An invoice is a request for payment: it tells your client what they owe, for what, by when and how to pay. A clear one gets paid faster, because nobody has to write back with a question. It's also a record, for you and for your client's accounts team, so every invoice needs a few details that make it count.
What to include on an invoice
An invoice should include who it's from and who it's for, an invoice number, the issue date and the due date, what you did with a price for each line, any tax or discount, the total due and how to pay:
- Your details: your name or business name, your address and your tax ID if you have one.
- Your client's details: their name, company and billing address. Some clients need their own tax ID on the invoice too.
- An invoice number: a unique number in an unbroken sequence, like INV-0001, INV-0002. It's how you both refer to the invoice later.
- The issue date and the due date: when you sent it, and when it has to be paid.
- Line items: each service with a quantity and a price. "Logo design, 1 × $2,400" says more than "Design services".
- Tax and discount: if they apply, shown on their own lines so the total explains itself.
- Payment details: your bank details or another way to pay, so your client can pay without asking.
Payment terms that get you paid on time
Payment terms tell your client how long they have to pay. Most freelancers ask for payment within 14 or 30 days, or on receipt for small jobs. Put the due date on the invoice as a date, not only as a term, so there's nothing to work out:
- On receipt: for small jobs and new clients. Your client pays as soon as they get the invoice.
- 14 days: a good default for most freelance work.
- 30 days: common with larger companies, whose accounts teams pay in monthly runs.
Late payments are easier to handle when the terms are on the invoice from the start. If you charge a late fee, say so in the note.
Invoicing with or without a company
With a registered company, or as a freelancer who can invoice in their own name, you issue the invoice yourself. Without one, Ruul can: Ruul becomes the legal counterparty on the invoice, so you can invoice clients without a registered company.
Invoicing with and without a company compared | | With a company | Without a company, through Ruul |
| Who issues the invoice | You | Ruul, as the legal counterparty |
| Who your client pays | You, to your bank account | Ruul |
| Your tax ID | On the invoice | Not needed on the invoice |
| When you get paid | When your client's transfer arrives | Within 1 business day after your client pays |
How to make an invoice in seven steps
To make an invoice, say whether you have a company, add your client, list what you did, add any tax or discount, set the due date and how to pay, write a short note and add your details. The builder on this page walks you through the same steps:
- Say whether you have a company: it decides who issues the invoice. Without one, Ruul can issue it.
- Add your client: a name or a company, their email and billing address.
- List what you did: one line per service, with a quantity and a price.
- Add tax or a discount: only if they apply.
- Set the due date and how to pay: the payment terms and your bank details.
- Write a short note: a thank-you, or the reference to use when paying.
- Add your details: your name or business, address, tax ID and logo, and the invoice number.
Then send it: download the PDF and attach it to an email, or share a live link your client can open in any browser.
How to email an invoice
Send a short email with the invoice number, what it's for, the amount and the due date, and the invoice itself as a PDF or a link, so your client can pay without writing back. For example:
- Subject: Invoice INV-0042 from Alex Morgan
- Message: Hi Lena, here's invoice INV-0042 for Brand identity refresh: $5,300, due by 21 Oct 2026. You can view it, download the PDF and see how to pay here: (link). Thank you, Alex Morgan
The generator writes this email for you. On the last step, open Share link and choose Email it to your client: your client's name, the amount and the due date are filled in, ready to open in your email app or Gmail, or to copy.
If the due date passes, reply to the same email with a short reminder: the invoice number, the amount, the date it was due and the link again. The generator writes the reminder too: open My invoices and choose Send a reminder on the invoice. Or let Ruul send reminders for you.
Getting paid faster
Invoices get paid faster when they go out soon after the work, are easy to pay and get a reminder before the due date. With Ruul you can invoice clients in 190 countries, let them pay by card or bank transfer, send automatic reminders and get paid within 1 business day after your client pays.
For ongoing work, a retainer or a monthly fee, you don't have to make the same invoice every month: subscription invoicing sends it on a schedule. And with every invoice and payout in one place, you're ready for tax time.
Free invoice templates for Word, Excel, Google Docs and PDF
The generator's eight designs also come as free invoice templates for Word, Excel, Google Docs, Google Sheets and PDF, ready to download from Templates at the top of this page or from each format's page:
Three of them have a page of their own, with what to put on that kind of invoice: contractor, consulting and photography invoice templates.
Frequently asked questions
Is this invoice generator free?
Yes. Make as many invoices as you like, download them as PDFs or send them as live links. There's no account to create.
What happens to my invoice data?
Your invoices are saved in your browser, in My invoices, not on our servers.
Can I invoice a client without a registered company?
Yes, through Ruul. Ruul becomes the legal counterparty on the invoice, so you can invoice clients without a registered company and receive your payout within 1 business day after your client pays.
How should I number my invoices?
Use one unbroken sequence, like INV-0001, INV-0002, and never reuse a number. The builder counts up for you in this browser.
Does my client need an account to open the link?
No. They open it in any browser, download the PDF and copy your payment details.
Do I have to add tax?
It depends on where you and your client are, and on whether you're registered for tax. If you're not sure, ask an accountant before you add it. Leave the tax empty and the invoice shows none.
What does net 30 mean on an invoice?
Net 30 means your client has 30 days from the invoice date to pay. Net 15 and net 60 work the same way, and due on receipt means right away. Put the due date on the invoice as a date too, so there's nothing to work out.
What's the difference between an invoice and a receipt?
An invoice asks for payment; a receipt confirms it. You send the invoice when the work is done, and a receipt once you've been paid, as proof that the invoice is settled.
What should I write in an invoice email?
The invoice number, what it's for, the amount and the due date, with the invoice attached as a PDF or as a link. A few lines are enough: the invoice has the details.
