Invoice Ninja Alternative: Due On Time vs Invoice Ninja
Invoice Ninja is a full invoicing suite with a free plan, native apps and a free self-hosted version. Due On Time is a simpler alternative with a similar price: Starter is $12 a month against Invoice Ninja Pro at $14, and both add automatic reminders on the paid plan. Pick Invoice Ninja for features; pick Due On Time for a shorter setup and a no-account invoice builder.
Invoice Ninja facts checked on 2 November 2026 on Invoice Ninja's own website; sources are listed below. Prices and features change, so check their site before you decide.
Invoice Ninja vs Due On Time at a glance
| Invoice Ninja | Due On Time | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; Pro $14/month or $140/year; Enterprise from $18/month (1–2 users) | Free plan; Starter $12/month ($120/year); Pro $27/month ($264/year) |
| Free plan | Yes: 5 clients, unlimited invoices, no automatic reminders, Invoice Ninja branding. Self-hosting is free | Yes: unlimited invoices and PDF downloads, up to 3 clients, no email sending. Free invoice generator with no sign-up. |
| Trial | No trial; 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans | 7 days on Starter, card needed |
| Card payment fee | Your own gateway account (Stripe, PayPal, Square and many others); the fee can be passed to the client | Stripe's own fees for your country, paid from your Stripe account; Due On Time adds 0% |
| Automatic payment reminders | Pro and up: 3 reminders before or after the due date, plus an endless repeating reminder | Yes, by email after the due date: up to 3 per invoice on Starter, unlimited on Pro |
| Automatic late fees | Yes, a flat amount or a percent, set on each reminder | Yes, on Pro: flat or a percent of the unpaid balance, once or repeating, with an optional cap |
| Recurring invoices | Yes, all plans, with auto-billing | Yes, weekly to yearly, on Starter and Pro (no automatic card charge) |
| Quotes, projects, time and expenses | Yes | No (expense receipts only) |
| Currencies | Multi-currency with exchange rates | 15 currencies |
| Apps | iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and Linux | No app; works in the phone browser |
What is Invoice Ninja?
Invoice Ninja is invoicing software for freelancers and small businesses, hosted or self-hosted, with quotes, projects, time and expense tracking, a client portal and many payment gateways. The self-hosted version is source-available under the Elastic License 2.0.
Where Invoice Ninja is better
- Far more features: quotes with e-signature, projects, time and expense tracking, a client portal and reports.
- Many payment gateways, auto-billing on recurring invoices, and the option to pass the card fee to the client.
- Native apps on five platforms, a free self-hosted version, and bank sync and PEPPOL e-invoicing on Enterprise.
- Reminders can go before the due date, and the free plan allows 5 clients against Due On Time's 3.
Where Due On Time is better
- A slightly lower price for paid features: $12 a month ($120 a year) against $14 ($140).
- A free invoice generator that needs no account at all.
- Fewer settings: send an invoice, pick a reminder schedule, and you are done.
- Pay now runs on your own Stripe account with no Due On Time fee on top.
Should you choose Invoice Ninja or Due On Time?
Pick Invoice Ninja if you want an all-in-one tool with quotes, time tracking, many gateways or self-hosting, and you do not mind setting it up.
Pick Due On Time if you want invoices, reminders and online payments working in a few minutes, with nothing else to learn.
Read how automatic reminders, recurring invoices and Pay now work.
Frequently asked questions
Is Invoice Ninja free?
Its hosted Free plan allows 5 clients and unlimited invoices but no automatic reminders, and the self-hosted version is free. Pro is $14 a month or $140 a year.
Is Invoice Ninja open source?
Not any more. Invoice Ninja says it moved to the Elastic License 2.0, which is source-available: you can read and self-host the code, under the conditions of that licence.
What is a simpler alternative to Invoice Ninja?
Due On Time: send invoices, track opens, send automatic reminders and take card payments through your own Stripe account, from $12 a month. It has no quotes module, time tracking or apps.
Do both add late fees automatically?
Yes. Invoice Ninja sets a late fee on each reminder; Due On Time adds them on Pro, flat or a percent, once or repeating, with an optional cap.
Sources
All checked on 2 November 2026.