Free invoicing software: how does it stack up against paid tools in 2026?
“Why pay to send invoices when free tools exist?” It’s a fair question, and in 2026 the answer is not so simple. Between Henrri, Indy, Facture.net, Freebe, Zervant and the paid offers, free tools sometimes cover your needs very well… and sometimes leave you exposed at the worst possible moment, especially when it comes to the new e-invoicing obligations. Let’s sort it out, honestly.
What “free” really means
Free invoicing software can hide several realities:
- Free and genuinely complete (unlimited invoicing without ads): rare, but it exists.
- Free but limited (capped number of invoices or clients): the free tier acts as a gateway to the paid plan.
- Free for invoicing, paid for everything else (accounting, VAT, tax filings): the core is free, the advanced features are billed.
So the real question is not “is it free?”, but “does the free tier cover my usage, including my e-invoicing compliance?”
Comparison table of free offers (and where they switch to paid)
| Tool | Free | Paid | E-invoicing / Peppol | Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henrri | Yes, genuinely usable (unlimited quotes/invoices/credit notes/reminders, no ads) | Expert ~€17/month | Relies on Pennylane (PA) for 2026; no international Peppol | France |
| Indy | Free unlimited invoicing for life | Premium €15/month | Its own DGFiP-registered PA; no invoice creation on mobile | France |
| Facture.net | Yes, free | Depends on the publisher | Compliance to be verified with the publisher | France |
| Freebe | No (paid) | ~€6-14/month | ”Compatible Solution” backed by a partner PA | France |
| Zervant | Yes, limited (5 invoices / 5 clients) | Starter ~£9 → Growth ~£36/month | Peppol BE/FR unconfirmed | UK / Nordics |
| FreshBooks | No | $19-65/month | No native Peppol (third-party connector) | North America |
| SoloFlow | Yes (10 docs/month, 50 contacts, unlimited quotes) | Pro €9.99/month or €99.99/year | Peppol send + receive (BE and FR); relies on A-Cube, a DGFiP-registered PA | Belgium + France |
The free tools that truly deliver
Henrri deserves respect: its 100% free version is genuinely usable, with unlimited quotes, invoices, credit notes and reminders, ad-free. Its 4.8/5 rating across more than 1,600 reviews reflects real satisfaction. The caveat: Henrri is not registered as a Plateforme Agréée (PA — French government-accredited platform) and relies on Pennylane for its 2026 compliance. That dependence on a partner is worth watching, and Henrri offers neither international Peppol, nor an offline mode, nor a strong mobile app.
Indy offers free unlimited invoicing for life, backed by its own Plateforme Agréée status registered with the DGFiP (the French tax administration). It’s a solid offer for the French market. Its known limitation: the mobile app cannot create an invoice (viewing only). So “free” does not cover invoicing on the go.
Facture.net is one of the free French solutions. As with any free tool, check its e-invoicing compliance roadmap directly with the publisher — the most sensitive point for 2026-2027.
The free tools that quickly show their limits
Zervant offers a free plan, but capped at 5 invoices and 5 clients: beyond that, you must move to the paid plans (from ~£9 to ~£36/month). Above all, it targets the UK and Nordic markets, and its Peppol compatibility for Belgium and France is not confirmed.
Freebe, popular with French freelancers for its user experience, is not free (around €6 to €14/month). One regulatory point to note: Freebe is not a Plateforme Agréée in its own right but presents itself as a “Compatible Solution” backed by a partner PA — a dependency to keep in mind.
FreshBooks, finally, is a complete North American product but an expensive one ($19 to $65/month) with no native Peppol: European compliance goes through a third-party connector. Not very relevant for a Belgian or French freelancer.
The true cost of free: e-invoicing compliance
This is the point that comparisons often overlook. In 2026-2027, invoicing is no longer enough: you must invoice in the right format, through the right channel.
- In Belgium, since 1 January 2026, every VAT-registered business must issue and receive its B2B invoices in a structured format via Peppol. A PDF by e-mail is no longer enough, and fines can reach €5,000 (Article 70 of the VAT Code).
- In France, receiving e-invoices becomes mandatory for all businesses on 1 September 2026; issuing follows for small businesses, SMEs and micro-entrepreneurs on 1 September 2027, with a mandatory Plateforme Agréée. Non-compliant issuing is fined €50 per invoice, and 4 new mandatory line items appear on invoices from September 2026.
A free tool that doesn’t handle this channel natively (or depends on an external partner to do so) can end up costing you far more than the subscription you were trying to avoid. This is where well-designed paid offers regain the advantage.
Where SoloFlow fits in
SoloFlow is neither “all free” nor “all paid”: its free version covers 10 documents per month with unlimited quotes and 50 contacts, and its Pro plan (€9.99/month or €99.99/year) unlocks unlimited use. Its real difference lies in what it includes: Peppol e-invoicing for both sending and receiving, in Belgium as in France, invoice creation on mobile (where Indy doesn’t allow it), a CRM, tasks, a calendar and a real offline mode. In France, SoloFlow relies on A-Cube, a Plateforme Agréée registered with the DGFiP. Until 31 December 2026, receiving e-invoices is free.
We won’t claim to be “cheaper on Peppol” than the players who offer it for free (Accountable and Billit in Belgium, for instance). Our proposition is different: a complete, dual-market management tool rather than a simple invoice generator.
Which tool for which profile?
Free is enough for you if: you invoice rarely, from a computer, on a single market, and your free tool has a clear compliance roadmap. Henrri (France, with Pennylane) and Indy (France, its own PA) are then excellent choices.
Paid is justified if: you invoice on the go, you need a native and reliable Peppol channel, you want a tool that also manages your clients and your calendar, or you work across two markets. SoloFlow answers that case; so do Accountable and Billit, with a more accounting-oriented focus.
Steer clear of tools whose e-invoicing compliance rests on a vague “coming soon”: in 2026-2027, this point is non-negotiable.
FAQ
Can free invoicing software be compliant with 2026 e-invoicing?
Yes, provided it offers (natively or through a registered partner) issuing and receiving in the required structured format. Indy is a Plateforme Agréée in its own right; Henrri relies on Pennylane. Always verify this point before committing.
Is Henrri really free without limits?
Based on information published in July 2026, Henrri’s free version allows unlimited quotes, invoices, credit notes and reminders, without ads. Its limitation lies elsewhere: no international Peppol, no offline mode, and 2026 compliance that goes through Pennylane.
Why pay if Indy is free for life?
Because Indy’s free tier doesn’t cover every use case: notably, you cannot create an invoice from mobile, and Indy doesn’t handle Belgian Peppol or multi-market invoicing. If those points matter to you, a paid offer like SoloFlow may be a better fit.
What’s the risk of staying on a non-compliant tool?
In Belgium, fines can reach €5,000 (Article 70 of the VAT Code). In France, non-compliant issuing is fined €50 per invoice. Non-compliant “free” can therefore cost a lot. Our 2026 guide details the timeline.
For a comparison of the best Peppol apps, read our 2026 roundup.
Comparison written by the SoloFlow team based on publicly available information as of July 2026. Spotted an inaccuracy? Let us know: hello@soloflow.online
Try SoloFlow for free
Peppol invoicing, CRM, tasks and agenda — on mobile and on the web. E-invoice receiving free until 31 December 2026.
