Comparison · fact-checked 2026-10-12
Inbill vs Invoice Ninja
Choose Invoice Ninja if you want source-available software you can self-host, or card gateways like Stripe and PayPal built in. Choose Inbill if you want a hosted tool with no client cap on the free plan (10 invoices a month), Wise/Payoneer pay links, WhatsApp sending, and Pro at $5/month instead of $14.
Pick Inbill if
- You have more than 5 clients; Invoice Ninja's free plan caps clients at 5.
- You get paid by Wise, Payoneer or bank transfer rather than a card gateway.
- You send invoices on WhatsApp and want reminders that escalate on their own.
- You want to draft invoices by voice or a sentence, in English, Urdu, Hindi or Arabic.
Pick Invoice Ninja if
- You want to self-host and own the server; the code is source-available.
- You take card payments through Stripe, PayPal, Square or GoCardless.
- You need a REST API, custom domain or multiple users.
- Unlimited invoices to a handful of clients matters more than client count.
Feature-by-feature
| Decision point | Inbill | Invoice Ninja |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan limit | 10 invoices/month, unlimited clients | Unlimited invoices, up to 5 clients |
| Paid plan | $5/month or $39/year | Ninja Pro $14/month or $140/year |
| One-time option | $49 lifetime (limited seats) | No |
| Self-hosting | No — hosted only | Yes — source-available (Elastic License); $40/year white-label licence removes branding |
| Card payment gateways | No — shows Wise, Payoneer, bank and local wallet details with pay links | Stripe, PayPal, Square, GoCardless and more |
| Client portal | A link per invoice, plus one client page listing all their invoices (no login) | Client portal on every plan |
| Sending and follow-up | WhatsApp, email or link; friendly / firm / final reminders | Email; recurring and auto-billing |
| AI invoice drafting (voice + text) | Included | Not offered as the core entry flow |
Honest verdict
Invoice Ninja is the deepest option here: quotes, recurring billing, a client portal and payment gateways, with the source available to self-host. If you can run a server, or you take cards through Stripe or PayPal, it is hard to beat.
Inbill is the lighter hosted path for freelancers paid by transfer from abroad, where card gateways often are not available to the seller. Its free plan limits invoices rather than clients, and Pro costs about a third of Ninja Pro. Check Invoice Ninja's pricing page before deciding — plan limits change.
Sources checked
Competitor facts come from their own current product or help pages.