How to Make a Free Invoice (What to Include, Step by Step)
Invoice GeneratorProfessional PDF invoices in minutes. Free, no sign-up.When you are starting out as a freelancer or a small business, you need to send invoices long before you need invoicing software. A clear PDF invoice is enough, as long as it contains what your client (and your tax office) needs.
What every invoice should include
- Your details: business or personal name, address, email, and your tax or VAT number if you have one.
- Client details: company or person, and their address.
- Invoice number: unique and sequential (for example 2026-001, 2026-002). Never reuse a number.
- Invoice date and due date (or payment terms such as “within 14 days”).
- Line items: what you did or delivered, quantity and rate.
- Totals: subtotal, tax with its name and rate, discount if any, and the total due.
- How to pay: bank details or payment link.
Rules differ by country. In the EU, for example, VAT invoices need specific details, and some countries require particular wording for reverse charge or tax exemption. Check your local requirements or ask an accountant once, then reuse the setup.
Create the invoice
- Open the Invoice Generator.
- Fill in Business or your name and Address, email, tax ID, and add your logo if you have one. These are remembered in this browser for next time.
- Add the Client name and Client address and details.
- Set the Invoice number, Date and Due date, and choose your Currency.
- Add one line per item or service with Quantity and Rate. For hourly work, the quantity is the number of hours. The Hours Calculator adds up time sheets.
- Set Tax name (VAT, GST or Sales tax) and Tax rate. Add a Discount or Shipping if needed. The tax is calculated after the discount; shipping is added at the end.
- Put payment details and terms in Notes and payment terms, choose an accent color, and click Download PDF invoice.
Not sure about the tax amount? The Sales Tax Calculator works it out in both directions (adding tax, or removing it from a gross price).
Example line items
| Description | Quantity | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Logo design, 3 concepts and 2 revisions | 1 | 450.00 |
| Website copywriting (hours) | 6 | 55.00 |
| Stock photo license | 2 | 15.00 |
Specific descriptions mean fewer questions from your client and get you paid faster.
Keep your records
You need copies of every invoice you send, usually for several years. Choose Save to Workstand after downloading to keep each invoice in your own folder, attach it to the client’s project, and create a follow-up task for the due date so you notice late payments.
Your invoice details are never uploaded. They stay in your browser and in the files you download.