Ranked by a stated rule · 5 price files
Best invoicing software, ranked by price
The short answer. On 25 Oct 2026, the lowest paid entry price on file among invoicing tools was Zoho Books Standard at $15 per organization per month billed annually, followed by Wave Pro at $190 a year. The ranking uses each vendor's cheapest paid plan as a monthly figure, read off its own pricing page, and does not judge quality.
Every invoicing tool below has a dated price file read off its own pricing page. They are ranked by the cheapest paid plan as a monthly figure, lowest first; the note under each says what that entry price leaves out.
How this list is ranked
Lowest published paid price. Every tool in this category that publishes a price, ordered by its cheapest paid plan as a monthly figure (a yearly price is divided by 12), lowest first. Tools that publish no price are listed after the table, unranked. Per-user and flat prices are different units; the Billed column says which. No placement is paid for. A tool joins this list when its price file is published and leaves it if the file is not re-checked within 45 days.
The ranking
| # | Tool | Cheapest paid plan | Billed | Free plan | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoho Books | $15/org/mo (Standard) | billed annually | Yes | |
| Standard at $15 a month billed annually is priced per organization and includes 3 users; more users are an add-on. A Free plan is also listed. | |||||
| 2 | Wave | $190/yr (Pro) | billed annually | Yes | |
| Pro is $190 a year or $19 a month. Starter is free with unlimited invoices, but card payments on it cost 2.9% plus $0.60 each. | |||||
| 3 | FreshBooks | $23/mo (Lite) | billed monthly, list price | No | |
| Lite lists at $23 a month; the larger figures on the page are time-limited promotions. Team Members cost $11 a month per person on every plan. | |||||
| 4 | Xero | $27/mo (Early) | billed monthly, regular price | No | |
| Early is $27 a month at the regular price and is capped at 20 invoices and 5 bills. The offer prices on the page last 3 months. | |||||
| 5 | QuickBooks Online | $38/mo (Simple Start) | billed monthly, list price | No | |
| Simple Start lists at $38 a month for 1 user, after a 50% discount that lasts 3 months. Essentials covers 3 users at $85. | |||||
Not ranked: no public price
- Zoho Invoice quote only
Reading the ranking
The order is the price of each tool's cheapest paid plan, not the plan most businesses end up on. Two things change the real bill. First, introductory offers: several vendors show a discounted figure for the first months, and each price file records the list price that applies after it. Second, limits on the entry plan, such as a cap on users or invoices, which can force a move to the next tier sooner than expected.
Payment processing is a separate cost from the subscription. Where a file records card fees, they can outweigh the plan price for a business that takes many card payments.
Where to read more
Every file sits in the invoicing drawer. Pairs are compared side by side in FreshBooks vs Xero, QuickBooks Online vs FreshBooks and Zoho Books vs Xero.
Questions
- What is the cheapest invoicing software?
- By published entry price on 25 Oct 2026, Zoho Books Standard at $15 per organization per month billed annually, then Wave Pro at $190 a year ($19 billed monthly).
- Which invoicing software is free?
- This list ranks by price, not quality. Among the files here, Zoho Invoice is free with up to 500 invoices a year, Wave Starter is free with unlimited invoices plus card fees, and Zoho Books lists a Free plan.
- How is this list ranked?
- By each tool's cheapest paid plan as a monthly figure, lowest first, taken from its dated price file. Tools with no paid plan or no published price are listed after the ranked ones. No placement is paid for.
- Why can the entry price be misleading?
- Several vendors load their pages with a temporary discount, and some cap users or invoices on the entry plan. FreshBooks, Xero and QuickBooks Online show offer prices that end after a few months; the list prices are on each file.
Every price above is read from the price files when this page loads, so the ranking moves when a vendor's price does. Prices change without notice; check before buying.