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
✅ 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
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
