Quick Comparison
A high-level look at the six Stripe invoicing alternatives covered in this guide. Compare pricing model, whether invoices are generated automatically from Stripe payments, and the primary use case at a glance.
| Name | Pricing | Auto from Stripe? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripdo | $39/yr flat | Yes | Stripe users who want zero invoicing fees |
| Xero | From $29/mo | Via sync | Full accounting + invoicing |
| QuickBooks | From $35/mo | Via sync | US small businesses needing accounting |
| FreshBooks | From $19/mo | No | Freelancers and service businesses |
| Zoho Invoice | Free (up to 5 customers) | No | Startups on a tight budget |
| Wave | Free | No | Solopreneurs wanting free invoicing |
Pricing as of 2026. "Auto from Stripe" means invoices are generated automatically from Stripe payments without manual input.
Annual Cost Comparison
The true cost of an invoicing tool depends on your volume. Below is a side-by-side comparison of what each option costs per year at different invoice volumes. Stripe Invoicing charges 0.4% per invoice (max $2), while most alternatives use flat monthly or yearly pricing.
Costs include the invoicing tool subscription only — Stripe's payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.30) apply regardless of which invoicing tool you use.
| Volume | Stripe | Stripdo | Xero | QuickBooks | FreshBooks | Zoho | Wave |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50/mo × $200 | $480 | $39 | $348 | $420 | $228 | $180 | $0 |
| 100/mo × $300 | $1,440 | $39 | $348 | $420 | $396 | $180 | $0 |
| 200/mo × $400 | $3,840 | $39 | $348 | $420 | $396 | $480 | $0 |
| 500/mo × $500 | $12,000 | $79 | $552 | $780 | $720 | $480 | $0 |
Stripe = 0.4% per invoice (max $2). Stripdo = $39/yr (Starter) or $79/yr (Pro). Xero = Starter $29/mo. QuickBooks = Simple Start $35/mo. FreshBooks = Lite $19/mo (up to 5 clients) or Plus $33/mo. Zoho = Standard $15/mo. Wave = Free invoicing.
At 200 invoices/month, Stripe Invoicing costs $3,840/yr while Stripdo costs $39/yr — a 98% saving. Calculate your exact savings →
1. Stripdo — Best for Stripe Users Who Want Zero Invoicing Fees
Overview: Stripdo is purpose-built for Stripe users. It connects to your Stripe account via OAuth, listens for successful payments in real time, and automatically generates and emails professional PDF invoices to your customers. No per-invoice fees, no percentage cuts — just a flat annual price starting at $39.
Unlike accounting platforms that bolt on Stripe support as an afterthought, Stripdo is designed around the Stripe API from the ground up. Every payment event triggers an invoice automatically — no manual steps, no Zapier, no mapping.
Pros:
- Zero per-invoice fees — flat $39/yr (Starter), $79/yr (Pro), $149/yr (Business)
- Fully automatic invoice generation from every Stripe payment
- Setup in under a minute — one-click OAuth, no API keys
- Retroactive invoicing for past payments (unique feature)
- Supports multiple Stripe accounts on a single plan
- Custom branding: logo, colors, business details, tax info
- PDF invoices emailed directly to customers
- Works with subscriptions, one-time payments, and invoices
Cons:
- Invoicing only — not a full accounting or bookkeeping platform
- Requires Stripe (doesn't work with PayPal, Square, or other processors)
- No built-in payment reminders (Stripe handles payment collection)
Pricing: $39/yr (Starter), $79/yr (Pro), $149/yr (Business). All plans include unlimited invoices with no per-invoice fees.
Best for: Any business using Stripe for payment processing that wants to eliminate the 0.4% invoicing fee without changing their workflow. Especially valuable for SaaS companies, agencies, and e-commerce businesses sending 50+ invoices per month.
2. Xero — Best for Full Accounting + Invoicing
Overview: Xero is a cloud-based accounting platform popular with small businesses, especially in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. It offers full double-entry accounting, invoicing, bank reconciliation, payroll, and expense management. Xero has a native Stripe integration that syncs payments and reconciles them against invoices.
Xero is the strongest option if you need a full accounting suite alongside invoicing. The Stripe integration pulls payment data into Xero for reconciliation, but it does not automatically generate invoices from Stripe payments — you still create invoices manually in Xero or import them.
Pros:
- Full accounting suite with invoicing included
- Native Stripe integration with auto-reconciliation
- Multi-currency support with automatic exchange rates
- Large ecosystem of 1,000+ add-ons and integrations
- Excellent for tax compliance (VAT, GST, sales tax)
- Bank feeds for automatic transaction import
- Strong mobile app for invoicing on the go
Cons:
- Expensive for invoicing alone ($29+/mo = $348+/yr)
- Stripe sync requires manual mapping and setup
- Does not auto-generate invoices from Stripe payments
- Steeper learning curve than dedicated invoicing tools
- Invoice limit on Starter plan (20 invoices/month)
Pricing: Starter $29/mo (20 invoices), Standard $46/mo (unlimited), Premium $62/mo (multi-currency + projects).
Best for: Businesses that need a complete accounting platform with invoicing, bank reconciliation, and tax reporting — and are willing to pay $350+/year for it.
3. QuickBooks Online — Best for US Small Business Accounting
Overview: QuickBooks Online by Intuit is the most widely used small business accounting software in the United States. It covers invoicing, expense tracking, tax preparation, payroll, and financial reporting. QuickBooks connects to Stripe via a third-party integration or automation tools like Zapier.
QuickBooks is the go-to choice if your accountant or bookkeeper already uses it — which, in the US, is very likely. The Stripe connection is not native, so you'll need a third-party app or Zapier to sync payment data. Invoices are created within QuickBooks, not generated from Stripe events.
Pros:
- Industry standard for US small business accounting
- Comprehensive invoicing with payment tracking and reminders
- Strong tax preparation and 1099 filing features
- Huge accountant/bookkeeper ecosystem
- Robust mobile app for invoicing and expense tracking
- Payroll add-on available
Cons:
- No native Stripe integration — requires third-party connector or Zapier
- Expensive for invoicing alone ($35+/mo = $420+/yr)
- Can be overwhelming for businesses that just need invoicing
- Frequent price increases (Intuit raises prices regularly)
- Customer support quality has declined in recent years
Pricing: Simple Start $35/mo, Essentials $65/mo, Plus $99/mo, Advanced $235/mo.
Best for: US small businesses that need comprehensive accounting, tax prep, and invoicing in one platform — especially if their accountant already uses QuickBooks.
4. FreshBooks — Best for Freelancers & Service Businesses
Overview: FreshBooks is an invoicing-first accounting tool designed for freelancers, consultants, and service-based businesses. It prioritizes ease of use over accounting complexity, making it one of the simplest invoicing tools on the market. FreshBooks has its own payment processing but does not natively integrate with Stripe.
FreshBooks excels at the invoicing experience itself — the templates are beautiful, the client portal is polished, and features like time tracking and automatic late payment reminders make it ideal for service businesses. However, without Stripe integration, it's not a drop-in replacement for Stripe Invoicing.
Pros:
- Extremely easy to use — designed for non-accountants
- Beautiful, professional invoice templates
- Built-in time tracking and project management
- Automatic payment reminders and late fees
- Client portal for invoice viewing and payment
- Expense tracking with receipt scanning
Cons:
- No native Stripe integration — uses its own payment processor
- Client limits on lower plans (5 clients on Lite, 50 on Plus)
- Limited accounting features compared to Xero/QuickBooks
- No automatic invoice generation from Stripe payments
- More expensive than Stripdo for Stripe-focused invoicing
Pricing: Lite $19/mo (5 clients), Plus $33/mo (50 clients), Premium $60/mo (unlimited clients).
Best for: Freelancers, consultants, and service businesses who want beautiful invoices with time tracking and don't need Stripe integration.
5. Zoho Invoice — Best Budget Option with Stripe Payments
Overview: Zoho Invoice is a dedicated invoicing tool from the Zoho suite. It offers a free tier and integrates with Stripe as a payment gateway — your customers can pay Zoho invoices via Stripe. However, it does not automatically generate invoices from existing Stripe payments. You create invoices in Zoho, and Stripe is one of the payment options.
Zoho Invoice works well if you're already in the Zoho ecosystem (Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, etc.) and want a centralized invoicing workflow. The free tier is useful for startups with very few clients, but the 5-customer limit is restrictive for growing businesses.
Pros:
- Free tier available (up to 5 customers)
- Stripe available as a payment gateway on invoices
- Professional invoice templates with customization
- Integrates with the broader Zoho ecosystem (CRM, Books, Expense)
- Multi-currency and multi-language support
- Automatic payment reminders
Cons:
- Does not auto-generate invoices from Stripe payments
- Free tier limited to 5 customers — impractical for most businesses
- UI can feel dated compared to FreshBooks or Xero
- Support response times can be slow on lower plans
- Stripe integration is one-directional (payment only, no data sync)
Pricing: Free (5 customers), Standard $15/mo, Professional $40/mo.
Best for: Startups and small businesses on a tight budget who already use Zoho tools and want basic invoicing with Stripe as a payment option.
6. Wave — Best Free Invoicing (No Stripe Integration)
Overview: Wave is a completely free accounting and invoicing platform aimed at solopreneurs and very small businesses. It makes money through payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.60 per transaction) and payroll services, so the invoicing and accounting features are genuinely free with no limits. Wave does not integrate with Stripe at all.
Wave is the right choice if you're looking for free invoicing and don't use Stripe — or if you're willing to manage Stripe payments and Wave invoices separately. The trade-off is zero automation between the two systems.
Pros:
- Completely free invoicing, accounting, and receipt scanning
- Unlimited invoices and customers on the free plan
- Simple, clean, modern interface
- Basic financial reporting included
- No credit card required to sign up
Cons:
- No Stripe integration whatsoever
- Uses its own payment processing with higher fixed fees ($0.60 vs $0.30)
- Limited third-party integrations
- No time tracking or project management
- No multi-currency support
- Customer support is limited on the free plan
Pricing: Free for invoicing, accounting, and receipt scanning. Payment processing at 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction if you use Wave Payments.
Best for: Solopreneurs and micro-businesses who need free invoicing and either don't use Stripe or are okay managing payments and invoices in separate tools.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Now that you've seen each tool in detail, here's how they stack up side by side. This matrix covers 17 features across integration, pricing, invoice customization, and delivery. Green checks mean full support, red crosses mean the feature is missing.
| Feature | Stripe Invoicing | Stripdo | Xero | QuickBooks | FreshBooks | Zoho Invoice | Wave |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-generate invoices from Stripe | |||||||
| Zero per-invoice fees | |||||||
| Flat annual pricing | |||||||
| Native Stripe integration | Sync | Zapier | Gateway | ||||
| Works with Stripe subscriptions | |||||||
| Retroactive invoicing | |||||||
| Multiple Stripe accounts | Separate | Separate | Separate | ||||
| No client / invoice limits | Plan limit | Plan limit | Plan limit | ||||
| Custom logo on invoices | |||||||
| Custom colors & branding | |||||||
| Custom fields on invoices | |||||||
| Tax / VAT number display | |||||||
| VAT / tax calculation | Add-on | ||||||
| Multi-currency invoices | |||||||
| PDF invoice download | |||||||
| No code required | |||||||
| Setup time | < 1 min | < 1 min | 1-2 hrs | 1-2 hrs | 30 min | 30 min | 15 min |
"Sync" = data syncs from Stripe but invoices aren't auto-generated. "Gateway" = Stripe is available as a payment method on invoices. "Separate" = each Stripe account requires its own subscription. Template counts are approximate.
What to Look For in a Stripe Invoicing Alternative
Choosing the right invoicing tool depends on your business size, payment volume, and how tightly you need invoicing integrated with Stripe. Here are the key criteria ranked by importance for Stripe users:
- Stripe integration depth — The most important factor. Does the tool automatically generate invoices from your Stripe payment events, or do you need to create invoices manually? Only Stripdo offers fully automatic invoice generation from Stripe. Xero and QuickBooks sync data but require manual invoice creation.
- Pricing model — Per-invoice fees defeat the purpose of switching from Stripe Invoicing. Look for flat-rate pricing (Stripdo, accounting platforms) or free tiers (Zoho, Wave) that don't scale with volume.
- Invoice customization — Your invoices represent your brand. Can you add your logo, adjust the layout, include custom fields, display tax breakdowns, and add payment terms? Most tools cover the basics, but depth of customization varies.
- Automatic email delivery — Invoices should be emailed to customers automatically after payment, without manual intervention. Manual sending adds overhead and delays.
- Tax compliance (VAT / GST / sales tax) — If you sell to EU customers, your invoices must include correct VAT amounts and your VAT registration number. Check that the tool supports your tax requirements. Use our VAT calculator to determine the correct rates.
- Multi-currency support — International businesses need invoices in different currencies. Not all tools handle this — Wave, for example, doesn't support multi-currency at all.
- Setup complexity & time — How long does it take to switch? Stripdo takes under a minute. Full accounting platforms (Xero, QuickBooks) can take hours to configure properly with chart of accounts, bank connections, and Stripe integration mapping.
- Do you need accounting? — If you already have an accountant or bookkeeper, you may not need a full accounting suite. A lightweight invoicing tool like Stripdo is cheaper and simpler. If you need accounting, Xero or QuickBooks are the way to go.
💡 If you just need to replace Stripe's invoicing feature without changing anything else in your workflow, Stripdo is the fastest and cheapest path. Connect your Stripe account and invoices start going out automatically — under a minute to set up, $39/year.
How to Switch from Stripe Invoicing
Switching away from Stripe Invoicing is straightforward. Your Stripe payment processing stays the same — you only replace the invoicing layer. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Choose your alternative — Based on the comparison above, pick the tool that matches your needs. For most Stripe users, Stripdo is the simplest option. For full accounting, consider Xero or QuickBooks.
- Set up the new tool — Create an account and configure your invoice template (logo, business details, tax info, payment terms). With Stripdo, this takes under a minute via OAuth.
- Test with a real invoice — Send a test invoice to yourself or a colleague to verify formatting, tax calculations, and email delivery before going live.
- Disable Stripe Invoicing — In your Stripe Dashboard, turn off the automatic invoicing feature. This stops Stripe from sending invoices (and charging the 0.4% fee) on new payments.
- Backfill if needed — If you need invoices for recent payments that happened before the switch, Stripdo supports retroactive invoicing. Other tools may require you to create these manually.
- Monitor for a week — Keep an eye on invoice delivery for the first week to make sure everything is working. Check that customers are receiving invoices and that amounts, taxes, and formatting are correct.
The entire process typically takes less than 10 minutes with Stripdo, or 1-2 hours with a full accounting platform. Your customers won't notice the switch — they'll still receive professional invoices by email, and their payment method stays the same.
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Stripe Invoicing Alternatives — Frequently Asked Questions
Why would I need an alternative to Stripe Invoicing?
Stripe charges an additional 0.4% fee (capped at $2) on every invoice sent through its built-in invoicing feature. This is on top of the standard payment processing fee. If you send invoices at scale, this adds up to hundreds or thousands of dollars per year that you can avoid with a third-party invoicing tool.
Can I still use Stripe for payments if I switch invoicing tools?
Yes. All the alternatives listed here work alongside Stripe. You keep Stripe as your payment processor and only replace the invoicing layer. Your customers see no difference in the payment experience.
What is the cheapest Stripe invoicing alternative?
Stripdo is the cheapest option for businesses that use Stripe, starting at $39/year with unlimited invoices and zero per-invoice fees. Wave is free but doesn't integrate directly with Stripe. For general accounting with invoicing, Zoho Invoice has a free tier for up to 5 customers.
Do these alternatives support automatic invoicing from Stripe payments?
Stripdo is the only alternative that automatically generates and sends invoices from your Stripe payments with zero configuration. Xero and QuickBooks can sync with Stripe but require manual setup and mapping. FreshBooks, Zoho, and Wave need manual invoice creation or third-party automation tools like Zapier.
Will switching from Stripe Invoicing affect my tax compliance?
No. All the alternatives listed here support tax calculation, VAT, and compliance features. Some (like Xero and QuickBooks) offer more advanced tax features than Stripe Invoicing. Make sure to configure tax settings in your new tool before disabling Stripe Invoicing.
How long does it take to switch from Stripe Invoicing?
With Stripdo, setup takes under a minute — connect your Stripe account and you're done. For accounting platforms like Xero or QuickBooks, expect 1-2 hours for initial setup including Stripe integration, chart of accounts mapping, and invoice template configuration.
How much does Stripe Invoicing cost per year?
Stripe Invoicing charges 0.4% per invoice, capped at $2. If you send 100 invoices per month at an average of $300, that's $1,440/year in invoicing fees alone — on top of Stripe's standard payment processing fees. At 500 invoices per month, the cost can reach $12,000/year.
Can I use multiple Stripe invoicing alternatives at the same time?
Yes, but it's usually unnecessary. Most businesses pick one invoicing tool. If you use an accounting platform like Xero for bookkeeping, you can still use Stripdo specifically for Stripe invoice generation and let Xero handle the accounting side via its Stripe data sync.
Do I need to notify my customers when I switch invoicing tools?
No. From your customer's perspective, they receive the same professional invoice by email. The invoice format may look slightly different, but the payment experience remains identical since you're still using Stripe for processing.
What happens to my existing invoices if I switch?
Your existing Stripe invoices remain accessible in your Stripe dashboard — switching tools doesn't delete historical data. Some alternatives like Stripdo can also retroactively generate invoices for past Stripe payments, which is useful for filling in gaps.
Is Stripe Invoicing worth it for small businesses?
For very low volumes (under 10 invoices per month at small amounts), the cost difference is minimal. But once you're sending 50+ invoices per month, the 0.4% fee compounds quickly. A business sending 50 invoices at $200 average pays $480/year in invoicing fees — compared to $39/year with Stripdo.
Can I add VAT or sales tax to invoices with these alternatives?
Yes. All six alternatives support tax on invoices. Xero and QuickBooks have the most advanced tax engines with automatic rate calculation. Stripdo supports configurable VAT/tax display on invoices. You can also use our free VAT calculator to determine the correct rates for EU countries.
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