How to Create Professional Client Invoices in WordPress: FreshBooks & WP-Invoice Guide

As experienced WordPress consultants who've streamlined invoicing for hundreds of freelancers and small businesses, we know how time-consuming manual invoice creation can be. Discover efficient WordPress-integrated solutions to generate, send, and track client invoices effortlessly.

While dedicated plugins exist, we recommend FreshBooks for its intuitive design tailored to non-accountants. Below, we outline two proven methods: FreshBooks integration and the WP-Invoice plugin.

Method 1: FreshBooks – The Pro Freelancer Choice

FreshBooks stands out as the most user-friendly accounting tool for WordPress professionals and freelancers. Designed for ease, it offers a 30-day free trial of all features—no credit card required—and a forever-free plan.

Sign up quickly to access a clean dashboard:

Crafting Your First Invoice in FreshBooks

Click 'New' and select 'Invoice' for a seamless wizard. Add your business address if prompted:

Choose billing by time, items, or both:

Enter client details, which auto-save for reuse:

Add line items, tasks, fees, notes, terms, and conditions:

Save as draft, email instantly, or mail physically. Simple and professional.

Enable Online Payments in FreshBooks

Support PayPal, Stripe, and more. Go to Settings > Accept Credit Cards:

Activate gateways and link accounts—clients pay directly from invoices.

Track Time and Expenses Seamlessly

Manage expenses via the Expenses tab, importing from 13,000+ banks or snapping receipts:

Track billable hours with built-in tools:

Method 2: WP-Invoice Plugin for Native WordPress Invoicing

Turn your WordPress site into an invoicing hub with the free WP-Invoice plugin. Install, activate, and configure via Invoices » Settings:

Set company name and assign an 'Invoices' page. Choose gateways like Stripe, 2Checkout, PayPal (see our 5 PayPal alternatives for WordPress):

Configure API keys per gateway:

Save settings.

Generate a New Invoice

Go to Invoices » Add New, enter client email:

Add items, quantities, prices (auto-totals, discounts):

Select payments:

Fill client info; enable quotes, partial/recurring payments, taxes:

Clients get email links to pay, edit info, or print PDFs:

If emails fail, check our WordPress email fix guide.

Manage Invoices and Reports

View/filter at Invoices » All; reports at Bills » Reports.

Customize Further

Tweak emails, templates, line items, import/export:

WP-Invoice vs. FreshBooks: Which Wins?

WP-Invoice: Free, site-integrated, self-hosted (pair with cloud backups).
FreshBooks: Cloud-secure, full accounting (expenses, banks, integrations)—trusted by thousands.

This guide empowers your invoicing. Explore our rotating testimonials tutorial. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, follow on X (Twitter), and Google+.