# The Best Invoicing Software for Agencies and Freelancers (2026)

Source: https://lotsinvoice.com/blog/best-invoicing-software-for-agencies-and-freelancers
Published: 2026-10-20T03:30:53.953975+00:00

If you run an agency or freelance and want every invoice exact, on-brand and followed up, with the whole team included at one price, start with LotsInvoice: $12 a month per business, unlimited clients, invoices and team members, and no cut of your payments. For $0, look at Zoho Invoice or Wave. For accounting too, FreshBooks.

I opened every vendor's own pricing page on 19 October 2026 and judged each tool on what matters when you bill clients every week or month: what you pay, whether there's a free plan, what the entry plan caps (clients, invoices, users), what each extra teammate costs, and what is taken from each paid invoice. Prices are US dollars before tax, monthly unless noted. Every source is linked at the end.

## The best invoicing software for agencies and freelancers at a glance

| Tool | Price | Free option | Your team | Entry-plan limits | Card payments and fees (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **LotsInvoice** | $12 a month per business, $120 a year (from $10 a month billed yearly) | No free plan; 15,000 free credits, valid 90 days, no card | Unlimited team members in every business | None inside a business: invoices, estimates, customers and team members are unlimited | Your own options (Stripe Payment Link, PayPal, Square, bank, ACH, Zelle, check). LotsInvoice takes no cut |
| **Zoho Invoice** | $0 | Yes, free forever | Up to 2 users | 500 invoices a year, 3 projects, "Powered by Zoho Invoice" branding | Through third-party payment gateways |
| **Invoice Ninja** | Pro $14 a month or $140 a year | Yes, up to 5 clients | Extra users on Enterprise, from $18 a month for 1 to 2 users | Free: 5 clients and Invoice Ninja branding; Pro: unlimited clients | Through your gateway (Stripe, PayPal, Square, GoCardless and more) |
| **Wave** | Starter $0; Pro $19 a month or $190 a year | Yes, Starter | Admin, editor and viewer roles on Pro | Pro is subscribed per business | Cards 2.9% + $0.60 (Pro: first 10 a month at 2.9% + $0) |
| **FreshBooks** | Lite $23, Plus $43, Premium $70 | No; 30-day trial | $11 a month per team member | Lite 5 billable clients, Plus 50, Premium unlimited | Cards 2.9% + $0.30, ACH 1% |
| **Bonsai** | Invoicing from Essentials: $25 a user a month, $19 billed annually | No; 7-day trial | Per user; Elite has a 3-user minimum | Invoices start on Essentials, not Basic | Cards 2.9% + $0.30, ACH 1%; extra 1% platform fee on Stripe or PayPal where Bonsai Payments is available |
| **HoneyBook** | From $29 a month billed yearly | No; free trial | Up to 2 team members on Essentials, unlimited on Premium ($109 billed yearly) | Unlimited clients and projects | Cards from 2.7% + $0.10, ACH 1.5% |
| **Harvest** | Teams $11 a seat a month, $9 billed annually | Yes, 1 seat and 2 projects | Per seat | Extra invoices, projects and clients billed by use on paid plans | Through payment integrations |
| **Stripe Invoicing** | No monthly fee; 0.4% (Starter) or 0.5% (Plus) of each paid invoice | Pay per paid invoice | Your Stripe account's team | Quotes on Plus | Plus Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 on domestic cards |
| **Invoice Simple** | $6.99, $14.99, $21.99 | No; 14-day trial | Not stated on the pricing page | 3 invoices a month on Essentials, 10 on Plus, unlimited on Premium | Cards up to 3.49% + $0.49, ACH 1% + $0.30 (capped at $15) |

Checked on 19 October 2026 on each vendor's own pricing page.

## 1. LotsInvoice: invoices you can send with confidence, the whole team included

An invoice is your name on a request for money. It should be right. I built LotsInvoice around that one idea, for agencies, freelancers and small businesses who invoice their own clients and don't want an accounting suite to do it.

- **Set up once.** Add your logo, colours and font, pick one of nine designs (US Letter or A4), and set your numbering, columns, item and accounting codes, custom fields, tax IDs and declarations. If a client wants a PO number on the page or your accountant wants a code on every line, that's a setting, not a workaround. Every invoice after that follows it.
- **Nothing goes out unchecked.** Every invoice starts as a draft, next to a preview of the real PDF your client gets. You send it when you are ready.
- **Exact, to the cent.** Quantities, discounts, several named taxes on one line (compound or inclusive) and rounding are calculated on our side, and the numbers match in the preview, the PDF and the reports. Tax presets for common setups (US sales tax, VAT, GST and others) are a starting point to check with your accountant.
- **A record you can trust.** Sent invoices are numbered and locked. A change is a revision with a reason, or a credit note, so your history always adds up.
- **Followed up until you're paid.** The invoice goes from your business name with the PDF and a private client portal link, and replies come to you. You see when it's opened. The portal shows your client their documents, balance, statement and your payment options, and they can tell you "I've sent payment". Reminders go out before and after the due date, in your words, and stop when the invoice is paid.
- **Retainers and quotes.** Recurring invoices repeat weekly, monthly or yearly, as drafts to review or sent on schedule. Estimates are accepted with a typed name and become an invoice in one click. Any currency, per client.
- **One price per business, the team included.** Starter is $12 a month or $120 a year for one business, Pro $29 ($290 a year) for 5 and Business $79 ($790 a year) for 20, for people who run several brands or sister companies. Inside a business, invoices, estimates, credit notes, customers, items, templates, reminders and team members are unlimited, so your partner, your project manager and your bookkeeper join as editors or viewers at no extra cost. Pro and Business include LotsNotes Pro. No plan? Each business runs on 15,000 credits ($15) a month, charged daily. New accounts get 15,000 free credits, valid 90 days, no card. [See pricing](https://lotsinvoice.com/pricing).
- **Never holds your money.** Your invoices and client portal show the payment options you already use: a Stripe Payment Link, PayPal, Square, bank transfer, ACH, Zelle, Venmo or check by mail. Clients pay you directly, so your provider's own fees apply and LotsInvoice takes nothing from the payment. You record the payment when it arrives.
- **Reports for your accountant.** Who owes what, revenue, tax collected and payments received, with CSV export. You can export all your data whenever you want.

Choose LotsInvoice if you send several invoices a month, care how they look and add up, and want one price for the business with everyone on your team included. If you want card payments processed inside the invoice tool with automatic paid status, or bookkeeping and bank feeds in the same app, look at Wave, FreshBooks or HoneyBook below. [Start at lotsinvoice.com](https://lotsinvoice.com).

## 2. Zoho Invoice: free, with a portal, recurring invoices and time logging

Zoho Invoice costs $0, forever. The free plan covers quotes, recurring invoices, automated payment reminders, customizable templates, a self-service customer portal, expenses, time logging with projects, and reports. It connects to Zoho CRM, Books and Analytics, and you can run up to two organizations under one account.

The limits are on its pricing page: up to 2 users, a maximum of 3 projects, up to 500 invoices a year, and "Powered by Zoho Invoice" branding on what you send. Card payments go through the third-party gateways you connect.

Choose Zoho Invoice if you're starting out, two people are enough, and you're fine with Zoho's branding. If you outgrow two users or 500 invoices a year, Zoho points you to its other products.

## 3. Invoice Ninja: low-cost Pro with unlimited clients

Invoice Ninja's Free plan gives you unlimited invoicing for up to 5 clients, 11 templates, your logo, recurring invoices, a client portal, project time tracking and expenses, with Invoice Ninja branding. Ninja Pro is $14 a month or $140 a year and adds unlimited clients, custom invoice designs, automatic late-payment reminders, a REST API, a branded portal address, and up to 10 companies under one login.

Extra account users start on Enterprise, priced by users: $18 a month for 1 to 2 users, up to $300 a month for 51 to 100, with permissions and bank account sync. Clients pay through the gateway you connect (Stripe, PayPal, Square, GoCardless and more). There are apps for every desktop and phone, and you can self-host it.

Choose Invoice Ninja if you're a freelancer who wants a full-featured invoicing tool at a low monthly price, or you like the option to host it yourself.

## 4. Wave: free invoicing with bookkeeping built in

Wave's Starter plan is $0 and covers unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records, a mobile app and optional online payments at 2.9% + $0.60 per card transaction (3.4% + $0.60 for Amex). Pro is $19 a month or $190 a year and adds bank imports, receipt capture, automated late-payment reminders and admin, editor and viewer roles for partners and accountants. On Pro, the first 10 card payments each month cost 2.9% + $0. Each business on Pro is a separate subscription.

Choose Wave if you want invoicing and simple bookkeeping in one free app and you're happy to take card payments through Wave.

## 5. FreshBooks: invoicing inside an accounting suite

FreshBooks is accounting software with strong invoicing. Lite is $23 a month and lets you invoice 5 billable clients, Plus is $43 for 50 and Premium $70 for unlimited clients, and there's a 30-day free trial. Every plan includes expense tracking and estimates, and Plus adds accounting reports. Team members are $11 a month per person on every plan, and Select includes 2. FreshBooks Payments charges 2.9% + $0.30 per card payment and 1% for ACH.

Choose FreshBooks if you want invoicing, expenses and your books in one place, and your client count fits its tiers.

## 6. Bonsai: proposals, contracts and invoices in one client workspace

Bonsai is a client and project management suite for freelancers, agencies and consultancies. It's billed per user. Basic ($15 a user a month, $9 billed annually) covers time tracking, tasks and CRM; invoices and payments start on Essentials at $25 a user a month ($19 annually), together with proposals, contracts, scheduling and a client portal. Premium ($39, $29 annually) removes Bonsai branding and adds QuickBooks and Xero integrations; Elite ($59, $49 annually) has a 3-user minimum.

Bonsai Payments charges 2.9% + $0.30 for cards and 1% for ACH ($1 minimum). Its help center says that where Bonsai Payments is available, getting paid through Stripe or PayPal instead adds a 1% platform fee to the payout.

Choose Bonsai if you want proposals, contracts, time tracking and invoicing in one workspace and you price your team per seat anyway.

## 7. HoneyBook: client flow for service businesses

HoneyBook runs the whole client journey: lead forms, proposals, contracts, scheduling, invoices and payments, with a client portal. Starter is $29 a month billed yearly. Essentials ($49 billed yearly) adds automations, a QuickBooks Online integration and up to 2 team members. Premium ($109 billed yearly) adds unlimited team members and multiple companies. Every plan has unlimited clients and projects, and there's a free trial. Card payments start at 2.7% + $0.10 and ACH is 1.5%.

Choose HoneyBook if you book clients through proposals and contracts and want payments taken inside the same flow.

## 8. Harvest: invoice from tracked hours

If your agency bills by the hour, Harvest starts from the timesheet. The Free plan is 1 seat with 2 projects, time and expense tracking and invoicing. Teams is $11 a seat a month ($9 billed annually) with unlimited seats, team reporting and accounting and payment integrations; Enterprise is $17.50 ($14 annually) and adds profitability reports and timesheet approvals. On paid plans, Harvest says additional invoices, projects, clients and tasks are billed based on what you use. There's a 30-day trial.

Choose Harvest if tracked time is the source of truth for what you bill.

## 9. Stripe Invoicing: pay a percentage instead of a plan

Stripe Invoicing has no monthly fee. You pay 0.4% of each paid invoice on Starter or 0.5% on Plus, which adds quotes, and Stripe's payment fees apply on top: 2.9% + $0.30 for a domestic card. Clients pay on a Stripe-hosted invoice page. Custom pricing is available for large invoice amounts.

Choose Stripe Invoicing if you already run on Stripe, send a few invoices, and want clients to pay by card on Stripe's hosted invoice page. If you prefer a flat price, you can keep Stripe for payments and add a Stripe Payment Link to a LotsInvoice invoice instead.

## 10. Invoice Simple: invoicing from your phone

Invoice Simple is a mobile-first app with a desktop version. Essentials is $6.99 a month for up to 3 invoices a month, Plus $14.99 for up to 10 with due date reminders and reports, and Premium $21.99 for unlimited invoices, client signatures and deposits. There's a 14-day free trial. Online card payments cost up to 3.49% + $0.49, and ACH 1% + $0.30, capped at $15.

Choose Invoice Simple if you invoice a handful of jobs a month, mostly from your phone.

## Which one should you pick?

- **You're an agency or freelancer who wants every invoice exact and on-brand, with the team included at one price:** LotsInvoice, from $10 a month billed yearly.
- **You want $0:** Zoho Invoice (2 users, 500 invoices a year) or Wave Starter (one user, bookkeeping included).
- **You want a low monthly price with unlimited clients:** Invoice Ninja Pro at $14.
- **You want accounting in the same app:** FreshBooks or Wave Pro.
- **You sell with proposals and contracts:** Bonsai or HoneyBook.
- **You bill hours:** Harvest.
- **You already run everything on Stripe:** Stripe Invoicing.

LotsInvoice also works with the AI agent you already use, when you want it: once your business is set up, Claude, ChatGPT and other assistants can draft invoices from your customers, items and layout and ask you before anything is sent. The dashboard is where you check everything. [How to connect](https://lotsinvoice.com/mcp).

## FAQ

### What is the best invoicing software for agencies?

It depends on how your agency bills. If you want exact, on-brand invoices with your whole team included at one price, LotsInvoice charges per business with unlimited team members. If you bill tracked hours, Harvest. If you sell with proposals and contracts, Bonsai or HoneyBook. If you want accounting too, FreshBooks.

### Is there free invoicing software for freelancers?

Yes. Zoho Invoice is free for up to 2 users and 500 invoices a year, with Zoho branding. Wave Starter is free for one user, with card fees of 2.9% + $0.60. Invoice Ninja is free for up to 5 clients, and Harvest for 1 seat and 2 projects. LotsInvoice has no free plan; new accounts get 15,000 free credits, valid 90 days, no card.

### Which invoicing tools charge for each team member?

FreshBooks charges $11 a month per team member. Bonsai and Harvest are priced per user or seat. HoneyBook allows up to 2 team members on Essentials and unlimited on Premium. Invoice Ninja adds users on Enterprise, from $18 a month. LotsInvoice includes unlimited team members in every business. Checked on 19 October 2026.

### Do invoicing apps take a percentage of my payments?

Some do. Stripe Invoicing takes 0.4% or 0.5% of each paid invoice on top of Stripe's card fees. Bonsai adds a 1% platform fee when clients pay through Stripe or PayPal where Bonsai Payments is available. Tools with built-in payments charge card fees, such as 2.9% + $0.30 at FreshBooks. LotsInvoice never handles payments, so it takes nothing.

### Can my clients pay by card if I use LotsInvoice?

Yes, through the payment options you already use. Add your Stripe Payment Link, PayPal or Square link and it appears on every invoice and in the client portal, next to bank transfer, ACH, Zelle or check details. Clients pay you directly, your provider's fees apply, and you record the payment when it arrives.

## Sources

All checked on 19 October 2026:

- LotsInvoice: [lotsinvoice.com](https://lotsinvoice.com), [pricing](https://lotsinvoice.com/pricing)
- Zoho Invoice: [zoho.com/us/invoice/pricing](https://www.zoho.com/us/invoice/pricing/)
- Invoice Ninja: [invoiceninja.com/pricing-plans](https://invoiceninja.com/pricing-plans/)
- Wave: [waveapps.com/pricing](https://www.waveapps.com/pricing)
- FreshBooks: [freshbooks.com/pricing](https://www.freshbooks.com/pricing)
- Bonsai: [hellobonsai.com/pricing](https://www.hellobonsai.com/pricing), [payments](https://www.hellobonsai.com/payments), [help center: payment methods and fees](https://help.hellobonsai.com/en/articles/452273-understanding-online-payment-methods-and-fees-at-bonsai)
- HoneyBook: [honeybook.com/pricing](https://www.honeybook.com/pricing)
- Harvest: [getharvest.com/pricing](https://www.getharvest.com/pricing)
- Stripe: [stripe.com/invoicing/pricing](https://stripe.com/invoicing/pricing), [stripe.com/pricing](https://stripe.com/pricing)
- Invoice Simple: [pricing](https://www.invoicesimple.com/pricing-packages/), [payments fee schedule](https://www.invoicesimple.com/payments-fee-schedule/)