Late invoices are the most expensive admin problem in a trade business. Every job you finish and don’t bill for a week is a week’s free credit to your customer. A good quoting and invoicing app fixes most of that: quote on site, invoice when you pack up, and let the app chase the money.
The trouble is there are three kinds of app that all claim to do this. Simple invoicing apps, accounting software and job management apps. This guide sorts them out so you buy one, not three. Prices, limits and fees are from each vendor’s Australian pricing page, checked in October 2026. We haven’t run every app on live jobs for this guide.
The three kinds of app
| Kind | Examples | Good for | Does your BAS? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invoicing app | Square Invoices | Quotes, invoices, card payments | No |
| Accounting software | MYOB, Xero, QuickBooks | Invoices plus books, GST and BAS | Yes |
| Job management app | ServiceM8, Tradify, Fergus | Bookings, scheduling, photos, quotes, invoices | No, syncs to accounting |
Most sole traders need accounting software no matter what, because that’s where GST and BAS live. The real question is whether you also need a job app on top. Our Xero vs MYOB guide covers the accounting side.
Square Invoices: free, and genuinely unlimited
Square’s free plan lists unlimited invoices, unlimited estimates, recurring invoices, deposits, cards on file, automatic payment reminders and contracts with e-signatures. You pay nothing unless the customer pays by card.
- Card fees: 2.2% for online card payments and 1.6% in person (the 1.6% rate applies to sellers who signed up on or after 30 May 2024).
- Plus plan: $30 a month adds milestone payment schedules (up to 12 milestones), multi-package estimates, auto-converting accepted estimates to invoices, custom templates and batch invoicing.
The catch: it isn’t accounting software. You’ll still need to get those invoices into your books for GST and BAS, and Square is built for retail and service businesses generally, not trades.
Square Invoices
Good
- Free plan with unlimited invoices and estimates
- Deposits, reminders and e-signature contracts on the free plan
- No monthly fee, you pay only when you're paid by card
- Milestone payments on Plus suit staged work
Not so good
- Doesn't do GST returns or BAS
- Not built for trades, so no job scheduling or site photos
- 2.2% online card fee is higher than some job apps
- Accept-to-invoice conversion is a Plus feature
Square doesn’t pay us. We include it because the free plan is good.
MYOB Solo and Lite: cheapest with your books included
MYOB lists Solo at $99 a year after its offer period. It’s a phone app for one user with unlimited quotes and invoices, online payments, Tap to Pay and an in-app business bank account. It tracks GST, but it doesn’t lodge your BAS, and MYOB says you can’t move from Solo to another plan later.
MYOB Lite is $315 a year after the offer period. It sends unlimited quotes and invoices, tracks GST and lodges BAS, works in a browser plus the MYOB Assist app, and covers payroll for up to two employees at $3 a month each.
See MYOB plans Affiliate link. Opens the merchant site in a new tab.
Xero: watch the Ignite limit
Xero is the accounting software most tradie apps sync with best. Its entry plan, Ignite, is $37 a month including GST, and the catch for invoicing is the 20-invoice limit. Xero says the limit applies to both approving and sending invoices, and that transactions created by connected apps can count towards it. So if your job app pushes invoices into Xero, you can hit the cap without noticing.
For more than 20 invoices you need Grow, at $78 a month including GST. Xero’s intro discounts for new customers apply for the first three months only, then the full price applies.
See Xero plans Affiliate link. Opens the merchant site in a new tab.
QuickBooks Online is the third option. Its Australian comparison lists unlimited invoices and quotes on every plan, GST tracking and BAS lodgement. We couldn’t read current prices from the page when we checked, so look at the live offer before you compare.
Job apps: quoting and invoicing done properly
Job management apps don’t replace accounting software, but they do quoting and invoicing better than it, because the quote is attached to a job, a schedule, photos and a client history.
| ServiceM8 | Tradify Pro | Square Invoices | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (30 jobs), Starter $29 | $52 per user ex GST | Free |
| Quote options for the client | Yes | Yes | Plus plan |
| Online quote acceptance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic quote follow-up | Yes | Yes | No |
| Progress invoicing | Yes | Yes | Plus plan |
| Site photos on the job | Yes | Yes | No |
| Card fee (entry plan) | 1.89% + 30c | Not listed on pricing page | 2.2% online |
From each vendor’s Australian page in October 2026. Feature availability on ServiceM8’s free plan is per its plan list; some features need a higher ServiceM8 plan.
ServiceM8 is the cheapest way into a proper job app, thanks to its free plan for one user and 30 jobs a month. Read our ServiceM8 review for where that plan runs out.
Try ServiceM8 free Affiliate link. Opens the merchant site in a new tab.
Tradify is per user with no job caps, and its quote reminders and progress invoicing (on Pro) are strong for builders and renovators. Our Tradify review explains who per-user pricing suits.
Start a Tradify trial Affiliate link. Opens the merchant site in a new tab.
Card fees on a $1,000 invoice
Card fees are where the “free” apps make their money, so compare them on a real invoice:
| App and plan | Listed card fee | Fee on $1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Square, in person | 1.6% | $16.00 |
| ServiceM8 Starter | 1.69% + 30c | $17.20 |
| ServiceM8 Free | 1.89% + 30c | $19.20 |
| Fergus | 1.95% + 30c | $19.80 |
| Square, online | 2.2% | $22.00 |
Listed rates from each vendor’s Australian pricing page, October 2026. Square’s 1.6% in-person rate applies to sellers who signed up from 30 May 2024. Bank transfer costs you nothing, so put your bank details on every invoice as well.
Which one should you use?
- Fewer than five jobs a week, simple work: your accounting software is enough. MYOB Lite or Xero Grow.
- Phone-only sole trader on a tight budget: MYOB Solo, if you’re happy to do BAS elsewhere and won’t need to switch plans.
- Just need to get paid, books handled by a bookkeeper: Square Invoices free plan.
- Bookings, schedules, photos, apprentices: a job app synced to accounting software. Start with the ServiceM8 vs Tradify vs Fergus comparison.
Writing the quote itself? Our guide to writing a tradie quote includes a template you can copy.
What every tradie invoice should have
Whatever app you use, set it up once properly. If you’re registered for GST, a tax invoice for a sale under $1,000 needs seven details the ATO lists, including that it’s a tax invoice, your name and ABN, the date, a description with price, and the GST. Sales of $1,000 or more also need the buyer’s identity or ABN. On top of that:
- Payment terms in plain words. “Due in 7 days” beats “Net 7”.
- A pay-now link. Card and bank details on every invoice.
- Automatic reminders. Set them to go out before and after the due date.
- Deposits for bigger jobs. Most of these apps can request one at quote acceptance.
If you’re only just setting up, our sole trader setup guide covers ABN and GST registration. Next step: pick one app from the list above, set up your invoice template and reminders, and send this week’s invoices from it.
Common questions
What is the cheapest way for a tradie to send invoices?
Square Invoices has a free plan with unlimited invoices and estimates, and you only pay card fees when a customer pays by card (2.2% online, 1.6% in person for sellers who signed up from 30 May 2024). It doesn't do your BAS, so you'll still need accounting software or a bookkeeper.
Do my invoices need to show GST?
If you're registered for GST and a customer asks for a tax invoice, the ATO says you must provide one within 28 days, unless the sale is $82.50 including GST or less. A tax invoice needs details such as your ABN, the date, what you sold and the GST, and sales of $1,000 or more also need the buyer's identity or ABN. All the apps here can produce tax invoices once set up correctly.
Can I quote from my phone on site?
Yes, with all of them. Square, MYOB Solo, Xero, ServiceM8 and Tradify all have mobile apps. Job apps add things like site photos, quote options and online acceptance.
Should I use a job app or my accounting software for invoices?
If you do a few jobs a week, your accounting software is enough. Once you have bookings, a schedule, photos and more than one person, a job app saves time and syncs the invoices to your accounts.
