks | Lite $23/mo; Plus $43/mo; Premium $70/mo; Select quote | 30-day free trial | Service businesses that bill by time and need client portals | Visit → |
| 4. Xero | Early $27/mo after promo; Growing $59/mo; Established $97/mo | Promotional discount for new customers; no permanent free plan | Teams that need bank feeds and bill payments without per-user fees | Visit → |
| 5. QuickBooks Online | Free limited; Simple Start $38/mo; Essentials $85/mo; Plus $140/mo; Advanced $340/mo | Free plan with limits; paid trials or promos available | Businesses that already use Intuit products or need inventory later | Visit → |
Prices are public list prices in USD where published, checked 16 October 2026; they change often — confirm on the vendor’s pricing page. How we evaluated: see methodology below.
The five companies in detail
Wave
Best for freelancers who want $0 invoicing
Best for: solo freelancers and micro businesses that need unlimited invoicing and basic double-entry books without a monthly subscription.
| Attribute | Wave |
|---|---|
| Published pricing | Starter $0; Pro $19/mo (or $190/year) |
| Free plan or trial | Forever free Starter; no credit card required |
| Core focus | Invoicing, estimates, expenses, basic reports, online payments |
| Main limitation | Automatic bank feeds and receipt scanning require Pro or add-ons |
- Unlimited invoices and estimates on the free Starter plan.
- Online payments available (2.9% + $0.60 typical card rate on Starter).
- Pro needed for automatic bank import and unlimited collaborators.
Zoho Books
Best for micro businesses under $50k revenue
Best for: solopreneurs and small teams that want a free plan with real accounting and a clear upgrade path to inventory and multi-currency.
| Attribute | Zoho Books |
|---|---|
| Published pricing | Free (revenue under $50k); Standard $15/mo annual or $20 monthly; higher tiers published |
| Free plan or trial | Free plan for qualifying businesses; 14-day trial on paid plans |
| Core focus | Invoicing, expenses, bank reconciliation, reports, later inventory |
| Main limitation | Free plan has revenue threshold and lower invoice/expense caps |
- Free plan includes invoicing, expenses, and core reports for qualifying businesses.
- Clear published annual and monthly prices on paid tiers.
- Higher invoice volume or multi-currency requires a paid plan.
FreshBooks
Best for service businesses that bill by time
Best for: freelancers and small service teams that track time, send estimates, and need a client portal.
| Attribute | FreshBooks |
|---|---|
| Published pricing | Lite $23/mo; Plus $43/mo; Premium $70/mo; Select quote-based |
| Free plan or trial | 30-day free trial (no free forever plan) |
| Core focus | Invoicing, time tracking, expenses, client portal, proposals |
| Main limitation | Client limits on lower plans (5 on Lite, 50 on Plus) |
- Unlimited time tracking and estimates on published plans.
- Client portal and automated reminders included.
- Team members are an add-on ($11/mo each on most plans).
Xero
Best for teams that need bank feeds without per-user fees
Best for: small businesses that want unlimited users, bank reconciliation, and online bill payments at a published monthly rate.
| Attribute | Xero |
|---|---|
| Published pricing | Early $27/mo (after new-customer promo); Growing $59/mo; Established $97/mo |
| Free plan or trial | Promotional 80% off for first 3 months on new US accounts; no permanent free plan |
| Core focus | Invoicing, bank feeds, bills, reports, optional inventory |
| Main limitation | Early plan caps invoices (20) and bills (5) per month |
- No per-user license fees on published plans.
- Bank feeds and smart document capture available.
- Invoice and bill volume limits on the entry Early plan.
QuickBooks Online
Best for businesses already in the Intuit ecosystem
Best for: small businesses that want deep accounting, inventory options later, and easy accountant access.
| Attribute | QuickBooks Online |
|---|---|
| Published pricing | Free limited plan; Simple Start $38/mo; Essentials $85/mo; Plus $140/mo; Advanced $340/mo |
| Free plan or trial | Limited free plan; promotional discounts often available on paid plans |
| Core focus | Invoicing, bank feeds, reports, inventory and projects on higher plans |
| Main limitation | User limits force plan upgrades; entry free plan is restricted |
- Strong accountant collaboration and ecosystem integrations.
- Published tier prices with clear user inclusions.
- Higher plans required for inventory and multi-user posting.
I am a solo freelancer with few clientsNeed $0 invoicing
I bill by the hour or projectWant time tracking included
FreshBooks includes unlimited time tracking from the Lite plan.
I need multi-currency or inventory soonGrowing past basic invoicing
Compare Zoho Books Standard and Xero Growing for published upgrade paths.
I already use Intuit productsWant deeper books and accountant access
QuickBooks Online Simple Start is the published entry point.
Buying tip
Confirm whether the published price is per organization or per user, and check invoice or client volume limits before you sign. Annual billing usually lowers the monthly rate but locks you in for the year.
Which invoicing tool has a true forever free plan?
Do these prices include payment processing fees?
No. Published subscription prices are separate from card or ACH processing fees, which vary by provider and plan.
Is there a free invoicing option for teams larger than one person?
Wave Starter and Zoho Books Free allow limited collaborators or accountant access. Larger teams generally move to a paid plan.
How often do these vendors change prices?
Several raised list prices in 2026. Always confirm the current figure on the official pricing page before you commit.
Related comparisons
Last updated 16 October 2026 · Pricing checked 16 October 2026.
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