Best Free Invoice Apps in 2026: Ranked for Freelancers
“Free” invoice apps aren’t always free once you need the features that actually matter. Here’s an honest ranking of the best free options in 2026.
Top free invoice apps compared
1. Chaser — Best for automated payment follow-up ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Free tier: 3 invoices with full 4-stage reminder automation
- Pro: €20/mo — unlimited invoices
- PDF generation, VAT support, multilingual (EN/NL/DE/FR)
- The only free app where reminders are automated, not manual
- Best for: freelancers tired of chasing late payments
2. Wave — Best truly free unlimited invoicing ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Free tier: unlimited invoices, no payment cap
- Revenue model: payment processing fees (2.9% + 60¢)
- Manual follow-up — no automated reminders
- US/Canada-focused — limited for EU freelancers
- Best for: US freelancers who want basic unlimited invoicing
3. Invoice Ninja — Best free open-source ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Free tier: up to 20 clients (cloud-hosted)
- Self-hosted: completely unlimited, free forever
- Strong feature set but steeper learning curve
- No automated chasing in free tier
- Best for: developers who want to self-host
4. Zoho Invoice — Best free app for small client list ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Free tier: up to 5 invoices per month
- Professional design, mobile apps
- Limited automation on free tier
- Best for: freelancers just starting out
5. PayPal Invoices — Most familiar payment method ⭐⭐⭐
- Free to create and send invoices
- High payment processing fees: 3.49% + fixed fee
- No automated reminders
- Best for: clients who prefer PayPal
6. Square Invoices — Best for in-person + online billing ⭐⭐⭐
- Free tier: basic invoicing with card payment processing (2.9%)
- Solid mobile app
- No payment automation
- Best for: US-based freelancers who also take in-person payments
7. Indy — Best all-in-one free tier ⭐⭐⭐
- Free tier: 3 active projects
- Includes contracts, time tracking, and invoicing
- No automated follow-up
- Best for: US freelancers wanting more than just invoicing
Stop chasing. Start automating.
Chaser sends escalating invoice reminders automatically. Add an invoice once — Chaser handles the rest. Free for 3 invoices.
Try Chaser free →No credit card required
Feature comparison table
| App | Free limit | Auto reminders | VAT support | Mobile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaser | 3 invoices | ✅ | ✅ Automated | ✅ | ✅ |
| Wave | Unlimited | ✅ | ❌ Manual | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ |
| Invoice Ninja | 20 clients | ✅ | ⚠️ Manual | ✅ | ✅ |
| Zoho Invoice | 5/mo | ✅ | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ | ✅ |
| PayPal Invoice | Unlimited | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Square | Unlimited | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Indy | 3 projects | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
The real cost of “free” invoice apps
The sticker price of an invoice app is the least interesting part of its cost. Here’s what actually costs you money:
- Time cost: manual follow-up = 2–5 hours/month for the average freelancer with 5–10 open invoices
- Emotional cost: chasing payments is stressful and damages client relationships
- Late payment cost: average late payment costs freelancers 13 days of work per year (Xero research)
The question isn’t “does the app cost money” — it’s “does the app pay for itself.” Chaser at €20/mo pays for itself with one recovered invoice per year.
How to choose the right free invoice app
- →EU-based with late payment problems: Chaser — automated chasing even on the free tier
- →US-based needing unlimited free invoicing: Wave
- →Want full control and can self-host: Invoice Ninja
- →Just starting out: Zoho Invoice free tier
Stop chasing. Start automating.
Chaser sends escalating invoice reminders automatically. Add an invoice once — Chaser handles the rest. Free for 3 invoices.
Try Chaser free →No credit card required
Frequently asked questions
Which invoice app is completely free forever?
Wave offers unlimited invoicing free forever (they make money from payment processing fees). Invoice Ninja is free self-hosted. Chaser’s free tier covers 3 invoices with full automation.
What’s the best free invoice app for UK freelancers?
Chaser works well for UK freelancers (Faster Payments details, VAT support). Wave works but is US-centric. Invoice Ninja has strong UK support.
Do free invoice apps support VAT?
Chaser, Invoice Ninja, and Zoho Invoice all support VAT calculations. Wave has limited VAT support (US/Canada focused). PayPal and Square don’t support EU VAT on their basic tiers.
Can free invoice apps send automatic payment reminders?
Most free apps only send manual reminders — you have to do it yourself. Chaser is the exception: even the free tier includes automated 4-stage reminder sequences.
Is there a truly free invoice app with PDF invoices?
Yes — Chaser, Wave, Invoice Ninja, Zoho Invoice, and most others generate PDF invoices on the free tier. The key difference is automation: most free tiers skip the automated follow-up.