How to Send Invoices With Stripe Without Accounting Software

08.20.25 03:16 PM

Short answer: You can send invoices from Stripe's dashboard without any accounting software. Create a free Stripe account, add a customer and line items, and email the invoice with a payment link. Stripe tracks when it's viewed and paid. You pay Stripe's fees on each payment, so check its pricing page for current rates.

If you just launched your business—or you're finally ready to start charging for your services—one of the first things you’ll need is a way to send invoices and get paid.

And no, you don’t need to set up QuickBooks on day one.

There’s a super simple (and totally free) tool that I recommend to almost every startup owner I work with: Stripe Invoicing.

Whether you’re a solo consultant or building a service-based business, here’s how to get started in less than 10 minutes.

Watch to Learn How to Set Up Stripe for Free

Step 1: Create a Stripe Account

Head to stripe.com and sign up for a free account. You’ll go through a quick setup where you:

Verify your email
Add your business details (name, address, website, EIN)
Connect your bank account for payouts
Set up tax preferences and 2FA

Once you’re done, log in to your Stripe dashboard.

Step 2: Create Your First Invoice

Inside the dashboard:

Click “Create Invoice”
Add a customer name and email (Stripe will save them for next time)
Add your line item:

Example: “Strategy Session – $150”
You can add multiple items, discounts, or taxes if needed

Pro tip: Stripe can also handle recurring invoices if you need to bill someone monthly.

Step 3: Customize and Send

Stripe gives you a preview of the invoice. You can:

Adjust the look and feel (logo, colors)
Change due dates or add terms
Enable payment options like cards, ACH, or Apple Pay

Then just hit Send—your customer will get a clean, professional invoice by email with a payment link built right in.

Step 4: Track Payments (Automatically)

Once sent, Stripe will track:

When the invoice is viewed
When it’s paid
When the money hits your bank

No spreadsheets. No follow-up chaos. Just a clean workflow.

Why I Recommend Stripe for New Businesses

✅ It’s free (just pay the standard Stripe processing fee per transaction)
✅ You don’t need accounting software to start
✅ It scales with your business—integrates easily with tools like Zoho Books, QuickBooks, and Xero
✅ Looks professional and gives your customer an easy way to pay

When Should You Move From Stripe to Accounting Software?

You need to track expenses and profit, not just payments.
Your accountant asks for reports Stripe doesn't produce.
You send estimates or recurring invoices regularly.
You spend time matching payouts to invoices by hand.

At that point, Zoho Books or Zoho Invoice can connect to Stripe, so payments still flow through it. Our Zoho Invoice review covers that next step.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is invoicing with Stripe free? There's no monthly fee for basic invoicing, but Stripe charges processing fees on each payment, and some invoicing features carry their own fee. Check Stripe's pricing page before you start.

What payment methods can customers use? Cards, plus other methods like bank payments depending on your country.

Can I send recurring invoices? Yes. Stripe handles recurring billing through subscriptions.

Does Stripe work with Zoho Books? Yes. Zoho Books can take invoice payments through Stripe.

Bottom Line

If you’ve been holding off on invoicing because it felt too “technical” or overwhelming, I get it. I was there too. But Stripe makes it easy to get paid without all the fuss.

Want help setting up your Stripe account or connecting it to your CRM or bookkeeping software? Reach out to me at TechnoMap—I love helping small businesses build simple tech

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Jozette Spandel

Co-Founder TechnoMap

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jozette-spandel-3975a5307/

Jozette writes about making Zoho work smarter for businesses—think CRM tips, project fixes, and clever ways to simplify your systems. She’s here to cut the tech-speak and give you clear, practical advice your team will actually use, and enjoy reading.