7 Best Free Invoice Apps UK: Limits, Fees & UK Fit Compared
Compare the real free limits, card fees, VAT fit and catches for seven invoice apps available to UK freelancers and sole traders.
Updated 26 September 2026 · 12 min read
Quick Answer
Choose by the cost or limit you will hit first. Square publishes unlimited free invoices with payment fees; Zoho Invoice allows 500 invoices a year; Envoyce publishes unlimited UK invoicing subject to fair use; and Experi connects a small free allowance to payment-chasing workflows.
Invoice Ninja suits technical users but caps its hosted Free plan at five clients. Wave is not a safe default for a new UK business, and FreshBooks is a trial rather than a permanently free plan.
30-second shortlist
Which free invoice app fits you?
Pick the trade-off that matters most. The suggestion uses the same official vendor sources as the full comparison below.
Choose one priority above to reveal a source-backed starting point.
This is a shortcut, not a universal ranking. Check the vendor source and the full comparison before moving business records.
Free-plan comparison
Experi
Free plan- Published free limit
- 5 invoices, 5 quotes, 3 clients and 3 manual reminders
- UK fit
- GBP, VAT, CIS and UK debt-recovery workflows
Square Invoices
Free plan- Published free limit
- Unlimited invoices, estimates and contracts with no monthly fee
- UK fit
- UK card payments and BACS; online invoice card payments cost 2.5%
Zoho Invoice
Free product- Published free limit
- Up to 500 invoices a year, 2 users and 3 projects
- UK fit
- VAT invoices and a UK-specific product page
Envoyce
Free product- Published free limit
- Unlimited invoices and customers, subject to a fair-use policy
- UK fit
- UK-built with GBP, VAT, quotes and overdue-invoice tracking
Invoice Ninja
Free hosted plan- Published free limit
- 5 clients with unlimited invoices
- UK fit
- Multiple currencies; UK tax setup requires your own checking
Wave
Not a UK-first choice- Published free limit
- Published free features are primarily positioned for US and Canadian businesses
- UK fit
- Businesses outside the US and Canada have reduced product and payment support
FreshBooks
Trial, not a free plan- Published free limit
- Free trial followed by a paid subscription
- UK fit
- UK pricing and MTD VAT features are published
What each option is actually good for
Experi
Free plan- Best for
- UK solo businesses that want a short path from invoicing to chasing
- Document branding
- No Experi branding on invoice documents
- Upgrade path
- Pro £9/month
- Check before choosing
- The Free limits are lifetime caps; automation and multi-currency require Pro
Square Invoices
Free plan- Best for
- Businesses that want free invoicing with integrated card payments
- Document branding
- Custom invoice layouts require the paid Plus plan
- Upgrade path
- Plus £20/month; payment processing is charged per transaction
- Check before choosing
- Taking payment is not free, and milestone schedules and custom layouts need Plus
Zoho Invoice
Free product- Best for
- Higher free invoice volume and teams of up to two users
- Document branding
- Powered by Zoho Invoice branding
- Upgrade path
- Zoho Invoice itself is free; adjacent Zoho products are separate
- Check before choosing
- Inactive-account retention and product limits should be checked before committing
Envoyce
Free product- Best for
- UK sole traders who want simple invoicing without a subscription
- Document branding
- Upload your own logo; Envoyce emails remain branded
- Upgrade path
- Core invoicing is free; optional add-ons extend the product
- Check before choosing
- No built-in payment links or full accounts, and no general data export
Invoice Ninja
Free hosted plan- Best for
- Technical users who value customisation, projects and self-hosting options
- Document branding
- Invoice Ninja branding remains on the Free plan
- Upgrade path
- Ninja Pro is US$14/month; annual billing is cheaper
- Check before choosing
- The current free client limit is five, not the older 20- or 100-client figures
Wave
Not a UK-first choice- Best for
- US- or Canada-based businesses, rather than a new UK setup
- Document branding
- Check the current regional experience before using it for client documents
- Upgrade path
- Regional availability matters more than the headline price
- Check before choosing
- Do not choose it from an old UK comparison that says unlimited free invoicing without qualification
FreshBooks
Trial, not a free plan- Best for
- Service businesses that value time tracking and expense workflows
- Document branding
- Plan-dependent
- Upgrade path
- Lite is £16/month at the standard recurring price
- Check before choosing
- Promotional prices expire and lower plans cap billable clients
When a template is enough
A reusable template can be sensible when you invoice rarely and maintain a separate invoice-number and payment log. Once you need recurring invoices, reminders, status tracking or credit notes, the manual system usually creates more risk than it saves.
Compare the trade-off in the template versus software guide, or start with the free UK invoice generator.
What about e-invoicing?
Do not assume e-invoicing or Peppol is included in a free plan. Invoice Ninja, for example, publishes Peppol access on its paid Enterprise plan. Check the receiving organisation's requirements and the vendor's current plan before choosing solely for this feature.
Free invoice app questions
What is the best free invoice app for a UK small business?
There is no universal winner. Square is strongest here for integrated card payments, Zoho Invoice for a generous published allowance, Envoyce for simple UK invoicing, Experi for moving from invoicing into payment chasing, and Invoice Ninja for technical control with five or fewer clients.
Is there a genuinely free invoice app in the UK?
Yes, but “free” means different things. Zoho Invoice publishes a forever-free product. Envoyce publishes free core invoicing subject to fair use. Square has no monthly invoice fee but charges when customers pay online. Invoice Ninja is free for up to five clients. Experi Free has lifetime document and reminder caps.
Is Invoice Ninja really free?
Yes. The hosted Free plan publishes unlimited invoicing for up to five clients. Invoice Ninja branding stays on the documents, while unlimited clients and automatic payment reminders require a paid plan.
Does a free invoice app make a business MTD compliant?
Not by itself. Creating a VAT invoice and submitting digital records through compatible software are separate jobs. Read the MTD invoicing requirements guide and check the exact filing workflow before relying on an invoice app for MTD.
Try Experi with the limits visible upfront
Free includes 5 invoices, 5 quotes, 3 clients and 3 manual reminders. New accounts start with a 14-day Pro trial without a payment card.