Invoice Simple alternatives without a subscription
Fair Invoice is an Invoice Simple alternative for a solo business that wants estimates, PDF invoices and manual payment tracking without a subscription. Unlimited estimates and the first 10 invoices are free, then a one-time unlock removes the invoice limit, but it has no card processing and is not a match for integrated online payments. See the Fair Invoice product details.
A second option is the free, copyable invoice template below. It suits someone willing to maintain documents and payment records manually, rather than pay for an invoicing app.
Fair Apps publishes this guide and is not affiliated with Invoice Simple. Product names identify the services being compared, not an endorsement. Product facts were checked on 2 November 2026.
Compare costs, limits and payment workflows
Compare the invoice allowance, how billing continues, and how you collect payment. This is a narrow comparison, not a ranking of every invoicing app. A PDF with bank details or an external payment link is different from an app that processes payments.
| Question | Fair Invoice | Invoice Simple | Text template below |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is free? | Unlimited estimates and the first 10 invoices, not 10 each month | Check current trial terms; the paid quotas below are not a permanent free allowance | Copying and adapting the supplied text requires no app payment or signup |
| What happens afterward? | One in-app purchase removes the invoice limit; no subscription | Recurring plans checked 2 November 2026: Essentials $6.99/month up to 3 invoices, Plus $14.99/month up to 10, Premium $21.99/month unlimited. Listed in USD and may vary by currency. Monthly and annual billing were both offered | Maintain your own documents in your chosen editor |
| How are payments handled? | Bank details or external payment links; no card processing; mark payments manually | Online payments listed on Essentials and included in higher plans | Add verified payment instructions; the template processes nothing |
| Are there read receipts? | No | Real-time read receipts listed in Essentials and included in higher plans; Plus also adds due-date reminders | None built into the text |
| What about storage and export? | Optional user-cloud sync; documented backups and invoice spreadsheet exports; no cross-platform sync | Check available export options before leaving | Keep your own document and PDF copies |
The Fair Invoice free limit, one-time unlock and payment limits come from its product page. Manual sent and paid status, backups and invoice spreadsheet exports come from its US Google Play listing. Invoice Simple's plan quotas, displayed prices, online payments and receipt features come from its official pricing page.
Those monthly prices were on the pricing page on 2 November 2026. It said prices are listed in USD and may vary by local currency, and it showed a June 2026 update stamp, so confirm the amount before you pay. Annual billing was offered as "Go annual for 2 months free!" The page did not show a one-time purchase. Fair Invoice's unlock price is the price in your store; the monthly figures above are not a savings claim.
Plus includes everything in Essentials, and Premium includes everything in Plus, so the online payments and read receipts in the table are not limited to the lowest paid plan. Invoice Simple may be the better fit if you need those features. Check eligibility and current plan conditions before you switch. This guide does not compare processing fees. A payment provider used with Fair Invoice may charge its own fees.
Save your work before switching
Do this while you still have access to your current documents:
- Archive invoice PDFs. Keep issued invoices and important estimates in a location you control. Open the saved files to check they are readable.
- Record outstanding balances. List invoice number, client, original total, payments received, remaining balance and due date. Preserve the original numbers so clients can identify existing bills.
- Check client and item export options. Inspect what your current account actually exports. A summary spreadsheet is not necessarily a complete backup or migration file.
- Try one invoice in the replacement. Check client details, line items, totals, payment instructions and PDF appearance before moving active work.
- Handle billing separately. Identify the company charging you from your receipt, then cancel through that biller if you decide to leave.
For an Apple-billed subscription, Apple's route on iPhone is Settings → your name → Subscriptions → the subscription → Cancel Subscription. If another company bills you, contact that company instead. See Apple's cancellation instructions.
For Google Play billing, sign in to the Google account holding the subscription. On a computer, open Google Play subscriptions, choose Manage, then Cancel subscription, select a reason and continue. Google's instructions explicitly say uninstalling the app does not cancel the subscription.
Cancellation, a refund request and deleting an account are separate actions. Switching apps does not cancel a plan or guarantee a refund. Do not assume Fair Invoice can automatically import your Invoice Simple history.
Try an invoice without installing anything
Copy this original template into a document editor or spreadsheet. Replace every bracketed field, calculate the totals, verify payment instructions and applicable tax, then preview the page and use your editor's Print or Save as PDF command. You may copy, adapt and print the template and example without attribution.
INVOICE
From: [Your business name and contact details]
Bill to: [Client name and contact details]
Job/location: [Agreed work and location]
Invoice number: [Your unique invoice number]
Issued: [Date] Due: [Date]
Currency: [Currency]
Description Quantity Unit price Amount
[Labor/service] [Hours] [Rate] [Qty x rate]
[Materials, described] [Units] [Rate] [Qty x rate]
Subtotal: [Sum of line amounts]
Tax, if applicable: [Verified amount]
Total: [Subtotal + tax]
Payments already received: [Amount]
Balance due: [Total - payments]
Payment terms/instructions: [Agreed terms and verified method]
Notes/scope: [Work completed; relevant references]Filled example: a fictional gate repair
All names and work below are fictional. The example demonstrates the arithmetic, not tax treatment or a completed transaction in Fair Invoice.
INVOICE
From: Juniper Gate Repairs, contact details to be supplied before use
Bill to: Morgan Ellis, contact details to be supplied before use
Job: Adjust and repair rear garden gate at client's property
Invoice number: JGR-2026-014
Issued: 2 November 2026 Due: 16 November 2026
Currency: USD
Description Quantity Unit price Amount
Gate alignment and repair 3 hours $60.00 $180.00
Replacement hinge set 1 set $28.00 $28.00
Exterior screws 1 pack $9.00 $9.00
Subtotal: $217.00
Tax: Not calculated in this demonstration
Illustrative total before any applicable tax: $217.00
Payment already received: $50.00
Illustrative balance before any applicable tax: $167.00
Terms: Payment due within 14 days. Contact the business for verified
payment instructions. No online payment link is provided.
Scope: Realigned gate and replaced worn hinges and screws.Three hours at $60 is $180; adding $28 and $9 gives $217. Subtracting the $50 already received leaves $167 before any applicable tax. Before real use, supply complete contact details and determine the applicable tax and required fields for your transaction. This is not a tax-exemption determination or a legally certified invoice.
The manual route has no built-in client database, reminders, cloud workflow or payment tracking. Keep a separate balance record and update both it and the invoice when payment arrives.
Try the same workflow in Fair Invoice
The documented Fair Invoice workflow is:
- Choose the client and enter the service and material line items.
- Create an estimate if approval is needed, then convert approved work into an invoice.
- Check the PDF and share it, or send it through your own mail app.
- Record payment manually when you confirm it has arrived.
Fair Invoice does not send server emails on your behalf or automatically reconcile payments. Its US Google Play listing documents manual sent/paid status and backup and spreadsheet-export options. Optional user-cloud sync is not an iPhone-to-Android sync promise.
Who should not switch?
Do not choose Fair Invoice expecting built-in card processing, read receipts, server-sent emails, automatic payment reconciliation, government e-invoicing or cross-platform sync. Those are explicit product limitations, not features unlocked by paying.
If online payments or read receipts are central to your process, compare Invoice Simple's current plan conditions before giving them up. Paying for Fair Invoice does not add those features. If your work only needs a few manually maintained PDFs, the text template may be enough.
For estimates, PDF invoicing and manual tracking without recurring app billing, explore Fair Invoice or get Fair Invoice on Google Play. Try the free allowance and check the unlock price shown in your store before purchasing.
FAQ
Is Fair Invoice unlimited free?
No. Estimates are unlimited and free, but only the first 10 invoices are free. A one-time in-app purchase removes the invoice limit; it is not a subscription. See the product details.
Can Fair Invoice charge a client's card?
No. It can include external payment links or bank details, but it does not process cards. Confirm payments yourself and mark the invoice paid manually. External providers may charge fees.
Does changing apps cancel my Invoice Simple subscription?
No. Cancel separately with the actual biller, after preserving your work. Use the Apple or Google Play route only if that store bills you; otherwise contact the billing company. Cancellation does not guarantee a refund.
Can I install Fair Invoice on iPhone now?
The product page says the iPhone app is in App Store review as of 2 November 2026. This guide links only to the current Google Play listing and does not promise that one purchase covers multiple platforms.