Quick answer
The best free invoice app in Australia for most sole traders and tradies in 2026 is one that’s actually built for Australia - so GST, ABN, and ATO tax invoice formatting are handled for you, in AUD. On that test, Free Invoice App leads, with Zoho Invoice the strongest globally oriented free option and Invoice2go the best-known mobile name (though its free tier is limited). Below is the honest breakdown, including what each free tier blocks.
How we judged them
A free invoice app is only useful if the free tier does the job. We looked at five things that matter to an Australian sole trader or tradie:
- Australian fit - GST, ABN, ATO tax invoice formatting, AUD.
- What “free” blocks - send limits, watermarks, gated features.
- Mobile use - can you invoice from your phone on a job site?
- Getting paid - can clients pay by card?
- Room to grow - sensible paid upgrades when you need them.
1. Free Invoice App - best for Australia
Built specifically for Australian freelancers, tradies, and small businesses. Invoices are formatted to meet ATO tax invoice requirements, with ABN and GST fields handled by default, and everything runs in AUD.
- Free tier: A$0/month, 7 invoice sends per month, no credit card. Create unlimited invoices, export PDFs, manage clients, track expenses, view reports. PDFs carry a small “Powered by” footer.
- Mobile: mobile-first web app plus an Android app - good for invoicing on site.
- Get paid: pay-by-card via Stripe on every plan, settling to your own account in AUD.
- Extras: AI receipt scanning included on every plan.
- Upgrades: Pro A$5/month (removes the footer, 250 sends, recurring + scheduled), Pro+ A$20/month (unlimited sends, custom sending domain, per-service T&Cs, team access).
Best for: any Australian sole trader or tradie who wants GST done right and to get paid by card without paying for full accounting software. Start free.
2. Zoho Invoice - best free feature set
Zoho Invoice is genuinely free and surprisingly capable - recurring invoices, time tracking, multi-currency, and a polished app. The catch for Australians is that it’s a globally oriented tool: you configure the tax yourself, and it nudges you toward the wider (paid) Zoho ecosystem.
- Free tier: free for a capped number of customers; feature-rich.
- Australian fit: workable, but GST/ABN are setup-it-yourself rather than built in.
- Best for: users who want maximum features for free and don’t mind configuring tax.
3. Invoice2go - best-known mobile name
Invoice2go popularised phone-based invoicing for tradies. It’s polished and mobile-first, but the genuinely free option is limited and it pushes you to a paid subscription quickly. We wrote a dedicated free Invoice2go alternative guide for tradies if that’s your situation.
- Free tier: very limited; effectively a trial of a paid product.
- Best for: people who specifically want the Invoice2go brand and will pay for it.
4. Wave - good, but built for North America
Wave is a free invoicing and accounting tool that’s excellent in the US and Canada. For Australians the fit is the problem: it bills in USD, its online card payments aren’t available here, and its tax handling isn’t ATO-tailored. See the full Free Invoice App vs Wave comparison.
- Free tier: yes (Starter), plus a paid Pro plan in USD.
- Best for: sole traders based in North America.
At a glance
Built for AU Free tier Card pay (AU) Mobile Free Invoice App Yes 7 sends/mo Yes (Stripe) Yes Zoho Invoice No Capped customers Via Zoho Yes Invoice2go Partly Very limited Yes Yes Wave No (US/CA) Yes (Starter) Not available Yes
What “free” really means
Almost every free invoice app limits something. The common catches:
- Send limits - a cap on emailed invoices per month (Free Invoice App: 7/month free).
- Watermarks - a “powered by” footer on the free PDF.
- Gated features - recurring billing, scheduled sends, or custom domains locked to paid tiers.
- No card payments - some free tiers don’t let clients pay online at all.
None of these are dealbreakers - they’re how free tools stay free. The point is to pick the tool whose limits you won’t hit, and whose paid step-up is affordable when you do.
Our recommendation
If you run an Australian business, start with the tool built for Australia. Free Invoice App gets GST, ABN, and tax invoices right, lets clients pay by card in AUD, and is free for up to 7 sends a month. When you outgrow that, Pro is A$5/month. If you specifically want full accounting features for free and don’t mind configuring tax yourself, look at Zoho Invoice. Create your first invoice free - no card required.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free invoice app in Australia?
For Australian sole traders and tradies, Free Invoice App leads because GST, ABN, AUD, and ATO tax invoices are built in, with card payments and AI receipt scanning. Zoho Invoice is the strongest globally oriented free option.
Are free invoice apps actually free?
Usually with limits - send caps, watermarks, gated features, or no card payments. Check what the free tier blocks, not just whether one exists.
Which free invoice app is best for tradies?
One that invoices well from a phone and formats ATO-compliant tax invoices. Free Invoice App is mobile-first with an Android app; Invoice2go is also mobile but its free tier is limited.
Do free invoice apps create ATO-compliant tax invoices?
Australian-built tools like Free Invoice App do it out of the box. Globally oriented tools can be configured to, but you set up the tax and check the wording yourself.