TLDR (Summary)
The best invoicing software for consultants is Plutio ($19/month).
Standalone invoicing sends bills but doesn't track engagement the work. Plutio connects invoices to time tracked, milestones delivered, and retainer terms... so billing reflects actual work and clients see value received.
Consultants get retainer billing, milestone invoicing, automatic time-to-invoice conversion, and multiple payment methods. Clients pay through branded portals.
Consultants using connected invoicing paid faster through accurate billing and professional presentation.
For additional strategies, read our freelance pricing guide.
What is invoicing software for consultants?
Invoicing software for consultants is software that creates professional invoices, tracks payments, sends reminders, and connects billing to the work being invoiced.
The distinction matters: basic invoicing creates standalone documents, consultant invoicing connects to time tracking, projects, and contracts. Data connection eliminates duplicate data entry and keeps billing accuracy.
What consultant invoicing software actually does
Core functions include creating branded invoice documents, converting tracked time to line items, accepting multiple payment methods, sending automatic payment reminders, tracking outstanding balances, and connecting invoices to client and project records.
Accounting software vs invoicing software
accounting software and Leading bookkeeping tools handle full accounting but treat invoicing as one of many features. Consultant invoicing software prioritizes the billing workflow while integrating with accounting systems for records.
What makes consultant invoicing different
Consulting engagements combine hourly billing, milestone payments, and retainer structures. Invoicing must handle this variety while tracking across complex engagements that span months.
When invoicing connects to time tracking and projects, billing becomes accurate and fast. Hours tracked become invoiced revenue without manual recreation.
Why you need invoicing software
Consultants who grow beyond a handful of active clients face a compounding problem: every new client adds admin work that does not scale, and automated invoicing and payment reminders is where that admin tends to pile up.
Lead tracking, quoting, billing, payment follow-ups, and clients communication multiply with each engagement. Without a system that connects these functions, details fall through cracks, invoicing tasks accumulate during busy engagements phases, and Spending evenings catching up on admin instead of resting or doing consulting work.
The late payments problem
According to industry research, 36%. For consultants specifically, that means 10-15 hours per week spent on non-billable tasks: late payments, manual invoice creation, payment tracking, and responding to clients questions.
If you bill at $75/hour, those 10 hours of admin represent $750/week of potential billable time. That's over $3,000/month in opportunity cost, not counting the mental energy spent on context switching between consulting work and administrative tasks.
The fragmentation problem
You stack 4-7 disconnected tools: presentation tools, analytics, documentation, and email for client communication. Each tool handles one function, but none share data automatically.
Automated reports create daily friction: logging into multiple platforms to piece together a client's history, copying details from one system to another, manually cross-referencing entries with project scope, and hoping that the terms you quoted match what you're actually delivering. The cognitive admin work adds up, and the risk of errors increases with every manual handoff.
The manual invoice creation epidemic
Manual invoice creation affects nearly every consultant at some point. According to research, 50-70%, with the average invoice paid 20 days.
The issue compounds because consultants often work on multiple engagements with different schedules. Manual tracking across spreadsheets or disconnected tools leads to missed tasks, forgotten follow-ups, and opportunities left on the table.
The scaling tipping point
You hit a threshold around 8-12 active clients where the manual approach breaks down. At this point, you're either spending more time on admin than consulting work, or you're dropping balls. Tasks go out late, follow-ups get missed, and you start turning down good work because you can't imagine adding more complexity to an already chaotic system.
Connected invoicing software absorbs the admin work that would otherwise scale linearly with each new client. Plutio handles routine invoicing tasks, tracking, and follow-ups automatically, leaving consultants to focus on the work that actually generates revenue.
Invoicing features consultants need
The essential invoicing features for consultants connect billing and payment collection with engagements delivery, time tracking, and clients communication while handling the unique patterns that consulting work requires.
Core invoicing features
- Custom templates: Add your logo, brand colors, typography, and terms. Create different templates for milestone billing, retainers, hourly projects. Set up once and apply with one click.
- Multiple payment methods: Accept credit cards through Stripe (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction), bank transfers via ACH (typically 0.8%), or PayPal. Offering multiple options increases completion speed.
- Automated reminders: Configure reminders before due dates, on due dates, and after. Follow-ups send automatically without you drafting messages or remembering to check status.
- Recurring automation: Schedule recurring tasks for retainer clients that send automatically on set dates. Pair with automation to complete without either party taking action.
- Time-to-billing conversion: Select tracked time entries from engagements and convert directly to billable items. No copying hours from a time tracker. The description, duration, and rate pull automatically.
- Expense tracking: Log engagements expenses with receipts attached. Add to clients billing at cost or with markup (common practice is 10-15%).
Consultants-specific features
- Deposit collection: Request upfront payment before work begins. Industry standard is 25-50% deposit. Plutio should connect deposits to final billing automatically.
- Milestone billing: Split engagements payment across phases. Each milestone triggers its own action when you mark that phase complete.
- Revision tracking: When scope expands beyond contracted revisions, the billing should reflect additional work. Connect revision logs to billing so extra rounds generate accurate charges.
- Proposal-to-project flow: When a client accepts a proposal, the schedule should generate automatically based on the payment terms defined.
Platform features that multiply value
- White-label branding: Custom domain, logo, colors, and fonts. All clients-facing communications show your brand. clients never see the software vendor's name.
- Unified inbox: All clients messages, engagements comments, and notifications arrive in one place. Reply without switching to email. Conversation history stays attached for context.
- Permissions: Control who sees what. Contractors see only their assigned work. clients see their portal, not your internal notes or margins.
- Customizable navigation: Rename menu items to match how you talk about your work. Hide features you don't use to reduce clutter.
- Mobile apps: iOS and Android apps for full functionality on the go. Work from anywhere with the same capabilities as desktop.
- Automations: Create rules that trigger actions without your involvement. Set up once, runs continuously.
The deciding factor for consultants is integration depth. Invoicing software that connects with proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, and clients communication eliminates the duplicate data entry that consumes hours every week.
Invoicing software pricing for consultants
Invoicing software for consultants typically costs $15-55 per month for standalone tools, with integrated platforms providing complete functionality.
What consultants typically pay for invoicing tools
- Standard billing software: $17-55/month
- accounting software: $30-200/month (full accounting)
- Legacy invoicing apps: Free (limited features)
- Common invoicing tools: $9-29/month
Standalone tools handle invoicing but require separate subscriptions for time tracking, projects, and contracts.
Plutio pricing (January 2026)
- Core: $19/month: Unlimited invoicing plus time tracking, projects, contracts, scheduling.
- Pro: $49/month: Unlimited clients, team features, advanced permissions.
- Max: $199/month: Unlimited team, advanced reporting, full white-labeling.
The ROI calculation for consultants
- Faster payment: Reduced days-to-payment improves cash flow
- Recovered revenue: Accurate time-to-invoice captures all billable hours
- Time savings: Minutes per invoice instead of hours
Invoicing software ROI comes through faster payment and recovered revenue. The time saved and accuracy gained pay for the platform many times over.
Why Plutio is the best invoicing software for consultants
Plutio handles invoicing as part of a complete platform where billing connects to time tracking, projects, and client relationships automatically.
Connected invoicing
Invoices link to tracked time, projects, and client records. Convert hours to line items with one click. All billing context is immediately accessible.
Professional presentation
Branded templates with your logo, colors, and payment terms. Multiple styles for different engagement types. Professional formatting that reinforces your consulting expertise.
Easy payment
Accept credit cards through Stripe (2.9% fee), bank transfers, and PayPal. Clients pay directly from invoice. Payment status updates automatically.
Automatic reminders
Configure reminder schedules for unpaid invoices. Professional follow-up without personal attention required. Customize messaging per client relationship.
Recurring billing
Automatic invoices for retainer clients. Monthly billing on your schedule. Pair with auto-charge for hands-off collection.
Time-to-invoice workflow
Select tracked time entries, click to create invoice, send. Rates, descriptions, and totals transfer automatically. Accurate invoices in seconds.
Client portal access
Clients view invoices through branded portals. Payment history accessible without email requests. Professional self-service experience.
Invoicing becomes smooth rather than administrative. Every invoice connects to the work it represents, and payment collection happens automatically.
How to set up invoicing in Plutio
Setting up invoicing in Plutio takes 1-2 hours for initial configuration, with each additional invoice taking minutes using templates.
Step 1: Configure payment processing (15 mins)
- Connect Stripe for credit card payments
- Set up PayPal if used
- Configure bank transfer details
Step 2: Create invoice templates (30-60 mins)
- Design branded template with logo and colors
- Set default payment terms
- Configure footer with legal/business details
Step 3: Set up reminder schedules (15 mins)
- Configure automatic reminder timing
- Customize reminder messaging
- Set late fee policies if applicable
Step 4: Configure recurring templates (15 mins)
- Create templates for retainer clients
- Set billing schedule and amounts
- Configure auto-send preferences
Step 5: Test with a real invoice
Send an actual invoice to a client. Verify payment processing works correctly. Refine templates based on real usage.
Initial setup supports all future invoicing efficiency. Well-configured templates reduce each invoice to a few clicks.
Invoice templates for consultants
Invoice templates define billing structures for different consulting engagement types.
Essential invoice types for consultants
- Hourly project: Time tracked converted to line items
- Fixed-fee project: Milestone-based billing schedule
- Monthly retainer: Recurring set amount
- Expense reimbursement: Client expenses with documentation
Invoice section structure
- Header: Your branding, client details, invoice number/date
- Line items: Services rendered with descriptions
- Subtotal: Before any adjustments
- Adjustments: Deposits credited, discounts applied
- Total: Amount due with payment terms
- Footer: Payment instructions, legal notices
Template proven methods
- Use clear descriptions clients recognize
- Include reference to project or engagement name
- State payment terms prominently
- Provide multiple payment options
Well-designed invoice templates reduce billing questions. Clear, professional invoices get paid faster than ambiguous documents.
Client portals for consultants: invoice access
Client portals provide self-service invoice access, reducing administrative questions while improving payment speed.
Invoice access through portals
Clients view current and past invoices through branded portals. No email requests for copies. Payment status visible without inquiry.
Payment through portals
Clients pay directly from portal invoice view. Convenient one-click payment increases payment speed. No friction searching for payment links.
Payment history
Complete payment history accessible to clients. Receipt access for their records. Reduces requests for payment confirmations.
Professional presentation
Branded portal experience reinforces your professionalism. Clients see your brand throughout payment interaction. Consistency builds confidence.
Reduced administrative load
Self-service access eliminates invoice copy requests. Clients find information themselves. Time saved on administrative communication.
Portal invoice access transforms billing administration. Self-service convenience improves client experience while reducing your workload.
How to migrate invoicing to Plutio
Migration from another invoicing software typically takes 3-5 hours of active work spread over a weekend, with the best time to switch being between engagements rather than mid-delivery when you have active clients commitments.
Step 1: Export from your current tool
Most invoicing software provides CSV export for clients data and document archives. Here's what to export from common tools:
- Standard billing software: Export clients and engagements data from Settings or Reports. Download important documents manually.
- accounting software: Export contacts and history from Reports section. Download transaction history for reference.
- Legacy invoicing apps: Export clients list and engagements data. Use the data export feature for complete records.
Step 2: Build templates in Plutio (2-3 hours)
Use your exported content as reference to create new templates. Start with the engagement type you use most frequently. Recreate 2-3 core templates initially rather than trying to migrate every document you've ever created. Focus on forward-looking workflows, not historical archives.
Step 3: Set up integrations (30 mins)
Connect payment processing (Stripe, PayPal), calendar sync (Google Calendar, Outlook), and accounting software (accounting software, Leading bookkeeping tools). Test each integration with a sample transaction to make sure data flows correctly before relying on it for real clients work.
Step 4: Import clients data (30 mins)
Upload your clients CSV to Plutio. Map fields appropriately (name, email, company, phone, address). For active clients with ongoing engagements, create their records. For historical clients you may never work with again, consider whether import is necessary.
Step 5: Run parallel for new work
Use Plutio for all new clients engagements while keeping the old system active for engagements already in progress. Running parallel avoids the complexity of migrating mid-engagement work and gives you time to learn the new system on fresh engagements. As active engagements on the old system complete, those clients transition to Plutio for future work.
Step 6: Phase out the old tool
Once all active engagements on your old system complete (typically 30-60 days), cancel that subscription. Maintain read-only access to historical records if the tool allows, or export final archives before cancellation.
Common migration pitfalls to avoid
- Trying to migrate everything: Focus on active clients and forward-looking workflows. Historical data can remain in archives.
- Switching mid-engagement: Finish in-progress work on the old system. Start new clients on Plutio.
- Not testing integrations: Verify payment processing works with a real (small) transaction before relying on it.
- Skipping the learning curve: Use the first 2-3 engagements as deliberate learning opportunities.
The investment in migration pays back in time saved on every future engagement, proposal, and clients interaction. Plan for a weekend of setup and a few weeks of adjustment, then benefit from simplified workflows going forward.
