Hourly invoice builder
Bill your time. Get paid for every hour.
Log tasks, set your hourly rate, and generate a time-based invoice PDF for developers, designers, consultants, and hourly service work.
Time-based work needs a time-based invoice. An hourly invoice shows the tasks you worked on, how long each took, and your rate, so the client can see exactly what they are paying for. It is the standard document for developers, designers, consultants, lawyers, and any service billed by the hour. This builder logs your tasks and hours, applies your rate, and exports a clean PDF.
Why itemized hours get paid faster
A single line reading 'Consulting — $3,800' invites scrutiny. The same amount shown as twelve dated tasks with hours and a rate reads as a transparent record, and clients approve transparent records faster. Itemizing also protects you if a client later questions the bill.
Track time as you work, not from memory at month end. Rounded, reconstructed hours are both less accurate and less convincing than a running log.
Setting and showing your rate
Your hourly rate should cover not just your time but your overhead, unpaid admin, taxes, and time off. Many freelancers undercharge because they divide a target salary by 2,080 hours and forget that billable hours are a fraction of the year.
Show the rate on the invoice. A visible rate makes the total feel earned rather than arbitrary, and it makes rate increases easier to explain next time.
How to use it
- 1Add your details and the client's details.
- 2Log each task with its description and the hours worked.
- 3Set your hourly rate; the tool multiplies hours by rate for each line.
- 4Add tax if the work is taxable and you are registered to collect it.
- 5Set the invoice number and payment due date.
- 6Download the PDF and send it.
What to include for the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia
- In the US, hourly invoices are common for 1099 contractors; keep them as evidence of income and to support quarterly estimated tax payments.
- In Canada, add GST/HST if registered and show it separately from your labour.
- In the UK, VAT-registered contractors show VAT on the labour total.
- In Australia, include your ABN; without it a business client may be required to withhold tax from your payment.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Tax registration numbers, mandatory wording, and retention periods differ by country and by state or province — confirm the rules that apply to you before sending a document to a client.
Worked example
A developer logs three tasks in a week: 'API integration — 8h', 'Bug fixes — 3.5h', and 'Client call and planning — 1.5h', a total of 13 hours at $110. The subtotal is $1,430.
The developer is registered for sales tax, so an 8% line adds $114.40 for a total of $1,544.40, invoice number 2026-022, due in 14 days. The dated task list means the client approves it without asking what the hours covered.
FAQ
How do I decide my hourly rate?
Start from the annual income you need, add your business costs and taxes, then divide by the hours you can realistically bill in a year — not 2,080. The freelance rate calculator on this site walks through the math.
Should I round my hours?
Rounding to the nearest quarter hour is common and accepted. Rounding heavily in your favour erodes trust, so keep it small and consistent.
Can I track time here too?
Use the time card calculator to log start and end times, breaks, and overtime for a week, then send the total straight into this hourly invoice.
What if I work at different rates for different tasks?
Add each task as its own line with its own rate. The invoice can mix rates as long as each line shows its hours and price clearly.
Do I charge tax on hourly labour?
Only if your labour is taxable in your jurisdiction and you are registered to collect the tax. Many services are taxable in some regions and not others, so check your local rules.
How do I bill overtime?
List overtime hours as a separate line at the higher rate so the premium is visible and easy to justify.
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