The best free invoice app for contractors, and what free really means
Five invoice apps you can use for $0, what each one caps, what you pay when a customer pays you, and two well-known apps that are no longer free.
14-day free trial · no credit card · from $30/mo · your techs are free
We make FieldStacker, so weigh our pick accordingly. FieldStacker is not free, and it is listed below as a paid option. Free-tier details come from each company's own site, checked October 26, 2026.
A free invoice app is a good start for a new contractor. You need a clean invoice with your logo, a way to take a card, and a record of who paid. Any of the five tools below will do that for $0 a month.
What changes is the work around the invoice. Once you have a second truck, deposits on bigger jobs, change orders and a schedule to keep, a free invoice tool becomes one of four places you keep information. That is when paying for something makes sense, and not before.
Free contractor estimate and invoice software, compared
Who each fits, what it does well, the real price, and one honest limit.
Zoho Invoice
For: solo contractors who want a free tool with room to grow. Does well: quotes, recurring invoices, payment reminders, expense tracking, time logging and a customer portal on the free plan. Price: $0; up to 2 users and 500 invoices a year. Limitation: invoices carry "Powered by Zoho Invoice" branding, and the free plan allows only three projects.
Wave
For: one-person businesses that also want free bookkeeping. Does well: the free Starter plan includes estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records, and invoicing from its mobile app. Price: Starter $0; Pro $19/mo or $190/yr. Limitation: online card payments on Starter cost 2.9% + $0.60 each (3.4% + $0.60 for Amex), and deposits through estimates are tied to turning on online payments.
Square Invoices
For: contractors who already use Square to take cards. Does well: the free plan includes invoices and recurring invoices, estimates and contracts, and projects. Price: free plan at $0; processing rates and the Plus price were not printed on the page we read, so check their site. Limitation: payment schedules for deposits and milestones are listed under Plus, not the free plan.
PayPal invoicing
For: contractors whose customers like paying with PayPal or Venmo. Does well: creating and sending invoices is included with a PayPal business account, with recurring invoices and automatic reminders. Price: no monthly fee listed; cards 2.99% + $0.49, PayPal and Venmo 3.49% + $0.49, bank (ACH) 1% capped at $10. Limitation: the invoicing page does not mention estimates, so you may need another tool to quote.
QuickBooks Online Free
For: owners who expect to move into QuickBooks later anyway. Does well: invoices sit in real accounting software, with estimates you can convert to invoices. Price: $0 for 1 user; Simple Start is $38/mo. Limitation: the Free tier sends 2 invoices a month unless you qualify for and turn on QuickBooks Payments.
FieldStacker (paid, with a free trial)
For: contractors outgrowing a free invoice app because of techs, deposits and scheduling. Does well: estimates from your own price list, deposits and change orders, e-sign, a schedule board, batch invoicing, job costing and QuickBooks Online sync, with free techs. Cards go through your own Stripe account with no FieldStacker fee on top. Price: 14-day free trial with no card, then Pro $30/mo or $25/mo yearly. The digital business card is free forever. Limitation: invoicing is not free after the trial.
No longer free: Joist and Invoice2go
Many contractors remember Joist as free. Its pricing page now says the free plan is no longer available; every plan has a 14-day trial with no card, and Basics is $12/mo billed monthly for up to 5 documents a month. Invoice2go has no free plan either: it offers a 30-day trial, and its FAQ says you need to enter card details to start it. See our Joist alternative and Invoice2go alternative pages.
Free tiers at a glance
From each company's own site, checked October 26, 2026.
| Tool | Monthly price | Free-tier limit | Estimates on free tier | Card fee when a customer pays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Invoice | $0 | 500 invoices/yr, 2 users | Yes (quotes) | Check their site |
| Wave Starter | $0 | None stated for invoices | Yes | 2.9% + $0.60 |
| Square Invoices | $0 | Check their site | Yes | Check their site |
| PayPal invoicing | No monthly fee listed | Check their site | Not mentioned | 2.99% + $0.49 |
| QuickBooks Online Free | $0 | 2 invoices/mo without QuickBooks Payments | Convert estimates to invoices | Check their site |
| Joist | From $12/mo | No free plan | Trial only | Check their site |
| Invoice2go | Check their site | No free plan | Trial only | 3.5% to 2.9% by plan |
| FieldStacker | $30/mo after 14-day trial | Paid plan | Trial, then Pro | Standard Stripe rates, no added fee |
Outgrowing your free invoice app? Try FieldStacker for 14 days
No card to start. We move your customers over from your old app for free.
- No credit card to start
- From $30/mo after the trial
- Your techs and cleaners are free
- Cancel any time from the app
Where free invoice apps stop for contractors
Signs it is time to look past free.
You need a deposit
Bigger jobs need money before materials. Some free tiers, like Square's, list payment schedules on a paid plan.
The job changes mid-way
Check whether the free tier has change orders the customer approves. Without them, extras get argued over at the end.
Someone else does the work
Once a tech finishes jobs, you need a schedule and a way for them to close the job, not just an invoice.
You cannot say what a job made
An invoice shows revenue. Parts, labor and expenses against each job show profit.
Keep it as quick as a free invoice app
Paying should not mean slower invoicing. In FieldStacker the quick invoice is one screen: customer, lines, tax and due date, then send it, take a card or mark it paid by cash or check. Paid invoices land in Finances with your expenses and mileage, so the free spreadsheet goes too.
Free invoice app questions
What is the best free invoice app for contractors?
For most solo contractors, Zoho Invoice and Wave are the strongest truly free options. Zoho Invoice allows up to 500 invoices a year with quotes and recurring invoices. Wave's free Starter plan has no stated cap on estimates and invoices but charges a per-payment fee when customers pay online. Square's free plan is a good fit if you already use Square.
Is Joist still free?
No. Joist's pricing page says its free plan is no longer available. All Joist plans now have a 14-day free trial with no card, and Basics starts at $12/mo billed monthly, capped at 5 documents a month.
What is the best free invoicing software for contractors who send estimates?
Zoho Invoice includes quotes on its free plan, Wave's free Starter plan includes estimates, and Square's free plan includes estimates and contracts. QuickBooks Online's Free tier can convert estimates to invoices but is capped at 2 invoices a month unless you use QuickBooks Payments.
Is there free contractor estimate and invoice software that takes card payments?
Yes, but "free" usually means free to send and paid when you get paid. Wave lists 2.9% + $0.60 per card payment on its free plan. PayPal lists 2.99% + $0.49 for card payments on invoices. The software costs nothing; each payment costs a fee.
Is FieldStacker free?
No. FieldStacker has a 14-day free trial with no card, then Pro is $30/mo, or $25/mo billed yearly. Techs you add are free, and the digital business card is free forever, but invoicing is part of the paid plan.
When should a contractor stop using a free invoice app?
When the invoice is no longer the hard part. If you are juggling a schedule, techs, deposits, change orders and job costs in other places, the time spent copying between them usually costs more than a paid plan.
Related: invoice app for contractors · invoicing from your phone · free CRM for contractors · FieldStacker pricing
Ready for more than a free invoice?
14-day free trial, no credit card. Estimates, deposits, scheduling and invoices, with your techs free.