Most freelancers do not need accounting software. They need to know what they worked on, send an accurate invoice, and see who has not paid yet. The trouble is that many invoicing apps are built to grow into something bigger, so "free" can come with client caps, payment fees, or steady nudges toward a paid plan.
This guide compares six options a solo freelancer might realistically consider. One disclosure up front: Stintly is our app, and we rank it first. We explain why below, along with where it falls short and when another tool is the better choice. Prices are approximate list prices and change often, so confirm the current numbers on each vendor's site before you commit.
1. Stintly — Best Free Option
Stintly is an iOS app for solo freelancers who want to track their work and handle the money side from their phone without taking on a full accounting system. It is free to download, does not require an account, and works offline.
The no-account, offline approach is the main reason it ranks first for this audience. You can start without handing over an email address or connecting a bank account. It also keeps working on a plane, at a client site with poor signal, or anywhere else your connection drops.
Pros:
- Free to download, with no account required
- Works offline, so a bad connection does not stop your work
- Keeps tracked work and client billing in one simple app
- Short learning curve, with no accounting vocabulary to learn first
Cons:
- iOS only, so it will not suit Android or web-first workflows
- Not a replacement for double-entry accounting or an accountant-facing ledger
- Not the right pick if you want clients to pay by card through a hosted invoice portal
- Not built for teams or multi-user approval workflows
Pricing: Free to download.
Why it wins: For a solo operator with straightforward billing, the best tool is often the one with the least setup and the fewest ongoing obligations. If you need payment processing, bank feeds, or formal bookkeeping, keep reading, because other apps on this list do those jobs better.
Stintly is free to download. Download Stintly for Free — no account needed, works offline.
2. Wave — Best Free Option with Accounting Included
Wave is the strongest choice if you want free invoicing and basic bookkeeping in one place. Its Starter plan covers invoices, estimates, and core accounting, and it has long been a favorite among North American freelancers and very small businesses.
The trade-off is the business model. Wave's free tier is supported by payment processing and paid upgrades, and some conveniences, such as automatic bank imports and receipt scanning, sit behind the paid plan or carry add-on costs.
Pros:
- Free plan includes invoicing and basic accounting
- Professional invoice templates and online card payments
- Reports that give your tax preparer something useful to work from
Cons:
- Requires an account and an internet connection
- Bank connection and automation features favor paid users
- Best suited to US and Canadian businesses
- More accounting structure than a freelancer with simple billing may want
Pricing: Starter is free. Pro runs roughly $16–$19 per month depending on billing cycle. Card payments carry processing fees, typically around 2.9% plus a fixed per-transaction charge.
3. Zoho Invoice — Best Free Option for Polished Client Billing
Zoho Invoice is one of the most feature-rich free invoicing tools available. You get customizable templates, recurring invoices, payment reminders, time tracking, expense logging, and a client portal. Few free tools match that list, and Zoho does not charge a subscription for the product.
The catch is that it is part of a very large software family. The interface has more settings than a solo freelancer may need, and if you outgrow it, the natural next step is Zoho's paid accounting product. Usage limits on the free product have also changed over time, so check the current caps against your client and invoice volume.
Pros:
- Strong free feature set, including reminders and recurring invoices
- Client portal and multiple payment gateway integrations
- Clean path into Zoho Books if your needs grow
Cons:
- Requires an account and is primarily cloud based
- Busier setup than simpler apps
- Payment gateways charge their own fees
Pricing: Free, subject to Zoho's current usage limits. Payment gateway fees are separate.
4. Invoice Ninja — Best for Technical Freelancers
Invoice Ninja stands out because it is open source. If you are comfortable running your own server, you can self-host it and keep full control of your billing data. A hosted version is also available if you would rather not maintain anything.
That makes it a natural fit for developers and other technical freelancers who care about data ownership. For everyone else, the hosted free tier is the realistic way in, and its client cap can make it more of a starter plan than a long-term home.
Pros:
- Open source, with a self-hosting option
- Quotes, recurring invoices, time tasks, and many payment gateways
- Paid hosted plans are inexpensive relative to mainstream accounting tools
Cons:
- Self-hosting means you handle updates, backups, and security
- Hosted free plan limits how many clients you can bill
- Interface can feel dense for first-time users
Pricing: Self-hosted software is free apart from your hosting costs. The hosted plan has a limited free tier, with paid plans starting at around $10–$14 per month.
5. FreshBooks — Best Paid Upgrade for Client-Heavy Service Work
FreshBooks is not free, and we include it because many freelancers searching for free tools end up comparing against it. It is one of the most polished invoicing products on the market, with a friendly interface, solid mobile apps, proposals, time tracking, and strong client communication features.
If invoicing is a daily activity and getting paid faster would clearly cover the subscription, FreshBooks can be worth paying for. Watch the client limits, though. Entry-level plans cap the number of billable clients, and that can push you up a tier sooner than you expect.
Pros:
- Excellent invoicing experience and client-facing polish
- Automatic reminders, late fees, and deposits
- Time tracking and expense tracking built in
Cons:
- No free plan, only a trial and promotional pricing
- Client limits on lower tiers
- Monthly cost adds up if you only send a few invoices
Pricing: Plans start at roughly $20–$25 per month at list price and rise substantially for higher tiers. Introductory discounts are common, so check what the renewal price will be.
6. QuickBooks Self-Employed — Best If Your Accountant Already Uses Intuit
QuickBooks Self-Employed has been a familiar name among US freelancers for years, thanks to its mileage tracking, expense categorization, and tax estimates. Before you plan around it, know that Intuit has been moving new customers toward QuickBooks Solopreneur, so the product you can actually sign up for today may not be the one older reviews describe.
The QuickBooks line makes the most sense when tax-time reporting is your main concern, or when your accountant already works in Intuit's ecosystem. As a pure invoicing tool, it is more than most freelancers need, and it costs money every month.
Pros:
- Useful US tax features, including estimated tax support
- Mileage and expense tracking from your phone
- Widely recognized by accountants and tax preparers
Cons:
- No free plan
- Product lineup has changed, which can confuse new buyers
- Requires an account and is designed around connected bank data
- Promotional pricing can jump at renewal
Pricing: Expect around $20 per month at list price for the current solo-focused plan, often discounted for the first few months. Confirm availability and pricing directly with Intuit.
How We Picked These Apps
We looked at these tools from the perspective of one person running a service business, not a finance department. Five questions shaped the ranking:
- What does it really cost? We looked past the headline price at payment fees, client caps, and which features need an upgrade.
- How fast can you get started? Tools needing fewer accounts, connections, and setup steps scored higher.
- Does it work when you are not connected? Offline use matters if you work on site or travel often.
- Does it match how solo freelancers work? We favored simple billing workflows over team features and complex ledgers.
- Where does it fall short? Every app here has real limits, and we tried to name them plainly.
Our criteria favor simplicity and independence, and that helps Stintly. If your priorities are online payments or full accounting, you should weigh the list differently, and the guide below does exactly that.
A free app is only a bargain if it fits how you bill. The right question is not "what does it cost?" but "what will I have to give up or pay for six months from now?"
Which App Is Right for You?
- Choose Stintly if you work solo on an iPhone, want to skip account creation, and need to keep working offline.
- Choose Wave if you want free invoicing plus basic bookkeeping and are happy to work online.
- Choose Zoho Invoice if you want a client portal, recurring invoices, and automated reminders without a subscription.
- Choose Invoice Ninja if you want open source software and are comfortable self-hosting or paying a small fee for hosting.
- Choose FreshBooks if you bill many clients often and the polish and automation will pay for themselves.
- Choose QuickBooks if US tax reporting drives your decision or your accountant already works in that ecosystem.
If your work is tied to a specific trade, a general freelancer tool may not be the best fit at all. Lawn care and landscaping operators can look at LawnBook for managing clients and services, while residential and commercial cleaners may prefer ShineBook. Contractors who need job costing and project billing should consider TrestleBook, and landlords handling rentals and tenants on the side will find KeyLoft a closer match.
Whichever you choose, test it with one real client before you move everything over. Create the invoice, send it, record the payment, and pull a report of what you billed. That single run will tell you more than any feature chart, and because most of these tools have a free tier or trial, it costs nothing but an hour of your time.
For most solo freelancers with simple billing, we would start with the free, low-commitment option and upgrade only when a specific limit starts costing you time or money. Paying for software is easy to justify later. Moving your records out of a tool you never needed is the harder job.