Best free invoice generators: what free really means
By Diljit Ramachandran, founder of The Invoice Generator. Published and last checked Oct 27, 2026.
We make The Invoice Generator, so weigh our row accordingly. For one invoice with no account, a no-signup generator such as The Invoice Generator or invoice-generator.com is the quickest; for reminders and bookkeeping, a free accounting plan such as Wave or Zoho Invoice fits better. What differs between them is the catch in the free version.
Open the free invoice generatorFree, no signup. Your draft stays in your browser.
Free invoice generators compared
We read each vendor's own pricing or home page on Oct 27, 2026 and list only what it states; each row links to the page it was read from. Plans change, so check the vendor before you rely on a figure.
| Tool | Best for | What is free | What the free version leaves out |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Invoice Generator (the-invoice-generator.net, our product) | One invoice now, with no account | $0. Unlimited invoices, receipts, quotes and more. No signup to make a PDF. | The free PDF carries a small "Made free at the-invoice-generator.net" line. Pro ($39 a year or $5 a month) removes it and adds your logo and signature, other looks and sign-in on every device. Source: our pricing page. |
| invoice-generator.com (a different product, not ours) | A quick PDF with no signup | $0. Its home page says "unlimited invoices" and that you can download a PDF without signing up. | Its home page does not list paid plans or limits, so we have not compared them. Source: invoice-generator.com. |
| Wave (Starter plan) | Invoices and bookkeeping in one place | $0. Unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records, inside an accounting account. | Late-payment reminders, bank transaction import and removing Wave's branding from invoice footers are on Pro, listed at $19 a month in US dollars. Card payments on Starter are listed at 2.9% + $0.60. Source: Wave's pricing page. |
| Zoho Invoice | More than one user, with a yearly cap | $0. Up to 500 invoices a year, two users and three projects. | Its free-plan page shows no paid prices; larger needs are sent to Zoho Billing or support. Source: Zoho's pricing page. |
Not compared: Invoice Ninja, PayPal, Square and FreshBooks. We have not read their current plans, so we make no claim about them.
What "free" usually means
Free with a footer is a free tool whose PDF carries the maker's line. Free with an account is a free tool you sign up for first. Free with a cap limits how many invoices you can send, as Zoho's free plan does at 500 a year. A fourth kind is paid for by payment fees, as with Wave's card charges.
How to choose
- You send a few invoices a month and want no account. Use a generator that gives you a PDF without signing up. The Invoice Generator was built for this.
- You want reminders and your books in one place. An accounting tool fits better. See invoicing software for freelancers for what each kind is for.
- You bill clients in another country. Check that the tool lets you choose the currency, name your tax (VAT, GST or sales tax) and print bank details such as an IBAN and SWIFT code. The Invoice Generator has one-tap lines for those in its payment box.
- You need receipts and quotes too. Check the tool makes them, not only invoices. See our receipt generator and quote generator.
When The Invoice Generator is the wrong choice
- You want automatic late-payment reminders on a free plan. Payment reminders on The Invoice Generator are part of Pro.
- You need bank feeds, tax filing, payroll or inventory. The Invoice Generator is an invoice maker, not accounting software.
- You want to take card payments inside the tool. The Invoice Generator prints a payment link and a QR code but does not take the payment.
Questions
- Is a free invoice generator safe to use?
- Check where your details go. The Invoice Generator keeps your draft in your browser, and the PDF is made on your device. Saving an invoice to an account needs a sign-up, and then a copy is stored on our servers.
- Will a free invoice have a watermark?
- On some tools, yes. On The Invoice Generator the free PDF has one small line at the foot, "Made free at the-invoice-generator.net", and Pro removes it.
- Can I add my logo for free?
- Not on The Invoice Generator: your logo and signature are part of Pro. Other tools differ, so check each one.
- Do I need accounting software instead?
- Only if you need bank feeds, tax filing, payroll or inventory. If you send a few invoices a month, a generator is enough. See invoicing software for freelancers.
Keep every document in one place
- A free account saves a copy of each invoice, remembers your clients and items, and shows what is paid and overdue.
- Pro numbers your invoices for you, emails payment reminders, and repeats the ones you send every month.
Drafted with AI assistance from each vendor's public pages and our own tool, and published by Diljit Ramachandran. It has not been checked by an accountant. It is general information, not tax or legal advice. Other tools' plans and prices change; check each vendor's own page.