Recommended Free Tools
Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Free invoicing software is easy to find; free software that meets a specific e-invoicing mandate is a different matter. Zoho Invoice, Wave and Square Invoices are options for ordinary online invoicing, with availability and plan limits that vary by country. If your customer or tax authority requires a structured invoice sent through a particular network or portal, a tool that only creates PDFs may not be enough.
Before choosing a product, find out what the recipient requires: a PDF, a machine-readable format such as UBL or XML, delivery through Peppol, or submission to a government system. The format and delivery route—not the app’s “e-invoicing” label—determine whether it fits.
What counts as e-invoicing?
The phrase e-invoicing is used for two different things. In everyday software marketing, it often means creating an invoice online and sending it by email, link or download. In regulated and procurement contexts, it often means exchanging invoice data in a structured, machine-readable format that the recipient’s system can process automatically.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
The European Commission describes a true e-invoice as one issued, transmitted and received in a structured format suitable for automatic processing. A PDF, scan, image, Word file or ordinary web-page invoice is not automatically a structured e-invoice. See the Commission’s explanation of e-invoicing.
#1 Best Overall
- Auto Cutter and High-Speed Printing: The thermal receipt printer features high efficiency with auto cutter and the fastest printing speed of 300mm/sec. Easy for paper installation, easy maintenance, and excellent structure. Plug and play USB PORT, easy to use. Three Interface ports: USB+ LAN + SERIAL PORT. Does NOT support Wifi or Bluetooth. Compatible with WIN2003/WINXP/WIN7/WIN8/WIN10/LINUX/Mac
- Wall Hanging Design: Kitchen printer with two hanging holes on the bottom support wall mount hanging. Easy to use, save the place. With auto cutter and compatible with several operating systems. Print width: 79.50.5mm; Paper Width: 3 1/8 inch (80mm)
- Wide Compatibility and Reasonable Design: Desktop or wall-mounted type for option, lets you use every space more rationally. The humanized auto-cutter ensures the receipt will not fall to the ground after printing. One-button open cover and large paper warehouse design, easy to use and maintain. Works with MUNBYN 3 1/8 x 203ft thermal paper and Gorilla 3 1/8 x 230 Thermal Paper Receipt Rolls
- Cost-Effective Operation: Supports cash drawer driving, compatible with ESC/POS print commands. The network receipt printer does not need ribbon or ink cartridge, resulting in low operating cost. The printer has the function of overheating protection for long service life. Printing characters with high speed and reliable performance for receipt printing in large shopping malls, supermarkets, retail, hotels, canteens, and restaurants
- Compatibility Notice: The receipt printer is not compatible with Grubhub, Doordash, Square, Chromebook, Uber, or Clover systems. Rongta is a brand dedicated to offering high quality products and good shopping experience for customers
| Invoice type | What it usually means | Is a PDF enough? |
|---|---|---|
| Online invoice | Created or sent electronically, often by email or payment link | Often |
| PDF invoice | A human-readable document sent as an attachment or download | It is a PDF, but may not meet a structured-invoice requirement |
| Structured e-invoice | Invoice data in a format such as UBL or CII, exchanged for automated processing | No |
| Government e-invoice | An invoice reported to, cleared by or submitted through a tax authority system | No |
| Peppol invoice | A structured invoice exchanged through the Peppol network | No |
A PDF can be valid for some purposes and still fail a buyer’s system or a country’s e-invoicing rules. Likewise, a product that lets you enter a VAT number and tax rate does not necessarily validate the tax treatment, report transactions, or send structured data to an authority.
The EU’s e-invoicing rules and public-sector requirements depend on the transaction and country. The European Commission and Your Europe’s e-invoicing overview explain the distinction and the public-administration context. Do not treat “EU-compliant” as a blanket product attribute: check the required standard, syntax, profile, delivery network and plan for your specific use.
Free invoicing software at a glance
| Product | Best for | Free-plan details in cited product information | Key caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Invoice (UK) | Feature-rich invoicing for freelancers and small service businesses | Free plan; up to two users, three projects and 500 invoices per year; Zoho branding | UK plan details are not global; free VAT invoicing is not proof of structured e-invoice transmission |
| Wave | Basic accounting alongside invoicing, where available | Starter plan includes basic accounting and invoicing | Country availability and paid add-ons matter; structured e-invoice support is not established by the free-plan information |
| Square Invoices (UK) | Sending invoices and collecting card payments | £0 monthly plan; unlimited invoices and users on the cited UK page | Payment processing is charged; not necessarily a structured or government-compliant e-invoice service |
| Zoho Books, Zoho Billing or an IRP-connected service (India) | Indian businesses that need GST e-invoicing workflows | Availability depends on product, plan and provider; an IRP page advertises a six-month free period | Confirm eligibility and current terms; a temporary offer is not a permanent free plan |
“Not established” does not mean a feature is definitely unavailable; it means the cited free-plan information does not confirm it. Ask the vendor for written confirmation of the exact format, network, country and plan before relying on it for compliance.
Best free options for ordinary online invoicing
Zoho Invoice: best feature-rich free invoicing option
Zoho’s UK pricing page lists a free plan with VAT-oriented invoices, PDF or email delivery, online payments, payment reminders, recurring invoices, expenses, projects, timesheets and a customer portal. The same page lists limits of two users, three projects and 500 invoices a year, and says free invoices carry “Powered by Zoho Invoice” branding. These are UK page details, not a promise that the same plan or terms apply everywhere. Check the current UK pricing page and the product’s availability in your country.
It is a sensible starting point for a freelancer or small service firm that wants more than a blank invoice template, particularly if recurring billing, expense tracking or time tracking is useful. Its VAT fields and invoice features do not, by themselves, prove that it can transmit a structured invoice through a particular national system or Peppol on the free plan. For India, Zoho’s documentation describes an IRP-connected workflow through a registered GST Suvidha Provider and says availability depends on the plan; see Zoho Books’ India e-invoicing documentation.
Rank #2
- 【Fast Printing & Auto Cutter】The pos printer high efficiency with auto cutter and printing speed--250mm/sec. Easy for paper installation, easy maintenance, easy to use.Three Interface ports：USB+ LAN + SERIAL PORT.DO NOT-Wifi-Bluetooth.
- 【Wall Hanging Design】 Kitchen printer with two hanging holes on the bottom support wall mount hanging. Easy to use, save the place. With auto cutter and compatible with several operating systems. Print width:79.5±0.5mm; Paper Width:3 1/8" (80mm).
- 【Wide Compatibility&Reasonable Design】Desktop or wall-mounted type for option, lets you use every space more rationally. The humanized auto-cutter, the receipt will not fall to the ground after printing. One-button open cover and large paper warehouse design, easy to use & maintain. Work with MUNBYN 3 1/8 x 203ft thermal paper,MFLABEL thermal receipt paper.
- 【Most Cost-effective】Support cash drawer driving, compatible ESC/POS print commands.Do not need ribbon/ink cartridge, low operating cost. The printer has the function of overheating protection, long service life. Printing characters with high speed, reliable performance.It is an ideal choice for receipt printing in large shopping malls, supermarkets, retail, hotels, canteens, restaurants, etc.
- 【Buy with Confidence】 Rongta is a brand that is dedicated to offering the highest quality products and good shopping experience for the customer. Warm tips:The receipt printer is not compatible with Ubereats/Grubhub/Doordash/Lightspeed/Postmates/Square/Chromebook/Clover.
Consider upgrading or switching if you exceed the annual invoice, user or project limits, need to remove branding, or require a country-specific structured e-invoice connection. Also check data-retention and export terms: the UK pricing information describes deletion procedures for accounts inactive for an extended period, so do not leave your only invoice archive in an unused account.
Wave: best for basic accounting plus invoicing, where supported
Wave says its free Starter plan includes basic accounting and invoicing. Online payments, automatic receipt scanning and payroll are paid features or add-ons according to its free-plan explanation. That combination may suit a small business that wants simple bookkeeping as well as invoices, without immediately subscribing to a separate accounting product.
Wave’s cited information does not establish worldwide availability or structured e-invoice, Peppol or government-clearance support. Check whether signup and the functions you need are available in your country, and price payment acceptance and other add-ons separately. Do not assume that basic accounting functionality makes an invoice compliant with every local tax regime.
Square Invoices: best when getting paid online is the priority
Square’s cited UK pages list a £0-per-month plan with unlimited invoices, estimates, contracts, users and customers, plus invoice sharing and online payment acceptance. Its UK pricing page lists a 2.5% charge for online card payments, with separate rates for other payment methods. Confirm the current rates and terms directly on Square’s UK pricing page; do not apply UK figures to another country.
Square is worth considering if you want to send an invoice and let a customer pay by card through the same workflow. It may be less appealing if most customers pay by bank transfer and you do not need payment processing. A £0 subscription does not mean a free payment transaction, and invoice creation does not establish structured e-invoice or tax-authority submission. See the UK features page for the plan’s stated invoice functions.
Rank #3
- High-speed printing of 43 receipts per minute (250mm/s) with easy to setup USB connection - just Plug and Print; USB serial number feature means the PC will detect the TSP143IIIU on its Windows platform using any USB port
- Compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows for a simple setup process
- The "Drop-In and Print" clamshell design allows for fast and easy paper loading; patented "De-Curl" function always delivers a flat receipt
- The TSP143IIIU USB model is certified with the following companies: Postmates, Square, Chromebook, and Clover
- The small footprint and embedded power supply saves precious counter space
India: distinguish GST e-invoicing from a free invoice maker
India is a useful example of why a generic PDF invoice app may not meet a business’s needs. For businesses subject to applicable GST e-invoicing requirements, the relevant workflow involves reporting through an Invoice Registration Portal (IRP); the required eligibility, document types and deadlines depend on current rules. Zoho’s documentation says its India e-invoicing workflow connects to the IRP through a registered GST Suvidha Provider and is plan-dependent. Check the documentation for the exact Zoho product you use: Zoho Books or Zoho Billing.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The cited IRIS IRP pricing page displays “Free for 6 months.” Treat that as a time-limited offer, not a permanent free plan, and verify the current commercial terms. The page also reports a 30-day reporting restriction, effective 1 April 2025, for taxpayers with aggregate annual turnover of ₹10 crore or more. Check current official GST guidance and the provider’s terms before acting; do not infer that the same restriction or eligibility applies to every taxpayer or document.
What a useful free plan should include
For routine invoicing, check for the basics before entering customer data or issuing your first invoice:
- A customer list and reusable product or service descriptions
- Sequential invoice numbering and configurable payment terms
- Tax fields and the ability to show required business and customer identifiers
- Due dates, currencies, PDF downloads and email delivery
- Payment-status tracking, reminders and, if needed, recurring invoices
- Estimates or quotes and a proper way to issue credit notes or corrected invoices
- Export or backup of invoices and customer records
- Mobile access and basic reports, if you need them
Compliance needs go further. Depending on your jurisdiction and customer, you may need an audit trail, original-invoice preservation, duplicate prevention, legally required retention, machine-readable export, format validation, a government portal connection, Peppol access, or a process for rejected invoices and credit notes. A free plan may offer some of these, none of them, or charge separately. Confirm rather than assume.
How to choose: start with the recipient’s requirement
- Ask what format and route are required. Is a PDF accepted, or does the buyer require UBL, CII, another XML format, a procurement portal, Peppol or direct tax-authority reporting? For EU transactions, ask whether EN 16931 and a particular profile or syntax apply. For a structured invoice, find out whether the product sends it or only creates a file.
- Identify the transaction and jurisdiction. Note whether you invoice a consumer, another business or a public body, and which country’s rules apply. Cross-border businesses may need to assess each tax registration and customer requirement separately.
- Compare the actual free-plan limits. Check invoice volume, users, customers, businesses, projects, integrations and branding. A plan described as free can still be unusable if its ceiling is below your normal workload.
- Calculate the cost of getting paid. Add card-processing, currency-conversion, instant-payout, refund or other transaction fees to any subscription cost. If customers pay by bank transfer, a payment-led platform may not be the cheapest fit.
- Check tax and correction workflows. Confirm how the app handles your tax fields, credit notes, cancellations, corrected invoices and numbering. Entering a tax rate is not the same as validating a tax decision or filing a return.
- Check what happens to your records. Confirm export formats, backup options, retention after cancellation or inactivity, and whether numbering can be preserved if you migrate. Keep your own records in line with applicable local requirements.
- Get confirmation for any compliance claim. Ask the vendor to identify the country, transaction type, format, transmission service and plan covered. A broad “compliant” claim is not enough to establish that the invoice will be accepted.
Set up a free invoice workflow safely
- Confirm the invoice format with your customer and check the relevant tax authority’s requirements.
- Choose a product available in your country, then read the free-plan limits, payment fees and retention policy.
- Enter your legal business name, address, tax identifiers, payment details and any required customer fields.
- Set a consistent invoice-numbering sequence, currency, payment terms and tax configuration.
- Add accurate service or product descriptions and default tax settings; do not rely on defaults without checking them.
- Send a test invoice to yourself. Review the displayed details, calculations, email, PDF or structured output, and any payment link.
- Test reminders and find the product’s process for credit notes, cancellations and corrections before you need one.
- Export or back up the test record, then schedule regular exports of actual invoices and related records.
- Review usage and pricing before reaching an invoice, user or project limit, and reassess if your country or customer requirements change.
When free software is not enough
A free general-purpose invoice app is a poor bet when a customer or authority requires structured transmission and the plan cannot provide it. Look for a specialist service or paid accounting platform when you need:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteRank #4
- Compatibility Information: Please ensure that our receipt printer is compatible with your device.The Ethernet interface supports Windows, Mac OS, Linux, VirtualCom, Android, RaspberryPi and iOS. But the USB interface could only support Windows, Mac OS, Linux, VirtualCom and Android. Additionally, it does not support Ubereats, Grubhub, Doordash, Postmates, Clover, or Shopify for POS software.
- Fast Printing & Auto Cutter: This high-efficiency thermal receipt printer boasts a maximum printing speed of 260mm/s, ensuring quick and efficient printing without any paper jams. The automatic cutter is designed to handle heavy usage and can last up to 1.5 million cuts. With a one-button open cover and a spacious paper warehouse, this POS printer is easy to use and maintain. Additionally, the receipt printers utilizes direct thermal printing technology, eliminating the need for ribbons or ink.
- USB & Ethernet Interface: The receipt printer has USB and Ethernet interfaces, as well as cash drawer RJ11 ports. However, it does not support Bluetooth or WiFi printing. With a 203 dpi resolution, the Ethernet receipt printer produces high-quality prints that are sharp and clear. To develop custom applications on Ethernet-supported systems like iOS and Android, a software development kit (SDK) is necessary.
- Wall Mount Option: The kitchen printer has a wall mount option with two hanging holes at the bottom, allowing it to easily fit into any space. This USB receipt printer is an excellent choice for various establishments such as restaurants, kitchens, retail stores, grocery stores, clothing stores, supermarkets, cafes, ticket points, food trucks, banks, shopping malls, hotels, canteens, and more.
- Customer Service in the United States: Our team of customer support based in the United States is ready to help you with any problems you may have regarding the integration of the direct thermal printer. Whether you require assistance with setup, connection, compatibility, or any other issues related to the product, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Additionally, all Volcora products are backed by a limited lifetime warranty, ensuring your peace of mind when making a purchase.
- Mandatory government clearance, real-time reporting or submission to a national tax portal
- Peppol delivery, receipt of structured invoices, or formats such as UBL, CII, Factur-X, ZUGFeRD or XRechnung
- Validation, rejection handling and correction workflows tied to the required network or authority
- Multiple countries, VAT registrations, tax languages or local numbering rules
- High invoice volumes, several entities, approval controls or audit-grade records
- Inventory, purchase orders, three-way matching, payroll, advanced accounting or ERP/API integrations
For EU public-sector and cross-border requirements, do not stop at asking whether a vendor “supports e-invoicing.” Check whether it supports the required EN 16931-compatible format and syntax, the applicable Peppol profile and access point, receipt as well as sending if needed, validation, corrections and the plan you will actually use. Requirements vary by country and transaction. In the UK, HMRC’s guidance on electronic VAT invoicing addresses authenticity of origin, integrity of content, legibility, customer agreement and records; this is not the same thing as a universal Peppol or structured-invoice mandate.
In the US, many small businesses use “e-invoicing” to mean online invoices, PDFs and payment links rather than a national government clearance system. That does not remove the need to check state and local tax settings, record retention, industry rules, procurement portals and customer-required formats. No general-purpose product should be assumed tax-compliant across every US jurisdiction.
Why “free” can still cost money
Providers commonly fund a free plan through card-processing charges, paid accounting or payroll tiers, receipt scanning, extra users, higher invoice limits, premium support, branding removal, paid integrations or tax-compliance services. Compare the full cost for your actual workflow:
- Subscription or per-document charge, now and after any trial
- Invoice, customer, user and entity caps
- Card, buy-now-pay-later, bank-transfer and refund fees
- Currency conversion and payout charges
- Tax modules, structured e-invoice delivery, API access and support
- Branding, export, migration and data-retention restrictions
If your business accepts a card payment of £100 through a service charging 2.5% for that UK online payment, the processing charge would be £2.50 before any other applicable charges. The example uses the rate shown on Square’s cited UK page; confirm current rates and the exact payment method in your own market.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
