How to create an invoice
Creating an invoice takes a few minutes:
- Enter your business details: name, address, email and phone, plus a tax or VAT number if you have one.
- Enter your client’s details: name, address and email.
- Set the invoice details: invoice number, invoice date, due date and currency.
- Add line items: a description, a quantity and a unit price for each one. The amount column is calculated for you.
- Add tax if you charge it: type the tax name (for example VAT, GST or Sales tax) and the rate.
- Add notes: payment terms, bank or PayPal details, or a thank-you.
- Click Print or save as PDF. In your browser’s print dialog choose Save as PDF as the destination, or send it to a printer.
The page does not build a PDF file itself. It uses your browser’s own print function, so the result depends on your browser’s print settings.
Worked example
Two line items with 20% tax, in US dollars. Each line is rounded to the cent, then added up, then tax is calculated on the subtotal:
Logo design 1 x 450.00 = 450.00
Brand guide 3 x 120.00 = 360.00
Subtotal = 810.00
VAT (20%) 810.00 x 0.20 = 162.00
Total Due (USD) 972.00Rounding works the same way on awkward numbers: a single line of 2 x 33.33 is 66.66, 8.25% tax on that is 5.499, which is shown as 5.50, and the total is 72.16.
Tips for getting paid on time
- Number invoices in sequence with a consistent format such as INV-001, INV-002, so you and your client can find them.
- State the due date and how to pay in the notes. Shorter terms such as 7 or 14 days are common alongside 30.
- Keep a copy of every invoice you send, organised by year and client.
- Follow up politely when a due date passes.
What an invoice should contain
Most invoices show who is billing whom, a unique number, the date, a description of the work, the amount, any tax and how to pay. The exact information an invoice must carry is set by the country you work in and, in many places, by whether you are registered for VAT, GST or sales tax. This tool does not check those rules and does not make your invoice compliant with them. Ask your accountant or your tax authority what your invoices must show.
Frequently asked questions
Is this invoice generator free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many invoices you make. The invoice carries a small "Created with FreelanceKit" line at the bottom.
How do I save the invoice as a PDF?
Click "Print or save as PDF". In your browser's print dialog, choose "Save as PDF" (or "Microsoft Print to PDF" on Windows) instead of a physical printer.
Is my data uploaded or saved anywhere?
No. The invoice is built in your browser and nothing you type is sent to our servers. It is also not stored: when you refresh or close the page, the form is cleared, so print or save your PDF first.
Can I add a logo?
Not at the moment. You can put your business name at the top, which the invoice shows in large type.
Do I need to charge tax on my invoices?
It depends on your country, your registration status and what you sell. Many countries only require registration above a threshold. Ask an accountant or your tax authority; the tool simply adds the rate you enter.
Is the invoice legally valid?
The tool produces a clear document with correct arithmetic. Whether it satisfies the invoice rules where you work is for you or your accountant to check; we make no claim that it does.