Free Invoice Simple Alternatives With a Real Open-Source Licence
Table of Contents
On 7 October 2026, three of the seven free options compared name an open-source licence in their own repositories: InvoicePlane (MIT), InvoiceShelf (AGPL-3.0) and Dolibarr (GPL-3+). Invoice Ninja, which several roundups call open source, calls itself source-available under the Elastic License; Akaunting‘s README names a BSL licence. Wave and Zoho Invoice offer free hosted plans without claiming open-source status.
What you’re replacing: Invoice Simple’s cap and price
Invoice Simple’s pricing page, read 7 October 2026, lists three paid plans and no $0 plan.
What the pricing page lists
💵 Verified: Essentials is $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year for up to 3 invoices a month — pricing page, retrieved 7 October 2026.
Other plans: what Invoice Simple costs once card fees are added.
Why “free” is contested across its own pages
The Essentials plan page, modified 8 September 2026, says “Send your first invoice right now (it’s free!)”; the App Store listing offers “up to 2 free documents”; a help article dated 4 March 2025 describes a 14-day trial. See what happens when the free trial ends.
Which alternatives are actually open source?
Invoice Ninja’s repository describes the app as “source-available” and names the Elastic License (read 7 October 2026).
The licence table
| Project | Licence, read 7 Oct 2026 | Runs as | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| InvoicePlane | MIT | Self-hosted | — |
| InvoiceShelf | AGPL-3.0 | Self-hosted | 3.x alpha, “not for production data” |
| Dolibarr | GPL, version 3 or later | Self-hosted | — |
| Invoice Ninja | Elastic License; “source-available” | Hosted or self-hosted | — |
| Akaunting | README: “BSL license” | Self-hosted | — |
| Wave, Zoho Invoice | No open-source claim | Hosted | — |
Source-available is not the same label
A different label from MIT, AGPL or GPL; each licence file sets the terms.
Why Crater isn’t listed
Crater’s maintenance status could not be confirmed first-party.
What each free option really costs
Figures below were read on 7 October 2026; for Invoice Simple’s own, see Invoice Simple’s plan prices.
🗓️ Pricing verified 7 October 2026. Prices change often; confirm with the vendor before buying.
Hosted free tiers
| Option | Free tier and extras | Who hits the limit |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice Ninja Free | $0; 5 clients, unlimited invoices. Pro $14 a month or $140 a year per the January 2026 notice (7 Oct 2026) | A sixth client |
| Wave Starter | $0; unlimited invoices. Cards 2.9% + $0.60, subject to eligibility (7 Oct 2026) | No cap listed |
| Zoho Invoice | Free; 2 users, 3 projects, 500 invoices a year; data deleted within 20 days after 180 days inactive (7 Oct 2026) | A third user, or invoice 501 |
Self-hosted: no fee stated
| Option | Free tier and extras | Who hits the limit |
|---|---|---|
| Akaunting on-premise Standard | Free; 1 company, 1,000 invoices, no period stated; apps bought separately (7 Oct 2026) | A second company |
| InvoicePlane, InvoiceShelf, Dolibarr | No licence fee stated; hosting cost not stated (7 Oct 2026) | Anyone without a server |
What each one does that Invoice Simple does
Features below are as each page names them (read 7 October 2026).
Mobile and web apps
Invoice Ninja lists native apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android; Zoho Invoice, iOS and Android; Wave, a mobile app. The self-hosted READMEs mention none (a gap, not proof).
Deposits, quotes and signatures
Invoice Simple’s pricing page lists deposits under Premium; Invoice Ninja lists them on its free plan.
Other named features: Invoice Ninja Free, a client portal and recurring invoices (reminders are Pro); Wave Starter, deposits through estimates; Zoho Invoice, quotes and a customer portal; Dolibarr, proposals with online signing.
Which free option fits which kind of user
If you want hosted and hands-off
Wave, Zoho Invoice and Invoice Ninja’s free plan are hosted and cap different things: yearly invoices, clients, or nothing listed at Wave, where card fees apply. Many invoices to few clients? A client cap suits you.
If you want to own your data
InvoicePlane, InvoiceShelf and Dolibarr keep data on a server you run; for real data, use InvoiceShelf 2.x, not its 3.x alpha.
What it takes to switch from Invoice Simple
🛟 Back This Up First: Export your Invoice Simple invoices before cancelling or deleting the account. Back up self-hosted databases, and keep Invoice Ninja’s APP_KEY: without it, its README says, “you will not be able to run the application.”
Export before you cancel
Invoice Simple’s help article, dated 22 July 2025, lists Export Invoice Summary under Settings, in PDF, XLSX or CSV, with PDF limited to two months at a time; how Invoice Simple’s export works has the walkthrough. Summary contents (client details, line items) and any import route into an option above are not documented in the pages read.
What self-hosting adds
InvoicePlane, InvoiceShelf and Dolibarr each need PHP and a database; InvoicePlane’s Releases page tags v1.7.1 Latest (16 February 2024). Read 7 October 2026.
🧾 Not Tested: Nothing here was signed up for, installed, exported or imported.
Frequently asked questions
1. Is there a free Invoice Simple plan?
No: Invoice Simple’s pricing page lists no $0 plan, only paid plans and a trial (7 October 2026).
2. Is Invoice Ninja open source?
Its repository describes it as source-available, and the README names the Elastic License (read 7 October 2026).
3. Can I self-host these alternatives?
Yes: InvoicePlane, InvoiceShelf and Dolibarr list PHP and a database; Invoice Ninja and Akaunting offer self-hosted editions.
4. Is InvoiceShelf ready for real data?
Its README calls the 3.x branch an alpha, “not for production data”, and recommends 2.x for production (read 7 October 2026).
5. Does Zoho Invoice delete inactive accounts?
Its pricing page says data is deleted within 20 days after 180 days of inactivity (read 7 October 2026).
6. Can I export my Invoice Simple invoices?
Yes: Export Invoice Summary in Settings gives PDF, XLSX or CSV; PDF covers two months at a time (help article, 22 July 2025).
7. What if I lose Invoice Ninja’s APP_KEY?
Its README says you will not be able to run the application if you lose it.
8. Does Wave charge to send invoices?
Wave’s pricing page lists no Starter subscription fee; card fees apply if you take online payments.
Where this leaves you
Free here means a client cap, a yearly invoice cap, or a server you run. Export your Invoice Simple data first, then pick the cap you are least likely to reach. For the cost of staying, see the pillar’s card-fee breakdown.
