Send invoices and get paid as a freelancer

Create a free Wave account and add your business details including logo, address, and payment terms. Create your first client and send a test invoice. Wave auto-numbers invoices, tracks overdue status, and sends reminder emails on your behalf so you spend less time chasing payment.

Sign up for Stripe and complete identity verification. Navigate to Payment Links and create a reusable link for your standard hourly rate or a fixed project fee. Paste this link into your Wave invoice as a pay-now button. Funds deposit to your bank account in 2 business days.

If you need contracts alongside invoices, sign up for Bonsai and use their freelance contract templates. Send the contract for e-signature before starting work, then convert it to an invoice when the milestone is complete. Bonsai keeps the full client history—scope, contract, invoices—in one place.

Create a Notion database called Client Payments with columns: Client, Invoice Number, Amount, Status (Sent / Paid / Overdue), Due Date, and Notes. Update this after every invoice send. Use a filtered view called Awaiting Payment to see only outstanding invoices at a glance each morning.