5 Invoice Generators to Automate Your Invoicing Process

Freelancers and business owners depend on generating invoices so they can get paid. And while some businesses and freelancers still opt for paper-based invoice printouts, more and more users are turning to online invoicing software to make their transactions more efficient and easier.

The initial question is, should you send an invoice? Whether you prefer to send paper-based invoices or digital ones, sending one is a must if you want to be professional. Even if you and your client do not have a formal contract or agreement, avoid sending a simple email or message requesting for payment. Not only will is sending an invoice more professional, it also serves as a record for both you and your client. Sending one does not need to take a lot of time and effort, thanks to invoice generators.

Whether you are new to the gig economy, a seasoned freelancer, or a small business owner, there will always be a suitable invoicing option for your preferences. So, if you are looking for the right invoice generator to match your needs, here are some of the commonly used ones to help you automate your invoicing process:

1. PayPal. While PayPal is known to be a payment processing platform, it also allows users to create basic invoices that can be sent as PDF files or through a link. It allows you to create and send invoices for up to 100 customers at once. PayPal also makes it easy for you to send reminders or to set invoices to be sent periodically.
2. Bonsai. Aiming to provide peace of mind to freelancers, Bonsai is known for its simple and customizable invoicing process. It also helps users create contracts through its fill-in-the-blanks style contract creation tool. Bonsai's invoice generator will help you save a lot of time and will allow you to manage all your invoices easily from your account.
3. Square Invoice. If you're looking for an invoice generator that will help you send out e-mail invoices, then you can try out Square Invoice. Aside from allowing you to customize the logo and color scheme of your invoice, it also has a client reminder and feedback feature to help you with your transactions.
4. Due. Professional invoices that are quickly generated and a billing timer are among the features that you can explore with Due. You can also export these invoices that you created into different file formats (such as XML and CSV).
5. Freshbooks. Freshbooks features invoice customization on the advanced level, so this program will be quite enjoyable for those who are into details. It also has time trackers which are useful for time-based projects, as well as scheduling and payment collection options.

Manually creating an invoice and then sending it seem like an easy and doable task at the start of your freelance career - when you only have one or two clients. As you get more clients, remembering to send your invoices and managing them will become more difficult. Using an invoice generator as early as you can will help you get started and keep everything organized.