Invoice generator

A good invoice does two things: it looks professional, and it makes it easy for the customer to pay you. This free invoice generator handles both. Fill in your details, list the work, and download a clean PDF you can email or print. Nothing you type is stored or uploaded, so it is private by default. Here is how to use it, and how to make sure your invoices have everything they should.

How to make an invoice

The form on the left fills in the invoice on the right as you type, so you can see exactly what your customer will get.

• Add your business name, address and contact details, and your logo if you have one.
• Enter who the invoice is for.
• Give it an invoice number and set the issue and due dates.
• Add a line for each bit of work or materials, with a quantity and a unit price.
• Turn on tax if you are registered for it, and note any deposit already paid.
• Add your payment details in the notes, then hit Download PDF.

When you download, pick "Save as PDF" as the destination in the print dialog. You get a crisp document with selectable text, ready to send.

What every invoice should include

An invoice is a legal document, and the exact fields it has to carry are set by the country you invoice in. A handful are near-universal, wherever you work:

• A unique invoice number that never repeats.
• Your business name and an address or contact the customer can reach you at.
• Your tax registration number, if you are registered for a sales tax.
• The customer's name and address.
• The date, a clear description of the work, any tax shown separately, the amount due and how to pay.

Past that, check what your own tax authority asks for. The UK list below shows how specific it gets: what you must show there depends on whether you are a sole trader, VAT-registered, or a limited company.

The tool covers the common fields. Add your tax registration or company number into the notes or your business name line if you need them on there.

How to number your invoices

Every invoice needs a unique number, and the numbers should run in sequence without gaps or repeats. A simple format like INV-001, INV-002 works fine. Sequential numbering keeps your bookkeeping tidy, and most tax authorities expect it once you are registered. Pick a style when you send your first invoice and keep to it.

Payment terms that actually get you paid

Spell out when and how you want to be paid, on the invoice itself. Vague terms invite slow payment. Be specific.

• State a clear due date, not just "on receipt". Fourteen days is common for trade work.
• Give the exact ways to pay, with your bank details for a transfer.
• Send it the day you finish, not at the weekend. The sooner it lands, the sooner it clears.

A late invoice is the single biggest reason trades wait on their money. For more on tightening the whole cycle, read how to get paid faster as a tradesperson.

Do you need to add VAT or sales tax?

Only if you are registered for it. What it is called depends on where you work: VAT in the UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe, GST in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, and sales tax in the US, set state by state. If it applies to you, turn tax on in the tool and it is added and shown as a separate line, as it must be. If you are not registered, leave it off and charge your price with no tax on top. For the UK maths and the registration threshold, our VAT calculator adds or removes VAT from any figure and explains where the line sits.

Invoice or quote: which do you need?

They are not the same. A quote goes out before the job to agree a price. An invoice goes out after, or at agreed stages, to ask for payment for work done. This tool makes invoices. If you still need to price and win the work, start with what to put on a quote that wins.

From free tool to less admin

A one-off invoice is quick here. The grind is doing it again and again: the same customer, the same job types, chasing the ones that go quiet. That is where a proper tool earns its place. Snapquo turns an accepted quote into an invoice in a tap, deducts any deposit automatically, sends it branded with an online pay link, and marks it paid, part-paid or overdue so you always know what you are owed. This generator is a great start. When invoicing becomes a weekly job, let something do it for you.

This tool and guide are for general information and are not legal or tax advice. Invoice requirements differ by country and by business type, and they change over time. Check the current guidance from your own tax authority, HMRC and GOV.UK in the UK, or speak to an accountant, to be sure your invoices are compliant.