AI and automation are changing the way that people do business today. When it comes to invoicing, if you're not using an app or software platform to make getting paid a walk in the park, you're missing out on a chance to take your business to the next level. Think about it for a second—how much time do you spend trying to chase down payments, send reminders, and figure out who owes you money and how you're going to get paid?

Now imagine if you could have all of that time back. How much more time would you have to dedicate to growing your business, growing your customer or client base, and enjoy spending time relaxing and enjoying life outside of work?

With the best invoicing apps that are available today, you can do all that and more. You'll be able to streamline your invoicing and billing, automate payments and reminders, and even help your clients pay you from several channels and platforms so that no one can use the excuse that it's too difficult for them to pay their bill. Plus, you'll find a lot of these tools even offer the chance to track spending and hours, record billable hours, and so much more.

Since there are so many solutions on the market today, we tried to choose the ones that have more extensive features or that stand out for one reason or another. After all, it's only going to be the best if it can deliver what you need—the invoicing apps below will go above and beyond the call of duty to get the job done, and all without costing you a fortune.

What makes a good invoicing app?

There are several different factors to consider when choosing invoicing apps, but it should most importantly make it easier and quicker for you to create and send invoices and get paid. Ideally, it will also offer multiple options for online payment acceptance that can help streamline your clients' accounts or even improve your collection rates by automating payments, and some tools even include features to help track time, billable hours and expenses, and more.

So, which features are a must-have and which ones fall into the bonus category? Well, that's largely going to be a choice for you to make, but these elements should definitely be on your list:

·  Invoice templates and autofill tools

·  Online payment acceptance and integration

·  Multichannel payment acceptance

·  Automated reminders, recurring billing, and automated payments

·  Mobile apps and access

·  A client/customer-facing portal

·  AI and automated tracking tools

·  Detailed reports and analytics

And, most importantly, it should be available at a price that won't break the bank. Most of the tools on the list below only charge for payment processing, and the ones that do have a cost are a lot more affordable than you might think.

We didn't want to focus too much on free apps by themselves because for the minimal investment, you get a lot more features and tools that can improve your billing, invoicing, and accounting in several different ways. What we did focus on, however, was tools designed specifically for the modern freelancer or contractor.

In the list below, you'll find a selection of the best apps for invoicing that are designed for freelancers, contractors, and solopreneurs who need a simple, streamlined way to get paid. Take the time to explore what they have to offer, consider the different features and included tools, and think about what type of tool will not only help you now but help you set your business up for a successful future.

Another resource that can contribute to the successful future of your business is the team here at Smith.ai. Our experienced virtual receptionists know all about taking care of your business and your customers and can help with everything from 24/7 live chat and phone answering to payment collection, appointment scheduling, and more.

For now, take a look at these invoicing apps that will help you make serious improvements in the way (and the speed with which) you get paid.

PayPal

PayPal is, by far, one of our favorite invoicing tools for freelancers and contractors. It has always been a free tool for accepting and making payments, and it continues to evolve to deliver what the modern small business needs. PayPal even has a new Working Capital program that allows companies to borrow against their sales for small purchases, to cover expenses, and more. Plus, the Business Debit MasterCard includes a generous 1% cashback on all purchases.

With PayPal, you can send and receive payments, send invoices, and access everything from everywhere with the iOS and Android apps. You can even automate bills and payments, generate detailed reports, transfer money instantly. Send and receive money to any email address, and never pay for anything except payment processing, if you elect to use those services.

·  Free option? Yes

·  Price: Percentage-based processing fees

·  Mobile payments

·  Instant transfers

·  1% cashback bonus with Debit MasterCard

·  Generate invoices easily

·  Free to use most features

·  Working Capital with automatic repayments

Square Invoices

Square Invoices is another popular tool for freelancers and contractors. It's great because it includes a host of payment solutions. What makes this tool unique is that it also offers physical invoicing hardware that allows people to get paid in person just as easily as they can online, and all without spending a fortune. You can even choose the mobile card reader that simply plugs right into your phone so that you can get paid by anyone, anywhere.

Square also makes it easy to track payments and billing in real-time and there's even a one-click pay feature so that you're never worried about whether people know how to pay. Square reports that over 75% of all their invoices are paid in a single day, too, so that can give you confidence in your decision. You can make batch payments and there are never any monthly fees. You'll pay for payment processing, but even those fees are low.

·  Free option? Yes

·  Price: 1% fee for ACH, 2.9% + $0.30 for credit card processing

·  Send estimates and quotes

·  Mobile apps available

·  Recurring payments

·  Automated reminders

·  Send text or email receipts

·  One-click pay feature

Stripe

Stripe is a lot more than just a payment processor—if you think that's all it can do, read on. This tool can process payments, of course, but it can do a lot more. For starters, it's great for those who want a full-featured platform that's not going to cost a fortune. It allows you to create tons of customizable invoices and even integrate with various banks and card networks to make sure that payments are never delayed because of processing.

The app accepts 135 different currencies and has a customer-facing portal that allows clients to pay you easily, virtually, and with just a few clicks. Never miss another payment with automated billing and reminders, or even set up recurring payments to help keep everyone organized and make sure nothing goes unnoticed. This tool integrates with the software that you're already using and includes mobile apps, reporting features, and more.

·  Free option? No

·  Price: 0.5% per transaction to start

·  Reporting and analytics

·  Mobile apps for easy access

·  Customization features

·  Recurring and automated payment options

·  Built-in payment solutions

·  Card reader hardware available

Zoho Invoice

If you're in the market for another solid invoicing tool that doesn't have a huge price tag, you'll love the Zoho Invoice app. From Zoho, a leader in user-friendly tools and apps, this invoicing solution includes mobile apps for Android and iOS and a client-facing portal to make getting paid easy. You can also take payments in multiple currencies and share invoices in hundreds of different languages, making it easy for freelancers to get paid no matter where in the world their clients might be.

Zoho Invoice has an estimate-to-invoice converter that will make it easy to turn all of your quotes into invoices with just a few clicks. You will enjoy the standard tools like automated reminders, recurring payments, and expense and hours tracking to make sure that you can keep everything streamlined and in the same place. Plus, it's got a free option for solo users that includes a majority of the features, so you might never have to spend a dime.

·  Free option? Yes, free for single users

·  Price: $9 per month for premium features or multiple users to start

·  Open API

·  branded invoicing

·  Estimate-to-invoice converter

·  Client-facing payment portal

·  Expense tracking

·  Billable and unbilled hours tracking

·  iOS and Android apps

Invoice2Go

The Invoice2Go app is going to make billing a breeze and is great for freelancers and contractors on the go. This app includes a surprisingly low price and makes it easy to use mobile invoices, add "pay now" buttons for easy payment acceptance, and even create custom invoices from the database of available templates. You'll be able to track your billed hours and billable hours that haven't yet been invoiced, along with expenses and more.

Invoice2Go makes it easy to accept payments in all kinds of mediums, and it's cloud-based, which means it can be scaled easily to meet your invoicing needs. The real-time reporting ensures that you always know the status of your accounts and the custom dashboard allows you to get a bird's eye view so that you can keep track of things and keep your invoicing streamlined in every way.

·  Free option? No

·  Price: $3 per month starting

·  Mobile invoicing and billing

·  Billable and unbilled hours tracking

·  Lead generation tools

·  Branded invoicing

·  "Pay Now" button integration

·  Real-time reporting

·  Cloud-based

FreshBooks

FreshBooks is a cloud-based tool that will make invoicing simple for any freelancer or contractor. When you want something a little more robust than the basic tools out there, this is a full-service accounting solution that can handle as much—or as little—of your billing and payments as you'd like. The app makes it easy to automate billing, set up recurring payments, and even generate custom-branded invoices.

With FreshBooks, you'll also have access to double-entry accounting and there's a handy deposit/retainer feature that allows you to take deposits on jobs if that's part of your practice. It's got great options for real-time reporting and there are several integrations available with tools that you're already using. Plus, it has an estimate-to-invoice conversion tool that makes turning quotes into bills a breeze.

·  Free option? No

·  Price: $15 per month to start

·  Deposit feature

·  Apps for Android and iOS

·  Mobile invoicing

·  Fee-based payment processing

·  Double-entry accounting

Add more automation to your invoicing and billing with the assistance of Smith.ai

The invoicing tools listed here are going to help you step up your game and get paid faster. There's a lot on your plate, and when you streamline invoicing, you'll be able to spend more time on things that need your attention. Unlike some businesses, you don't have a lot of people to rely on. Sure, there are plenty of tools and apps out there to help you grow and expand, or even just to operate efficiently without wasting time or effort.

But what about assistance in the human form? Often, as a freelancer, it's all up to you—but it doesn't have to be.

When you enlist the dedicated assistance of our virtual receptionists here at Smith.ai, you'll be able to automate and streamline a lot more than just invoicing. We can act as the face of your business and assist you with all types of services, including answering all those Facebook and SMS messages and requests, handling overflow calls, and even making sure that your customers are tended to 24/7 with our live chat and after-hours call answering services.

Schedule your consultation today to learn how our virtual receptionists can create a custom solution to take your freelancing or contracting business even further. You'll be able to spend more time taking care of business with the peace of mind that everything is under control. You can also reach us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.