How to Make an Invoice for Free (Step by Step, With Examples)

To make an invoice, list who you are and who you're billing, give it a unique number and two dates (issued and due), describe each piece of work with a quantity and price, show the total with any tax separately, and add your payment details. Then send it as a PDF. With a free invoice generator this takes about five minutes.

This guide walks through each part of an invoice, shows example wording, and explains the small details that get you paid faster.

What should an invoice include?

Every invoice needs the same core information, whether you're a freelance designer in Lahore, a tutor in Delhi or a consultant in London:

Part	Example
Your details	Name or business name, address, email, phone
Client details	Company name, contact person, address
Invoice number	INV-0042
Issue date	29 October 2026
Due date	12 November 2026
Line items	"Logo design, 3 concepts: 1 × 450.00"
Subtotal, discount, tax	Subtotal 900.00, VAT 20% 180.00
Total	1,080.00
Payment details	Bank name, account number or IBAN, PayPal or Wise email

If you're registered for VAT, GST or sales tax, add your tax registration number. Tax rules differ by country, so check what your tax office requires; the UK government's invoicing guide in the sources below is a clear example.

How do you make an invoice with the free generator?

1. Open the Invoice Generator.
2. Under Your business, add your name or business name, address, email and phone. You can also add a logo (PNG, JPG or WebP) and pick an accent colour. These details are remembered in your browser, so next time they're already filled in.
3. Under Bill to, add the client's name, address and email.
4. Check the invoice number and dates. The number is suggested for you, and you set the issue date and due date.
5. Pick the currency. US dollar, euro, pound, Indian rupee, Pakistani rupee, UAE dirham, Canadian and Australian dollars are built in, or choose "Other" and type any symbol.
6. Add line items: a description, a quantity and a unit price. Use Add item for more lines. Totals update as you type.
7. Add a discount (percent or fixed amount), a tax name and rate (for example "VAT" at 20%), and shipping if needed.
8. Fill in Notes or terms and Payment details.
9. Choose A4 or US Letter paper and press Download PDF, or Print.

When you start the next one, press New invoice: the number goes up by one and your business details stay. Nothing is uploaded; the invoice is built in your browser.

How should you word line items?

Clients pay faster when they instantly recognise the work. Compare:

• Vague: "Design work – 900"
• Clear: "Website homepage design, 2 revision rounds – 1 × 600.00" and "Mobile layout for 3 pages – 3 × 100.00"

Describe the result, not just the hours. If you bill by time, put the hours in the quantity and the hourly rate in the price: "Bookkeeping, October – 12 × 25.00".

Which payment terms work best?

Write a specific date. "Due 12 November 2026" leaves no doubt, while "Net 30" makes the client count days. Some example wording for the notes box:

• "Payment due within 14 days, by 12 November 2026."
• "Please include the invoice number INV-0042 as the payment reference."
• "Late payments may be charged interest of 2% per month." Only add this if your contract or local law allows it. In the UK, for example, businesses can claim statutory interest on late commercial payments.

For bigger projects, ask for a deposit before you start and invoice the rest on delivery. A freelance contract is the place to agree this in advance.

How do you number invoices?

Pick one format and never repeat a number: INV-0001, INV-0002, INV-0003. A few rules:

• Don't restart at 1 each year or for each client unless your accountant asks you to (some people use INV-2026-001, which is fine as long as it stays unique).
• Don't skip numbers or reuse a cancelled one. If you need to cancel an invoice, issue a credit note instead.
• Keep a copy of every PDF you send. A simple folder per year is enough.

How do you add tax to an invoice?

Show the price before tax, the tax rate, the tax amount and the total separately. For example, 900.00 + VAT at 20% (180.00) = 1,080.00. If you're unsure how to work out the numbers, the VAT & GST Calculator adds or removes tax for you, and our guide on how to calculate VAT and GST explains the maths.

Only charge VAT or GST if you're registered for it. If you're not, leave the tax rate at zero; adding tax you aren't registered for can cause problems.

What mistakes delay payment?

• Missing payment details. If the client has to email you for your bank details, payment waits a week.
• Wrong client name or address. Large companies often reject invoices that don't match their records. Ask for their billing details and any purchase order (PO) number before you invoice.
• No due date. Without one, your invoice sits at the bottom of the pile.
• Sending late. Invoice the day the work is delivered, while the value is fresh.
• Unclear totals. Show the subtotal, discount, tax and total on separate lines.

Invoice or quote: which comes first?

A quote comes before the work and says what it will cost. The invoice comes after and asks for payment. If you agreed a price in a quote, use the same line items on the invoice so the client can match them. See how to write a price quote for the first step.

Get your invoice out today

Open the free Invoice Generator, fill in the form and download your PDF. To check your pricing first, the Hourly Rate Calculator shows what to charge to reach your income goal. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice; invoicing rules differ by country.