What it does
Zoho Invoice is free invoicing software for freelancers and small businesses. It combines quotes, recurring invoices, payment reminders, expenses and project timesheets, with a customer portal for reviewing bills. An account supports up to two organizations; the published limits include two users, three projects and 500 invoices a year.
A freelancer can prepare a quote in Zoho Invoice, let the customer accept it and then bill from the same details. Recurring invoices handle repeat work, while timesheets and expenses help keep billable work beside the customer record.
To convert an accepted quote manually, open Quotes, select it and choose Convert to Invoice. Review the result, then choose Save as Draft or Save and Send. Settings > Quotes also offers automatic conversion: either keep the resulting invoice as a draft or email it immediately. Choose the draft option if you want a final review before billing. Conversion works in one direction; an invoice cannot be turned back into a quote.
The software is free after account registration. It includes two users, up to three projects and 500 invoices per year, with Zoho Invoice branding. You can maintain up to two organizations under the account. These limits make the product more suitable for a small billing workload than a large team.
Online collection requires a supported payment service. For example, open Settings > Online Payments, choose Set Up Now beside Stripe and connect the relevant Stripe account. Stripe's own transaction charges apply; Zoho adds no fee for that integration. Available methods follow the provider and region, so choose the country edition and gateway that match your business.
Developers can automate invoices and related records through the application programming interface. Its documented allowance is 1,000 requests daily and 100 per minute per organization, with five simultaneous calls on the free plan.
Keep the account active or make backups: Zoho says data from accounts inactive for more than 180 days is deleted within the following 20 days, after notification. This matters if you invoice only seasonally.
Strengths
- Accepted quotes can become draft invoices or be emailed automatically
- Free service includes recurring invoices, reminders and a customer portal
- Project time and expenses sit alongside invoicing
Watch out for
- Limited to two users, three projects and 500 invoices per year
- Invoices retain Zoho Invoice branding
- Long-inactive accounts are subject to data deletion after notice
Best for
- Freelancers converting accepted quotes into bills
- Small businesses with modest invoice and project volumes
Sources
- Zoho Invoice pricing and limits (Oct 27, 2026)
- Convert a Zoho Invoice quote into an invoice (Oct 27, 2026)
- Connect Stripe with Zoho Invoice (Oct 27, 2026)
- Zoho Invoice API introduction and limits (Oct 27, 2026)