Overview

Inkvoice is open-source invoicing software for freelancers, small businesses, and small teams. It is best suited to operators who want recurring billing and basic financial reporting alongside invoices, with the choice of capped cloud hosting or a self-managed Docker deployment. Its breadth is useful, but cloud customer limits and the work of operating a server are meaningful trade-offs.

Key features

Invoices and quotes can be sent as shareable links or PDFs, and quotes can be turned into invoices. Scheduled invoices run monthly, quarterly, or annually, making the product a stronger fit for repeat-client work than a tool limited to one-off billing. Multi-currency invoicing and a client portal round out the customer-facing workflow.

Clients can pay through Stripe or PayPal checkout; users can also record manual and partial payments. That flexibility helps when payment methods vary across clients, though teams seeking a single payment route may not need the added options.

Inkvoice tracks billable expenses and reports on tax summaries, receivables aging, profit and loss, and cash-flow forecasts. Those reports give small operators more visibility than invoice totals alone, although the product is still positioned for smaller businesses rather than complex finance operations.

Outgoing webhooks connect to n8n, Zapier, and Make, while API tokens support external tools and scripts. An optional e-invoicing module covers EN 16931 formats, including ZUGFeRD 2.2, XRechnung, and PEPPOL BIS, which is relevant for organizations that need those formats rather than just PDF invoices.

The self-hosted version stores its application state in a SQLite file on the user's server. It runs as a Docker container, with deployment guidance for Dokploy, Coolify, or plain Docker; published images support linux/amd64 and linux/arm64. Documented security controls include secure cookies, optional HSTS, and login rate limiting, and the production configuration guide advises a strong JWT secret. These are useful operational safeguards, but self-hosting still means the operator owns deployment and upkeep.

The maker describes the self-hosted build as MIT-licensed and Inkvoice as ad-free and telemetry-free. Self-hosted users get GitHub community support; Cloud Pro includes priority support.

Pricing

Cloud Free costs 0.00 USD per free and allows one user and five customers, with unlimited invoices. It is a reasonable way for a solo operator to evaluate the workflow or manage a very small client base, but the customer cap is restrictive once the business grows.

Cloud Starter costs 4.99 USD per month, billed monthly or yearly; yearly billing offers 2 months free. It supports up to three users and unlimited invoices, making it the paid cloud option aligned with the small-team audience.

Cloud Pro costs 14.99 USD per month, also billed monthly or yearly with 2 months free on yearly billing. It includes Starter features and raises the limit to ten users, with priority support. That makes the higher price relevant for teams needing more seats or stronger support; it does not remove the stated uncertainty around customer limits.

Self-hosted open-source build costs 0.00 USD per free and is MIT licensed, with all features, no caps, unlimited invoices and clients, and Docker deployment options. A second self-hosted plan entry also costs 0.00 USD per free and describes all features with unlimited invoices and clients. For teams comfortable managing their own server, self-hosting avoids the cloud caps; those wanting managed hosting or priority support should favor Cloud Pro instead.

Platforms

Inkvoice is available through a web app and API, with Linux and self-hosted options. The multi-architecture Docker image supports both linux/amd64 and linux/arm64. This makes it a practical option for teams with compatible Linux infrastructure; no mobile platform is indicated.

Who it's for

Inkvoice fits freelancers and small businesses that bill repeat clients, need quotes and payment tracking, and value expenses and cash-flow reporting in the same product. Small teams can use the three-seat Starter plan, while larger groups can reach ten users on Pro. It is less suitable for a growing client base on Cloud Free, or for organizations that do not want responsibility for a self-hosted deployment and need uncapped usage.

Pros and cons

Pros: Recurring invoices, quotes, online and manual payments, expense tracking, and financial reports cover a broad small-business billing workflow.
Pros: Cloud Free includes unlimited invoices, while self-hosting removes invoice and client caps altogether.
Pros: API tokens, outgoing webhooks, and an optional standards-based e-invoicing module support integration and regulated-format needs.
Cons: Cloud Free is capped at five customers, which can make the free tier a short-lived fit for an active freelancer.
Cons: Self-hosting avoids usage caps but requires the user to deploy and operate the application.
Cons: Cloud seat limits rise from three to ten only on the more expensive Pro plan, and the customer limits for paid cloud plans are unclear.

Alternatives

Invoicing software is the broader category to compare if Inkvoice's cloud caps or self-hosting model do not fit.

Choose InvoiceShelf if a free, AGPL-3.0 self-hosted option with unlimited invoices and customers and no seat or subscription limits is the priority. Lago is another option for teams seeking AGPLv3 self-hosting, with a premium offering available for cloud or self-hosted deployment at custom pricing.

Hiveage is worth considering for teams that need its listed Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and web platform coverage. BillingEngine offers a free tier capped at three invoices, three quotes, three receipts per month, and one user, so it may suit a very low-volume workflow.

Billbooks is an alternative for users who want a 30-day trial with no credit card required. InvoiceXpress offers a 3.00 EUR per month X3 plan with three documents monthly, unlimited users, API access, invoice scheduling, and multi-currency support.

Zoho Invoice may fit Indian businesses seeking a free plan with up to two users, three projects, and 500 invoices per year. PayPal Invoicing is a simpler alternative for creating and sending invoices without setup or subscription fees, with transaction fees applying when customers pay.

Verdict

Inkvoice is a good choice for freelancers and small teams that want recurring invoicing, payment records, expenses, and reporting without committing to a paid cloud plan immediately. Its strongest case is the combination of broad billing features and a genuinely uncapped self-hosted option. Look elsewhere if you need uncapped managed cloud usage, or choose self-hosting only if your team is prepared to run the application.

	Inkvoice	zBilling.net
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	$4.99/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api, Linux, self-hosted, Web	Web
Free plan	Yes	No
Paid from	$4.99/mo	—
Recurring invoices	Yes	—
Online payments	Yes	—
Multi-currency invoicing	Yes	—
Included team users	3 users	—
Client portal	Yes	—

Inkvoice vs zBilling.net

Inkvoice

zBilling.net