Best free invoicing apps for contractors in 2026

Let's be real — when you're starting out or running a tight ship, paying $30-60/month for invoicing software feels like getting nickel-and-dimed. You're already paying for insurance, gas, tools, and a truck payment. Adding another subscription for something you could technically do in a Word doc is a tough sell.

Good news: there are actually solid free invoicing apps that work well enough for most contractors. I've tested all of these with real contractor workflows in mind — not just "can it send an invoice?" but "can I quote a water heater install from my truck and get paid the same day?"

Quick comparison

1. Wave — best free invoicing overall

Wave is the gold standard for free invoicing and it's not particularly close. It's a full accounting platform — invoicing, expense tracking, receipt scanning, financial reports — and the core product is genuinely free. They make money on payment processing and payroll.

What contractors will like:

• Unlimited invoices and customers
• Recurring invoices for maintenance contracts
• Automatic payment reminders (huge for getting paid faster)
• Expense tracking and receipt scanning included
• Bank connections for automatic transaction importing
• Looks professional — your invoices won't look "free"

What's annoying:

• Payment processing fees are slightly higher than Square (2.9% + 30¢ vs 2.6% + 10¢)
• No inventory management
• Mobile app is functional but not great — desktop experience is better
• Limited integrations compared to QuickBooks

Best for: Solo contractors and small crews who want real accounting software without paying for it. Especially good for handymen, cleaners, and lawn care operators.

2. Zoho Invoice — most professional free option

Zoho made their invoice product completely free in 2023, and it's genuinely good. The templates are clean, the workflow is smooth, and it integrates with the rest of Zoho's ecosystem if you ever need CRM, project management, or books.

What contractors will like:

• Beautiful invoice templates that look custom-designed
• Time tracking built in (great for hourly work)
• Client portal where customers can view and pay
• Multi-currency support if you do any cross-border work
• Automated workflows for recurring invoices

What's annoying:

• The Zoho ecosystem can feel overwhelming — lots of products, lots of upselling
• Payment processing requires Zoho Payments or Stripe/PayPal integration
• Learning curve is slightly steeper than Wave

Best for: Contractors who want polished-looking invoices and might eventually need CRM or project management tools.

3. Square Invoices — best if you already take Square payments

If you're already using a Square card reader on job sites, their invoicing is a no-brainer. It's free, and payments flow into the same Square account. The processing fees are also the lowest on this list for card payments.

What contractors will like:

• Lowest payment processing fees (2.6% + 10¢ for card on file)
• Send invoices from your phone in about 60 seconds
• Same-day deposits available (for a small fee)
• Customers can pay by card, Apple Pay, or ACH
• Built-in contract and estimate features

What's annoying:

• Not a full accounting system — you'll still need something for books
• Invoice customization is limited compared to Wave or Zoho
• Reporting is basic

Best for: Contractors who want the simplest possible invoicing with fast payment processing. Great for handymen and small jobs.

4. Invoice Ninja — best open-source option

Invoice Ninja is completely free and open source. You can self-host it or use their free tier. It's powerful but definitely more technical than the others.

What contractors will like:

• Truly unlimited everything on the free plan
• Highly customizable templates and workflows
• Auto-billing for recurring clients
• Project tracking and time logging
• You own your data completely (especially if self-hosted)

What's annoying:

• Setup takes more work than Wave or Square
• Interface feels more "developer" than "contractor"
• Self-hosting requires some technical knowledge
• Support community is helpful but not instant

Best for: Tech-savvy contractors who want complete control and customization. Not ideal if you just want something that works in 5 minutes.

5. PayPal Invoicing — the familiar option

PayPal invoicing is free to use — you only pay when customers pay through PayPal. Most people already have a PayPal account, which reduces friction for customers who don't want to enter card details on an unfamiliar platform.

What contractors will like:

• Customers trust PayPal — high payment completion rate
• Send from your phone, customers pay with one click
• Built-in buyer/seller protection

What's annoying:

• Highest processing fees on this list (3.49% + 49¢)
• Invoices look like PayPal invoices, not YOUR invoices
• Limited customization and no real accounting features
• Fund holds can happen on newer accounts — not fun when you need to buy materials

Best for: Side jobs, small one-off projects, or situations where the customer specifically prefers PayPal.

What about our own invoice generator?

Look, I'll be honest — if you just need to create a professional invoice right now without signing up for anything, our free tools let you do that. No account, no credit card, no trial that expires. You fill in the details, it generates a PDF.

It's not a replacement for a full invoicing platform — you won't get payment tracking or automatic reminders. But for contractors who bill 5-10 customers a month and just need something clean to send, it works.

My recommendation

For most contractors just starting out: Wave. It's the most complete free platform and you'll outgrow it last. When you do outgrow it, you'll have clean books to migrate into QuickBooks or FreshBooks.

If you're already in the Square ecosystem: Square Invoices. No reason to fragment your payment processing across multiple platforms.

If you're doing fewer than 10 invoices a month and want zero commitment: use our free tools and upgrade to a platform when the volume justifies it.