BillMyWeek vs other invoicing apps: what to check before you choose
There are lots of invoicing apps, and the right one depends on how you work. This page says plainly what BillMyWeek does and doesn't do, then gives you a checklist to compare any app fairly. We haven't named other products, because prices and features change and you should check each provider's own pricing page.
On this page
We make BillMyWeek, so treat this page as one side of the story. To keep it fair, we only state facts about our own product, which you can check on our pricing page, and we give you a way to check any other app yourself. We don't make claims about other companies' products.
What BillMyWeek is
BillMyWeek is a focused invoicing tool for UK contractors, tradespeople and sole traders who bill by the day or hour, usually weekly or monthly. It isn't accounting software.
What it does
- Fills in a week (Monday to Sunday) or a calendar month for you, and copies last week's invoice.
- Day-rate or hourly invoicing with overtime and Saturday and Sunday multipliers you control. Each line is rounded to the penny.
- Optional VAT (20%, 5% or 0%) including the construction domestic reverse charge wording.
- Optional CIS: deduction on labour only, with materials and VAT left out of the deduction base.
- Automatic invoice numbers, saved client and bank details, and a dashboard of what's outstanding, overdue and paid.
- Downloads as PDF, Word, Excel, CSV and PNG, plus an export for your accountant and a full export of your data.
- Pricing: 14-day free trial with no card needed, then £1.99 a month or £19.99 a year. After a trial or cancelled plan, your account becomes read-only and your invoices stay available to download.
What it doesn't do
- Making Tax Digital, VAT returns, or the VAT Flat Rate Scheme
- Mixed VAT rates on one invoice
- CIS returns or CIS statements (those come from the contractor)
- Credit notes, expenses or mileage
- Payment links, recurring invoices, or native mobile apps
If you need any of those, an accounting package may suit you better, either instead of or alongside BillMyWeek.
Questions to ask any invoicing app
Use these to compare apps, ours included. The answers should be on each provider's own pricing and help pages.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What does it cost after any free plan or trial, and is VAT included? | Headline prices are sometimes before VAT, and free plans often have limits. |
| Are there limits on invoices, clients or users? | A cap can force an upgrade just when you get busy. |
| Does it handle CIS, with the deduction on labour only? | Subcontractors need materials and labour kept apart. |
| Does it support the VAT domestic reverse charge wording? | It changes the VAT shown and the total due on construction invoices. |
| Can it fill in weekly or monthly day-rate work automatically? | This saves the most time if you bill the same client regularly. |
| Which file types can you download? | Your client may want a PDF, and your accountant may want Excel or CSV. |
| What happens to your invoices if you stop paying? | You must keep your records, so check you can still get at them. |
| Can you export all your data, and delete your account? | It keeps you in control of your records. |
| Does it do things you don't need? | Payroll, stock and bookkeeping features are useful to some and clutter to others. |
| Does the invoice carry what GOV.UK requires? | Check a sample against the invoice checker. |
Who BillMyWeek is a good fit for
- Sole traders and small limited companies who bill a day rate or hourly rate every week or month.
- Agency workers, labourers and trades, particularly under CIS.
- People who want invoices done in a minute and don't need a full accounts package.
Who it may not suit
- Businesses that need bookkeeping, payroll, stock, or Making Tax Digital filing in the same app.
- Anyone who needs payment links, recurring invoices or credit notes.
- People who send only a few invoices a year. A free template or a spreadsheet may be enough.
Try it without risk
The free trial runs for 14 days with no card, and your invoices stay downloadable afterwards. Make a real invoice, compare it with what you use now, and keep whichever you prefer. Prices and features can change, so check the pricing page for the current position.
Frequently asked questions
How does BillMyWeek compare with other invoicing apps?
It's a focused tool for weekly or monthly day-rate and hourly invoicing, with optional CIS and VAT. It isn't accounting software, so it doesn't do Making Tax Digital, expenses, credit notes or payment links.
How much does BillMyWeek cost?
There's a 14-day free trial with no card needed, then £1.99 a month or £19.99 a year.
Why don't you name other invoicing apps?
Prices and features change often, and we'd rather give you a checklist and tell you the facts about our own product than risk misdescribing someone else's. Check each provider's own pricing page.
Does BillMyWeek support CIS?
Yes, as an optional setting. The deduction is taken from labour only, not from materials or VAT, and it's shown as an estimate on the invoice. The contractor's payment and deduction statement is the official record.
Can I get my invoices out if I leave?
Yes. You can download any invoice, export everything as a ZIP of JSON and PDFs, or delete your account. If a plan ends, your account becomes read-only and nothing is deleted.
Do I need a card for the free trial?
No. You only add a card if you decide to go Pro.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and rates change, so check the linked GOV.UK pages for the current position.