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Free invoices, quotes and credit notes for South African businesses.
Add your logo, clients and VAT, then save a PDF. No sign-up, and your records stay on this device.
- No signup or cloud account.
- Invoices, quotes and credit notes.
- VAT, clients and saved line items.
- Saved on this device, not in the cloud.
- Download a backup file and restore it any time.
- Convert quotes to invoices in one click.
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Disclaimer: This tool helps you create basic billing documents. It does not replace accounting, tax, or legal advice. You are responsible for checking invoice numbering, VAT details, tax rules, and recordkeeping requirements that apply to your business.
What is the free South African billing app?
A free browser tool that creates invoices, quotes and credit notes for South African small businesses. Per-line VAT (15% standard, zero-rated and exempt supported), SARS-aligned tax-invoice fields, quote-to-invoice conversion, saved clients and reusable line items, configurable document numbering, logo upload, live preview, Print / Save as PDF, and a JSON backup you control. Records stay in your browser; nothing is uploaded. Built for micro businesses, freelancers, small contractors, professional practices, retailers and consultancies. Updated 2026-05-06.
What goes on a clean South African invoice?
Whether you’re VAT-registered or not, a clean invoice carries the same core information. Here’s what to put on it.
What to include on every invoice
- Your business name, address and contact details.
- The customer’s name and address.
- A unique invoice number and the date of issue.
- A clear description of the goods or services.
- Quantity or hours, unit price, and line total.
- The total amount due, in your currency.
- Your banking details and payment terms (e.g. “due on receipt” or “30 days”).
If you’re VAT-registered, SARS has additional rules for tax invoices (the words “Tax Invoice”, your VAT number, the VAT amount). The tool produces tax invoices with those fields when VAT is enabled. See the SARS VAT page for the current rules.
- Micro businesses, freelancers, small contractors, professional practices, retailers, consultancies and any small business that needs clean billing documents without paying for accounting software.
- No. Records are stored in your browser only (IndexedDB + localStorage). Use the Backup tab to export a JSON file you control.
- Yes. Per-line VAT at 15% (standard), with zero-rated and exempt supported. If you are not VAT-registered, leave VAT off and use plain invoices instead of tax invoices.
- Yes. Use the Backup tab to download a JSON backup. Import it later or on another device.
Create a South African invoice in 5 steps
Five steps from opening the tool to a PDF in your client’s inbox. Same flow for invoices, quotes and credit notes.
- Open the free billing app.Open the tool in any modern browser. No account, no signup. Your billing records stay on your device.
- Set up your business.Open Settings to add your business name, address, VAT number (if registered), banking details, logo and document numbering. Saved once, reused on every document.
- Add a client.Open the Clients tab and add the customer: name, contact, billing address and VAT number where relevant. Clients are saved for reuse.
- Create an invoice, quote or credit note.Open the Documents tab, choose the document type, pick the client and add line items. Saved line items can be reused across documents. VAT is applied per line.
- Print, save as PDF or back up.Use the live preview, then Print / Save as PDF via your browser print dialog. Use the Backup tab to export a JSON backup you control. Convert quotes to invoices in one click when accepted.
Free billing app, accounting software or a custom billing system?
When the free browser tool is enough, when accounting software is the next step, and when you have outgrown both.
| Capability | This free tool | Accounting software (Xero, Sage, QuickBooks) | Custom billing system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Monthly subscription | Project cost |
| Invoices, quotes, credit notes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SARS tax-invoice fields | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VAT calculation per line | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Recurring billing | No | Yes | Yes |
| Bank reconciliation | No | Yes | Optional |
| Statutory submissions (VAT-201, EMP201) | No | Yes | Optional |
| Customer portal / self-service | No | Limited | Yes (custom) |
| Multi-user access | No (single browser) | Yes | Yes (custom roles) |
| Audit trail | No | Yes | Yes |
| Where billing data lives | Your browser only | Vendor cloud | You decide (self-hosted or cloud) |
| Who owns what | Your records are yours | Vendor’s terms | Agreed in writing before work starts |
If you are VAT-registered, the tool produces tax invoices with the SARS-required fields and per-line VAT at 15% (or zero-rated or exempt where applicable). It does not file VAT-201 returns and is not a substitute for accounting software for the purposes of input/output VAT reconciliation. If you are not VAT-registered, leave VAT off and issue plain invoices; do not label them “Tax Invoice”. VAT registration becomes compulsory above an annual taxable supply threshold set by SARS; check the current threshold with SARS or your accountant. See the SARS VAT page for current rules.
South African billing terms, in plain wordsPlain-language definitions for the billing terms used on this tool and on the documents it produces.
- Invoice
- A document the supplier issues to the customer requesting payment for goods or services already supplied. For VAT-registered suppliers, this is normally a tax invoice.
- Tax invoice
- A SARS-defined invoice issued by a VAT-registered supplier with the words “Tax Invoice” (or “VAT Invoice” / “Invoice”), serial number, supplier and recipient details, description, value, VAT charged and consideration. Required to claim input VAT.
- Quote (quotation)
- A pre-sale document showing the proposed price and terms for goods or services. Not a tax invoice and not a request for payment. Convert to an invoice once accepted.
- Credit note
- A document the supplier issues to reduce or cancel a previously issued invoice, for returns, allowances, billing errors or cancelled supplies. Must reference the original invoice. Required to reverse output VAT.
- Pro-forma invoice
- A preliminary invoice issued before the supply or before payment. Often used as a quote-with-banking-details. Not a tax invoice and cannot be used to claim VAT.
- VAT (Value-Added Tax)
- A 15% indirect tax on most goods and services in South Africa. Charged by VAT-registered suppliers on standard-rated supplies; zero-rated and exempt supplies are treated differently.
- Zero-rated supply
- A supply on which VAT is charged at 0% (e.g. exports, certain foodstuffs). The supplier still issues a tax invoice and can claim input VAT.
- Exempt supply
- A supply on which no VAT is charged and on which the supplier cannot claim input VAT (e.g. residential rental, certain financial services). Not the same as zero-rated.
- Net amount
- The line or document value before VAT.
- Gross amount (consideration)
- The total value the customer pays: net amount plus VAT.
Last updated: 2026-05-06. Verified against current SARS tax-invoice guidance and Value-Added Tax Act provisions. Sources: SARS: Value-Added Tax · SARS: Businesses and tax · Value-Added Tax Act (gov.za).
When you need a proper business system.
Use this free app while billing is simple. If you’re sending more than a few invoices a week, you start to need staff access, sync across devices, recurring billing, stock, bookings, payments or audit trails. That’s a proper business system, and it’s the work I do.
- BX1X business operationsMy broader platform for billing, bookings, CRM, inventory, accounting and connected workflows.
- Custom platform applicationsCustomer logins, team access, recurring billing, payment tracking, role-based access, audit trails.
- Booking and workflow systemsMulti-user access, approval flows, automated reminders, integrations with WooCommerce, Shopify and Xero.
- Built as a single page appBrowser-only, like this tool. Need something like it for your business? Built for micro to large businesses.
- Single page app developer in South AfricaRemote delivery across South Africa, in rand. Browser-only, API-connected and embedded app work.
For your technical person
How the billing app is built
- A browser-only single page app (React). Business profile, clients, saved items and documents live in IndexedDB and localStorage; nothing is sent to a server.
- Full JSON backup export and import from the Backup tab, for moving between devices or browsers.
- PDFs come from the browser’s print dialog using an A4 print layout; there is no server-side PDF step.
- Per-line VAT with standard (15%), zero-rated and exempt lines; configurable numbering per document type with duplicate warnings.
- The standalone full-screen version is at /tools/invoice-app (not indexed).
Questions owners ask.
Is this billing app really free?
Yes. The browser billing app is free to use. No signup, no trial, no cloud account, no paywall.
Where is my invoice and quote data stored?
Your billing records are stored locally in your browser using IndexedDB and localStorage. Nothing is uploaded to a server. Export a JSON backup regularly because clearing browser data or changing devices can remove saved records.
What goes on a clean South African invoice?
Every invoice should show your business name, address and contact details; the customer’s name and address; a unique invoice number and date of issue; a clear description of the goods or services with quantity, unit price and line total; the total amount due; and your banking details and payment terms. If you’re VAT-registered, SARS has additional requirements for tax invoices, and the tool produces those fields automatically when VAT is enabled.
Does the tool calculate VAT automatically?
Yes. Set your business VAT rate in Settings (typically 15% for VAT-registered South African businesses). Each line item carries its own VAT and the document totals reflect the VAT calculation. Zero-rated and exempt items can be marked per line.
Do I have to be VAT-registered to use this?
No. The tool produces invoices, quotes and credit notes for both VAT-registered and non-VAT-registered businesses. If you are not VAT-registered, do not show “Tax Invoice” or charge VAT; the tool defaults to plain invoices in that case.
Can I create credit notes?
Yes. The tool supports invoices, quotes and credit notes, including credit note numbering, references back to the original invoice, and statuses (draft, issued, applied).
Can I convert a quote to an invoice?
Yes. Once the client accepts the quote, convert it to an invoice in one click. Line items, client details and VAT carry over; a fresh invoice number is assigned according to your sequence.
Can I save invoices, quotes or credit notes as PDF?
Yes. Use the Print / Save as PDF action and your browser print dialog to save a PDF copy. Tip: if Save as PDF does not work inside Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram, open the tool in Chrome, Safari or your phone’s default browser.
Can I export and back up my records?
Yes. Use the Backup tab to export a JSON backup of your business profile, clients, saved items and documents. Import the same file later or on another device.
Can I use my own document numbering?
Yes. Document numbering is configurable per document type (invoice, quote, credit note). Set the prefix, the next number and the padding. The tool keeps the sequence consistent and warns on duplicates.
Is this a replacement for accounting software?
No. It helps create basic billing documents and keeps a local record. It does not do bank reconciliation, statutory submissions, P&L, balance sheet or VAT-201 returns. Use accounting software (or a custom platform) for the wider workflow.
When do I need BX1X or a custom platform instead?
When you need staff access, cloud sync across devices, recurring billing, payment tracking, customer portals, stock, bookings, audit trails, or integrations with WooCommerce, Shopify, Xero or your CRM. Browser-only billing fits a small business; the moment you need shared workflows, you have outgrown it.
Outgrown the free app? Tell me the problem.
+27 87 150 9305Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 20:00 SAST. Or email info@antondevilliers.com.