Invoiceplane

What is InvoicePlane

InvoicePlane is a self-hosted, open source web application for creating and managing quotes, invoices, payments and customer records. It is distributed under a permissive open source license and intended for teams and individuals who prefer to run their billing software on their own server rather than using a hosted SaaS product. The project is community-driven, with code and issue tracking available on the InvoicePlane GitHub repository: https://github.com/InvoicePlane/InvoicePlane and the project website at https://invoiceplane.com.

Because it is self-hosted, InvoicePlane gives administrators direct control over storage, backups, deployment schedules and security settings. It is suitable for single users, small accounting teams and service providers who need a lightweight invoicing back end that can be extended, themed and integrated with other systems. The application has been downloaded widely and has translation and community support available through forums and Discord channels.

InvoicePlane is not a commercial SaaS: development is volunteer-driven and community-supported. That affects expectations for support and guaranteed SLAs, but it also means there are no mandatory recurring fees for the software itself—only hosting, maintenance and optional paid services if you choose third-party providers.

InvoicePlane features

What does InvoicePlane do?

InvoicePlane provides a complete invoicing workflow spanning quotes, invoices and payments. Core capabilities include invoice templating and PDF generation, quote conversion to invoices, customer and contact management, tax and currency support, and payment tracking. It supports customizing invoice appearance via templates and themes and includes options to set invoice numbering formats and amount formatting rules.

The application includes basic CRM-style contact records where you can store addresses, notes and custom fields. It also supports simple project and task attachments to invoices and quotes so you can track billable work per customer. From a payments perspective, InvoicePlane can record bank transfers and supports integrations for online payment providers such as PayPal and Stripe (via community plugins or built-in modules depending on version).

Additional features expected in InvoicePlane deployments include:

• Custom PDF templates: change layout, add logos and adjust wording for invoices and quotes
• Email templates: automated email bodies and subject lines for sending invoices and reminders
• Multi-language interface: community translations cover many languages
• eInvoice support: starting with later releases the project added support intended to align with EU e-invoicing standards

InvoicePlane pricing

InvoicePlane offers these pricing plans:

• Free Plan: $0 — the core InvoicePlane application is free to download and self-host. There is no charge for the software itself when you run it on your own server.

Because InvoicePlane is self-hosted and open source, the primary costs are infrastructure and optional third-party services: hosting, backups, SSL certificates, and any paid plugins or consultancy you choose to use. Some third-party providers offer hosted installs or paid support for InvoicePlane; those services have their own pricing schedules.

For the latest information on downloads, releases and any community-offered hosting or paid services, visit the InvoicePlane official website at https://invoiceplane.com and the InvoicePlane GitHub repository at https://github.com/InvoicePlane/InvoicePlane. Visit their official pricing page for the most current information.

How much is InvoicePlane per month

InvoicePlane starts at $0/month. The application itself is free to download and self-host, so monthly costs depend on your hosting choice. Typical small VPS or shared hosting for a single-user InvoicePlane instance can run from about $5/month to $20/month depending on provider and performance needs; managed or commercial hosting options will cost more.

How much is InvoicePlane per year

InvoicePlane costs $0/year. The software has no licensing fee when self-hosted. Annual costs come from infrastructure and maintenance: a low-cost VPS may be $60/year to $240/year, domain and SSL renewal fees are additional, and paid plugins or professional support add to that total.

How much is InvoicePlane in general

InvoicePlane pricing ranges from $0 (free self-hosted) to paid hosted or managed services that typically start around $5–$15/month. Your overall annual budget will vary by hosting tier, backup strategy and whether you hire developers or consultants. For organizations that require guaranteed uptime, consider budgeting for managed infrastructure and paid support from community professionals.

Visit their official pricing page for the most current information.

What is InvoicePlane used for

InvoicePlane is used primarily for invoicing, billing and client record management. Businesses that create quotes and invoices, accept payments and need a PDF output for accounting or client delivery commonly adopt InvoicePlane as a lightweight billing back end. Common use cases include freelancers issuing monthly invoices, small agencies billing clients for project work, and small retailers or consultants tracking customer accounts.

Because it is self-hosted, InvoicePlane is also used when organizations must keep financial data on-premises for compliance or internal policy reasons. Teams that want to modify invoice templates, add custom fields, or integrate billing into a larger self-hosted ERP stack choose InvoicePlane for its portability and code transparency.

InvoicePlane can also serve as a learning platform: developers frequently use it as a basis for custom integrations, automation of billing workflows, or as a reference implementation for building invoicing features into other applications.

Pros and cons of InvoicePlane

InvoicePlane is attractive for organizations that want control and low-cost licensing, but that choice carries trade-offs.

Advantages:

• Open source and free to download, reducing direct licensing costs
• Full control over data and hosting environment, important for privacy and regulatory needs
• Customizable templates, theming and the ability to extend or integrate via code
• Strong community presence — forums and Discord for peer support

Limitations:

• No commercial SLA from the core project — support is community-driven and voluntary
• Self-hosting requires technical skills for installation, upgrades, backups and security hardening
• Feature set is intentionally focused on invoicing and basic client management; large enterprises may require additional modules or integrations
• Reliance on community for plugin maintenance; some integrations may lag behind commercial alternatives

When evaluating InvoicePlane, weigh the benefit of full control and zero license fees against the operational costs of self-hosting and maintaining the system.

InvoicePlane free trial

InvoicePlane does not use a hosted trial model because the software itself is distributed as downloadable code. Getting started is equivalent to downloading and installing a copy on a development server or local machine.

A practical way to trial InvoicePlane is to install it on a local virtual machine or inexpensive cloud instance and configure a test customer, sample invoices and a PDF template. This mirrors how most open source billing systems are evaluated: by deploying a working instance and testing export, email and payment flows.

Because community support is the main assistance channel, use the InvoicePlane forum and Discord to ask setup questions as you trial the software. Links to resources are available from the InvoicePlane official website and the project GitHub repository.

Is InvoicePlane free

Yes, InvoicePlane is free to download and use. The application is distributed under an open source license and there is no purchase price for the software itself. Operational costs for running InvoicePlane (hosting, backups, domain, SSL) are your responsibility.

InvoicePlane API

InvoicePlane provides mechanisms for automation and external integrations. Many deployments use community-contributed APIs and scripts to export data, import customers, or programmatically create invoices. The project repository and its wiki contain examples and endpoints commonly used by integrators: see the InvoicePlane GitHub repository at https://github.com/InvoicePlane/InvoicePlane for code and documentation.

Typical API usage includes exporting invoice and client records as JSON or CSV, automating invoice creation from a separate timesheet or project system, and integrating payment webhooks from payment processors such as PayPal or Stripe. If you plan to build custom integrations, expect to work with REST-style endpoints and authentication tokens or build simple database-backed connectors if you host both applications.

Because the community maintains most extensions, review the project wiki and forum for up-to-date examples and community modules before starting custom integration work.

10 InvoicePlane alternatives

Paid alternatives to InvoicePlane

• FreshBooks — cloud-hosted invoicing and small business accounting with automated time tracking, expense capture and integrated payments. FreshBooks provides a user-friendly interface, mobile apps and bank reconciliation features.
• QuickBooks Online — full-featured cloud accounting with invoicing, payroll, bank feeds and advanced reporting. Widely used by accountants and integrates with many third-party tools.
• Xero — cloud accounting platform that includes invoicing, multi-currency support and robust bank reconciliation. Xero is popular with small businesses and accountants.
• Zoho Invoice — part of the Zoho suite that offers invoicing, client portals and automated payment reminders. Zoho provides integration with other Zoho business apps.
• Sage Business Cloud Accounting — invoicing and accounting with payroll and compliance features tailored to small and medium businesses.
• Wave (paid services available) — Wave offers free invoicing and accounting tools with paid payment processing and payroll add-ons in supported regions.
• Invoice Ninja (hosted plans) — offers hosted plans with advanced features and priority support in addition to the open source self-hosted edition.

Open source alternatives to InvoicePlane

• Invoice Ninja — open source invoicing and billing platform with a hosted option. The self-hosted edition includes invoicing, proposals, payments, and a REST API.
• Crater — open source invoicing and billing app built with Laravel and Vue, supporting invoices, estimates and payments with a modern UI.
• Siwapp — lightweight open source invoicing system focused on Spanish and international markets, with PDF templates and basic client management.
• FusionInvoice — community-maintained self-hosted invoicing and billing web app with a focus on simple invoice and client management features.

Frequently asked questions about InvoicePlane

What is InvoicePlane used for?

InvoicePlane is used for creating and managing quotes, invoices, payments and customer records. It helps small teams and freelancers maintain billing histories, generate invoice PDFs, track payments and send invoice emails. Many users deploy it to retain control over billing data and to customize invoice templates to match branding.

How do I install InvoicePlane?

InvoicePlane is installed on your own web server using standard PHP/MySQL hosting. Typical installation steps include provisioning a LAMP/LEMP stack, downloading the InvoicePlane release from the project website or GitHub, running the web-based installer and configuring database credentials. Community guides and the GitHub repository provide step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tips.

Does InvoicePlane support online payments?

Yes, InvoicePlane can record and accept online payments via integrations. The core project and community plugins support payment providers such as PayPal and Stripe, and you can configure payment links in invoices so clients can pay online. For additional gateways you may need community modules or custom integration work.

Can InvoicePlane export data for accounting purposes?

Yes, InvoicePlane allows export of invoices, quotes and client data. Exports are typically available in CSV or PDF formats, and you can extract data to import into accounting software for reconciliation. For automated exports or complex reporting, users often rely on custom scripts or community extensions.

Is InvoicePlane suitable for multiple currencies and taxes?

Yes, InvoicePlane supports multiple currencies and tax configurations. You can set currency formats, define tax rates, and apply taxes to items or invoices. For multi-jurisdiction tax rules or complex VAT reporting, additional bookkeeping tools may be required alongside InvoicePlane.

When was InvoicePlane last updated?

InvoicePlane is maintained by a community of contributors with periodic releases. Release cadence varies depending on volunteer availability; check the InvoicePlane GitHub repository releases page at https://github.com/InvoicePlane/InvoicePlane/releases for the latest version and changelog details.

Where can I get support for InvoicePlane?

InvoicePlane support is community-driven through forums and Discord. The project website links to the official forum and Discord channels where users ask for help, share advice and post bug reports. For commercial-grade support you can hire third-party consultants or look for paid hosting providers that include support.

Why choose self-hosted InvoicePlane over a SaaS invoicing tool?

Self-hosting with InvoicePlane gives you direct control over data and customization. This is important for teams with strict data residency needs, specialized templating requirements or who want to avoid subscription fees for software licenses. The trade-off is the need to manage infrastructure, backups and security in-house.

Does InvoicePlane have an API for integrations?

Yes, InvoicePlane supports programmatic access via API endpoints and community modules. Developers commonly use the project's REST-style endpoints or export/import mechanisms to integrate with CRMs, accounting systems and payment processors. Refer to the repository and community wiki for concrete examples and code snippets.

How much does InvoicePlane cost per user?

InvoicePlane starts at $0/month per user. The software itself is free to download and self-host, so per-user cost depends on your chosen hosting and operational model. If you opt for third-party managed hosting or paid support, those costs will determine your per-user price.

invoiceplane careers

InvoicePlane is an open source community project rather than a traditional commercial employer, so there is no standard corporate careers page like you would find for a SaaS vendor. Most contributors are volunteers who contribute code, documentation and community support in their spare time. Opportunities to contribute include coding, translating the interface, writing documentation and moderating community forums.

For professionals seeking paid roles related to InvoicePlane, options include working for a hosting provider or consultancy that offers InvoicePlane-related services, or hiring as an independent contractor to provide installation and customization services to clients. Check community channels and GitHub for project contribution needs and to connect with maintainers.

invoiceplane affiliate

There is no centralized affiliate program operated by the InvoicePlane project. Because the application is open source and volunteer-run, promotional and referral arrangements are typically managed by third-party hosting providers or consultants who offer paid installation and support services. If you need to monetize referrals, consider partnering with a hosting company or third-party service that provides affiliate options and supports InvoicePlane deployments.

Where to find invoiceplane reviews

User reviews and discussions about InvoicePlane appear on the project forum, GitHub issues, community Discord and broader software directories. For hands-on user experiences, search forum threads on the InvoicePlane website and issue reports on the GitHub repository. For independent third-party reviews and comparisons, look for articles and reviews that compare self-hosted invoicing options to cloud accounting platforms.