Invoicing Software with Stripe Integration Compared

Three things "works with Stripe" can mean
Invoicing tools that connect to Stripe

If you already have a Stripe account, there are two ways to invoice through it. You can create invoices in Stripe itself with Stripe Invoicing. Or you can use an invoicing app that connects to your Stripe account and adds a pay option to the invoices it sends. Zoho Invoice, Xero and Billed all offer the second route. FreshBooks offers it only to businesses outside the US and Canada. The differences that matter are:

what the tool charges on top of Stripe's processing fee;
which payment methods your client sees;
whether the tool marks the invoice paid without you doing anything.

Disclosure: Billed publishes this page, and Billed is one of the tools listed. We haven't ranked or scored the tools. Each product description comes from that vendor's own page, opened on 29 October 2026. Features and fees change, so check the linked page before you sign up.

Three things "works with Stripe" can mean

Product pages use "Stripe integration" for three different setups. Check which one you're getting:

The app collects invoice payments through your own Stripe account. Your client pays on the invoice, the money lands in your Stripe balance, and you pay Stripe's published rates.
The app has its own payments service built on Stripe. FreshBooks offers both models, depending on where your business is. It says its Stripe Standard option, where you connect your own Stripe account, "is only available for international businesses". Businesses in the US and Canada use FreshBooks Payments powered by Stripe instead, and its rates are FreshBooks' own fee list, not Stripe's pricing page.
The accounting software syncs your Stripe data. Stripe says its invoicing can "sync your data in real time to NetSuite, Xero, QuickBooks, and other accounting and ERP systems" (Stripe Invoicing). That gets Stripe transactions into your books. It doesn't mean the invoices your accounting software sends carry a Stripe pay button.

Invoicing tools that connect to Stripe

Everything below is what each vendor says on its own page. All pages were checked on 29 October 2026.

Stripe Invoicing (Stripe's own invoices)

You create and send invoices in the Stripe Dashboard, with "no code required" (Stripe Invoicing). Stripe can send email reminders automatically when invoices are due or overdue.
Each invoice gets a hosted invoice page. On it, your client can view the invoice, pay with any payment method you've enabled, and download PDF copies of the invoice and receipt. You can enable partial payments in your invoice settings.
Cost: Stripe Invoicing pricing lists 0.4% per paid invoice on Starter and 0.5% per paid invoice on Plus. On top of that, "Stripe Payments pricing will apply".

Zoho Invoice

Connecting: in Zoho Invoice, go to Settings › Online Payments and click Set Up Now next to Stripe. Then tick Stripe as the payment option on each invoice (Zoho Invoice help).
Payment methods: cards are on by default. You can turn on others, such as ACH, Apple Pay and Klarna. Only organizations based in the United States can take Stripe ACH payments through Zoho Invoice (Zoho, Stripe ACH).
Fees: Zoho's help page says "Zoho does not charge any additional fees". Stripe's pricing applies.

Xero

Connecting: you can "create or connect your Stripe account from within Xero" (Xero + Stripe).
Payment methods: clients use the Pay button on the invoice to pay by credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Reconciliation: Xero says it matches payments and fees to the right invoices automatically.
Fees: that page doesn't describe any Xero fee for using Stripe. It does say you can choose to pass on or share fees with customers.

FreshBooks (Stripe Standard, outside the US and Canada)

Who can use it: FreshBooks says "Stripe Standard is only available for international businesses. Businesses in Canada and the United States can use FreshBooks Payments powered by Stripe instead" (FreshBooks support). FreshBooks Payments has its own fee list for the US and Canada.
Connecting: connect a new or existing Stripe Standard account in Online Payments settings. Then select Accept Online Payments when you create each invoice.
Payment methods: cards and Apple Pay, plus BACS and SEPA Direct Debit for UK and European businesses.
Fees: FreshBooks lists no setup, monthly or cancellation fees for this option. Stripe Standard's transaction fees apply.

Billed

Connecting: you connect Stripe from Billed's settings through Stripe's own authorization screen. There are no API keys to copy (Billed's Stripe integration).
Payment methods and status: each invoice then carries a Pay Now button for card payments. When the client pays, Billed marks the invoice paid and records the payment.
Fees: Billed adds no markup, monthly integration fee or per-invoice surcharge on top of Stripe's rates.
Limits: the connection is built for one-off and recurring invoice payments. It doesn't replace building on Stripe Billing if you need usage metering or complex subscription proration.
Billed plans are on the pricing page.

Worked example: one $1,200 invoice paid through Stripe

These are sample figures. A US designer with a US Stripe account sends a $1,200 invoice from an invoicing app connected to Stripe. Here is what happens to the money.

The client pays from the invoice. They click the pay button (Billed, Xero) or the Stripe option you ticked (Zoho Invoice), then pay by card.
Stripe takes its fee first. For a card payment, "the charge amount (minus Stripe's fee) appears in your pending balance until settlement" (Stripe, balances).
The invoicing app records the payment. Billed marks the invoice paid. Xero also matches the fee. Your invoice says $1,200 was paid, but your bank will receive less. Record the difference as a payment processing expense.
The money settles. In the US, Stripe's settlement time for card payments is 2 business days. Stripe's own example: a card payment made on Monday is available on Wednesday. ACH Debit takes 4 business days, so a Monday ACH payment is available on Friday if there's no bank holiday that week.
Stripe pays out to your bank on your schedule. The schedule can be manual, daily, weekly or monthly. It "doesn't change how long it takes for your pending balance to become available" (Stripe, payouts). Your very first payout is different: Stripe says it's typically scheduled "within 7–14 days" of your first live payment.

The fee depends on how the client pays. This table shows Stripe's fee on the $1,200 invoice at Stripe's standard US rates as listed on stripe.com/pricing on 29 October 2026:

Payment	Fee	You get
US card (2.9% + 30¢)	$35.10	$1,164.90
International card (+1.5%)	$53.10	$1,146.90
International card with currency conversion (+1% more)	$65.10	$1,134.90
ACH Direct Debit (0.8%, $5.00 cap)	$5.00	$1,195.00

If you send the same invoice from Stripe Invoicing itself, add the per-paid-invoice fee: 0.4% ($4.80) on Starter or 0.5% ($6.00) on Plus. On a card payment through Starter, you'd receive $1,160.10.

Two things stand out:

ACH can make a bigger difference than your choice of tool. On this invoice, ACH costs $30.10 less than a card. If your clients will pay by bank debit, the payment-method setting matters more than which app you pick.
The money takes longer than the "paid" status suggests. The invoice shows as paid on day 0, but the cash is available 2 business days later for a card and 4 for ACH, then goes out on your payout schedule. For your first payment ever, allow 7–14 days.

Check these on Stripe's own pages before relying on the numbers

Your country's pricing. The rates above are Stripe's US prices. Pick your country on stripe.com/pricing.
Settlement time. It depends on your country and the payment method. See the tables in Stripe's balances guide.
Your payout schedule and expected deposit dates. These are in your Stripe Dashboard, under payouts (Stripe, payouts).
The fee on your first real payment. Open that payment in your Stripe Dashboard and compare its fee with your own calculation. That's the quickest way to see whether any extra per-invoice fee applies to invoices from your app.

For ways to bring the card cost down, see how to reduce payment processing fees.

What to check before you choose

Your own Stripe account or the tool's payment service? If it's your own account, Stripe's pricing page applies. If it's the tool's service, the tool's fee list applies.
Which payment methods your clients will see. On large invoices, ACH can cost far less than a card (see the table above). Zoho Invoice says only organizations based in the United States can take Stripe ACH payments through it.
Whether the tool adds its own fee. Zoho says it doesn't. Billed says it doesn't. Stripe Invoicing charges 0.4% or 0.5% per paid invoice.
Whether payments and fees are recorded for you. If the invoice isn't marked paid automatically, you'll be matching Stripe payouts to invoices by hand.
Don't test the setup by paying your own invoice. FreshBooks warns that paying your own invoice with your own payment details violates Stripe Standard's terms and "may result in your Stripe Standard account being shut down". Send your first invoice to a real client and check the result in Stripe.

If you're still deciding between processors, see the Stripe vs PayPal comparison. For the wider options, see how to accept online payments.

Related guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I invoice clients with Stripe without separate invoicing software?

Yes. Stripe Invoicing lets you create and send invoices from the Stripe Dashboard without code. Each invoice has a hosted page where the client can pay and download a PDF. Stripe charges 0.4% per paid invoice on its Starter plan and 0.5% on Plus, on top of its normal payment processing fees.

Does connecting an invoicing app to Stripe cost more than Stripe's own fees?

It depends on the app. Zoho Invoice says it adds no fees, and Billed says it adds no markup or integration fee. In both cases you pay Stripe's processing rates only. A payments service that is built on Stripe but run by the invoicing company, such as FreshBooks Payments powered by Stripe, charges from its own fee list. Check the vendor's fee page.

How long does a Stripe invoice payment take to reach my bank account?

In the US, Stripe says card payments become available in your balance after 2 business days, and ACH Debit payments after 4. Stripe then sends the money to your bank on your payout schedule: manual, daily, weekly or monthly. Your first payout is typically scheduled within 7 to 14 days of your first live payment. Settlement times differ by country.

Can clients pay a Stripe-connected invoice by bank debit instead of card?

Yes, if the tool supports it and you turn it on. Stripe's US price for ACH Direct Debit is 0.8%, capped at $5.00. Zoho Invoice offers Stripe ACH only to organizations based in the United States. Check which methods your tool lets you enable.

Should I pay one of my own invoices to test the Stripe connection?

No. FreshBooks warns that paying your own invoice with your own payment details violates Stripe Standard's terms and may get the Stripe account shut down. Send a real invoice to a client, then check the payment and its fee in your Stripe Dashboard.

Does Billed work with Stripe?

Yes. You connect your Stripe account from Billed's settings, and each invoice then carries a Pay Now button for card payments. When the client pays, Billed marks the invoice paid. Billed adds no markup or monthly integration fee on top of Stripe's rates.

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Best Invoicing Software with Stripe Integration: How to Choose