By Super Basic Limited · checked 8 Nov 2026

Best invoicing app for a UK sole trader: our picks

Free invoice apps cover most sole traders. Pay for accounting software if you want your books and VAT returns in the same place. Super Basic Limited publishes this guide and makes Payup, one of the apps below, marked (ours).

Our picks

Our pick for free invoicing: Square InvoicesFree

No cap on invoices, with recurring invoices and automatic reminders on the free plan. Invoices paid online cost 2.5%, so £12.50 on a £500 invoice.

Free, with free bank transfers: SumUp InvoicesFree

No cap on invoices or quotes. Online payments cost 2.5% and bank transfers are free. Plus is £7 a month plus VAT, billed yearly.

Our pick for full accounts: XeroFrom £18 + VAT a month

Accounting software, not just invoices. Ignite is £18 a month plus VAT for quotes and up to 20 invoices, and Grow is £39 a month plus VAT. Xero's UK prices went up on 1 September 2026.

For invoices plus VAT returns: FreshBooksFrom £16 a month

Lite is £16 a month for 5 clients and Plus is £30 for 50. Both include VAT returns to HMRC.

Lower card fees on your own Stripe: Payup (ours)£20 a year

Free for 25 invoices or quotes a year. Basic is £20 a year, and with your own Stripe a £500 card payment costs £7.70, against £12.50 on Square or SumUp. It isn't accounting software: it gives you downloads for yours.

More

Also worth knowing

Zoho InvoiceFree plan

Has a free plan. We haven't compared its limits yet, so it isn't in the picks above. Checked 27 October 2026.

ZervantFrom £107.88 a year

Free for 5 customers and 5 invoices a month. Starter is £107.88 a year before VAT, and a business that isn't VAT registered pays Finnish VAT at 25.5% on top. Card payments cost 2% + €0.25 an invoice.

Questions

Do I need accounting software as a sole trader?

Not just to send invoices. A free invoice app plus a spreadsheet or your bank's own tools works for many. Xero and FreshBooks make sense when you want VAT returns and your books in one place.

What does a £500 card payment cost?

£12.50 on Square or SumUp invoices (2.5%). £7.70 on Payup with your own Stripe (ours). FreshBooks and Xero don't show a card fee on their pricing pages.