Pronto Invoice vs Invoice Ninja

We’re Pronto Invoice, so naturally we think our product is the better choice. But this comparison is different from most of our competitor pages — because Invoice Ninja is genuinely impressive.

Invoice Ninja is an open-source invoicing platform that can be self-hosted for free with all features unlocked, or used as a cloud service starting at $10/month. It includes time tracking, project management, Kanban boards, and connects to 40+ payment gateways. It’s built by developers, for people who appreciate control and flexibility.

Pronto Invoice takes a fundamentally different approach: AI-powered invoice creation, a mobile-first offline experience, and a focus on speed for field service professionals who need to invoice on the go. Less configurability, more “get it done in 15 seconds.”

This comparison lays out exactly where each platform excels — so you can choose the one that fits your workflow.

Pricing Comparison

Both platforms offer free tiers, but they work very differently.

Pronto Invoice Pricing

Invoice Ninja Pricing

What the Numbers Mean

If you can self-host: Invoice Ninja wins on price. Full stop. You get every feature for $0/month — forever. The trade-off is you need technical knowledge to set up, secure, and maintain a server (Laravel + MySQL/PostgreSQL). If that sounds natural to you, it’s hard to argue against free.

If you want cloud hosting: Pronto Invoice Growth at $12/month vs. Invoice Ninja Pro at $10/month. The $2/month difference gets you AI invoice creation, QuickBooks sync, SMS delivery, and payment reminders that Invoice Ninja doesn’t include.

Payment processing: Neither platform marks up your payment processing fees. Both let you connect your own payment gateway and pay your negotiated rate directly. Invoice Ninja supports 40+ gateways; Pronto Invoice supports Stripe, PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, ACH, cash, and check.

Where Pronto Invoice Wins

AI-Powered Invoice Creation

This is the core differentiator. Pronto Invoice’s Smart AI lets you create invoices by typing (or dictating) what you need in plain language:

• “Invoice John Smith $500 for plumbing repair”
• “Bill ABC Corp for 3 hours electrical work at $85/hour”
• “New invoice for Sarah Chen, website design, $3,000”

The AI handles client matching, item suggestions from your catalog, tax calculations, and document assembly. Repeat clients with saved items take under 15 seconds.

Invoice Ninja uses traditional form-based creation with a comprehensive but complex interface. There are more fields, more options, and more configuration — which is powerful for users who want control, but slower for users who want speed.

For a contractor finishing a job at a client’s house, the difference between 15 seconds (AI) and 2+ minutes (forms) adds up across hundreds of invoices per year.

Learn more about Smart AI Assistance

True Offline-First Mobile Experience

Pronto Invoice was built mobile-first — the phone app isn’t a companion to a desktop platform. It IS the product.

• Full offline support. Create invoices, add clients, manage items, and preview PDFs with no internet connection. Everything syncs when you reconnect.
• One-handed operation. Navigation and primary actions designed for thumb reach.
• Sub-2-second launch. Fully native iOS (SwiftUI) and Android (Jetpack Compose) apps.
• Voice input. Dictate invoices in the field with dirty or gloved hands.

Invoice Ninja has mobile apps (built with Flutter), but they function as companions to the web platform rather than standalone tools. The cloud version requires an active internet connection for all operations.

Explore the Mobile App

QuickBooks Integration

Pronto Invoice offers native QuickBooks Online sync on the Growth plan ($12/month). Invoices, clients, payments, and items stay synchronized in real time. For businesses that rely on QuickBooks for accounting, this eliminates double-entry.

Invoice Ninja has limited native QuickBooks support. Most users connect the two via third-party tools like Zapier, which adds complexity and potential sync delays.

SMS Invoice Delivery

Pronto Invoice lets you send invoices via text message (Growth plan, $12/month). For field service professionals, SMS gets faster responses than email — clients often open texts within minutes. Invoice Ninja delivers invoices via email and client portal links.

Where Invoice Ninja Might Be Better

We believe in honest comparisons. Invoice Ninja has genuine, significant advantages in several areas:

Self-Hosting and Data Ownership

This is Invoice Ninja’s strongest card. The entire platform is open-source under the Elastic License 2.0. You can download it, install it on your own server, and run it indefinitely with all features — for free. You own your data completely. No vendor lock-in. No monthly fees. No feature gates.

For technically inclined users or businesses with strict data residency requirements, this is a major advantage that Pronto Invoice simply cannot match. Pronto Invoice is cloud-only.

Time Tracking and Project Management

Invoice Ninja includes built-in time tracking with Kanban boards, task management, and project organization. You can track time, organize tasks into projects, and convert tracked hours directly into invoices. Pronto Invoice does not offer time tracking or project management.

If your workflow involves tracking billable hours across multiple projects, Invoice Ninja provides a more integrated solution.

Payment Gateway Breadth

Invoice Ninja supports 40+ payment gateways — including regional processors, cryptocurrency options, and specialized B2B payment platforms. Pronto Invoice supports Stripe, PayPal, and manual payment methods (Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, ACH, cash, check). If you need a specific regional or niche payment processor, Invoice Ninja likely supports it.

Advanced Customization

Invoice Ninja offers deep customization: custom fields, workflow automations, and extensive API access. The open-source nature means developers can modify the platform itself. Pronto Invoice offers customization within its defined feature set but is less configurable overall.

What Real Users Say

Pronto Invoice Users

“I can invoice customers before I leave their driveway. The AI just gets it.” — Mike R., Plumbing Contractor

“Finally an invoicing app that works without cell service. Half my jobs are in basements or rural properties.” — Dave T., Electrician

What Invoice Ninja Users Say

“Best open-source invoicing solution out there. Self-hosted, free, and it does everything I need.” — Forum review

“Great feature set but the mobile app feels secondary to the web version. I mostly use it on my laptop.” — App Store review

“Love the flexibility and gateway support. The learning curve is steep but worth it.” — Community review

Who Should Choose Pronto Invoice?

Contractors and Field Service Professionals

You finish jobs on-site and need to invoice immediately. AI creates invoices in seconds. Offline mode works at any job site. Speed over configurability.

• See HVAC invoice templates
• See plumbing invoice templates
• See electrical invoice templates

Non-Technical Small Business Owners

You want an invoicing app that works out of the box without configuring servers, managing databases, or learning complex interfaces. Download, set up your business info, and start invoicing.

• View pricing plans

Businesses That Need QuickBooks Sync

You rely on QuickBooks for accounting and need invoices to sync automatically. Pronto Invoice’s native integration is simpler than connecting Invoice Ninja via Zapier.

Making the Switch

Getting started with Pronto Invoice takes less than 2 minutes:

1. Download the app (iOS or Android) or sign up on the web
2. Enter your business name and email — that’s the only required setup
3. Create your first invoice using Smart AI or the guided 5-step workflow
4. Send it — via email, text, or share link

No data migration needed. Your Pronto Invoice account starts fresh, and you can build your client list and item catalog as you go.

Try it risk-free:

• Free plan: 10 invoices/month, no credit card required
• Paid plans: 14-day free trial with full access