Best Invoicing Software for Social Media Managers in 2026

What is invoicing software for social media managers?

Invoicing software for social media managers is software that creates, sends, and tracks billing with visibility into payment status, automated reminders, and connections to client records and time tracked.

The distinction matters: basic invoicing tools create bills and send them. Social media manager-focused invoicing connects to retainer agreements, tracks recurring billing automatically, converts tracked time to line items, and provides client portals where clients can view and pay invoices without email attachments.

What social media manager invoicing actually does

Core functions include creating branded invoices with your logo and colors, setting up recurring billing for retainer clients, tracking payment status across all clients, sending automated reminders before and after due dates, accepting payments via credit card or bank transfer, and recording payment history per client. Advanced platforms add time-to-invoice conversion where tracked hours become billable line items automatically.

Standalone invoicing vs integrated platforms

Standalone apps like Wave or PayPal invoicing create and send bills. You manually enter client details, service descriptions, and amounts each time. Payment arrives and you update your records manually. Nothing connects to time tracking, project management, or client records.

Integrated platforms like Plutio connect invoicing to the complete client workflow. Create a retainer client once, set up recurring billing, and invoices generate and send automatically each month. When time gets tracked, those hours appear in the client record ready to invoice. When a client pays, their payment history updates automatically. No manual data transfer between systems.

What makes social media manager invoicing different

Social media managers face unique billing scenarios. Retainer clients need recurring monthly invoices with consistent descriptions. Project clients need one-time invoices tied to deliverables. Some clients need ad spend passed through as separate line items. Without invoicing that handles these variations through templates and automation, each invoice requires manual setup.

The retainer model also requires tracking what's included vs what's extra. When a client requests work beyond their retainer scope, billing should capture that additional work. Connected invoicing links to time tracking and project records so it's easy to see exactly what work each client received and what should appear on their bill.

When invoicing connects to time tracking, contracts, and client records, billing becomes automatic instead of manual. Retainer invoices send themselves. Time tracked converts to line items. Payment status stays visible across all clients without checking email or spreadsheets.

Invoicing features social media managers need

The essential invoicing features for social media managers connect billing to retainer agreements, time tracking, and client records while automating the recurring patterns that retainer work creates.

Core invoicing features

• Branded invoice templates: Add your logo, brand colors, typography, and payment terms. Create templates for different billing scenarios (monthly retainer, project invoice, hourly billing). Apply the right template with one click instead of formatting from scratch.
• Recurring invoicing: Set up automatic billing for retainer clients. Invoice generates and sends on schedule (1st of month, 15th, etc.) without manual creation. Modify individual instances when needed without affecting the recurring pattern.
• 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 payment speed, clients choose their preferred method.
• Automated reminders: Configure reminders before due dates ("Invoice due in 3 days"), on due dates, and after ("Invoice is 7 days overdue"). Follow-ups send automatically without awkward manual chasing.
• Payment tracking: See payment status across all clients in one dashboard. Know instantly who's paid, who's pending, and who's overdue. Filter by date range for financial reporting.
• Payment history: Complete billing and payment record per client. When a client asks about past invoices, the history shows instantly without searching email.

Social media manager-specific features

• Retainer billing templates: Monthly retainer invoice template with consistent description, amount, and payment terms. Change once, applies to future invoices. Industry standard retainer terms show Net-15 to payment windows.
• Ad spend pass-through: Add line items for advertising costs you paid on behalf of clients. Track at cost or with markup. Keep ad spend separate from service fees for clear client reporting.
• Time-to-invoice conversion: Select tracked time entries and convert to invoice line items with one click. Descriptions, hours, and rates pull automatically. No copying from time tracker to invoice.
• Partial payments and deposits: Collect deposits before work begins. Apply partial payments to invoices. Track remaining balance until fully paid.

Platform features that multiply value

• Client portal payment: Clients view invoices and pay through their portal. No email attachments, no separate payment links. Click "Pay Now" directly from the invoice view.
• White-label branding: Your domain, your logo, your colors on all invoices and payment pages. Clients experience your brand, not third-party software.
• Accounting integration: Sync with QuickBooks or Xero for financial reporting. Invoice and payment data flows automatically for tax preparation.
• Mobile access: Create and send invoices from your phone. Check payment status on the go. Respond to client billing questions without returning to your desk.

The deciding factor for social media managers is automation depth. Invoicing software that handles recurring billing, automated reminders, and time-to-invoice conversion eliminates the monthly billing ritual that consumes hours.

Why Plutio is the best invoicing for social media managers

Plutio handles invoicing as part of a complete platform where proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, and client portals work together rather than as separate tools that need manual connection.

Recurring invoicing that runs itself

Set up a retainer client once with their billing amount, payment terms, and schedule. Invoice generates automatically on the date you specify, 1st of month, 15th, whatever works for your workflow. Invoice sends to client automatically. You don't touch it unless something changes. Monthly billing for 8 retainer clients takes zero time instead of 2-3 hours.

Time-to-invoice conversion

When billing for additional work beyond retainer scope, select the relevant time entries and click "Add to Invoice." Descriptions pull from your time entry notes. Hours and rates calculate automatically. The invoice shows exactly what work was done and what it cost. No manual copying, no risk of transcription errors.

Client portal payment

Invoices appear in each client's branded portal. They log in, see the invoice, click "Pay Now," and complete payment through Stripe or PayPal. No email attachment to lose, no separate payment link to find. Clients who prefer paying through portals pay faster because the friction is lower.

Automated payment reminders

Configure reminder sequences: 3 days before due ("Your invoice is coming due"), on due date ("Invoice due today"), 7 days after ("Invoice is overdue"). Reminders send automatically without you composing awkward follow-up emails. You can personalize tone and timing, then let automation handle the chasing.

Payment status dashboard

One view shows all invoices across all clients with payment status: paid, pending, overdue. Filter by date range for monthly reporting. See total outstanding, total paid this month, average payment time. No more checking email threads to figure out who paid.

White-label everything

Your domain (billing.youragency.com), your logo, your colors on all invoices, payment pages, and receipts. Clients experience your brand throughout the billing process. Professional presentation reinforces the quality of your work.

Accounting integration

Connect QuickBooks or Xero. Invoice and payment data syncs automatically. At tax time, your accountant has accurate records without you exporting CSVs and reconciling manually.

Complete workflow connection

Invoice connects to the proposal that defined the scope, the contract that formalized terms, the project that tracked the work, and the time entries that captured additional work. When a client questions a charge, you can trace back through the complete record, proposal to contract to project to invoice, in seconds.

Everything runs from one platform with your branding and your workflow logic. Instead of creating invoices in one tool, tracking payments in another, and checking email for payment confirmations, you operate from a single dashboard that shows the complete billing picture.

Invoice templates for social media managers

Invoice templates structure billing for different social media service arrangements, keeping consistent professional presentation without recreating format each time.

Essential invoice types for social media managers

• Monthly retainer invoice: Recurring billing for ongoing management. Fixed amount, consistent description, automatic generation. The core invoice type for most social media managers.
• Project invoice: One-time billing for campaigns, launches, or specific deliverables. Line items describe what was delivered and at what cost.
• Hourly billing invoice: Time-based billing where line items pull from tracked hours. Shows description, hours, rate, and total per activity.
• Ad spend reimbursement: Pass-through billing for advertising costs paid on behalf of clients. Typically separate from service fees for clarity.

Retainer invoice structure

• Invoice date and number: Automatic sequencing for record keeping
• Billing period: "Social Media Management - February 2026" or similar
• Service description: What's included in the retainer
• Retainer amount: Monthly fee as agreed in contract
• Payment terms: Due date based on your standard terms
• Payment methods: Buttons or links to pay via card/bank

Project invoice structure

• Project reference: Campaign name or project identifier
• Line items: Each deliverable with description and amount
• Subtotal and total: Clear math showing what's owed
• Contract reference: Link to original agreement if applicable

Template proven methods

• Reference contract terms for clarity when billing matches agreement
• Use clear service descriptions that clients recognize
• Make payment methods prominent and easy to use
• Keep design professional but efficient, clients need information, not decoration
• Include your contact info for billing questions

Invoice templates encode your billing standards. Build once, use repeatedly. Consistent, professional invoicing without reformatting every month.

How to migrate invoicing to Plutio

Migration from another invoicing tool typically takes 2-3 hours of active work, with the best time to switch being at the start of a new billing cycle when you're sending new invoices anyway.

Step 1: Export from your current tool

Most invoicing software provides CSV export. Here's what to export from common tools:

• FreshBooks: Export clients and invoices from Reports. Download invoice history for tax records.
• Wave: Export customers and transactions from Reports section. Download any attachments you want to keep.
• QuickBooks: Export customer list and invoice history from Reports. If continuing QuickBooks for accounting, you'll connect it to Plutio rather than replacing it.

Step 2: Set up client records (30 mins)

Create client records in Plutio for your active clients. Import via CSV or create manually, for 5-15 clients, manual creation is often faster than mapping CSV fields. Include billing details: payment terms, retainer amount, billing schedule.

Step 3: Configure recurring billing (45 mins)

For each retainer client, set up their recurring invoice with correct amount, template, and billing date. Schedule invoices to start next billing cycle. Setting up recurring billing correctly is the most important step, get recurring billing right and future months handle themselves.

Step 4: Connect payment processing (20 mins)

Link Stripe and/or PayPal. If you're keeping the same payment processors, clients pay the same way, just through your new system. Test with a small transaction to verify connection works.

Step 5: Decide on historical data

You have two options for past invoices:

• Start fresh: Keep old tool accessible (read-only) for historical reference. Use Plutio for all new invoices. Simplest approach.
• Import history: Some historical context can be imported via CSV. Typically unnecessary, you rarely reference old invoice details, and keeping the old tool read-only serves the same purpose.

Recommendation: start fresh. Historical invoices stay in your previous tool for reference. Plutio handles all future billing.

Step 6: Notify clients (optional)

If clients pay through portals, brief notification helps: "I'm upgrading our billing system. You'll receive invoices through a new portal, same great service, better experience." Most clients won't notice the change unless payment methods change.

Common migration pitfalls to avoid

• Migrating mid-cycle: Start at the beginning of a new billing period. Don't create confusion with partial month in old system, partial in new.
• Forgetting recurring setup: The whole point is automation. If you migrate clients but don't set up recurring billing, you're back to manual invoicing.
• Not testing payments: Verify payment processing works before the first real invoice sends. Test transaction saves embarrassment.

Migration is primarily about setting up recurring billing correctly. Historical data matters less than future automation. Invest time in configuring recurring invoices, then let Plutio handle monthly billing automatically.