The Top 10 Online Payment & Billing Solutions for Marketing & Design Agencies

Is your business getting paid like it should? How much time are you spending on sending invoices, asking for payments, tracking bills and expenses, and other tedious accounting tasks? Every second spent on those duties takes valuable time away from your clients and your business. 

Let’s face it—no one wants to deal with the hassles of invoicing and billing. Aside from the time you’re losing, it could end up costing you a small fortune in ways you don’t even realize. Fortunately, new business billing and payment tools are available to help manage these processes more efficiently, saving time, money, and stress for everyone. You’ll find all kinds of customizable options, APIs with seamless integrations, and invoice or billing solutions that will automate all of your financial processes. 

Of course, not all platforms are created equally—so which one should you choose? We’ve compiled a list below of the top 10 billing and payment solutions for marketing and design firms, in no specific order, along with their best features so that you can review your options carefully. In doing so, remember to consider things like:

• Automation and reminders so that you can get paid faster without having to do the work 
• Status reports and other reporting tools to keep you posted on the status of your billing and invoicing
• Income and expense tracking features
• Customization options for invoices, including available templates and other details
• Any other features that enhance or improve your billing and payments

Speaking of improvements, while you’re at it, see what the dedicated team of virtual receptionists from Smith.ai can do for your business—from integrating with your billing and payment solutions to making follow-up calls and even taking payments over the phone, we have you covered. 

1. Intuit QuickBooks

QuickBooks is one of the most popular choices for those starting out who need a good invoicing and billing solution. It’s been around for years but has evolved with the times to offer one of the best solutions on the market today. It makes it easier than ever to manage billing, payments, and other accounting needs for your marketing or design business. Plus, it integrates with thousands of apps and software tools. 

QuickBooks offers several iterations and can be accessed from the cloud, the web, and even the desktop software or app. It offers complete customization and makes it easy to manage vendors and expenses. It even comes with payroll and bookkeeping tools so that everything is in the same place. 

• Free option? No, but a free trial is offered
• Price: $15 per month to start
• Receipt capture
• Easy app integration
• Mobile tools
• Customizable invoices and tool
• Handles taxes and payroll

2. Scoro

Scoro is an all-in-one platform that includes a robust payment and billing solution to improve the entire invoicing process. You’ll be able to create and send quotes, invoices, prepayment requests, and more. You can also set up recurring payments and automated reminders to ensure that you’re getting paid on time. 

The customization tools allow you to brand your invoices, store client and project details, and create a unique dashboard that shows you all of your real-time activity, revenues, active and paid invoices, and more. Plus, it’s got tools so that you can manage clients, billing, and projects all in the same place. 

• Free option? No
• Price: $26 per month to start
• Recurring payments
• Automated reminders
• Real-time dashboard
• Scalable and customizable 
• Total billing management
  

3. Zoho Invoice

Zoho Invoice offers a simple, user-friendly platform for all kinds of invoicing, billing, and payment needs. It has a free platform for single users and comes with plenty of customizable features. The suite of features and tools that are available will make billing and payments easier than ever. You'll enjoy automated tools, too. 

Zoho Invoice includes a customer-facing portal that allows customers to make payments to you with the option to choose from various currencies and an easy estimate-to-invoice converter that makes it easy to get paid. The tool even lets you track unbilled expenses and hours so that everything is in the same place. 

• Free option? Yes, free for single users
• Price: Starts at $9 per month
• Branded customization options
• Automated reminders 
• Automated payments
• Multiple currencies and languages
• Hundreds of integrations
  

4. FreshBooks

FreshBooks offers an easy solution for billing and payments that is great for busy marketing or design firms that need a better answer. This platform offers easy access to all kinds of accounting tools, including automated payments, reminder features, time tracking tools, and even a feature for retainers. You can create estimates and easily convert them to invoices, too. 

FreshBooks also has customization features that make it easy for everyone to get the solution that they desire. The cloud-based deployment means you can scale it to your needs and it offers double-entry accounting to keep everything streamlined and make billing a breeze. There’s even mobile app access and the iOS app includes mileage tracking for added convenience. 

• Free option? No
• Price: Starts at $15 per month
• Integrated mobile apps
• Hundreds of app and software integrations
• Customer data collection
• Fee-based payment processing
• Retainer option
  

5. Xero

Xero is one of the simplest solutions for billing and payments, offering all kinds of tools for marketing and design firms. Project tracking means you can keep all billing streamlined and ensure that you get paid on time. Xero's interactive quotes ensure that your clients know exactly what they’re getting and can inquire about what they don’t. 

With this tool, you can link your bank accounts and integrate with all kinds of software or other apps. You will have an easy time claiming and tracking expenses—plus, mobile apps are available for both iOS and Android devices. It’s affordable, scalable, and offers something for just about everyone. 

• Free option? No, but there is a trial
• Price: Starts at $11 per month
• Custom invoices
• Interactive quotes
• Reconciliation tools
• Electronic bank sync
• Scalable and customizable
  

6. Wave Accounting

Wave has a platform that includes all kinds of accounting tools to help you manage andtrack expenses, income, and other billing needs in one place. You’ll even be able to automate a number of tasks to help save you valuable time and the app includes convenient pay-as-you-go pricing for most of its features. 

Wave also has monthly solutions for things like payroll, as well as free invoicing tools and customizable payment solutions that allow you to get paid on time while still getting things done. This tool also offers an open API that integrates with hundreds of tools and cloud-based deployment so it can be scaled to your exact needs. 

• Free option? Some free features are included
• Price: Monthly plans start at $20 per month
• Free professional invoices
• Pay-per-use payment processing
• Total billing management
• Automated payments
• Recurring billing
  

7. Invoice2Go

Invoice2Go is a simple solution for small business billing and payments, offering total control of your invoicing and a money-back guarantee. Plus, the platform has no commitment, no setup fees, and other convenience features. You’ll be able to create invoices on the fly, accept all kinds of paymens, and send invoices with a “pay now” button for hassle-free payments. 

You’ll never miss getting paid again, and this platform even comes on iOS and Android apps so that you can take it anywhere. You can easily track everything in one place, enjoy detailed reporting, and understand exactly what’s going on from day to day, thanks to the intuitive dashboard. 

• Free option? No
• Price: Starts at $3 per month
• Accept online payments with ease
• Measure performance with robust reports 
• Keep track of time and billable hours
• Generate leads
• Invoice templates and customization

8. OneUp

OneUp is reinventing business banking with the help of its handy business assistant, which can help with invoicing, quotes, cashflow, taxes, and everything in between. You’ll be able to scan and pay bills with the click of a button, add a split to the payment, and more. The open API ensures that you can integrate with all of your existing tools and premium security ensures that your revenue streams are protected along the way. 

With OneUp, you’ll be able to turn those pesky bills into digital accounting entries with just a quick picture. Its customizable features allows you to create the perfect platform for your needs. An app is available for iOS and Android; OneUp also has tools for assisting with other areas of business management, making AI a part of daily business for better growth. 

• Free option? No
• Price: Starts at $9 per month
• Open API with hundreds of integrations
• Easy payment processing integration
• Automated reminders
• Customizable platform
• Digitize documents with a smartphone camera
• Customer 360 views
  

9. Invoicely

Invoicely has some of the best free solutions for billing and payments that you will find. It includes dedicated Android and iOS apps. It's also designed for use by teams as well as solo users. It makes your job easier by organizing your billing, automating workflows, and helping with tracking payroll and expenses. 

Invoicely integrates with hundreds of apps and tools, including payment processors and gateways. Mobile invoicing is available and invoices can even be custom branded as you desire to help bolster your business image. You can track everything in one place, create custom labels, and manage all of your accounting with ease. 

• Free option? Yes 
• Price: Starts at $10 per month
• Client information database
• Robust reporting
• Invoice customization
• Workflow automation
• Automated reminders and payments
  

10. FreeAgent

FreeAgent offers an impressive collection of invoicing templates, along with customizable features and a user-friendly dashboard that makes it easy for new users to flawlessly navigate the platform. The FreeAgent platform includes scalable features for small to mid-size firms and design agencies that need something simple without skimping on the included perks. 

FreeAgent includes apps for both Android and iOS. Additionally, it never requires contracts or setup fees. There is dedicated user support available and discounts are offered for new members, too. Plus, you can enjoy unlimited clients and users with hundreds of available integrations. 

• Free option? No, but a trial is available
• Price: Starts at $12 per month
• Seamless integrations with hundreds of tools
• Automated and recurring invoicing
• No setup costs or contracts
• Huge database of customizable templates for invoicing

Upgrade your billing and payment solutions by integrating with Smith.ai

How are you currently handling invoicing? Is it a bit of a headache? Any of the tools on this list will greatly improve your billing and payments while simultaneously optimizing your accounting procedures. You'll find that all of these tools have features that can support a more streamlined, automated process so that you get paid faster with less effort. 

You no longer have to hire a team to handle your billing, or even spend the effort to find a dedicated bookkeeper to handle the books. With the payment and billing solutions discussed above, everyone can handle their own billing and you can even make it a team effort in your small design or marketing firm. 

It’s never been easier to get paid or take care of your billing. The only thing left to choose is which platform will do it for you—any of the ones listed above will serve you well along the way. They each have their pros and cons to consider, but we hope that by analyzing the unique features of each system will help you identify the right tool for you. The important thing is that you use them to make your billing easier because that’s what they’re there for.

Speaking of making things easier, when you’re ready to take it one step further, contact the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai. Our dedicated team of professionals can handle all kinds of billing and payment tasks, including fielding customer questions, handling overflow calls, and even providing 24/7 live chat support so that you can ensure that someone is always there to handle the needs of your clients. 

Schedule your Live Chat consultation today to learn more about how Smith.ai receptionists can help capture and convert your leads by phone and online. You can also get in touch with us at hello@smith.ai or by calling (650) 727-6484.