The best invoicing app for photographers in Australia is InvoiceSonic, and Invoice-Generator.com.au is the best free option if you only need the PDF. We judged eight tools on the workflow that matters most to a photography business: a deposit invoice at booking, a balance invoice before the shoot, and clear payment status on both. If you also need contracts and gallery delivery, Studio Ninja or Pixieset wins.
In a hurry? Send and track invoices free with InvoiceSonic, or download a PDF now with the free photographer invoice generator.
Quick comparison
"Deposit + balance" means a deposit (retainer) invoice and a balance invoice against the same booking; "Gallery delivery" means photos go out from the same account.
| Tool | Free plan | Deposit + balance | Partial payments | Gallery delivery | Automatic reminders | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InvoiceSonic | Yes | Yes | Yes (deposit) | No | Yes | Best overall |
| Invoice-Generator.com.au | Yes | Yes (two PDFs) | No | No | No | Best free tool |
| Studio Ninja | No (7-day trial) | Yes | Yes | Via Pic-Time / ShootProof | Yes | AU weddings |
| Pixieset Studio Manager | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (native) | Paid plans | Gallery-first studios |
| HoneyBook | No (30-day trial) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | All-in-one client flow |
| Sprout Studio | No (30-day trial) | Yes | Yes | Yes (native) | Yes | Galleries + CRM in one |
| Dubsado | Trial (3 clients) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Heavy automation |
| Square Invoices | Yes | Yes (Plus for schedules) | Yes | No | Yes | Card payments, AUD pricing |
1. InvoiceSonic — Best overall
InvoiceSonic is free invoicing software for creating and sending professional invoices from a phone or browser in under a minute, with no signup for the first invoice and no watermark. It sends, tracks payment status and chases late payers with automatic reminders, so you see at a glance that the deposit is paid and the balance is not.
For the deposit-to-balance workflow, add a percentage or fixed deposit to the booking invoice and InvoiceSonic shows the deposit paid and the balance outstanding on the same invoice; if you prefer two documents, issue a deposit invoice at booking and a balance invoice due before the shoot. Clients pay by bank transfer or PayID with no gateway to set up and a 0% InvoiceSonic transaction fee.
Pros
- Free tier with sending, tracking, recurring billing and reminders.
- Australian GST format, plus NZ, US, UK and Canadian formats.
- iPhone app, and a real person answering support email.
Cons
- No contracts, questionnaires or booking forms.
- No gallery delivery or contracts, so you still need a separate gallery tool.
Price: free, with a Pro upgrade. Best for: photographers who want invoices sent and chased for free. Try the InvoiceSonic app.
2. Invoice-Generator.com.au — Best free tool
Invoice-Generator.com.au is a 100% free generator with no signup, no watermark and no ads, and your data never leaves your browser. The photographer invoice template has an ABN field, 10% GST and a live ATO-compliance checklist. Use it when you need one clean PDF today.
For deposits, generate two PDFs with a "less deposit paid" line on the second. It does not send, track or remind, which is why InvoiceSonic sits at number one.
Pros
- Free, instant PDF, no account, nothing stored on a server.
- Photographer-specific invoice templates plus a matching quote generator for package quotes.
Cons
- No sending, payment status or automatic reminders.
- No online payments; clients pay by bank transfer from the PDF.
Price: free. Best for: photographers invoicing fewer than five clients a month.
3. Studio Ninja — Best studio suite for Australian photographers
Studio Ninja is a photography CRM founded in Melbourne by wedding photographer Chris Garbacz, priced in AUD. Every plan includes quotes, invoices, contracts, a client portal, online payments, payment schedules and reminders. The distinguishing feature is the payment schedule: one invoice set as a 25% deposit due 7 days after issue and the balance due 14 days before the job.
Pros
- Native deposit-then-balance schedules and partial payments on one invoice.
- AUD pricing, custom taxes for GST, Xero integration.
- Gallery hand-off through Pic-Time, ShootProof, Fundy and ProSelect integrations.
Cons
- No free plan; 7-day trial only.
- Starter caps you at 5 active jobs.
Price: at the time of writing, AUD $24, $36 or $53 per month (Starter, Pro, Master), 17% less on annual billing. Best for: Australian wedding photographers who want the whole booking workflow in one place.
4. Pixieset Studio Manager — Best if gallery delivery comes first
Pixieset Studio Manager adds invoices, contracts, quotes and booking to the galleries most photographers already use. The free plan includes unlimited invoices, 3 contracts and online payments. The distinguishing feature is that invoice and gallery share one client record, so payment status and delivery are one workflow.
Pros
- Free plan with unlimited invoices; galleries in the same account.
- Payment schedules set deposit and balance dates upfront; Pro collects a retainer at booking.
Cons
- Priced in USD; AU card-processing fees are not shown on the pricing page.
- Reminders and branding are paid features.
Price: free plan; at the time of writing, USD $12 or $18 per month billed annually (Plus, Pro). Best for: photographers already delivering through Pixieset galleries.
5. HoneyBook — Best all-in-one client flow
HoneyBook bundles proposals, contracts, invoices and a client portal, and is available in Australia as well as the US, Canada and UK. Payment plans split one invoice into instalments, so deposit and balance sit on one document. The distinguishing feature is a proposal that combines quote, contract and first payment in one client click.
Pros
- Payment plans, automatic reminders and a client portal on every plan.
- 30-day free trial with no credit card.
Cons
- No free plan; USD pricing.
- No gallery delivery.
- Card-processing fees on top; check the current Australian rates.
Price: at the time of writing, USD $29, $49 or $109 per month billed yearly. Best for: photographers who sell packages through proposals.
6. Sprout Studio — Best for galleries and CRM in one
Sprout Studio is a photographer-only suite with invoices, payment schedules, contracts and online galleries on every plan. The distinguishing feature is built-in gallery delivery, so no separate gallery product.
Pros
- Payment schedules and custom taxes on all plans.
- Built-in galleries: 10 active on Lite, unlimited on Pro and above.
Cons
- Priced in USD and CAD only; no AUD option shown.
- No free plan.
Price: at the time of writing, USD $24 to $89 per month across four plans. Best for: studios that want galleries, invoicing and CRM from one vendor.
7. Dubsado — Best for heavy automation
Dubsado is a general creative-business CRM with invoicing, payment plans, contracts, workflows and client portals. Its distinguishing feature is workflow depth: a booking can trigger the contract, deposit invoice and balance reminder without you touching it.
Pros
- Invoicing and payment plans on both plans.
- Free trial with no time limit, up to 3 clients.
Cons
- USD pricing, and prices rose in December 2025.
- No gallery delivery and not photography-specific.
Price: at the time of writing, USD $35 or $55 per month (USD $335 or $525 per year). Best for: established studios that want the booking workflow fully automated.
8. Square Invoices — Best for card payments with AUD pricing
Square Invoices is a free invoicing app priced in AUD, with deposit collection, unlimited invoices and automatic reminders on the free plan. Its distinguishing feature is that clients pay by card or Afterpay from the invoice itself; milestone payment schedules need Plus.
Pros
- Free plan includes deposits, recurring invoices and reminders.
- AUD pricing; 2.2% per online card payment at the time of writing.
Cons
- Card fees eat into a large wedding balance.
- Split schedules on one invoice are Plus-only.
- No gallery delivery.
Price: free plan; Plus is AUD $30 per month at the time of writing. Best for: photographers whose clients prefer paying by card.
When NOT to use InvoiceSonic or a free generator
If you need contracts, booking forms, questionnaires and gallery delivery in one place, a studio-management suite beats an invoicing app. Studio Ninja or Pixieset will run the whole booking workflow; InvoiceSonic and a free generator only handle the money side. Staff on payroll means Xero or MYOB regardless.
What to look for in an invoicing app for photographers
- Deposit and balance on the same booking. A payment schedule on one invoice, or two invoices that reference each other. See invoice payment terms in Australia for deposit percentages and due dates.
- Payment status you can see. Know the balance is paid before releasing a gallery.
- Automatic reminders. Balances due before a wedding are the invoices most likely to slip, and reminders protect cash flow.
- ATO tax invoice fields. If GST-registered: the words "Tax invoice", your identity and ABN, the date, a description of the services, the GST amount, and the buyer's identity or ABN for sales of $1,000 or more.
- Bank transfer and PayID. Card fees of 2–3% on a $4,000 wedding balance are $80–120.
- Quote to invoice conversion. The accepted package quote should become the deposit invoice. Unsure of the difference? Read invoice vs quote vs receipt.
Which one should you choose?
- If you shoot fewer than five jobs a month and just need a PDF → the free photographer invoice generator.
- If you want invoices sent, tracked and chased for free → InvoiceSonic.
- If you shoot weddings and want contracts, schedules and AUD pricing → Studio Ninja.
- If clients pay by card and you want a free plan → Square Invoices.
Frequently asked questions
How do photographers invoice a deposit and then the balance?
Issue a deposit invoice (often 25–50% of the package) when the booking is confirmed, then a balance invoice for the remainder due before the shoot date. Studio suites do this with one payment schedule; a plain invoicing app does it with a deposit on the invoice, or two invoices that reference the same booking.
Is a photography deposit invoice a tax invoice?
If you are registered for GST, yes: it is a tax invoice for the deposit amount and must show the GST included. The balance invoice should then show the deposit already paid and the amount still owing.
Do I need a studio-management suite or just an invoicing app?
If you need contracts, booking forms and gallery delivery in one place, a studio suite such as Studio Ninja or Pixieset beats an invoicing app. If you mainly need invoices sent, tracked and chased, an invoicing app is cheaper and faster to set up.
Should I invoice before or after gallery delivery?
Before. Set the balance due on or before the shoot day and release the gallery once payment status shows paid. A gallery released against an unpaid balance removes your only leverage.