Invoicing and contracts for freelance nomads
Invoice from your LLC — not your personal name. Bonsai if you need contracts + invoicing in one place. FreshBooks if you want proper accounting alongside invoicing. Wave if you're just starting out and want free.
Key takeaways
Use the LLC's name, EIN, and address — not your personal details. This protects liability separation.
If you bill in EUR and USD, you need a tool that handles both without manual conversion.
E-signed contracts, proposals, invoicing, and time tracking in one tool. Built for freelancers.
Full P&L reports, CPA-ready records. Right when you need proper accounting alongside invoicing.
Sending a PDF invoice from your personal email works until a client disputes a payment or your accountant needs records. Proper invoicing software takes five minutes to set up and solves three things at once: professional appearance, payment tracking, and clean records for tax time.
What to look for as a nomad
Multi-currency invoicing matters immediately — if you invoice in EUR and USD, you need a tool that handles both without manual conversion gymnastics. International payment methods (Wise, IBAN, SWIFT) should be supported alongside standard credit card options. Tax handling varies by country, so look for tools that let you configure VAT or sales tax per client without forcing a specific system on you.
Bonsai — best for freelancers who also need contracts
Bonsai is built specifically for independent freelancers and agencies. What sets it apart: client contracts are included. You can create a professional service agreement, get it e-signed, and send the first invoice — all in the same tool. For nomads working with US clients or agencies, having a signed contract protects you significantly better than a handshake deal. Try Bonsai →
It also handles project proposals, time tracking, expense tracking, and has a simple client portal. Pricing is around $17–32/month depending on plan.
FreshBooks — best if you need accounting alongside invoicing
FreshBooks is more mature and closer to full accounting software. It handles invoicing, expense tracking, time tracking, and generates P&L reports that a CPA can actually use. If you're earning over $50,000/year and want one tool that bridges invoicing and basic accounting, FreshBooks is the cleaner choice. Around $17–55/month. Try FreshBooks →
Bonsai vs FreshBooks — side by side
Contracts + invoicing in one place
- ContractsYes, e-signatures included
- InvoicingMulti-currency, auto-reminders
- AccountingBasic expense tracking
- Price$17–32/month
- Best forFreelancers with US clients
Full accounting with invoicing built in
- ContractsAdd-on only
- InvoicingProfessional, multi-currency
- AccountingP&L, CPA-ready reports
- Price$17–55/month
- Best forHigher earners needing accounting
💡 Wave for zero budget
Wave is genuinely free for invoicing and accounting basics. No monthly fee, no artificial limits on invoices. The tradeoff: no contracts, fewer integrations, and the interface is less polished. For someone just starting out under $20k/year, it works fine.
Xero — for more complex accounting needs
If you have multi-currency revenue, multiple income streams, or need a tool your accountant can access directly, Xero is the professional-grade option. It's not an invoicing tool — it's proper accounting software with invoicing built in. More powerful than FreshBooks for complex situations, steeper learning curve for simple ones. Around $15–78/month depending on plan. Try Xero →
⚠️ Invoice from your LLC, not yourself
If you have a US LLC, invoices should come from the LLC — with the LLC's name, EIN, and business address. Invoicing from your personal name undermines the legal separation and creates bookkeeping problems. Most invoicing tools let you set the company name and address separately from your personal details.
The bottom line
Bonsai if you're a freelancer who needs contracts + invoicing in one place. FreshBooks if you want invoicing + accounting without switching tools later. Xero if you have a CPA or complex multi-currency needs. Wave if you want free and simple to start.
Bonsai — freelancer contracts + invoicing
Proposals, e-signed contracts, invoicing, time tracking, and expense tracking in one place. Built for independent professionals.
Try Bonsai → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.FreshBooks — invoicing + accounting
Professional invoicing with full accounting features. P&L reports, expense tracking, and CPA-ready records. 30-day free trial.
Try FreshBooks → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.Xero — professional accounting software
Multi-currency accounting, CPA collaboration, and detailed reporting. The tool accountants actually prefer for complex LLC setups.
Try Xero → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.