Favicon of Invoiceninja

Invoiceninja

Cloud-hosted and self-hosted invoicing and billing software for freelancers, agencies, and small businesses. Handles invoicing, estimates, payments, time tracking, expenses, and basic accounting workflows with both a hosted SaaS offering and a self-hosted open-source option.

Screenshot of Invoiceninja website

What is invoiceninja.com

Invoice Ninja is an invoicing and billing platform available as a hosted SaaS product and as a self-hosted open-source application. It is designed to help small businesses, freelancers, and agencies create and send professional invoices and estimates, accept online payments, track time and expenses, and automate recurring billing. The project includes both a free self-hosted edition (source code available) and paid hosted tiers that add features such as white-labeling, additional users, and advanced integrations.

The product focuses on the core billing lifecycle: client management, invoice and quote creation, payment processing, and reporting. It supports multiple currencies, tax configurations, and customizable templates to suit service-based businesses and consultants. For teams that need control over data, the self-hosted option can be deployed on a private server; teams that prefer less operational overhead can use the hosted plans.

For technical teams and integrators, Invoice Ninja provides API access and webhook notifications so invoicing workflows can be embedded into existing systems. Administrators can automate recurring invoices, set up automatic payment reminders, and integrate with payment gateways to receive funds directly into their merchant accounts. For full, up-to-date details on hosted plan features and limits, view Invoice Ninja's pricing tiers (https://www.invoiceninja.com/pricing).

Invoice Ninja features

Invoice Ninja combines billing, payments, and client-account tools into a single application. Core feature areas include invoicing and estimates, payments and gateways, client portals, time and expense tracking, and reporting. The platform also offers automation features such as recurring invoices, late payment reminders, and templated email sequences.

Key administrative features include multi-user accounts with role-based access, detailed invoice templates with HTML/CSS customization, line-item taxes, discounts, and the ability to attach files to invoices. For payment acceptance, Invoice Ninja integrates with common processors and supports payment links that can be embedded in email or hosted on client portals. The self-hosted version gives access to the underlying application code, enabling custom modifications and integrations when required.

For teams that bill by the hour, built-in time tracking, timers, and time-to-invoice conversion simplify turning tracked work into billable items. Expense tracking and vendor records let businesses capture costs and include them on invoices. In addition, reporting dashboards and exportable CSVs provide insights into revenue, outstanding receivables, and client activity.

What does invoiceninja.com do?

Invoice Ninja lets users create and send professional invoices and estimates quickly, manage clients and payments, and automate recurring billing. It supports branded PDF invoices and a customer-facing client portal where clients can view invoices, accept quotes, and make payments online.

The platform handles payment processing via integrated gateways so invoices can include payment buttons that accept credit cards, ACH, or alternative payment methods depending on the gateway. It automates dunning actions such as reminders and late fees, reducing manual follow-up for overdue accounts. Businesses can design workflows where time entries or expenses automatically become invoice items.

For developers and integrators, Invoice Ninja provides a RESTful API and webhooks so invoices, clients, and payments can be created and synchronized from external systems. That makes it suitable for embedding into bookkeeping stacks, ecommerce flows, or bespoke CRMs where custom automation is required.

Invoice Ninja pricing

Invoice Ninja offers these pricing plans:

  • Free Plan: $0/month — Self-hosted community edition and a hosted free tier with limited features and usage caps
  • Starter: $10/month — Hosted plan for a single user or small freelance use with core invoicing, email, and basic payment functionality
  • Professional: $20/month — Adds multiple users, branded invoices, recurring billing, and additional integrations
  • Enterprise: $40/month — Includes white-label options, SSO, priority support, and advanced security and compliance features

These prices are representative of common hosted tiers; actual current rates, seat pricing, and enterprise licensing can vary. Check Invoice Ninja's current pricing tiers (https://www.invoiceninja.com/pricing) for the latest rates, team discounts, and enterprise options.

How much is invoiceninja.com per month

Invoice Ninja starts at $10/month for the typical hosted Starter tier. That entry-level hosted plan gives access to core invoicing and payment features suitable for a freelancer or a solo consultant. Monthly billed plans are convenient for short-term use or pilots, while annual billing typically reduces the effective monthly cost.

Mid-tier hosted plans commonly fall in the $20–$40/month range and include additional users, automation, and branding features. Enterprise customers generally negotiate custom pricing based on seat count, security requirements, and service-level agreements.

If you plan to self-host, the software itself is available free, but you should budget for hosting, database, backups, and maintenance costs which vary by infrastructure provider and traffic.

How much is invoiceninja.com per year

Invoice Ninja costs $100/year for the Starter plan if billed annually at an equivalent of $10/month, providing a common annual discount. Annual billing is often charged as a single upfront payment and typically reduces the yearly effective rate compared with month-to-month.

For Professional and Enterprise tiers, annual pricing commonly ranges from $200/year to $480/year depending on chosen features and seat counts. Enterprise-level agreements may be quoted as multi-year contracts with support and onboarding included.

Self-hosted users who prefer not to pay for hosted services can run the community edition at $0/year for license cost, but should plan for hosting and maintenance line items in their annual budget.

How much is invoiceninja.com in general

Invoice Ninja pricing ranges from $0 (self-hosted) to $40+/month per account. The total cost depends on whether you self-host (in which case software is free but infrastructure costs apply) or use hosted plans, how many users you add, and which premium features you require (white-labeling, branded domains, SSO).

Common cost drivers include number of active users, transaction fees from payment gateways, and whether you require enterprise features like HIPAA-ready configurations or single sign-on. For accurate total cost of ownership, include hosting, support, and payment gateway processing fees in budget calculations.

For the most current hosted pricing, promotional discounts, and enterprise quotes, view Invoice Ninja’s hosted plan details at Invoice Ninja pricing tiers (https://www.invoiceninja.com/pricing).

What is invoiceninja.com used for

Invoice Ninja is used for generating invoices and estimates, tracking client balances and overdue payments, and accepting online payments through integrated gateways. Small businesses and freelancers use it to standardize billing workflows, reduce manual follow-up on receivables, and provide clients with a self-service portal to view and pay invoices.

It’s also used to consolidate time tracking and expense capture into invoice creation, making it suitable for service businesses where billable hours and reimbursable costs must be invoiced. Agency and freelance teams use the multi-user plans to coordinate work, log time, and manage client projects that translate into invoices.

Tech teams use Invoice Ninja’s API to embed invoicing into custom platforms — for example, automatically creating invoices for completed orders, subscriptions, or project milestones. The self-hosted option is used by organizations that require data residency control and the ability to customize the platform beyond what hosted tiers allow.

Pros and cons of invoiceninja.com

Invoice Ninja provides a flexible combination of hosted convenience and a self-hosted open-source option. Its strengths include a full feature set for invoicing and billing, built-in time and expense tracking, client portals, and a developer-friendly API. The availability of a free self-hosted edition is a strong plus for teams that prefer control over their data and want to avoid per-seat SaaS costs.

On the other hand, the hosted plans can require add-ons for advanced features like white-labeling and SSO, which can raise costs for mid-sized teams. The user interface is functional but may require a learning curve for users migrating from more consumer-focused bookkeeping apps. Self-hosting requires technical resources for deployment, updates, and security hardening which some small businesses may not want to manage.

Other considerations include the dependency on third-party payment gateways (with their own fees) and the need to confirm feature parity between hosted tiers and the open-source codebase. For organizations with strict compliance needs, verify the hosted plan’s certifications and consider the Enterprise offering or self-hosting to meet specific regulatory requirements.

Invoice Ninja free trial

Invoice Ninja has a hosted free tier and typically offers time-limited trials of paid features for new customers. The free tier or trial enables testing invoice creation, sending, and payment flows without commitment. It’s a practical way to validate that templates, gateway integrations, and automated reminders meet your business needs before upgrading.

Trial periods on paid plans often unlock branded invoices, multiple users, and advanced automation so teams can test the end-to-end workflow. If your organization needs to validate API integration, sandbox or test credentials from supported gateways can be used during trials to simulate full payment flows.

If you prefer to evaluate the software on your own infrastructure, the self-hosted community edition is downloadable and can be installed to run unlimited tests without a hosted subscription. See the self-hosted installation guide and hosting instructions for details at Invoice Ninja’s self-host documentation (https://www.invoiceninja.com/self-host).

Is invoiceninja.com free

Yes, Invoice Ninja offers a free option. The core application is available as a self-hosted open-source edition at no software license cost, and there is a hosted free tier with usage limits for individuals testing the service. The free options provide basic invoicing and client management features but restrict advanced hosted features such as extensive user seats, white-labeling, or priority support.

Invoice Ninja API

Invoice Ninja exposes a documented REST API that allows programmatic creation and management of clients, invoices, payments, quotes, and products. The API supports standard CRUD operations and is suitable for automating recurring billing, integrating invoicing into CRM systems, or creating invoices from external triggers such as completed jobs or ecommerce purchases.

Authentication is typically token-based, and the platform supports webhooks to notify external systems of events such as invoice paid, invoice viewed, or payment failed. The API documentation includes endpoint descriptions, sample requests, and response schemas. For complete developer guidance and example code, consult the Invoice Ninja API documentation (https://www.invoiceninja.com/docs).

For integrations that require payment processing, use the platform’s gateway configuration options to connect merchant accounts, and ensure you employ sandbox credentials for testing before switching to live credentials. If you require custom endpoints or specialized behavior, the self-hosted codebase can be extended by developers to add or modify API endpoints.

10 Invoice Ninja alternatives

  • QuickBooks — Full-featured accounting suite with invoicing, payroll, and tax capabilities; strong bookkeeping and bank reconciliation features.
  • FreshBooks — Billing and accounting focused on freelancers with easy time tracking and client invoicing workflows.
  • Wave — Free invoicing and basic accounting for small businesses, with paid payment processing and payroll options.
  • Xero — Cloud accounting platform with invoicing, reconciliation, and strong app ecosystem for small to medium businesses.
  • Zoho Invoice — Part of Zoho’s suite that provides invoicing, time tracking, and integration with Zoho CRM and accounting products.
  • Stripe Billing — Payment-first subscription and invoicing tool that pairs tightly with Stripe’s payment platform.
  • Square Invoices — Invoicing and payments for merchants already using Square’s point-of-sale and payment processing ecosystem.
  • PayPal Invoicing — Simple invoicing with PayPal payment acceptance; convenient for businesses already using PayPal.
  • Harvest — Time tracking and expense-to-invoice workflow, suitable for agencies that bill hourly.
  • Bonsai — Freelance-focused invoicing, contracts, and proposals with client workflow tools.

Paid alternatives to invoiceninja.com

  • QuickBooks — Robust accounting and invoicing for businesses that need bookkeeping integration and payroll; paid plans scale by feature set.
  • FreshBooks — Subscription-based plans for freelancers and small teams with integrated payments and expense tracking.
  • Xero — Paid tiers that include bank reconciliation, multiple currencies, and an extensive app marketplace for integrations.
  • Zoho Invoice — Part of paid Zoho bundles if you need integrated CRM and project management across Zoho apps.
  • Stripe Billing — Transactional pricing per invoice or subscription with features for metered billing and advanced subscription logic.

Open source alternatives to invoiceninja.com

  • InvoicePlane — Self-hosted open-source invoicing application that provides core invoice and client management features for on-premises deployments.
  • Crater — Open-source invoicing and billing app built for freelancers and small teams with self-hosting options.
  • ERPNext — Open-source ERP with invoicing, accounting, inventory, and broader business modules suitable for organizations seeking an integrated stack.
  • Dolibarr — Open-source ERP/CRM with invoicing capabilities often used by small businesses and non-profits.
  • Frappe/ERPNext — (Related to ERPNext) offers a broader set of business apps including invoicing for teams that want a full ERP solution.

Frequently asked questions about Invoice Ninja

What is Invoice Ninja used for?

Invoice Ninja is used for invoicing, estimates, and online payments. Small businesses and freelancers use it to create invoices and quotes, accept payments via payment gateways, track time and expenses, and automate recurring billing and reminders. The platform supports both hosted and self-hosted deployment models depending on data control needs.

Does Invoice Ninja have a free option?

Yes, Invoice Ninja offers a free option. There is a self-hosted community edition available at no license cost and a hosted free tier with feature and usage limits for testing. Paid hosted plans add features like white-labeling, multiple users, and priority support.

Can Invoice Ninja accept credit card payments?

Yes, Invoice Ninja accepts card payments through integrated gateways. You can connect Stripe, PayPal, and other supported payment processors to collect card and ACH payments directly from invoices or client portals. Gateway fees from the processor still apply.

Is there an Invoice Ninja API?

Yes, Invoice Ninja provides a REST API and webhooks. The API supports managing clients, invoices, payments, and products programmatically and is documented with examples to help developers integrate billing into external systems.

Can I self-host Invoice Ninja?

Yes, Invoice Ninja can be self-hosted. The open-source edition is designed for deployment on your own servers and gives you full control over data, customizations, and integrations. Self-hosting requires handling updates, backups, and security hardening.

Does Invoice Ninja support recurring invoices?

Yes, Invoice Ninja supports recurring invoices and automation. You can schedule recurring invoices, set automated reminders and late fees, and define cycles that match subscription or retainer billing models.

How many users can I add to Invoice Ninja?

User limits depend on the plan. Hosted Starter plans generally target single users or very small teams, while Professional and Enterprise tiers support multiple team members with role-based access and admin controls. Exact seat counts and pricing should be confirmed on the hosted pricing page.

Can Invoice Ninja be white-labeled?

Yes, white-labeling is available on higher-tier or enterprise plans. White-label options allow removing Invoice Ninja branding, using a custom domain for client portals, and customizing invoice templates to present a branded client experience.

How secure is Invoice Ninja?

Invoice Ninja provides standard security measures for hosted accounts and supports best practices for self-hosted deployments. Hosted plans use HTTPS/TLS for data in transit, and administrators can enable two-factor authentication and single sign-on on applicable plans. For specific compliance and certification details, consult Invoice Ninja’s security and documentation resources.

How do I migrate data into Invoice Ninja?

Invoice Ninja supports imports from CSV and common accounting formats. You can import clients, products/services, and invoices via CSV upload or use the API for scripted migrations. For migrating from other platforms, plan a data mapping exercise to ensure taxes, line items, and payment histories align correctly.

invoiceninja.com careers

Invoice Ninja occasionally hires for roles across development, product, support, and community management, especially for contributors to the open-source project and cloud platform operations. Check Invoice Ninja’s official site and community channels for job listings and remote position announcements.

invoiceninja.com affiliate

Invoice Ninja runs partner and referral programs that may offer referral credits or partner commissions for directing paid customers to the hosted service. Review the partner or affiliate documentation on Invoice Ninja’s website for eligibility, tracking links, and payout terms.

Where to find invoiceninja.com reviews

You can find user reviews and ratings on software review sites and marketplaces that cover invoicing and accounting tools. For hands-on feedback, check user reviews on comparison sites and read community discussions on development and self-hosting forums. For the most authoritative feature and pricing details, reference Invoice Ninja’s official documentation and pricing pages (https://www.invoiceninja.com/docs, https://www.invoiceninja.com/pricing).

Share:

Ad
Favicon

 

  
 

Similar to Invoiceninja

Favicon

 

  
  
Favicon

 

  
  
Favicon

 

  
  

Command Menu