Invoicing Software for a Side Hustle

What to check for a side business
Tools to compare

A side hustle needs invoicing that's quick to use after hours and keeps the business money apart from your personal accounts. If you invoice only now and then, choose a tool that's easy to pick up again after a quiet month.

Billed publishes this page, and Billed is invoicing software. Billed is listed first; the other tools are in alphabetical order and aren't ranked. Each tool is described only in words quoted from its own website, checked October 31, 2026.

What to check for a side business

Invoicing from your phone. If you bill right after a gig, try the mobile app before you commit.
How clients pay. Check for a pay button on the invoice and a way to log cash.
Separate records. Keep side-business invoices and receipts out of your personal accounts from the first invoice.
Records you can hand over. Keep every invoice and receipt in one place for tax time.

In the US, the IRS says (page last reviewed or updated August 3, 2026): "You should keep supporting documents that show the amounts and sources of your gross receipts." How that applies to your side income is a question for your accountant.

Tools to compare

Billed

Accept Credit Cards: Billed's invoice software page says "Connect your Stripe account and every invoice you send gets a pay button, so clients can pay by card."
Record Offline Payments: the same page says "When a client pays by check or cash, record it as an offline payment so all your income is in one place."
Attach Receipts: Billed's expenses page says "An expense in Billed records who you paid, when, how much and which category it belongs to, with the receipt attached to the same entry."

On a phone, Billed's mobile app page says "Build a professional invoice from your phone the moment a job wraps."

PayPal

PayPal's invoicing page (checked October 31, 2026) says "Create, send, and track invoices in seconds from your desktop or mobile device." It also says "Creating and sending invoices is included with your account." A two-tool comparison is at Billed vs PayPal Invoicing.

Square

Square's invoices page (checked October 31, 2026) says "Send digital invoices in seconds via email, SMS, or a shareable link so you can get paid fast by your customers." It also says "Know the progress of your invoices at any time to track what’s paid, unpaid, or overdue." A two-tool comparison is at Billed vs Square Invoices.

Worked example: a quarter of weekend work

Sample figures: a weekend photographer does 4 shoots a month at 350.00 each, so 4 × 350.00 = 1,400.00 a month. Over three months that's 3 × 1,400.00 = 4,200.00 across 12 invoices. Each of those 12 invoices, and the receipts for any costs, should sit in the side business's records, not mixed in with personal spending.

When this guide isn't for you

If the side hustle has become your main income, or you bill clients every week, the solopreneur guide below covers a fuller setup. For a list of tools that describe themselves as free, see the free tools guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need invoicing software for a small side hustle?

Not at the start, as long as every invoice is numbered, dated and kept. Consider software once you're sending invoices regularly, chasing late payers or tracking costs against income.

How do I keep side hustle invoicing apart from my day job?

Use a separate account for the business money, send every invoice under your business name, and keep its receipts with its invoices. Ask an accountant how to report the income.

Can clients pay a side hustle invoice by card in Billed?

Billed's invoice software page says "Connect your Stripe account and every invoice you send gets a pay button, so clients can pay by card."

Quick checklist

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How to Choose Invoicing Software for a Side Hustle