What invoice App do you use?

[Plumbingonly]

Hi, I recently started my own business, despite having a lot of experience in the trade, I have little experience when it comes to the financial side of things. Want to make my life easier with invoicing on the go. Seen a lot of apps out there and can't pick one. What's your favourite simple invoice app and why?
Thanks

 

[Ozzy]

Perhaps not solely invoicing only; but...

We use KashFlow still for our business, which always seems to surprise some people but it works for us. Have been using it since when I was doing the books myself.

My wife and daughter both use FreeAgent for their sole trader businesses. My wife uses their website to do her books and she is not an accounting expert, and finds the process straight forward.
My daughter is a freelance horse trainer, so I imagine similar style to yourself where you bill for your time, and does her invoices from the FreeAgent mobile app on her phone. She finds it very quick and simple, and the automated bank feed marks the bills as paid automatically too.

I would happily recommend both of those options based on experience.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

We use sage I like it but probably because Im used to it

 

[intheTRADE]

PoweredNow is ideal for you and your trade (presuming you're actually a plumber from your username)

It does everything you would need it to

I know a few of the guys over there if you want me to put you in touch with them

 

[ezmob]

I've been using Xero since 2013 and never looked back, there are a lot of great features, a great community that keeps pushing the product guys for more, and integrations with a lot of different apps and services. highly recommended.

 

[Socio South West]

PoweredNow is ideal for you and your trade (presuming you're actually a plumber from your username)

I've been using Xero since 2013 and never looked back, there are a lot of great features, a great community that keeps pushing the product guys for more, and integrations with a lot of different apps and services. highly recommended.

My local sparks did a little job that he billed me for by mobile using PoweredNow - It doesnt look overpriced either at £150 pa for the Non Vat version or £250pa for the VAT version,

Xero is great on desktop, but as a user I have found it pretty naff on anything portable.... I wouldn't be choosing it for working on the go.

Quickbooks have tried hard with their mobile version, but I have no experience of it outside the office.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

As mentioned, don't use an invoice only app, as you will end up doing things twice - use an accounting package.

I use Kashflow & Clearbooks and they are both very simple to use but powerful and feature risk. Clear Books is a little cheaper. I also have a FreeAgent account, free with a bank account, but it didn't meet my needs, but it might meet yours.

 

[ezmob]

Xero is great on desktop, but as a user I have found it pretty naff on anything portable.... I wouldn't be choosing it for working on the go.

have you really ever done your billing on mobile, Xero focuses on the desktop because that's where you work. on mobile, you can stay informed and Xero does have an app with minimal insights really, I don't use it that often cause it has nothing to offer me, I agree, but I'm not looking to do my bills and invoices on my phone.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Xero focuses on the desktop because that's where you work

Whilst that applies to me, I think that view is a bit out dated as some trades, especially emergency response, want to get payments immediately and on these systems, payment can be driven by invoice.

 

[Socio South West]

have you really ever done your billing on mobile, Xero focuses on the desktop because that's where you work. on mobile, you can stay informed and Xero does have an app with minimal insights really, I don't use it that often cause it has nothing to offer me, I agree, but I'm not looking to do my bills and invoices on my phone.

Yes... not job type billing as in the OP's requirement, but billing customers after delivery etc, and also receiving payments and reconciliations - Doing that on mobiles sitting on a boat in a marina was not easy!

Sometimes as a freelance you just have to keep the job going however wherever whenever....

 

[LDBusiness]

Hi, I recently started my own business, despite having a lot of experience in the trade, I have little experience when it comes to the financial side of things. Want to make my life easier with invoicing on the go. Seen a lot of apps out there and can't pick one. What's your favourite simple invoice app and why?
Thanks

I'm in a similar boat asking round at the moment. Someone today suggested Invoice24 as a straight forward invoicing app. If you currently only need something light id take a look at it, I've been reading their I24 blog. Has a good few tips on getting a business started if that helps you at all either, idk how far through your start-up you are though.

 

[LouiseF]

I use Quickbooks. I can invoice, set up recurring payments from customers (not done this yet though) and it's connected to my bank account and my PayPal. All I need to do is go in every week (or month) and review outgoings and income.

 

[Graham Tyers]

A couple of Mysql tables, a bit of Perl and PostScript.

 

[Ozzy]

A couple of Mysql tables, a bit of Perl and PostScript.

Not entirely sure that's viable for the majority of business owners with enough on their plate without learning MySQL, Perl and PostScript on top ?

 

[japancool]

Excel...

I jest, I don't use it for invoicing, but one of my large European suppliers does. I raise invoices through my e-commerce system, or Xero for ad-hoc invoices.

 

[Graham Tyers]

Not entirely sure that's viable for the majority of business owners with enough on their plate without learning MySQL, Perl and PostScript on top ?

It does take a certain type of maniac to feel the desire to lay up PostScript documents by hand.

But for raising thousands of invoices in one go I can't think of many really great alternatives.

 

[Caitlin555]

We use https://i24app.com/ for our business and it works great, it's very simple and easy to get your head around so for the first time of you using an invoicing app this one should be perfect for you.

 

[NCC1701]

Have a look at Envoyce to handle your quotes and invoices. Its actually designed for sole traders and small businesses in the UK . Its also entirely free to use.

You can create your customers and products and the systems remembers them so you don't need to constantly retype. You can create you invoices after the job at home or during on-site (on your phone). Works on your laptop and phone and shares the same account.

I use Gnucash for my bookkeeping but Envoyce for my invoices, mainly because its easier to manage.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

I use Gnucash for my bookkeeping but Envoyce for my invoices

So you create the invoice on one system and then duplicate the invoice on the accounts system? Seems like you are doing the job twice - not that efficient, is it?

 

[NCC1701]

So you create the invoice on one system and then duplicate the invoice on the accounts system? Seems like you are doing the job twice - not that efficient, is it?

No,

The bookkeeping system needs to know about the date, the customer the amount. Any Tax and where to post the entry. Its unconcerned with what's in the invoice, if it's overdue. My accountant is interested in the payments that have been paid to my business, not the conversion rate of how many quotes to invoices I've done.

Also, may all singing and dancing accounting systems have dreadful invoicing tools, which are not simple.

To the average trader, he wants to just get his invoice out. To get the clock ticking. Not become a master in Xero.