Custom hay baling

Custom Hay Baling Invoicing App (2026)

Short answer

Custom baling bills per bale, with cutting, tedding, and raking priced per acre on the same job. ShowTheReceipts ($15/mo) saves each of those rates, itemizes bale counts and acres on one invoice, and sends it from the field the day the last bale drops.

How we picked

Entry-plan prices as published in 2026, checked against each vendor's own pricing page or a recent third-party summary. Judged on the custom operator's real workflow — per-bale and per-acre lines on one invoice, net wrap as materials, and same-day field invoicing — not on agronomy or full farm accounting.

Prices as published by each vendor, 2026. Entry-level plans shown.
Software Starting price Best for
ShowTheReceipts That's us $15/mo Custom balers: per-bale and per-acre lines, net wrap as materials, same-day field invoicing
Joist Free / $8/mo Simple estimates and invoices
Invoice2go $9.99/mo+ Basic mobile invoicing
FarmRaise Free / paid tiers Farm expense tracking and paperwork
QuickBooks Online $35/mo+ Full accounting with a bookkeeper

One field, four operations

Cut, ted, rake, bale. Different machines, different rates, different units — and most custom operators quote them as one number and lose the difference.

Four saved rates, one invoice, no arithmetic in the cab.

1. ShowTheReceipts — $15/mo

Per-acre lines for cutting, tedding, and raking, a per-bale line for baling, net wrap as materials, invoiced from the field.

2. Joist — Free / $8/mo

Simple estimates and invoices.

3. Invoice2go — $9.99/mo+

Basic mobile invoicing.

4. FarmRaise — free / paid tiers

Expense tracking on the farm side, lighter on collecting from a customer.

5. QuickBooks Online — $35/mo+

Full accounting with the learning curve to match.

The rate sheet

  • Cutting / mowing — per acre
  • Tedding — per acre
  • Raking — per acre
  • Round baling — per bale, by size
  • Square baling — per bale
  • Net wrap / twine — materials, at cost plus
  • Hauling to the barnper bale or per load

Frequently asked questions

How should custom baling be priced?

Per bale for baling, per acre for cutting, tedding, and raking, with net wrap or twine as a materials line. Splitting them lets a customer buy only the operations they need without renegotiating your whole rate.

Should net wrap be billed separately?

Yes, at cost plus markup as a materials line. Wrap prices move every year, and a per-bale rate that silently absorbs them is a rate that quietly stops working.

How do I handle a field that takes two days for weather?

Keep it as one job and add lines as the operations happen, then invoice at completion. The customer sees cutting, raking, and baling with their dates, which is exactly the record both of you want next year.

When should I invoice a hay customer?

The day the field is finished. Hay money moves fast and gets committed faster, and the custom operator who invoices from the field is ahead of everyone who waits for the kitchen table.