If you’ve been freelance writing for more than a few months, you know the drill: you finish a great project, send it off to your client, and then… wait. And wait some more. Sometimes that payment shows up right on time, but other times you find yourself awkwardly following up weeks later, wondering if your invoice got lost in someone’s spam folder.
Here’s the thing—having the right billing software can completely change this experience. Instead of cobbling together Word documents and hoping for the best, you can create professional invoices, set up automatic reminders, and actually track whether clients have opened your emails. Trust me, once you start using proper billing software, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
Let me walk you through some of the best options available in 2025, from comprehensive solutions to solid free tools that won’t cost you a dime.
1. FreshBooks
FreshBooks has a bit of a fan following among freelancers, and for good reason. The interface just makes sense, whether you’re on your laptop or checking something quickly on your phone. What users appreciate most is how it handles expenses—snap a photo of a receipt, and it’s automatically categorized and ready for tax time.
- Free trial: 30 days
- Pricing: Starts at $21/month (As of this writing, they’re running a promo for 90% off for 3 months, which brings your monthly cost to $2.10)
You’ll love it if: You want something intuitive that handles invoicing, payments, and expense tracking without making you feel like you need an accounting degree.
2. QuickBooks
QuickBooks is a name everyone knows, and it lives up to the reputation. The mobile app is solid, and if you’re already thinking about tax season in January, you’ll appreciate how everything stays organized. It’s particularly good if you’re scaling up and need something that can grow with your business.
- Free trial: 30 days
- Pricing: Starts at $35/month (As of this writing, they’re running a promo for 50% off for 3 months, which brings your monthly cost to $17.50)
You’ll love it if: You want an all-in-one solution and don’t mind paying a bit more for the QuickBooks brand reliability.
3. Harvest
Harvest strikes a nice balance between simplicity and functionality. The Gmail integration is clutch if you live in your email, and if you work with other freelancers or subcontractors, the timesheet management features are genuinely helpful.
- Free trial: 30 days
- Free plan: Yes
- Pricing: Starts as $11 per seat/month
You’ll love it if: You bill hourly and want time tracking that doesn’t feel like a chore.
4. Flowlu
This one’s been making waves in 2025, and it’s easy to see why. Flowlu manages to pack a lot of features into a surprisingly clean interface. The automation options are impressive—you can set up recurring billing that actually works reliably, and the CRM features mean you can keep track of client history without jumping between different tools.
- Free trial: 14 days
- Free plan: Yes
- Pricing: Starts at $15/month
You’ll love it if: You want modern automation features without the complexity of enterprise-level software.
5. Wave
Let’s be honest—”free accounting software” usually means “basic and frustrating.” Wave is the exception, though it’s important to note they’ve recently changed their model. Wave now offers the free Starter plan and the paid Pro plan at $16/month, which has sparked some frustration among longtime users.
The Starter plan still handles unlimited invoices and clients without making you feel like you’re using a stripped-down version of something better. The free plan includes unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, and bookkeeping records, plus the option to accept online payments (though you’ll pay transaction fees of 2.9% + $0.60 per credit card transaction).
- Free plan: Yes (Starter plan)
- Paid plan: $19/month (Pro plan with enhanced features; current promo lowers this to $13.30/month)
- Transaction fees: 2.9% + $0.60 per credit card transaction (reduced fees with Pro plan)
You’ll love it if: You’re starting out or keeping things simple, and you don’t mind transaction fees on online payments.
6. Zoho Invoice
Zoho Invoice is part of the larger Zoho ecosystem, which can be both a pro and a con depending on your perspective. As a standalone invoicing tool, it’s surprisingly robust. The template customization options are extensive, and the automated reminders actually work (you’d be surprised how many tools mess this up).
- Pricing: Free for most freelance needs
You’ll love it if: You like having lots of customization options and might want to explore other Zoho tools down the line.
7. PayPal Invoicing
Sometimes simple is better. PayPal’s invoicing tool isn’t going to win any design awards, but it gets the job done, especially if you’re working with international clients who are already comfortable with PayPal.
- Free plan: Yes
- Fees: Pay fees only when invoices are paid
You’ll love it if: You value simplicity and trust, and your clients are already using PayPal.
8. Billdu
Billdu sits in that sweet spot between free tools and premium solutions. At $4.99/month, it’s affordable enough for most freelancers but includes features like real-time invoice tracking, image attachments, client signatures, and barcode scanner that can actually change how you manage your business.
- Free trial: 30 days
- Pricing: Starts at $4.99/month
You’ll love it if: You’re ready to invest a little bit for professional features but don’t need enterprise-level complexity.
9. Toggl Track
Toggl Track is my go-to. While it is primarily known as a time tracking tool, it’s become increasingly popular among freelancers who need to track billable hours. While it doesn’t have built-in invoicing features, it excels at what it does: precise time tracking with detailed reporting that you can export for invoicing purposes.
The interface is clean and intuitive, and the browser extension makes it incredibly easy to start and stop timers without disrupting your writing flow. The free version is surprisingly generous, including essential functionalities like time tracking, reporting, and integrations with other tools—perfect for freelancers who just need solid time tracking.
- Free plan: Yes (up to 5 users)
- Free trial: 30 days for paid plans
- Pricing: Start at $9/user/month, Premium at $20/user/month
You’ll love it if: You’re primarily focused on accurate time tracking and don’t mind using a separate tool for invoicing, or if you’re already using another invoicing tool and just need better time tracking.
So, Which One Should You Choose?
Here’s what I’d suggest: Think about your actual workflow, not your ideal workflow.
Do you bill the same clients every month? Look for something with solid recurring billing automation. Constantly chasing payments? Prioritize tools with reliable reminder systems. Working with international clients? Make sure the software handles multiple currencies without making you do math.
And here’s a piece of advice from someone who’s tried way too many of these tools: Start with the free trial or free version of whatever seems most appealing. Use it for a real project, not just clicking around the demo. You’ll learn more about what works for your specific situation than any feature comparison chart can tell you.
The right billing software should feel like it’s working for you, not against you. When invoicing becomes just another quick task instead of a dreaded chore, you’ll know you’ve found the right fit.
Ready to Get Started?
Most of these tools offer free trials, so there’s no harm in testing a few to see what clicks with your workflow. The time you invest in setting up proper billing software will pay dividends in faster payments, better organization, and honestly, just less stress about the business side of writing.
Your future self—the one who’s not scrambling to remember which clients owe what—will thank you.
First published December 2013; updated September 2025
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