Charlotte Davis

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Best Invoicing And Estimating Software in 2023

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In today’s day and age, it’s harder to successfully run a company without the support of business management tools. Invoicing software is the new norm, as it allows you to have more freedom to operate the way you want it, without the need to manually create every invoice, send invoice reminders, or track your payments.

Now you can create professional invoices, create estimates, and benefit from automated billing, freeing your hands and head from these time-consuming tasks.

If you’re in need of solid, user-friendly invoicing software, you’re in luck. I prepared this review of the best accounting software programs for creating estimates and invoices, so you can choose the best one for your needs.

Are you ready to change the way you do your invoicing? If the answer is yes, keep reading!

The Best Invoicing And Estimating Software 2023

  • Square Invoices (best for small business owners)
  • Zoho Invoice (the most comprehensive invoicing software for small businesses)
  • FreshBooks (best estimate and invoice software with simple solutions)
  • Paymo (software with best task management tools)
  • InvoiceOwl (most user-friendly billing software)

Invoicing And Estimating Software – Comparison

# Time Tracking App Rating Unlimited Invoices Free Plan Website
1 Square Logo

4.9/5

Yes

Yes

2 Zoho Invoice Logo

4.8/5

No

Yes

3 FreshBooks Logo

4.5/5

Yes, up to 5 clients

No

4 Paymo Logo

4.4/5

Yes

Yes

5 InvoiceOwl logo

4.4/5

No

No

Square Invoices

1

Square Logo

Square Invoices

 Expert Review

Very Good 10

Square Invoices Website

Square Invoices offers everything a small or medium-sized company may look for in their invoicing software.

I chose them as my number 1 because of the wide range of tools they offer for businesses in their comprehensive free plan. Why should you consider Square Invoices for your needs?

Why I Like It

Square Invoices is, in my opinion, one of the most comprehensive and affordable billing software platforms available on the market. Their free plan includes unlimited invoices, the option to schedule recurring payments, tracking the status of your invoices in real-time, and solid reporting features.

This estimating and invoicing software allows you to send an unlimited number of estimates and track them in real-time. I also really liked the option to accept both online payments and payments in person for product-based businesses – this is not something I see that often in various billing software programs.

Of course, all the best invoicing solutions need to have robust customization options. Square Invoices did not drop the ball here and offers custom invoices with layouts and invoice fields you can change according to your needs.

Their interface was extremely easy to navigate, and I had no issues whatsoever with working via their mobile app.

Who’s It For

Square Invoices is the best accounting software for small businesses and freelancers who are looking for a solid tool with great payment solutions and customization options.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Free plan available
  • Unlimited estimates and invoices
  • Integrations with inventory management software
  • Offers most types of payments

Cons

  • Most customization and project tracking features available in the paid plan
Square Logo

Square Invoices

Zoho Invoice

2

Zoho Invoice Logo

Zoho Invoice

 Expert Review

Very Good 10

Zoho Invoice Website

Are you looking for a really easy-to-run yet comprehensive invoicing solution? Then you might be interested in what Zoho Invoice brings to the table. From my personal experiences with this software, I can tell that it is a lot.

Why I Like It

What do I like the most about this software? First of all, it’s free, so if you’re on a budget and still want to benefit from great accounting software with lots of features, look no further.

Of course, this tool has some limitations. For example, you can bill only up to five clients, which is why Zoho Invoice is not the right choice for larger businesses. But you can do a lot with this platform.

Some of the features that I find very useful are available, and this list includes automated payment reminders, payments online and via cash, time tracking tools, and of course, creating and sending estimates. They also offer a client portal so your communication and billing with clients can go as smoothly as possible.

Although their interface is not the most impressive I’ve worked on, it does its job just fine, so no complaints here.

Who’s It For

I consider Zoho Invoice a stellar invoicing software for freelancers and small businesses that need a tool to track billable hours and create invoices. With their limitations regarding the number of clients and users, it’ll not be the best software for bigger entities though.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Free plan available
  • Client portal included
  • Easy to integrate with other tools
  • Both cash and online payments

Cons

  • Limited to five customers More advanced custom invoice options are not available or hard to implement
Zoho Invoice Logo

Zoho Invoice

FreshBooks

3

FreshBooks

 Expert Review

Very Good 10

FreshBooks Website

I would recommend FreshBooks to every business that wants to work with a platform that is very easy and intuitive but offers room for growth.

Their features are easy to learn, and the range of tools in their toolbox can sufficiently support small businesses and freelancers.

Why I Like It

FreshBooks combines ease of use and solid project management tools. They offer features for time tracking, an option to share files and projects with your team, multiple payment getaways, solid reporting tools, and a functional mobile app.

You can create personalized invoices, but their customization options are rather basic. Still, you are able to set late payment reminders or add your tracked time and expenses to your invoices, so the whole billing process is pain-free and easily manageable.

One thing I say is that I was disappointed they do not offer any free plans, and the features that you get in the cheapest plan are rather limited. But you can send unlimited invoices and estimates in the most affordable plan, which is a plus if these are your main needs.

I have experienced some minor bugs here and there, but overall I’m happy with how this estimates and invoice software performed.

Who’s It For

Based on my experiences with this platform, I’d say it’s the best software for those who are looking for something uncomplicated and reliable. FreshBooks do offer more complex features in their paid plans, so it’s a good proposition for small and medium businesses.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Various payments getaways
  • Unlimited customizable invoices
  • Easy to learn and implement
  • Client portal included

Cons

  • No free plan
  • Many advanced features only in paid plans

FreshBooks

Paymo

4

Paymo Logo

Paymo

 Expert Review

Very Good 10

Paymo Website

Paymo is my proposition for business owners who need a platform for project management and billing solutions all in one.

This software will offer you comprehensive tools for working with your team and clients, as well as creating professional estimates and invoices.

Why I Like It

Paymo delivers basic but reliable features, so you can create custom invoices quickly and without a fuss. I was satisfied with their customization options for invoices, but the tool for creating estimates is where this software really shines for me.

Creating estimates for your clients with Paymo is effortless. You can convert your project into an estimate with a few simple clicks, which saves you tons of time and headaches. All and all, the feature is rather simple, but I consider it a big advantage since you don’t have to put a lot of effort into crafting your estimates – the program does all the heavy lifting for you.

If you’re interested in estimates and invoicing software with robust time management and team management features, Paymo will meet your expectations. But you should know that their free version does not offer estimates and is limited to only one user. The rest of the plans are more enticing but can turn out to be quite expensive, which is a drawback for me.

Who’s It For

I can recommend Paymo to small businesses and entrepreneurs looking for simple invoicing software with great invoicing features.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Free plan
  • Easy to use
  • Very accurate time-tracking tool

Cons

  • Limited mobile app
  • Limited free plan
  • Paid plans can be quite expensive

InvoiceOwl

5

InvoiceOwl logo

InvoiceOwl

 Expert Review

Very Good 10

InvoiceOwl Website

Last but not least on my list is the InvoiceOwl – user-friendly software that will help you create invoices for your clients, track invoices with simple notifications, and accept payment with all major credit cards. Quickly, stress-free, and effectively.

Why I Like It

I must admit that InvoiceOwl is not revolutionary in any way. Still, it’s easy-to-navigate estimating and invoicing software with all the necessary tools to send invoices to your customers, get paid faster, and create estimates that can be quickly sent for approval.

I like that this software is super easy to use, no matter how much experience you have with these sorts of platforms. I haven’t experienced any problems when testing their interface, and from other reviews I saw online, it seems to be the norm.

I would say that their pricing system is very sensible and allows you to benefit from many valuable features within the cheaper plan. But the other good news is that you can grow with this platform and switch to a more expensive plan when you’re ready.

So if you’re a fan of simple and quality solutions, InvoiceOwl could be what you’re looking for.

Who’s It For

InvoiceOwl will make sense in smaller organizations that need an easy-to-implement and reliable tool for their incoming and creating estimates.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Very user-friendly
  • Stellar customer service
  • Great value for the money

Cons

  • No free plan
InvoiceOwl logo

InvoiceOwl

Final Thoughts

And that’s a wrap on my invoicing and estimating software review. All of the products I featured in this article are worth the try, and I hope my insights into their strengths and drawbacks will make your decision easier.

Overall, finding good billing software can be quite a challenge, especially if you have little experience with what modern software programs can offer their customers.

Let me know if you had any adventures with the software platforms I chose, and check our blog for more in-depth reviews of different business management and accounting software!

See you next time!

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