Finding the right invoice generator can save you hours every month and help you get paid faster. But with dozens of options claiming to be "the best," how do you choose?
We tested 20+ free invoice generators and narrowed it down to the top 7 based on ease of use, features, design quality, and whether they're actually free (no hidden paywalls). This guide will help you find the perfect tool for your business.
🎯 Quick Picks
FreeInvoicePDF.org - Completely free, no account needed, privacy-first, fast
Wave - Free invoicing + accounting, but slower interface
PayPal Invoicing - If you already use PayPal for payments
Invoice Generator - Quick and straightforward
How We Evaluated These Tools
Each tool was tested based on:
- Actually Free: No hidden limits, paywalls, or forced upgrades
- Ease of Use: Can you create an invoice in under 2 minutes?
- Professional Design: Do invoices look polished and trustworthy?
- Essential Features: Customization, PDF export, multi-currency support
- Privacy: Do they respect your data or harvest it for marketing?
- Speed: How long does it take to load and generate PDFs?
Detailed Reviews
1. FreeInvoicePDF.org
The fastest, most private invoice generator with zero compromises.
FreeInvoicePDF.org is built specifically for freelancers who want a simple, fast, and completely free invoicing solution without creating yet another account. Everything runs in your browser—your invoice data never touches a server.
✅ Pros
- 100% free forever (no premium plans)
- No account or signup required
- Privacy-first: data stays in your browser
- Lightning-fast load times (<1 second)
- Clean, professional templates
- 150+ currencies supported
- Works offline once loaded
- No watermarks on PDFs
- Custom logo and branding
- Unlimited invoices
❌ Cons
- No cloud storage (data is local only)
- No payment processing integration
- No automatic reminders (manual process)
- Limited to invoicing (not full accounting)
💡 Best For
Freelancers, solo entrepreneurs, and small businesses who value privacy, speed, and simplicity. Perfect if you just need to generate professional invoices quickly without dealing with accounts, subscriptions, or complex software.
2. Wave
Free accounting software with built-in invoicing.
Wave offers a complete accounting suite including invoicing, expense tracking, and basic bookkeeping—all for free. The catch? It's slower than standalone invoice generators and requires creating an account.
✅ Pros
- Completely free (makes money on payment processing)
- Full accounting features included
- Professional invoice templates
- Recurring invoices
- Payment reminders
- Multi-currency support
- Bank connection for reconciliation
❌ Cons
- Requires account creation
- Slower interface (cloud-based)
- Learning curve for full features
- Payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.60)
- Ads for their paid services
💡 Best For
Small businesses that need invoicing AND accounting in one place. If you want to track expenses, reconcile bank accounts, and generate financial reports, Wave is excellent. Overkill if you just need simple invoicing.
3. PayPal Invoicing
Simple invoicing built into PayPal.
If you already use PayPal for payments, their built-in invoicing feature is convenient. Clients can pay directly from the invoice with one click.
✅ Pros
- Free to send invoices
- One-click payment for clients
- Automatic payment confirmations
- Email reminders for unpaid invoices
- Mobile app available
- Track invoice status (viewed, paid)
❌ Cons
- Requires PayPal account (both you and client)
- PayPal branding on invoices
- Payment fees (2.9% + $0.30 for US)
- Limited customization
- Less professional appearance
- Clients pushed to create PayPal account
💡 Best For
Freelancers who already use PayPal and want seamless payment integration. Not ideal if you want professional-looking invoices or don't want to push clients toward PayPal.
4. Invoice Generator by Invoice-Generator.com
Straightforward, no-frills invoice creation.
A simple web-based tool that generates invoices quickly. No account needed, though they push their premium features.
✅ Pros
- No account required
- Simple, intuitive interface
- Instant PDF generation
- Multiple templates
- Auto-saves drafts in browser
❌ Cons
- "Powered by Invoice-Generator" watermark on free version
- Limited customization on free plan
- Frequent upgrade prompts
- Data stored on their servers
- Ads for premium features
💡 Best For
Quick one-off invoices when you don't mind a small watermark. Decent for occasional invoicing but the watermark looks unprofessional for regular use.
5. Zoho Invoice
Free for small businesses, but with limitations.
Zoho offers free invoicing for businesses with revenue under $50,000/year. Powerful features but cluttered interface.
✅ Pros
- Free for small businesses
- Advanced features (estimates, time tracking)
- Client portal
- Multiple payment gateways
- Mobile app
❌ Cons
- Limited to $50K revenue/year on free plan
- Requires account creation
- Cluttered, overwhelming interface
- Slow performance
- Constant upgrade prompts
- Steep learning curve
💡 Best For
Small businesses that need advanced features and are willing to deal with complexity. Not recommended for freelancers who just want simple invoicing.
6. Invoice Simple
Mobile-first invoicing with free tier.
Designed primarily as a mobile app with a web version. The "free" version has significant limitations.
✅ Pros
- Great mobile app experience
- Easy to use
- Professional templates
- Invoice on the go
❌ Cons
- Free plan limited to 3 invoices (then $9.99/month)
- Large watermark on free invoices
- Requires account
- Aggressive upgrade prompts
- Not truly "free" for regular use
💡 Best For
Testing before committing to their paid plan. The 3-invoice limit makes it impractical as a long-term free solution.
7. Square Invoices
Free invoicing with Square payment integration.
If you use Square for payments, their invoicing is convenient. Otherwise, it's a harder sell.
✅ Pros
- Free to send invoices
- Seamless Square payment integration
- Professional appearance
- Automatic reminders
❌ Cons
- Requires Square account
- Payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.30)
- Limited customization
- Pushes Square branding
- Not useful if you don't use Square
💡 Best For
Businesses already using Square for payments. Skip it if you're not in the Square ecosystem.
Feature Comparison Table
| Tool | Truly Free | No Account Needed | No Watermark | Multi-Currency | Custom Branding | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeInvoicePDF.org | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ⚡ Fast |
| Wave | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Medium |
| PayPal | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Limited | Fast |
| Invoice-Generator | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | Limited | Fast |
| Zoho Invoice | Under $50K | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Slow |
| Invoice Simple | 3 invoices only | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Fast |
| Square | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | Medium |
Which Tool Should You Choose?
Choose FreeInvoicePDF.org if...
- You want the fastest, simplest invoicing experience
- Privacy matters to you (no data collection)
- You don't want to create yet another account
- You need professional invoices without watermarks
- You're a freelancer or small business owner
Choose Wave if...
- You need full accounting software, not just invoicing
- You want to track expenses and reconcile bank accounts
- You're willing to deal with a slower, more complex interface
- You want automatic payment reminders
Choose PayPal Invoicing if...
- You already use PayPal for all payments
- Your clients are comfortable with PayPal
- You want one-click payment integration
- You don't mind PayPal branding on invoices
Avoid "Free" Tools That...
- Limit invoice count: 3 invoices/month is not "free" for active freelancers
- Add large watermarks: Unprofessional and makes you look cheap
- Constantly push upgrades: Ruins the user experience
- Require payment info upfront: Classic dark pattern
Final Verdict
For most freelancers and small business owners, FreeInvoicePDF.org is the best choice. It's genuinely free, respects your privacy, loads instantly, and produces professional invoices without watermarks or account requirements.
If you need full accounting features, Wave is excellent despite being slower. If you're already in the PayPal or Square ecosystem, their tools integrate seamlessly with payment processing.
Avoid tools that claim to be "free" but limit you to 3 invoices or plaster watermarks on your work. Your invoice is often a client's first impression of your professionalism—make it count.
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