5 Best Invoicing Software for Small Businesses in 2024

April 3, 2024

Unlock the power of invoicing with our 2024 guide! Learn the details for the top software picks like Portant, Freshbooks, Xero, Zoho Invoice, and Invoice Ninja. Creating, and sending invoices has never been easier with such advanced invoicing software options in the market.

James Fyfe
Co-founder - CEO

Invoicing software solutions of 2024 are essential f or small businesses to streamline their billing and payment processes. With various options in the market choosing the best one for your business can be overwhelming. 

In this blog post, we will cover the pricing of the best invoicing software for small business options, how to pick the best invoicing software that fulfils your business needs, the types of small business invoicing software, and our verdict on the top 5 options available. 

1. Portant 

Portant is your go-to for all things business document automation. It has a library of various templates suited for various business needs, and invoicing is one of the most popular solutions they offer that their users absolutely love.

The software is user-friendly, making it easy for even the least tech-savvy individuals to create professional invoices. Portant's invoice template runs on Google Sheets, making customizing your invoice a breeze.

Portant's Invoice Template Sample

Bonus points are that it lives on the cloud, offering convenient accessibility.

Portant offers a free trial , which is great for trying it out.

The 3 subscription options offer capabilities that will greatly improve your invoicing procedures, particularly the Teams plan.

It encompasses all invoicing functions, plus you can limit access so members of your team can only run your invoicing workflows and not make any edits. It also includes an E-signature portal, team folders, priority support, advanced security, and numerous other benefits.

If you seek more accounting features, Portant is not the best choice. Their primary emphasis is continually improving their automated invoicing process, which is what they excel at.

This one-stop solution allows users to create invoices using various templates, connect their email to the platform, and easily send invoices to clients.

With its user-friendly interface and the ability to streamline the invoicing process, Portant is one of the best options for small businesses in 2024. 

If you think we are biased in listing ourselves as the top choice, then don’t take our word for it; sign up for a free trail and have a go at creating your first invoice. We promise you won’t look back!

2. Freshbooks 

Freshbooks has established itself as one of the best invoicing software for small businesses in 2024, offering 3-plus plans boasting automatic expense tracking and limitless invoicing capacity, accompanied by unlimited estimates and proposals.

 However, it's worth noting that Freshbooks does miss a free plan, which may deter some small businesses on a tight budget.

While the software excels at creating polished invoices for clientele and offering automated payment reminders and late fee capabilities, it does have a learning curve and can be harder to use due to its additional accounting finance features. 

This may pose a challenge for businesses seeking a more straightforward invoicing solution.

However, for those willing to invest the time in learning the platform, Freshbooks can be a powerful tool for managing invoicing and finances for small businesses. 

3. Xero

Xero is part of the best invocing software solutions for small businesses. Despite creating invoices in Xero, it includes other features such as bank reconciliation, inventory, purchasing, expenses, and bookkeeping. 

It is a modern accounting software designed for small businesses that operates in the cloud, allowing access from any computer or mobile device. With capabilities such as monitoring cash flow, processing payments, and generating financial reports, Xero provides a more streamlined and user-friendly accounting process for businesses.

However, when customizing the invoice template to meet specific needs, users may find it somewhat challenging. This is because the platform is incompatible with popular tools, making it harder for users to tailor the invoice template to their business requirements.

Xero also lacks the functionality to create invoices in bulk, which is highly requested by businesses as it can save valuable time and resources, particularly when dealing with numerous customers and clients.

Despite its limitations, Xero excels as a comprehensive and effective accounting software for small businesses. 

4. Zoho Invoice 

Zoho Invoice is one of the best invoicing software for small businesses because it is easy to create invoices and manage customers, assignments, and financial statements.

With Zoho Invoice, you can create different hourly rates for various organisational tasks or individuals.

However, the software can be complicated if you want to create recurring invoices a more advanced custom or recurring invoice.

Moreover, automatically generated invoices lack the ability to be edited and miss some elements.
The software offers a free plan with restricted functionality and four premium plans that may be costly for small business owners, especially if they do not anticipate frequent usage.

Generally, Zoho Invoice is a suitable choice for small businesses needing essential invoicing tools. Still, it may not be the most suitable option for those requiring more advanced features or for those looking for a more budget-friendly option.

5. Invoice Ninja 

Invoice Ninja is considered one of the best invoicing software options for small businesses due to its easy-to-use interface and comprehensive features. It includes a time tracker for easily tracking hours for billable billing and an expense tracker for keeping tabs on business expenditures. 

However, there are some drawbacks to consider. For example, users must pay extra for a white-label license.

There are also issues with their invoice designs.

Invoice Ninja is also missing some integrations for payment requests and accounting, which can be a downside for some users. While it is cheaper than other popular options on the market, it may lack some invoicing features and require more effort to import customer data, thus negatively impacting your time efficiency. 

Pricing of the Best Invoicing Software for Small Business Options

Price Comparison Table

Invoicing Software Free Option Starter Plan Mid-Tier Plan Premium Plan Custom Plan
Portant ✓ (Free Trial) $49 $89 $129
Freshbooks ✓ (Free Trial) $19 $30 $60
Xero - $3.75 $10 $19.60 -
Zoho Invoice $20 $50 $300 -
Invoice Ninja $12 - $16 -

How to Pick the Best Invoicing Software that Fulfills Your Small Business Needs

When choosing the best invoicing software for your small business, there are several factors to consider.

First, assess your business needs. Do you require software that integrates with your existing accounting system?

Do you need a solution that allows for multiple users or one that can handle recurring billing?

Next, consider the user interface and ease of use. You'll want an intuitive system that you and your team can easily navigate.

Look for features such as invoicing in batch, email delivery of invoices within the software of your choice, and customization options.

Finally, consider the software's cost and scalability. Choose a solution that fits your budget now and can grow with your business in the future. 

Types of Small Business Invoicing Software

Small business invoicing software comes in various types to cater to different business needs:

  • Cloud-based solutions - offer online invoicing and payment processing, allowing businesses to manage their invoices from anywhere easily. 
  • On-premise software - provides more control and customization options for businesses that prefer to keep their invoicing data stored locally.

Nobile app invoicing solutions - are designed specifically for small businesses on the go, enabling them to create and send invoices directly from their smartphones. 

Some software also includes features like expense tracking, time tracking, and automatic billing to streamline the invoicing process for small businesses further. 

Our Verdict 

In contrast to other small invoice software options, Portant is our ultimate pick. It is notable for being a cost-effective solution that prioritizes improving its invoicing process.

Portant provides a free, easily adaptable Google Sheets invoice template that allows users to incorporate their company branding, effortlessly input customer information, link their email, and promptly send out invoices, among other features.

FAQs

Q. Is there free billing software available for small businesses?

A. Yes, there are free invoicing software options for small businesses, including Portant, Zoho Invoice and Invoice Ninja.

Q. What standalone invoice software is recommended for freelancers?

A. Freelancers can benefit from using standalone invoice software such as Portant and Zoho Invoice, which offer invoicing features tailored for independent professionals.

Q. How can online invoicing benefit small businesses?

A. Online invoicing streamlines the billing process, allows for easy access to invoices from anywhere, enables automated reminders for overdue payments, and offers secure online payment options for clients.

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