Freelance Graphic Designer Invoicing App (2026)
Design work has nothing to repossess, so the deposit and the final-payment file release are the whole payment strategy. ShowTheReceipts ($15/mo) invoices 50% before the first concept, states included concepts and revision rounds on the invoice with an hourly rate beyond them, itemizes usage rights, rush fees, and stock pass-throughs, and bills monthly retainers in advance.
How we picked
Entry-plan prices as published in 2026, taken from each vendor's own pricing page or a recent third-party summary. Judged on the solo designer's workflow — deposits before the first concept, revision-round limits on the invoice, usage and rush lines, retainers, and late fees on net terms — not on agency resource planning, multi-seat asset management, or full double-entry accounting for a staffed studio.
| Software | Starting price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| ShowTheReceipts That's us | $15/mo | Solo graphic designers: deposits, revision-round limits, usage and rush lines, monthly retainers, late fees |
| FreshBooks | $21/mo+ | Invoicing bundled with small-business accounting |
| Bonsai | $25/mo+ | Contracts and proposals alongside invoices |
| Harvest | Free / $13.75/seat/mo | Time tracking converted into invoices |
| Wave | Free / $16/mo+ | Basic free invoicing with paid payment features |
Nothing to repossess
You can’t take a logo back. The deposit and the source-file release are the only leverage the job has, so both belong on the invoice before the first concept.
1. ShowTheReceipts — $15/mo
50% deposit invoiced before work starts, concepts and revision rounds stated on the invoice with an hourly rate beyond, usage/licensing line, rush uplift, stock and print pass-throughs, monthly retainers billed in advance, stated late fee with automatic chasing.
2. FreshBooks — $21/mo+
Invoicing bundled with small-business accounting features.
3. Bonsai — $25/mo+
Contracts and proposals sitting alongside invoicing.
4. Harvest — Free / $13.75/seat/mo
Time tracking that turns logged hours into invoices.
5. Wave — Free / $16/mo+
Basic free invoicing, with payment features paid.
The lines a design invoice needs
- Deposit — 50% — before the first concept
- Design fee — concepts and rounds included
- Additional rounds — hourly, stated rate
- Usage / licensing — medium, territory, term
- Rush fee — 25–50% uplift
- Stock, fonts, print — at cost, itemized
- Late fee — stated, applied after the due date
Files release on final payment
Watermarked comps during review; layered source files and the rights transfer when the invoice clears. Say it once in the terms and it never becomes a negotiation.
Frequently asked questions
How much deposit should I take before starting a design job?
50% up front, balance on delivery. Design is nearly pure labour with nothing recoverable — a client who vanishes after seeing concepts leaves you holding files nobody else can use, and the deposit is the only part of that you get back.
Can the invoice enforce revision limits?
Yes — the included concepts and revision rounds sit on the invoice with your hourly rate for anything beyond, so a third round bills itself. Scope creep is a missing line item far more often than it's a difficult client.
Can it price usage rights separately?
Usage goes on its own line with the medium, territory, and term granted, so local single-use isn't priced the same as a national rollout — and an expansion later is a new line rather than a favour.
Do I need accounting software as a solo designer?
Not to get paid. A solo designer needs deposits, revision limits, usage and rush lines, retainers, and automatic follow-up on overdue invoices — full double-entry accounting starts mattering once there's payroll and a bookkeeper reading your invoice history.