TLDR (Summary)
The best invoicing software for virtual assistants is Plutio ($19/month).
VAs juggle multiple clients with different billing arrangements: retainers, hourly work, project-based fees. Plutio handles all three while connecting invoicing to time tracking, so your logged hours flow directly to invoice line items without copying from spreadsheets.
You get branded invoices, automatic payment reminders, recurring billing for retainer clients, and online payment through Stripe and PayPal. Clients pay through their portal and you see payment status update in real time.
Research shows 64% of deal with late payments. Automated reminders and easy online payment cut that number significantly.
For additional strategies, read our freelance pricing guide.
What is invoicing software for virtual assistants?
Invoicing software for virtual assistants creates professional bills, tracks payment status, sends automatic reminders, and connects billing to your tracked work hours.
The distinction matters: spreadsheets and basic templates create invoices, but they don't track whether clients paid, remind them when they're late, or connect to the hours you logged. VA-focused invoicing handles the complete billing cycle from tracked time to collected payment.
What VA invoicing software actually does
Core functions include creating branded invoices with your logo and terms, tracking which invoices are sent, viewed, paid, or overdue, sending automatic reminders before and after due dates, accepting online payments through credit cards and bank transfers, and generating recurring invoices for retainer clients. The best tools also convert tracked hours directly into invoice line items.
Standalone invoicing vs integrated platforms
Tools like FreshBooks ($17-55/month) and Wave (free) handle invoicing as a standalone function. You enter client details, create line items manually, and send the bill. Integrated platforms like Plutio connect invoicing to time tracking, client records, and project management. When you track 8 hours on a client's tasks, those hours appear as a ready-to-send invoice without manual data entry.
What makes VA invoicing different
Virtual assistants bill in ways that generic invoicing doesn't handle well. You might have one client on a $2,000 monthly retainer, another who pays hourly for 15 hours a week, and a third who hired you for a one-time project. Each needs different invoice structures, different payment terms, and different reminder sequences.
VAs also work with multiple clients simultaneously, often tracking time across 5-10 different accounts in the same week. When invoice day arrives, you need to separate those hours by client, apply the right rates, and send accurate bills without spending your entire afternoon on admin work.
When invoicing connects to time tracking and client records, the manual work of creating bills disappears. Your tracked hours become invoice line items automatically, and payment status stays visible without chasing information across different apps.
Why virtual assistants need invoicing software
VAs who grow beyond a handful of clients face a compounding problem: billing gets more complex with each new client, and manual invoicing doesn't scale.
When you have three clients, you can remember who pays when, create invoices in a spreadsheet, and track payments in memory. When you have eight clients with different billing cycles, rates, and retainer arrangements, that manual approach breaks down.
The late payment problem
According to FreshBooks research, 64% of experience late payments. For VAs specifically, late payments create cash flow problems that affect your ability to cover your own bills. When you're waiting on $4,000 across three clients, you can't pay your rent with "payment pending" status.
The research also shows that invoices with payment links get paid 14 days than invoices without. Automatic reminders reduce late payments by a similar margin. Both features require invoicing software, not spreadsheets.
The time tracking disconnect
Most VAs track time in one tool and create invoices in another. At the end of the week or month, you export your time entries, open invoicing tool, and manually enter each line item. For a VA billing 8 different clients for 25-30 hours each, that transfer process takes 1-2 hours every billing cycle.
Worse, manual transfer introduces errors. You might miss a 45-minute call, round hours wrong, or apply the incorrect rate. When clients question charges, the search turns into digging through time logs to verify accuracy instead of doing billable work.
The multiple billing arrangements problem
VA billing rarely follows one pattern. Client A pays a flat monthly retainer. Client B pays hourly and wants detailed time breakdowns. Client C bought a 20-hour block upfront and wants to see remaining hours. Each arrangement needs different invoice formats, different line item structures, and different tracking.
Without software that handles multiple billing models, you're creating each invoice from scratch or maintaining multiple templates that drift out of sync.
The scaling tipping point
Most VAs hit a breaking point around 6-8 active clients where manual invoicing becomes untenable. At that volume, billing day consumes an entire afternoon. Miss a deadline and you're chasing payments while also trying to deliver work. The admin overhead starts eating into the time you could bill.
Invoicing software absorbs the billing work that grows with each client. Automatic reminders chase payments, time tracking integration creates accurate bills, and recurring invoices handle retainers without monthly setup.
Invoicing features virtual assistants need
The essential invoicing features for VAs handle different billing arrangements while connecting to time tracking and automating payment collection.
Core invoicing features
- Branded templates: Your logo, colors, and payment terms on every invoice. Professional presentation that matches your other client communications.
- Multiple payment methods: Accept credit cards through Stripe (2.9% + $0.30), PayPal, or bank transfers. The more options you offer, the faster clients pay.
- Automatic reminders: Send reminders 3 days before due, on due date, and 7 days after. Clients get nudged without you drafting follow-up emails.
- Payment tracking: See which invoices are draft, sent, viewed, paid, or overdue. Know instantly which clients owe money.
- Recurring invoices: Schedule monthly invoices for retainer clients. They generate and send automatically on the date you set.
- Partial payments: Accept deposits upfront or split large invoices into installments. Track what's paid versus what's owed.
VA-specific features
- Time-to-invoice conversion: Select tracked hours and convert them directly to invoice line items. Descriptions, durations, and rates pull automatically without copying.
- Multiple rate support: Bill different clients at different rates, or bill different task types at different rates for the same client.
- Retainer billing: Create flat-fee monthly invoices that cover agreed hours. Track used versus remaining hours against the retainer.
- Hour block tracking: Sell prepaid hour packages and track usage. When hours run low, clients can see their balance and buy more.
- Detailed time breakdowns: Include task-by-task time entries on invoices so clients see exactly what they're paying for.
Platform features that multiply value
- Client portals: Clients view invoices, see payment history, and pay directly through a branded portal. No email attachments or PDF hunting.
- White-label branding: Custom domain, logo, and colors. Clients see your brand, not the software vendor's.
- Accounting integration: Sync with QuickBooks or Xero so your bookkeeper sees payments without manual entry.
- Mobile access: Create invoices, check payment status, and respond to client questions from your phone.
The deciding factor for VAs is time tracking integration. When logged hours flow to invoices automatically, billing day goes from a 2-hour process to a 15-minute task.
Invoicing software pricing for virtual assistants
Invoicing software for VAs typically costs $0-55/month for standalone tools, with the true cost depending on whether you need additional tools for time tracking and client management.
What virtual assistants typically pay
- FreshBooks: $17-55/month. Strong invoicing and time tracking. Limited client management and no client portals on lower tiers.
- Wave: Free invoicing. Paid features for payment processing (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). No time tracking integration.
- QuickBooks: $30-200/month. Full accounting software, which may be more than VAs need. Strong invoicing but not designed for service businesses.
- HoneyBook: $19-79/month. Designed for creative businesses. Includes contracts and proposals but limited time tracking.
If you use free Wave for invoicing but need separate tools for time tracking ($10-20/month) and client management ($15-30/month), your total cost reaches $25-50/month anyway.
Plutio pricing (February 2026)
- Core: $19/month: Unlimited invoicing, time tracking, contracts, proposals, projects, and client portals. Up to 9 active clients.
- Pro: $49/month: Unlimited clients, 30 contributors, advanced permissions.
- Max: $199/month: Unlimited team, full white-label with custom domain, single sign-on.
The ROI calculation for VAs
- Time saved on billing: If automated invoicing saves 4 hours monthly and you bill $40/hour, that's $160/month in recovered time.
- Faster payment collection: Getting paid 14 days earlier on $4,000 monthly billings improves cash flow by over $2,000 annually.
- Reduced late payments: If automatic reminders cut late payments from 60% to 30%, less time goes to chasing money.
- Accurate billing: Time tracking integration catches hours you'd otherwise forget to bill. Even 1 extra hour per month at $40 covers a significant portion of the software cost.
Invoicing software ROI comes from faster payment, time saved on admin, and accurate billing that captures all your work. At $19/month, the math works out fast.
Why Plutio is the best invoicing for virtual assistants
Plutio handles invoicing as part of a complete platform where time tracking, client management, contracts, and projects work together. Your tracked hours become invoices without copying data between apps.
Time tracking to invoicing in one click
When you track time on client tasks throughout the week, those entries sit ready for billing. Select the time entries you want to invoice, click "Create Invoice," and Plutio generates line items with the task description, duration, and rate already filled in. No copying from time logs, no manual calculations, no wondering if you captured everything.
Handles retainers and hourly simultaneously
Set up Client A on a $2,500 monthly retainer that invoices automatically on the 1st. Track hourly time for Client B and bill weekly. Create project-based invoices for Client C with deposit and final payment. Plutio handles all three without switching tools or maintaining separate templates.
Recurring invoices for predictable billing
Retainer clients get invoiced automatically. Set the amount, due date, and payment terms once. The invoice generates and sends on schedule without you remembering to do it. Clients can set up auto-pay through the portal so the whole cycle runs without either of you taking action.
Automatic payment reminders
Configure reminders at intervals that work for you: 3 days before due, on the due date, 7 days overdue, 14 days overdue. Clients get professional reminder emails without you drafting messages or tracking who needs a nudge.
Client portals for payment access
Clients log into their branded portal to see all invoices, payment history, and outstanding balances. They pay directly through the portal with one click. No more clients asking for invoice copies or claiming they never received the bill.
Multiple payment options
Connect Stripe for credit card payments, PayPal for clients who prefer it, and bank transfer for larger amounts. Offering multiple options removes friction that delays payment. Processing fees (2.9% + $0.30 typical) are standard across platforms.
Deposit collection and milestone billing
Request 50% upfront before starting work. Split project payments across milestones. Track partial payments against the total. When clients pay a deposit, the remaining balance updates automatically.
White-label branding
Invoices show your logo, colors, and business details. With Max plan, use your own domain (invoices.yourbusiness.com) and remove all Plutio branding. Clients experience your business, not third-party software.
Mobile invoicing
Create invoices, check payment status, and send reminders from the Plutio mobile app. When a client pays, you get a notification on your phone. No need to be at your desk to manage billing.
Everything connects: time you track appears on invoices, invoices link to client records, and payment status shows across your dashboard. One platform handles the complete billing cycle.
How to set up invoicing in Plutio
Setting up invoicing in Plutio takes 1-2 hours for initial configuration, then 5-10 minutes per invoice after your templates and payment processing are connected.
Step 1: Configure business details (15 minutes)
Add your business name, address, logo, and default payment terms (Net-15 or Net-30 are common). Set your default hourly rate and currency. These appear on all invoices unless you override them for specific clients.
Step 2: Connect payment processing (15 minutes)
Link your Stripe account to accept credit cards. Add PayPal if you want to offer it as an alternative. Both integrations take a few minutes and require signing into your existing payment accounts. Test with a small payment to yourself to verify everything works.
Step 3: Create invoice templates (30-60 minutes)
Build 2-3 templates for your common billing scenarios:
- Retainer invoice: Flat monthly fee, recurring on a set date. "Monthly VA Services - [Month] [Year]" with your standard retainer terms.
- Hourly invoice: Time-based billing with detailed breakdown. Includes task descriptions and hours for each line item.
- Project invoice: Fixed price for defined deliverables. May include deposit/final payment split.
Step 4: Set up automatic reminders (10 minutes)
Configure when reminders send: 3 days before due, on due date, 1 week overdue. Customize the reminder email template if you want specific language. let automatic reminders globally or per client.
Step 5: Create your first real invoice
Pick a current client and create an invoice for actual work. If After tracking time, convert those entries to line items. Send the invoice and watch the process: delivery notification, viewed notification, payment notification. Real usage reveals any setup gaps.
Common setup mistakes to avoid
- Skipping payment testing: Process a small test payment before relying on the integration for real invoices.
- Overcomplicating templates: Start simple. Add complexity after you've sent a few invoices and know what you actually need.
- Not setting up reminders: Automatic reminders are the single biggest time-saver. Configure them during initial setup.
Start with your highest-volume billing scenario. Get that working smoothly, then add templates for edge cases as they come up.
Invoice templates for virtual assistants
Different VA billing arrangements need different invoice structures. Build templates for your common scenarios so invoicing day takes minutes instead of hours.
Retainer invoice template
For clients paying a flat monthly fee:
- Line item: "Monthly Retainer - [Month] [Year]"
- Amount: Flat fee (e.g., $2,500)
- Description: Brief summary of included services
- Schedule: Recurring on the 1st of each month
- Payment terms: Due on receipt or Net-7
Some VAs include hours used versus hours included as a note, even though the fee is flat. Including hours shows value without changing the billing amount.
Hourly invoice template
For clients paying based on tracked time:
- Line items: Individual tasks with descriptions and hours
- Rate: Your hourly rate applied to each entry
- Total: Sum of all line items
- Detail level: Enough that clients understand what they're paying for
- Schedule: Weekly or monthly depending on client preference
Plutio can auto-generate these from time entries. Select the week's tracked time, click create invoice, and line items populate automatically.
Project invoice template
For one-time projects with defined deliverables:
- Line items: Deliverables or project phases
- Amounts: Fixed prices per deliverable
- Payment split: 50% deposit, 50% on completion (common)
- Terms: Define what triggers final payment
Hour block invoice template
For clients who prepay for hours:
- Line item: "20-Hour Block" (or whatever you sell)
- Amount: Block price (often discounted versus hourly)
- Terms: Expiration if applicable
- Note: Current balance if topping up
Template proven methods
- Include clear payment instructions
- Show your payment methods prominently
- Keep descriptions client-friendly (not internal jargon)
- Include your contact info for questions
Templates encode your billing standards. Build them once, apply with one click, and maintain consistency across all your clients.
Client portals for virtual assistants: invoice access
Client portals give your VA clients one place to see invoices, pay online, and access payment history without emailing you for copies.
Invoice viewing through portals
When an invoice goes out, it appears in the client's portal automatically. They can view current invoices, see what's due, and access past invoices anytime. No more "Can you resend that invoice from March?" emails.
One-click payment
Clients pay directly from the invoice view in their portal. Click the pay button, choose payment method, done. If they've saved a card for previous payments, it's even faster. Reducing friction between "I should pay this" and "paid" means you get paid faster.
Payment history
Clients see their complete payment record: what they've paid, when, and by what method. Useful for their own bookkeeping and eliminates "Did I pay that?" questions. Receipts generate automatically for each payment.
Outstanding balance visibility
The portal shows total outstanding balance across all unpaid invoices. Clients with multiple invoices see the complete picture. Some VAs find this encourages clients to pay everything at once rather than leaving small amounts outstanding.
White-label experience
The portal shows your branding: your logo, your colors, your domain (with Max plan). Clients experience your business directly, which reinforces professional perception and trust.
Self-service reduces admin
Every time a client finds their own invoice in the portal instead of emailing you, that's 5-10 minutes of your time saved. Across a year of billing, self-service portal access saves hours of admin work answering routine questions.
Portals transform invoicing from email-based document exchange to professional self-service. Clients get better access while you handle fewer billing inquiries.
How to migrate invoicing to Plutio
Migrating invoicing typically takes 2-4 hours of active work. The best time to switch is at the start of a billing cycle when you don't have outstanding invoices in your old system.
Step 1: Export from your current tool
Most invoicing software provides data export. What to export:
- FreshBooks: Export client list and invoice history from Reports. Download important documents manually if you need archives.
- Wave: Export transactions and client data from Accounting section. Invoice history exports as CSV.
- QuickBooks: Export customer list and transaction history from Reports. Can be more complex due to accounting depth.
- Spreadsheets: Export or save as CSV for client records. Invoice PDFs you've sent are already in your email.
Step 2: Set up Plutio invoicing (1-2 hours)
Follow the setup steps: business details, payment processing, invoice templates, automatic reminders. Build templates that match your current billing patterns rather than starting from scratch.
Step 3: Import client data (30 minutes)
Upload your client CSV to Plutio. Map fields (name, email, company, rate). For clients with active retainers, set up their recurring invoice schedules. For hourly clients, just create their records.
Step 4: Handle in-progress invoices
If you have outstanding invoices in your old system, let them complete there. Don't try to migrate partially paid invoices. New invoices go through Plutio; old invoices finish where they started.
Step 5: Communicate with clients (optional)
Some VAs send a brief note: "I'm upgrading my invoicing system. Your next invoice will come from a new platform and you'll have a client portal to access invoices and pay online." Most clients don't need this, but high-touch clients appreciate the heads-up.
Step 6: Phase out old tool
Once all outstanding invoices from your old system are paid (typically 30-60 days), cancel that subscription. Keep exported records for your files.
Common migration pitfalls
- Switching mid-invoice cycle: Wait until after you've sent this month's invoices. Migrate at the start of next billing cycle.
- Not testing payment processing: Process a real test payment before sending client invoices through the new system.
- Trying to migrate history: Focus on going forward. Historical invoices live in your old tool or your email archives.
The investment in migration pays back on every future invoice. Faster creation, automatic reminders, and integrated time tracking save hours monthly.
