Invoiceful vs Refrens: Free Invoice Generator or GST Suite?
Invoiceful is a free, no-account invoice generator. Refrens is a GST billing and accounting suite with e-invoicing, e-way bills and inventory.
By Swotboysandy 3 min read
Ask AI about this guide
In this guide
Short answer: pick Invoiceful if you need GST invoices, quotes or credit notes with a UPI QR code, free and without limits, and do not want an account. Pick Refrens if your business needs e-invoices with IRN, e-way bills, inventory, GST reports and accounting in one place, and can pay for a yearly plan once the 15 free documents are used up.
The quick comparison
| What you need | Invoiceful | Refrens |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no paid tier | 15 documents free, then a premium plan; Lite listed at ₹8,900 a year, Plus at ₹16,900 |
| Account needed | No | Yes, you sign up to start |
| Branding on documents | None | Removing Refrens branding is listed as a premium feature |
| GST invoice fields | GSTIN, HSN/SAC column and summary, CGST and SGST | GST invoices, plus e-invoices with IRN and QR code |
| E-way bill | No | Yes, generated with the IRN |
| UPI | UPI QR printed on the invoice from your UPI ID | Payment gateway integration on premium plans |
| Currencies | 150+ | 150+ currencies, per Refrens |
| Recurring invoices and reminders | No | Yes, on premium plans |
| Inventory and accounting | No | Yes |
| Apps | Works in any browser, including phones | Web app and Android and iOS apps |
| Where your data lives | In your browser on your device | In your Refrens account (cloud storage) |
Refrens details are from its pricing, premium and e-invoicing pages as of October 2026. The premium prices shown are the one-year figures on that page.
Where Invoiceful is the better pick
Refrens gives you 15 documents for free; after that, its pricing page says you subscribe to keep creating them. Invoiceful has no cap and no paid tier, so a freelancer or small shop that sends a few invoices a month can keep using it without a subscription.
Invoiceful also skips the account. You open the editor, fill in your details, and download a PDF. Drafts are saved in your browser's local storage and the PDF is drawn on your own device, so your invoice contents are not uploaded. Choose INR and you get GSTIN fields, an HSN/SAC column with a tax summary, separate CGST and SGST amounts, the total in words in lakh and crore, and a UPI QR code that clients can scan. Starting templates cover a GST tax invoice, freelance, consulting, agency, a quote or proforma invoice and a credit note, and you can add your logo and signature.
Where Refrens is the better pick
Refrens is a business suite. Its e-invoicing page says it is GSP authorised, generates IRNs and QR codes (including in bulk), and creates e-way bills from invoices. Its premium plans list recurring invoices, automated payment reminders, payment gateway integration, sharing by WhatsApp and email, client management, inventory control, warehouses and GST reports such as GSTR-1, GSTR-2B reconciliation and GSTR-3B summaries. If your turnover means you must issue e-invoices, or you need stock and accounts together, Refrens covers that and Invoiceful does not.
Gaps to know about in Invoiceful
Invoiceful does not generate e-invoice IRNs or e-way bills, has no separate IGST column for inter-state supplies, and does not send invoices, take payments, track stock or keep accounts. It does not sync between devices, so keep your downloaded PDFs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Refrens free?
Refrens lets you create 15 documents for free. After that, its pricing page says you need a premium plan to keep creating documents.
Is Invoiceful a free alternative to Refrens?
Yes, for making invoices. Invoiceful is free with no limit and no account. It is not an alternative for e-invoicing, e-way bills, inventory or accounting.
Which one should a freelancer in India use?
If you only need GST or non-GST invoices with a UPI QR code, Invoiceful does the job for free. If you are required to issue e-invoices with IRN, use a GSP-connected tool such as Refrens.
Can Invoiceful make a proforma invoice or credit note?
Yes. It has starting templates for a quote or proforma invoice and for a credit note.
