How to make an invoice in a minute
- Add your business details once. Name, address, email, your tax or VAT number if you are registered, and a logo. All of it is remembered in your browser.
- Fill in who you are billing. Use their legal or company name. If they gave you a purchase order (PO) number, add it as the reference; many companies will not pay without it.
- Check the invoice number and dates. The generator suggests the next number after your last saved invoice. Pick payment terms and the due date is set for you.
- List the work. One line per deliverable, with quantity and rate. Hours, days or a fixed fee all work.
- Add discount, tax, fees and any deposit. The totals and the balance due update as you type.
- Download the PDF and save. Click Download PDF, choose Save as PDF, then click Save invoice so it appears in your history and the next number is ready.
What to include on an invoice
Rules differ by country and change over time, but most invoices that get paid without questions carry the same fields:
- The word Invoice (or Tax invoice where your tax rules require it) and a unique invoice number.
- The issue date and, ideally, the date the work was delivered.
- Your business name and address, plus contact details.
- The client's name and address.
- A clear description of each service or product, with quantity, rate and line total.
- Subtotal, any tax shown separately with its rate, and the total due, in a stated currency.
- Your tax or VAT registration number, if you are registered.
- Payment terms, the due date and how to pay.
Tax-registered businesses often have extra requirements, such as showing the tax amount per rate or the client's tax number for cross-border work. Check what applies to you with your tax authority or an accountant. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.
How the totals are calculated
Balance due = (Subtotal − Discount) + Tax + Extra fee − Amount paid
Tax = (Subtotal − Discount) × Tax rate
Say you bill a website redesign at 1 × $2,400, copywriting at 6 hours × $85 = $510, and stock photos at 3 × $29 = $87. The subtotal is $2,997.00. A 10% discount takes off $299.70, leaving $2,697.30. An 8% sales tax on that is $215.784, which rounds to $215.78, so the total is $2,913.08. If the client already paid a $1,000 deposit, the balance due is $1,913.08.
Each line and each total is rounded to the cent once, using whole cents internally, so the numbers on the PDF always add up exactly. Currencies without cents, such as the Japanese yen, round to whole units.
Invoice numbering best practices
- Make every number unique and sequential. Gaps and duplicates confuse accounts teams and auditors. The tool warns you if a saved invoice already uses a number.
- Use a short prefix and padding, like INV-0001. Padding keeps files sorted, and a prefix keeps invoices apart from quotes.
- Add the year if you like, such as 2026-014, but keep the counter going rather than restarting at 1 without a prefix change.
- Never reuse the number of a cancelled invoice. Issue a credit note or a corrected invoice with a new number instead.
Payment terms explained
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Due on receipt | Payment is expected as soon as the client gets the invoice. Common for small jobs and new clients. |
| Net 7 / Net 15 | Payment is due 7 or 15 days after the invoice date. A good default for freelancers. |
| Net 30 | Due 30 days after the invoice date. Standard for many businesses and agencies. |
| Net 60 | Due 60 days after the invoice date. Often requested by large companies. Consider pricing it in or asking for a deposit. |
| 2/10 Net 30 | A 2% discount if paid within 10 days, otherwise the full amount in 30. Add it in the notes if you offer it. |
“Net” simply means the full amount. Whatever terms you choose, also write the actual due date on the invoice. A date is harder to misread than a term.
Tips to get paid faster
- Invoice the day the work is delivered. Waiting until month end adds weeks to your cash cycle.
- Agree terms before you start, in your quote or contract, so the invoice holds no surprises.
- Take a deposit of 25 to 50% for larger projects, and record it in Amount already paid so the balance is clear.
- Make paying effortless. Put full bank details or a payment link in the payment instructions, and say which methods you accept.
- Send it to the right person. Ask who handles invoices and whether they need a PO number on it.
- Follow up on a schedule: a friendly note a few days before the due date, a reminder on the day, then firmer messages after.
Common invoicing mistakes
- Vague descriptions like “Design work”. Say what was delivered and for which period.
- Forgetting the due date, or sending to a general inbox nobody watches.
- Charging tax you are not registered for, or forgetting tax you must charge.
- Editing and resending an old invoice under the same number instead of issuing a new one.
Frequently asked questions
Is this invoice generator really free?
Yes. There is no account, no trial and no watermark you cannot remove. The tool runs entirely in your browser, and the site is supported by ads and an optional paid kit.
Where are my invoices stored?
Only in your own browser, in local storage on this device. Nothing you type is uploaded to a server. That also means clearing your browser data deletes your saved invoices, so always keep a copy of the PDFs you send.
How do I save the invoice as a PDF?
Click Download PDF. Your browser's print dialog opens with the invoice laid out as a single page. Choose Save as PDF as the destination and turn off headers and footers. On a phone, pick Save as PDF from the print or share options.
Can I add my logo to the invoice?
Yes. Upload a PNG, JPG, SVG or WebP image. It is resized in your browser to a small, sharp version and remembered on this device, so you only need to add it once.
Can I remove the Made with Freelance Toolbelt line?
Yes. Untick the Made with Freelance Toolbelt checkbox in the Style section and the line disappears from the preview and the PDF.
Do I have to charge sales tax, VAT or GST?
It depends on where you and your client are, what you sell and whether you are registered for tax. Many freelancers below a registration threshold charge none. Leave the tax rate at 0 if you are not registered, and check the rules for your country and year with your tax authority or an accountant. This page is not tax advice.
What is the difference between an invoice and a quote?
A quote (or estimate) is sent before the work to agree a price and is not a request for payment. An invoice is sent after the work, or at an agreed milestone, and asks the client to pay a specific amount by a specific date.
Can I invoice in euros, pounds or another currency?
Yes. Pick the currency in Invoice details and every amount is formatted for it. The tool does not convert between currencies, so agree the billing currency with your client before you start the work.