Best Invoicing App for Consultants in 2026
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For independent consultants who send proposals and contracts and bill on retainers, Bonsai (Essentials, $25/mo) is the best all-in-one. If you mainly bill hourly and want time tracking at a lower price, FreshBooks ($19/mo) is the better value; for simple retainer invoicing at no cost, Wave is free.
How we picked
This is a research-based comparison. We reviewed each tool’s current pricing, features, and real consultant feedback, and verified pricing against each vendor in June 2026. We weighted what independent consultants actually need: retainer and recurring billing, proposals and contracts, billable-hour tracking, and clean B2B-ready invoices. Full method on the how we review page.
Comparison at a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Time tracking | Proposals & contracts | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonsai | $25/mo (Essentials) | Trial only | Yes | Yes — built in | All-in-one consulting workflow |
| FreshBooks | $19/mo (Lite) | 30-day trial | Yes — every plan | Proposals (Plus tier+) | Hourly & retainer billing |
| Wave | Free (Pro $16/mo) | Yes — unlimited invoices | No | No | Free, simple retainer invoicing |
Bonsai — best all-in-one for consultants
Bonsai is built for exactly this audience: it bundles proposals, contracts, invoicing, time tracking, and a lightweight CRM into one flow, so a project goes from pitch to signed contract to retainer invoice without switching tools. The important detail on price: invoicing, contracts, and proposals require the Essentials plan ($25/mo) — the cheaper Basic tier excludes them. Pricing is per user, which matters only if you add collaborators.
Pros: proposals + contracts + invoicing + CRM in one place; strong for retainers and SOWs; built for consultants Cons: invoicing needs the $25/mo Essentials tier (not Basic); no free plan; per-user pricing
FreshBooks — best for hourly and retainer billing
If your work is billed by the hour or on a recurring retainer, FreshBooks is the value pick: time tracking on every plan (including the $19/mo Lite tier), recurring invoices for retainers, and proposals on Plus and up. It’s cheaper to start than Bonsai, with a more polished invoicing experience than Wave. The main limit is Lite’s 5-client cap.
Pros: time tracking on all plans; recurring retainer invoices; polished, professional invoices Cons: contracts aren’t built in like Bonsai; 5-client cap on Lite; proposals require Plus ($38/mo)
Wave — best free option
For a consultant who keeps contracts elsewhere and just needs to send professional invoices and recurring retainers, Wave does it free — unlimited invoices, no trial clock. You give up integrated proposals, contracts, and time tracking, and card fees are slightly higher (2.9% + 60¢; 1% ACH), but at $0 it’s the lean choice (US and Canada only for new accounts).
Pros: genuinely free; unlimited invoices and recurring billing; simple to run Cons: no proposals/contracts or time tracking; higher card fees; US/Canada only
Which should you choose?
If you sell through proposals and run on retainers, Bonsai collapses the whole client workflow into one tool and is worth the $25/mo. If hourly or retainer billing with solid time tracking is the core need, FreshBooks does it for less. Keep your contracts elsewhere and want zero cost? Wave sends professional invoices and retainers for free.
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Frequently asked questions
How do consultants bill a monthly retainer?
Set up a recurring invoice for the retainer amount on a fixed date each month — all three tools here support recurring invoices. Bonsai and FreshBooks also let you tie retainers to a contract and track hours against the retained scope, which helps when a client asks what they're paying for.
Do consultants need contracts and proposals in their invoicing tool?
If you win work through proposals and protect it with a statement of work, having them in the same tool as invoicing saves real time and reduces disputes. Bonsai bundles proposals, contracts, and invoices; FreshBooks adds proposals on its Plus tier. If your agreements live elsewhere, Wave's free invoicing is enough on its own.
Bonsai or FreshBooks for a solo consultant?
Choose Bonsai if you want proposals, contracts, CRM, and invoicing in one workflow and will use all of it. Choose FreshBooks if your core need is hourly/retainer billing with strong time tracking at a lower entry price ($19 vs $25/mo). Both are solid; it comes down to whether you want the full client workflow or mainly billing.