Guide · Free plans
What free invoicing plans actually include
Three of the five tools we compare have a free plan. Here is what each one covers, and where the cost shows up.
Facts below were checked on 2026-11-01 on each company’s own pages. We have not tested these products hands-on. Prices are in US dollars.
What you get for $0
| Free plan | Includes | Limits listed | When it charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wave Starter | Unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records | No cap listed on the page we checked | Card payments: 2.9% + $0.60 (Visa/Mastercard), 3.4% + $0.60 (Amex). Bank payments: 1%, $1 minimum |
| Square Invoices Free | Invoices, recurring invoices, estimates, contracts and projects | No cap listed on the page we checked | Card payment through an invoice: 3.3% + 30¢. Bank transfer: 1%, $1 minimum |
| Zoho Invoice Free | Invoicing | Two users, three projects, 500 invoices a year, two organizations; invoices carry “Powered by Zoho Invoice” branding | Card fees are not on the pricing page |
The two with no free plan
FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online list no free plan on their pricing pages. FreshBooks starts at $23 a month (Lite) and advertises a 30-day free trial. QuickBooks Online starts at $38 a month (Simple Start) and mentions a 30-day free trial, without saying which plans it covers. Both show introductory discounts that end, so compare the regular price.
What to check before choosing a free plan
- How many invoices you send. Zoho’s 500 a year is a little over 40 a month. If you send more, the free plan stops being enough.
- How your clients pay. The free plans of Wave and Square charge a fee when a client pays through the tool. See what a card payment costs for the numbers.
- What you want beyond invoices. Wave’s free plan includes bookkeeping records; the paid Pro plan adds automatic bank transaction import and late-payment reminders.
- Branding on your invoices. Zoho’s free plan carries its own branding. We did not find a statement either way for the others on the pages we checked, so look at a sample invoice before you commit.
- How many locations you run. Square prices its paid plan per location.
Sources
- Wave: company page, checked 2026-11-01
- Square Invoices: company page, checked 2026-11-01
- Zoho Invoice: company page, checked 2026-11-01
- FreshBooks: company page, checked 2026-11-01
- QuickBooks Online: company page, checked 2026-11-01
See the full comparison, or how we pick.