How to Create and Send Invoices with Wave (Free Step-by-Step Guide for 2026)

Go to waveapps.com and click 'Sign Up Free.' All you need is an email address and a password — no credit card, no trial period. Wave's core invoicing, customer management, and basic accounting features are completely free forever. Once registered, log in through your browser or download the free Wave app on iOS or Android if you prefer working from your phone. After logging in, you'll land on the main dashboard. Look at the left-hand menu and find 'Sales & Payments,' then click 'Invoices.' On mobile, tap 'Sales' then 'Invoices.' Before creating your first invoice, take 5 minutes to set up your business profile. Go to Settings > Business Settings and fill in your business name, address, phone number, and upload your logo. Also set your brand colors here. Every invoice you create will automatically pull this information, so it's worth doing now to look polished from day one. If you want clients to pay you directly from the invoice, this is also the time to connect a payment method. Go to Settings > Payments and connect Stripe for credit card payments or set up ACH bank transfers. Enabling payments upfront can cut your average payment wait time nearly in half because clients can pay with one click rather than writing a check.

From the Invoices section, click the blue 'Create an invoice' button on desktop, or tap the '+' icon on mobile. A blank invoice form will open. The first thing to fill in is the customer field at the top. Click 'Add a customer' and either select an existing contact or create a new one by entering their full name, email address, phone number, and billing address. Wave saves this contact automatically, so you won't need to re-enter it next time. Next, check the invoice number field. Wave auto-generates sequential numbers like INV-0001, INV-0002, and so on. You can edit this if needed, but keeping the auto-numbering is recommended for easy tracking. Set the invoice date — it defaults to today, which is usually correct. Then set the due date. For most freelancers, 15 to 30 days is standard. You'll also see optional fields for a P.O. number or S.O. number — fill these in only if your client requires them for their purchasing process. There's also a title field where you can write something like 'Web Design Services — March 2026 Project' to make the invoice immediately recognizable. Below that, a notes field lets you add a short message or project context. Always double-check the client's email address before moving forward — a wrong email means a lost invoice and a delayed payment.

Scroll down to the line items section and click 'Add item.' Here you'll describe what you're charging for. Fill in the item name (e.g., 'Logo Design'), a short description (e.g., 'Custom branding package with 3 revision rounds'), the quantity (e.g., 1), and the unit price (e.g., $500.00). Wave multiplies quantity by unit price automatically and updates the subtotal in real time. If you've already set up products and services under the Products & Services section, you can search and select them here — Wave fills in the saved price automatically. For multiple services, click 'Add item' again for each one. To add taxes, click the tax field next to any line item. If you haven't created a tax rate yet, you can do it right here — click 'Add a tax,' name it (e.g., 'Sales Tax'), and enter the percentage (e.g., 8.25%). Wave calculates and applies it instantly. You can apply different tax rates to different line items if needed. To offer a discount, look for the discount option on each line item and enter either a percentage (e.g., 10% early payment discount) or a fixed dollar amount (e.g., $50 off). At the bottom of the invoice, add payment terms in the notes field, such as: 'Payment due within 15 days. Late fee of 1.5% per month applies after the due date.' This sets clear expectations and reduces payment disputes.

Before sending, make sure your invoice looks the way you want. Go to Settings > Invoice Templates to access the full design editor. Here you can upload your business logo if you haven't already, choose brand colors for the header and accents, select a font (Arial and Helvetica are easy to read on both screen and print), and toggle on or off optional fields like purchase order numbers, shipping address, or notes. You can save multiple templates — for example, one labeled 'Freelance Clients' and another called 'Corporate Clients' with different layouts or terms. Set one as your default so it loads automatically on every new invoice. Once your template is saved, go back to your invoice and click the preview button to see a full-screen view of exactly what your client will receive. Check that your logo is sharp and correctly positioned, all totals are accurate, and the layout looks clean on both desktop and mobile. A common beginner mistake is skipping this step and sending a poorly formatted invoice that looks unfinished. It takes just 2 minutes to preview but makes a significant difference in how professional you appear. If you have Wave's Pro Plan ($16/month), you can also attach files like signed contracts or project briefs directly to the invoice.

If you bill the same client regularly — for example, a monthly retainer, weekly service, or subscription — you don't need to recreate the invoice from scratch each time. Wave has a built-in recurring invoices feature that automates this entirely. On your invoice draft, look for the 'Make this a recurring invoice' toggle or option and click it. Set the frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually), the start date, and optionally an end date or a total number of occurrences. You can choose whether Wave sends the recurring invoice automatically to the client on the scheduled date or just creates a draft for you to review first. The second option is useful if your amounts vary slightly each period. Once set up, Wave handles the scheduling for you. You'll get a notification when each recurring invoice is sent or when it's due for review. This feature is especially valuable for freelancers with ongoing clients because it eliminates the risk of forgetting to invoice — which is a surprisingly common and costly mistake. Recurring invoices also keep your income records clean and consistent in Wave's reporting dashboard, making tax time much simpler.

Once your invoice looks right, click the 'Send invoice' button. A dialog box will open where you can compose the email your client receives. The default message is fine, but personalizing it takes 30 seconds and improves open rates. Try something like: 'Hi [Client Name], thank you for working with me on this project! Please find your invoice attached. You can pay securely online using the button below. Feel free to reach out with any questions.' Wave sends the email from its system with your business name in the sender field, and the email includes a branded copy of the invoice plus a prominent 'Pay Now' button if you have online payments enabled. After sending, your invoice status on the dashboard changes from 'Draft' to 'Sent.' As your client views and pays it, the status updates automatically to 'Viewed' and then 'Paid.' If the due date passes without payment, it switches to 'Overdue.' You can also skip email and download the invoice as a PDF instead — useful for clients who prefer receiving invoices through their own purchasing portals or if you need to attach it to another system. To download, click the three-dot menu on the invoice and select 'Download PDF.'

Your Invoices dashboard is your real-time command center. It shows every invoice organized by status: Draft, Sent, Viewed, Paid, and Overdue. At a glance you can see how much you're owed, what's been paid this month, and which clients need a follow-up. When a client pays online through Stripe or ACH, Wave automatically marks the invoice as paid and records the transaction in your accounting books — no manual entry needed. For clients who pay by check, cash, or bank transfer outside of Wave, you need to record the payment manually. Open the invoice, click 'Record payment,' enter the amount, payment date, and method (e.g., Check), and save. Wave updates the invoice status and logs the income to your accounts. For partial payments — for example, a 50% deposit — use the same 'Record payment' button but enter only the partial amount. The invoice will show as partially paid with the remaining balance clearly displayed. Check your dashboard weekly to catch overdue invoices early. For invoices more than 14 days overdue, consider sending a personal email in addition to Wave's automated reminders. The Invoices report under Reports > Sales shows your payment trends over time, useful for spotting seasonal cash flow patterns.