Free Invoice Generator - Create PDF Invoices Online
1. Invoice details
2. Your business
3. Bill to
4. Items
5. Tax, discount and totals
6. Notes
Free Invoice Generator: Make a Professional PDF Invoice in a Few Minutes
Most people don't mind the work itself. It's the paperwork afterwards that gets pushed back. You finish a job, tell yourself you'll send the invoice tomorrow, and by the time you sit down to do it, it's next week and you're digging through old emails for the client's address. A late invoice almost always means a late payment, and that's a bad trade for something that should take a few minutes.
This free invoice generator is built to make those minutes shorter. You type in your details, add what you're charging for, and a clean invoice builds itself next to the form as you go. When it looks right, you download it as a PDF or print it. There's nothing to install and no account to open, and you can use it as many times as you like.
What it does, and what it doesn't
It creates invoices, quotes and similar billing documents, works out the subtotal, discount, tax and total for you, and gives you a tidy PDF in one of three layouts. You can add your logo, pick a colour, choose the currency and save your sender details so the next invoice is quicker.
It is not accounting software. It won't chase payments for you, reconcile your bank account or file your taxes. If you send a handful of invoices a month, a generator like this is usually plenty. If you send hundreds, you'll eventually want a proper bookkeeping system, and by then you'll know exactly what you need from it.
How to create an invoice, step by step
- Pick your country. This sets a sensible default currency, the paper size (A4 or US Letter), the date format and the name of the local sales tax. You can still change any of them afterwards.
- Fill in the invoice details. Give it a number, choose the issue date, and set the payment terms. The due date is worked out for you.
- Add your business and your client. Name, address and email are enough for most jobs. If you're registered for VAT, GST or similar, add your tax number too.
- List what you did. One row per item or service, with a quantity and a rate. Amounts are calculated as you type.
- Set tax and discount if they apply. Leave the tax rate at zero if you don't charge tax. A discount can be a percentage or a fixed amount.
- Add payment details. Bank information, a PayPal address, whatever your client needs to pay you without having to ask.
- Download or print. Check the preview one more time, then save the PDF.
On a phone, use the Edit and Preview buttons at the top to flip between the form and the finished invoice.
What every invoice should include
You can design an invoice any way you like, but a few things really do need to be on it. Leave them out and you'll get questions, delays, or in some countries a document that doesn't meet the legal requirements.
- The word "Invoice" (or "Tax Invoice" where your country expects that) near the top, so nobody mistakes it for a quote.
- A unique invoice number. More on that in a moment.
- Your name or business name and address, plus a contact email or phone number.
- Your client's name and address. For business clients this should be the company's legal name, not just the person you deal with.
- The issue date and the due date. "Due on receipt" works, but a real date is clearer.
- A clear description of what was supplied. "Website design, homepage and two inner pages" beats "Services".
- Quantity, rate and line totals, followed by the subtotal, any tax, and the final amount.
- How to pay you. It sounds obvious, and it's the line people forget most often.
- Your tax registration number, if you have one.
Invoice numbers and dates
Numbering looks trivial until you have forty invoices and can't remember which one a client is asking about. The simplest system is a running count: INV-0001, INV-0002, INV-0003. Some people add the year, like 2026-014. Either way, the rule is the same. Every invoice gets its own number, the numbers go up in order, and you never reuse one.
That last point matters more than it seems. In several countries, tax authorities expect invoice numbers to be sequential and gaps to be explainable. This generator remembers the last number you downloaded and suggests the next one when you start a new invoice, so you don't have to keep a list yourself.
For dates, use the day the work was finished or the goods were delivered as your issue date, unless you've agreed something different. If the work spans several weeks, you can mention the period in the item description.
Payment terms: due on receipt, Net 14, Net 30
"Net 30" means the full amount is due thirty days after the invoice date. "Net 14" means fourteen days, and so on. The shorter the term, the sooner you're paid, but the more it can annoy larger clients whose finance teams run on monthly cycles.
As a rough rule, small jobs and new clients are best on short terms: due on receipt or seven days. Regular clients who pay through a finance department often expect thirty. Whatever you choose, agree it before the work starts, then write it on the invoice. It's far easier to say "as we agreed, this is Net 14" than to introduce a deadline after the fact.
If you want a deposit, put it on its own invoice before you begin. You can then show the amount already paid on the final invoice, which this tool handles with the "Amount already paid" field. The balance due updates automatically.
Tax on invoices: United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Germany
Tax is where invoices get complicated, and where mistakes cost real money. The generator never adds tax unless you tell it to, because only you know whether you're registered. What follows is general background to help you set it up. It isn't tax advice, and the rules change, so confirm anything important with your tax authority or an accountant.
United States
There's no national sales tax. Sales tax is set by states, and sometimes by cities and counties, and whether it applies at all depends on what you sell. Many services aren't taxed in many states, while physical goods usually are. Enter the rate that applies to your situation in the tax field. If you're a freelancer, you'll also be thinking about self-employment tax, so it helps to know roughly what you'll owe. The income tax and net salary calculator is a good way to see how much of each payment you should set aside.
United Kingdom
You only charge VAT if you're VAT-registered, which becomes compulsory once your taxable turnover passes the registration threshold. Check HMRC for the current figure, as it changes. If you are registered, your VAT number must appear on the invoice, and the standard rate is offered as a one-tap option in the tax field. If you're not registered, leave tax at zero and don't mention VAT at all.
Australia
If your business is registered for GST, the invoice usually needs to show your ABN and make clear that GST is included or added. The usual document is called a "tax invoice", and you can change the title at the top of this generator to match. If you're not registered, you simply don't charge GST. The Australian Taxation Office publishes the exact details a tax invoice must contain, and it's worth reading them once.
Canada
GST applies nationwide, and some provinces add their own tax or combine them into HSThe rate depends on where the supply is made, which is why the tool offers the federal GST rate as a starting point only. Registered businesses put their GST/HST number on invoices. Quebec has its own provincial sales tax with separate rules, so double check if that's you.
Germany
German invoices (Rechnungen) have a fairly strict list of required details: full names and addresses of both parties, a tax number or VAT ID, the invoice date, a sequential invoice number, a description of the goods or services, the date of supply, and the net amount, tax rate and tax amount. Very small businesses can opt out of charging VAT under the small business rule, in which case the invoice should say so. Germany has also been phasing in mandatory electronic invoicing between businesses, and a plain PDF is not the same thing as a structured e-invoice. If you invoice other German companies, check the current requirements before you rely on any PDF generator.
Invoicing clients in other countries
When your client lives abroad, two questions come up straight away: which currency, and who pays the transfer fees. Pick the currency in the dropdown, and think about quoting in the client's own currency if you're happy to take the exchange-rate risk, or in yours if you're not. Whichever you choose, say it on the invoice and agree it in writing.
Exchange rates move daily, so it's worth checking the conversion on the day you invoice. A currency converter with live exchange rates will tell you what the amount is worth in your home currency, which is useful when you're deciding whether a price still makes sense. Bank details for international payments often need an IBAN or SWIFT code, so put those in the payment details box.
Pricing your work before you invoice
An invoice is only as good as the number on it. If you're not sure your rate covers your costs, taxes and time off, work it out before you send the next one. A freelance rate calculator helps you work backwards from the income you need to an hourly or project rate that makes sense. It was built with freelancers in Pakistan in mind, but the thinking behind it, covering expenses, unpaid days and tax, applies anywhere.
It also helps to know what an hourly rate looks like as a salary and the other way round. If you're comparing a freelance offer with a job, the hourly to salary paycheck calculator shows the take-home figure so you're comparing like with like.
Logo, colour and a payment QR code
A logo makes an invoice look like it came from a real business, and it's quick to add. Upload a PNG, JPG or SVG and it appears in the header. If your logo has a white box around it, a background remover will take it out in a few seconds so it sits cleanly on any colour. Large files are shrunk automatically, but if you'd like to control the size yourself, an image compressor keeps the file small without making it blurry.
Some clients like paying by scanning a code. You can create one with a custom QR code generator that points to your payment page, then mention the link in the payment details. Check the link works before you send the invoice.
The three templates are Classic, Modern and Minimal. Classic is a traditional serif layout, Modern has a coloured header band, and Minimal keeps everything light and quiet. Pick the one that matches how you want to come across, then choose a colour. A dark navy or deep teal prints well in black and white too, which matters more than you'd think.
Discounts, deposits and late fees
The discount field accepts either a percentage or a fixed amount. If you're working out something like 15% off a long list of items and want to check the sums yourself, a percentage calculator is handy for double-checking the result. In this tool the discount comes off first, and tax is calculated on what's left. Shipping or other extra charges are added after tax.
Late fees need a bit of care. If you want to charge interest or a flat fee on overdue payments, say so in the notes before the work begins, and state the rate clearly. Some countries limit what you can charge, and some clients' contracts override it. A simple line such as "Payments more than 14 days overdue may incur a late fee as agreed in our contract" is a polite way to set the expectation.
Common mistakes that delay payment
- Sending it to the wrong person. Ask who handles invoices. A message to your day-to-day contact might sit in their inbox for weeks.
- Vague descriptions. Finance teams can't approve what they don't understand. Mention the project name or purchase order number if there is one.
- No due date. Without one, "soon" can mean anything.
- Mixing up currencies. Check the symbol at the top of the totals before you hit download.
- Reusing an invoice number. It creates confusion for you and for the client's records.
- Forgetting to follow up. If a due date passes, a friendly reminder a few days later is normal and professional.
Before you send anything, read the PDF once from the top as if you were the client. Is it obvious what they owe, why, by when and how to pay? If yes, you're done.
Where your data goes
By default, everything you type stays in your browser. The invoice is drawn on your device, the PDF is created on your device, and a draft is kept locally so you don't lose your work if you close the tab. Nothing is uploaded unless you choose one of the optional online features: saving with a code, sharing a link, emailing an invoice or setting a reminder. Details are in the privacy section below.
Frequently asked questions
Is this invoice generator really free?
Yes. You can create, download and print as many invoices as you like without paying or signing up, and the PDFs don't carry a watermark.
Do I need to create an account?
No. You can use everything without an account. If you want to save invoices online, you can get a private code instead of an email and password.
Is my invoice data uploaded anywhere?
Not unless you use an online feature. Normally your invoice is created and stored only in your own browser. If you save online, share a link or email an invoice, the data needed for that feature is sent to our server.
Can I add my logo?
Yes. Upload a PNG, JPG or SVG and it will appear at the top of the invoice. The logo stays in your browser and is not saved with online copies.
Which currencies and countries are supported?
You can choose USD, GBP, EUR, AUD, CAD, CHF, AED, SAR, INR and PKR. Country presets are available for the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Germany, and you can change every value by hand.
Will this invoice meet my country's legal requirements?
It includes the details most countries ask for, but requirements differ and change. Check your local rules or ask an accountant, especially for tax invoices and electronic invoicing obligations.
How do I get the next invoice number?
Click "New invoice". The generator remembers the last number you downloaded or printed and suggests the next one in the same format.
Can I edit an invoice later?
Your latest draft is kept in your browser. If you saved an invoice online with your code, you can open it from the My invoices list on any device and change it.
Privacy
What stays on your device. The invoice you are editing, your uploaded logo and your last invoice number are stored in your browser's local storage so your work is still there next time. Clearing your browser data removes them.
What is sent when you use online features. If you create a Save & Restore code, we store that code and the invoices you choose to save, plus saved clients and items, in a private Google Sheet. If you create a share link, anyone who has the link can view that invoice until you turn the link off. If you email an invoice, the PDF and the email addresses you enter are used to send the message and are not stored afterwards. If you add a reminder email, we store that address with the invoice to send one reminder. Logos are never sent.
Usage counts. We record simple anonymous events such as "invoice downloaded" or "template changed" so we can see which features are used. These records contain no invoice content and no personal details.
Deleting your data. Open "Save & Restore code" in the tool and choose "Delete all my online data". This removes your code and every invoice saved with it. You can also contact us at globaltoolsboxcontact@gmail.com and we will remove it for you.
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