Best Invoicing Software for Freelancers in Switzerland
If you work as a freelancer in Switzerland, there is one task you cannot avoid: writing invoices. Since the QR-bill fully replaced the old payment slips, a quick PDF exported from Word often no longer cuts it — your clients (and above all their banks) expect a compliant Swiss QR Code on every invoice.
The good news: there is a suitable solution for every budget and every way of working. The bad news: the market is hard to compare. This guide walks through the main options — honestly, drawbacks included.
Why the QR-bill changes everything
The QR-bill has been the standard for Swiss payments since October 2022. All payment information — IBAN, amount, reference number, sender and recipient — is packed into a machine-readable QR code. For your clients, paying you means scanning the invoice with their phone, confirming, done.
For you as a freelancer, the conclusion is simple: a tool that cannot generate a compliant QR-bill is practically useless in Switzerland. That is the first box any solution has to tick.
The main options in detail
gratisrechnung.ch — free and fastest for occasional invoices
gratisrechnung.ch is a free Swiss QR-bill generator that works without any registration. You enter your details — or let the built-in AI assistant fill in the invoice from a short description — and get a compliant QR-bill as a PDF in under a minute.
Strengths: completely free, no account needed, very fast, AI assistance for data entry, fully QR-bill compliant.
Limitations: no client database, no recurring invoices, no accounting integration. It is deliberately a generator, not management software.
Best for: anyone who invoices only occasionally — side gigs, club work, your first freelance contracts.
Magic Heidi — built for Swiss freelancers
Magic Heidi targets sole proprietors and freelancers in Switzerland specifically. The app (web and mobile) creates QR-bills, manages clients and expenses, and helps with VAT.
Strengths: very easy to use, mobile app, tailored to Swiss needs, expense tracking included.
Limitations: paid subscription; not designed for complex company structures or teams.
Best for: full-time freelancers who invoice regularly and want one simple tool.
Bexio — the business standard for SMEs
Bexio is one of Switzerland's best-known business software suites: quotes, invoices, accounting, payroll, bank connections — all in one place.
Strengths: full accounting, fiduciary access, many integrations, recurring invoices, payment reminders.
Limitations: paid subscription with several tiers; overkill if all you need is invoicing. The learning curve takes time.
Best for: freelancers who are growing, are VAT-registered, or want to handle their bookkeeping in the same tool.
Klara — invoicing with a free entry point
Klara offers an invoicing module with a free entry tier; advanced features such as accounting or payroll come as paid add-ons.
Strengths: free entry for simple invoices, extendable with modules, Swiss provider.
Limitations: the genuinely useful features sit in the paid modules; some find the interface a bit convoluted.
Best for: freelancers who want to start small and add modules later.
Banana Accounting — the bookkeeping classic
Banana has been a Swiss staple for decades and works on the principle of an intelligent spreadsheet. QR-bills are possible, but the clear focus is on accounting.
Strengths: one-time licence instead of a subscription, very solid bookkeeping, installed locally (you keep your data).
Limitations: invoicing feels like an add-on; the interface comes across as technical and dated.
Best for: numbers-minded freelancers who primarily want accounting software and create invoices on the side.
Milkee — the lean option for the self-employed
Milkee is a newer Swiss tool for the self-employed that combines invoicing, expenses and simple bookkeeping — deliberately leaner than Bexio.
Strengths: clean interface, reasonably positioned subscription, focused on sole proprietors.
Limitations: smaller feature set and ecosystem than the established players.
Best for: freelancers who need more than a generator but less than a full SME suite.
Word and Excel templates — the classic with a catch
An invoice template in Word or Excel costs nothing and feels familiar. The problem: there is no serious way to generate a valid Swiss QR Code with it. Broken references, wrong formatting and manual typos are practically guaranteed.
Best for: honestly — hardly anyone anymore. If you want to invoice for free, a QR generator serves you far better.
Comparison at a glance
| Solution | Cost | QR-bill | Recurring invoices | Accounting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| gratisrechnung.ch | Free | Yes | No | No |
| Magic Heidi | Subscription | Yes | Yes | Basic |
| Bexio | Subscription | Yes | Yes | Full |
| Klara | Free tier + modules | Yes | Yes (paid) | Modular |
| Banana | One-time licence | Yes | Limited | Full |
| Milkee | Subscription | Yes | Yes | Basic |
| Word/Excel | Free | No | No | No |
Recommendations by freelancer type
- Occasional freelancers (a few invoices per year): gratisrechnung.ch — free, fast, compliant. A subscription simply doesn't pay off here.
- Full-time freelancers: Magic Heidi or Milkee — simple tools with client management and expense tracking.
- VAT-registered freelancers and growing businesses: Bexio — once accounting, reminders and a fiduciary connection enter the picture.
- Accounting enthusiasts allergic to subscriptions: Banana — pay once, work locally.
- The cautious: try Klara for free and add paid modules when needed.
A pragmatic path: start with the free generator and only move to a subscription once you genuinely need a client database, recurring invoices or VAT reporting.
FAQ
Do I have to issue QR-bills as a freelancer in Switzerland?
There is no legal obligation, but the old payment slips no longer exist. Without a QR code, clients have to type your bank details in by hand — it looks unprofessional and delays your payments.
Is a free tool really enough?
For occasional invoices, yes. A generator like gratisrechnung.ch produces fully compliant QR-bills. Once you need a client database, recurring invoices or bookkeeping, a subscription starts to pay off.
Do I need a tool with VAT support?
You only become liable for VAT from CHF 100,000 in annual revenue. Below that threshold, an invoice without VAT is fine — and every tool mentioned here can create one.
Can I switch tools later?
Yes. Invoices are PDFs you archive. With subscription tools, check that client and invoice data can be exported before committing long-term.