Answers to common questions about VenueBill

What is the best free invoice software for freelancers?

VenueBill has a free plan that covers up to 5 clients and 10 invoices per month, with no credit card required to sign up. The free plan includes a client portal, PDF download, and manual payment tracking. Upgrade to Pro at $19/month for unlimited invoicing, online card/ACH payments, recurring invoices, and SMS reminders.

What is the cheapest invoicing tool with Stripe payments?

VenueBill is among the cheapest invoicing tools that include Stripe-powered online payments: the free plan lets you create and send invoices, and Pro at $19/month (or $190/year, two months free) adds card and ACH collection via Stripe, plus recurring billing, SMS reminders, and automatic payment reminders. FreshBooks and HoneyBook start at the same $19/month but with no free tier; Bonsai is $25/month.

What is the best invoice app for handymen, cleaners, and contractors?

VenueBill is built for mobile service businesses like handymen, cleaners, landscapers, and contractors. It works on your phone, sends branded invoices and estimates on the spot, accepts card and ACH payments, and can text clients SMS reminders when payment is due. The free plan covers occasional jobs; Pro adds recurring billing for repeat clients and automated reminders so you stop chasing payments.

See the handyman invoice maker →

Is there invoice software with no monthly fee?

Yes. VenueBill has a free plan with no monthly fee: up to 5 clients and 10 invoices per month, a client portal, PDF downloads, and manual payment tracking. No credit card to sign up. Upgrade to Pro at $19/month for unlimited invoicing, online payments, recurring invoices, and SMS reminders.

How do I send a professional invoice and get paid online?

With VenueBill: create a free account, add your client and line items in the invoice editor, and send a branded invoice by email in under a minute. Your client opens a hosted invoice page and can pay by card or ACH (via Stripe) directly from it once you enable online payments on Pro. You can also set automatic reminders so unpaid invoices follow up themselves. You can try it instantly with the free invoice generator, no signup required to start.

Try the free invoice generator →

What is a good alternative to FreshBooks, Wave, or HoneyBook?

VenueBill is a strong alternative for solo operators and small service businesses: it pairs a permanent free tier (which Wave and Zoho limit and FreshBooks/HoneyBook lack) with Pro features at $19/month, recurring invoices, Stripe payments, SMS reminders, estimates, branding, and a client portal. See the side-by-side comparisons for the specifics on each.

Compare VenueBill vs FreshBooks →

Is there a free plan?

Yes. The free plan covers up to 5 clients and 10 invoices per month, with client portal access, PDF download, and manual payment tracking. No credit card required to sign up. The free plan is permanent.

Do I need a credit card to sign up?

No. Signup only collects your name, email, password, and a phone number for SMS verification. The first time you click Send Invoice we ask you to add a card on file - free to add, never charged. It's a fraud-prevention signal that lets us keep the free plan generous.

How many invoice emails can I send free?

25 per rolling 30-day window on the free plan, with a 5-emails-per-24-hours cap layered on for accounts under 14 days old. Pro lifts both caps. Creating invoices, sharing portal links, and recording manual payments are unlimited on every plan.

What does Pro add?

Pro ($19/month or $190/year) removes the 25-email cap and adds online payment collection (ACH + card), SMS reminders, recurring invoices, automated payment reminders, late fees, branding removal, multi-user, API access, time tracking, and advanced reporting.

What's the password rule?

At least 8 characters with at least one number. We also check against public breach lists and reject any known-compromised password. Existing passwords from the old rule still work - no reset required.

Can I begin without enabling online payments?

Yes. Free accounts send invoices and record cash, check, or bank transfer payments manually. Online ACH and card collection is Pro - that's the main reason most accounts upgrade.

Can I add my branding?

On Pro you can add your logo, colors, custom template, and remove VenueBill branding. The logo upload itself works on the free plan.

Can I create a free invoice without signing up?

Yes. The free invoice generator at venuebill.com/free-invoice-generator lets you build a professional invoice in your browser and download it as a PDF, no account needed, no watermark, no time limit.

Try the free invoice generator →

Can I use VenueBill for estimates and quotes?

Yes. Create an estimate or quote from a free template, send it to the client for approval, and convert the approved estimate into an invoice in one click, no re-entering line items.

Browse estimate & quote templates →

Does VenueBill offer receipt templates?

Yes. Free receipt templates are available for cash payments, rent, sales, donations, and more at venuebill.com/receipt-templates. Give customers professional proof of payment instantly.

Browse receipt templates →

How do I accept payments?

Enable online payments in Settings. Clients can pay via card or ACH from the invoice page or client portal. You can also mark invoices paid manually for cash, check, or bank transfer.

Can clients see attachments and payment history?

Yes. The client portal can show invoice details, attachments, receipts, and status history so clients have the context they need when reviewing a bill.

Does everything work on mobile?

Yes. Invoices, estimates, portal pages, and payments are mobile-friendly for both you and your clients.

Do you support recurring work or retainers?

Yes. You can set monthly or weekly schedules, add reminders and late fees, and run recurring invoices when repeat client work is a core part of your billing cycle.

Can I use VenueBill for deposits or progress billing?

Yes. You can structure invoices with deposits, partial payments, and milestone-style billing so clients can pay in stages instead of one large lump sum.

Who is VenueBill best for?

It is built for freelancers, agencies, consultants, contractors, and other service businesses that need invoices, estimates, payments, reminders, and client communication in one workflow rather than a disconnected patchwork.