Keep more ofwhat you bill.
The invoice app built for the trades: no payment fees, set up for your trade, and less than any paid rival for unlimited invoices.
| App | What you pay | Fees on what clients pay you | Works on site | Set up for your trade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handbill | $0 to start, $49.99/yr unlimited | $0, never | Yes, no account, no signal needed | Yes, 19 trades |
| Invoice Simple | From about $6.99/mo, 3 invoices a month | Extra on card payments | Needs an account | No |
| Joist | No free plan; Basics about $8-10/mo (about 5 a month), Pro about $14-17/mo | Extra on card payments | Needs an account | Contractors only |
| Square Invoices | Free | About 3.3% + 30¢ on every online card payment | Needs an account | No |
| Wave | Free on the web | 2.9% + 60¢ or more on every card payment | Web-first, needs an account | No |
| Zoho Invoice | Free, about 500 invoices a year | Card fees through its payment partners | Built for a desk, needs an account | No |
Other apps' prices are approximate, from public listings, checked November 2026, and change often. Check each app's own site for current prices. Handbill is not affiliated with these companies.
"Free" invoice apps aren't free
Square and Wave don't charge for invoices because they make their money on your payments: about 3% of every card payment, on every job, forever.
Why trades pick Handbill
- Keep every dollar. No payment processing means no fees. Get paid by cash, check, Zelle, Venmo, bank transfer or your own card reader.
- Set up for your trade in seconds. Pick from 19 trades and start with that trade's real jobs and units. See the trades.
- Quote in under a minute. Type the job in plain words and Handbill builds the lines with your prices.
- Works in a basement or on a roof. No account, no signal needed, and your data stays on your phone.
- Unlimited invoices for less. $49.99 a year, just $4.17 a month, compared with about $14-17 a month for Joist Pro or $21.99 a month for Invoice Simple Premium.
Questions
What is the cheapest invoice app for contractors?
Handbill. It is free to start, and $49.99 a year gets unlimited invoices with no fees on payments. Apps that call themselves free, like Square Invoices and Wave, take about 3% of every card payment, so a business billing $40,000 a year by card pays well over $1,000 in fees.
Which invoice app has no payment fees?
Handbill. It never touches your money, so it can never take a cut. Clients pay you directly by cash, check, bank transfer, Zelle, Venmo or your own card reader, and you mark the invoice paid in one tap.
Is Handbill better than Joist or Invoice Simple for a one-person business?
For a solo tradesperson, yes. Handbill costs less than either for unlimited invoices, sets itself up for your trade on day one, works offline without an account, and keeps your data on your phone.