Why businesses switch to Openn Invoice

Most businesses do not go looking for invoicing software. They switch when something starts to hurt: a tax mistake, a customer who paid twice because nobody checked, an evening lost to a spreadsheet. That is true for a plumber in Leeds, a studio in Austin, a freelancer in Berlin, an agency in Dubai and a shop in Pune. Here are the reasons businesses give for moving to Openn Invoice, each with the problem it fixes. And, just as honestly, who it is not for yet.

Tax worked out for 44 countries

The problem: getting the tax wrong, or looking up rules every time. Openn Invoice works out VAT, GST or sales tax for 44 countries. You pick your country, and the invoice uses its tax name, its rates and its financial year for numbering. Sell to a business in another EU country and the reverse charge is worked out. Sell abroad and the invoice is zero-rated with a line that says so.

In India it charges CGST and SGST, or IGST, based on the place of supply, puts HSN or SAC codes on each line, checks GSTINs and makes a Bill of Supply for composition dealers. In the US, sales tax depends on the state and on what you sell, so you choose the rate. Rules change and depend on your case, so your accountant stays the last word. Our checklist on what every invoice must show covers VAT, GST and sales tax.

Invoices in your client's currency

The problem: billing a client abroad by hand, with a calculator for the exchange rate. An invoice to a client in another country starts in their currency, which you can change. Your totals and reports are converted back to your own currency. From India, if you add your LUT number in Settings, export invoices carry the LUT line and the value in rupees at the rate of the invoice date. More in our guide on billing clients abroad.

A pay link and QR code on every invoice

The problem: customers who mean to pay, but have to hunt for your bank details first. Every invoice has a pay link and a QR code for the amount still due. It uses your own payment link, from Stripe, PayPal, Wise or whichever service you use. In India, rupee invoices get UPI, with the invoice number already in the payment note.

Reminders from your own WhatsApp or email, in one click

The problem: chasing by memory, and writing the same awkward message again and again. You share invoices and reminders from your own WhatsApp or your own email app, with the message already written. The wording gets clearer as an invoice gets later, but always stays polite. You choose the reminder days, and nothing is ever sent without you. The app also shows when a customer opens the invoice link. More on this in how to send an invoice on WhatsApp.

Payments matched from your bank statement, in any currency

The problem: not knowing who has actually paid. Upload your bank statement as Excel, CSV or PDF. It is read in its own currency, and each payment in is paired with its likely invoice by invoice number, amount and payer. You confirm each one. Part payments and one payment for several invoices are handled, and in India so are short payments from TDS. See how matching works.

Every feature on every plan

The problem: finding that the one thing you need is on a bigger plan. There are no feature tiers. Plans are only about how many people use the app: Starter for one person on one device, Team for up to 3, Business for up to 10, and Enterprise for more. Team and Business need a business email address. Prices are shown in your own currency on the pricing page, with the first month at an intro price, then monthly or yearly.

No lock-in

The problem: being stuck because your data is stuck. You can download all your data as CSV at any time, even after your plan ends. Nothing is deleted when a plan ends. Auto-renew can be turned off whenever you like, and the plan then stops on its last day. To be clear: payments that went through are not refunded, which is why turning off renewal is kept simple.

Plain words, and it works on your phone

The problem: software that needs an accountant to understand. Buttons say what they do, like “Yes, match” or “Not a sale”. Statuses are the ones you would use yourself: Draft, Due, Overdue, Part paid, Paid. And it is made for the phone first, so you can make an invoice and send it from the same place you run your business.

Who it is for, and who it is not for yet

A good fit if you are:

• a freelancer, studio, agency, trade or service business sending invoices every week;
• billing clients at home and abroad, and want the tax and currency handled;
• a small team where the owner, staff and your accountant each need their own login and role.

Not the right fit, or not yet, if you need:

• full accounting. There are no ledgers, payroll or stock and inventory. Keep your accounting software, or your accountant, for that. Openn Invoice gives them clean reports and CSV files.
• e-invoicing with an IRN, or e-way bills, in India. These are not connected yet. E-invoicing is only required above a turnover limit, so many businesses do not need it today. Check with your CA if you are near it.
• the app in a language other than English. Other languages are planned, not ready yet.

The short version

• VAT, GST or sales tax worked out for 44 countries, with India's GST done in full.
• Invoices in your client's currency, converted back to yours in reports.
• A pay link and QR code on every invoice, UPI in India.
• Invoices and reminders sent from your own WhatsApp or email, in one click, never automatically.
• Payments matched from your bank statement, in any currency, with you confirming each one.
• Every feature on every plan, and your data is always yours to download.
• Not accounting software, no India IRN e-invoicing yet, and English only for now.