BillMyWeek vs spreadsheets for invoicing: which suits you?
Plenty of contractors invoice from Excel or Google Sheets, and for some people that's the right call. Here's a fair comparison of a spreadsheet and BillMyWeek, based on what each does, including what BillMyWeek doesn't do.
On this page
This page compares two ways of doing the same job: a spreadsheet you build or download yourself, and BillMyWeek, the invoicing app this site belongs to. We make BillMyWeek, so we have an interest, and we've tried to be fair by saying where a spreadsheet wins.
The short version
- A spreadsheet suits you if you send only a few invoices a month, want complete control of the layout, or already have a setup that works.
- BillMyWeek suits you if you invoice every week or month for day-rate or hourly work and want the dates, rate, overtime, VAT and CIS filled in and numbered for you, with a PDF at the end.
- You can start with a spreadsheet and move later. Our free invoice templates are spreadsheet-friendly.
Side by side
| Question | Spreadsheet | BillMyWeek |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Can cost nothing, depending on the software you already have. | 14-day free trial, no card needed, then £1.99 a month or £19.99 a year. |
| Setup | You build or download a template and keep a file for each invoice. | A setup wizard saves your business, bank and client details once. |
| Invoice numbers | You track the next number yourself. | Numbered automatically per account. |
| Weekly or monthly dates | You type each date, or build formulas. | Fills Monday to Sunday for the previous full week, or the previous calendar month, and can copy last week's invoice. |
| Day rate, overtime, weekend rates | Works if your formulas are right. Rounding is up to you. | Day or hourly rate with overtime, Saturday and Sunday multipliers you can change. Each line is rounded to the penny. |
| CIS | Possible with formulas, and easy to get wrong when materials are involved. | Optional CIS setting that takes the deduction from labour only and leaves out materials and VAT. It's an estimate: the contractor's statement is the official record. |
| VAT and reverse charge | You add the columns and the wording. | Optional VAT at 20%, 5% or 0%, and the construction domestic reverse charge wording. |
| Files you get | Whatever you export, usually a PDF or the spreadsheet itself. | PDF, Word, Excel, CSV and PNG for each invoice. |
| Tracking who's paid | A column you maintain. | Dashboard with outstanding, overdue and paid, and statuses of draft, sent or paid. |
| Your data | It's your file. | You can export everything as a ZIP of JSON and PDFs, or delete your account. |
| Flexibility | Total. Any layout, any extra column. | Set options: accent colour, font and logo, but not a custom layout. |
When a spreadsheet is the better choice
- You send a handful of invoices a month and don't mind the manual steps.
- Your invoices don't follow a weekly or monthly day-rate pattern, for example one-off jobs with unusual lines.
- You need something BillMyWeek doesn't do (see below), and your spreadsheet already covers it.
- You want a layout designed exactly your way.
When BillMyWeek is the better choice
- You invoice the same agency or contractor every week and the weekly typing is the problem.
- You've had a wrong total or a reused invoice number from a spreadsheet slip.
- You work under CIS or charge VAT and want the deduction and wording handled consistently.
- You want a quick PDF from your phone or laptop without keeping a template file.
What BillMyWeek doesn't do
It's built for invoicing, not for accounts. It doesn't do Making Tax Digital or VAT returns, VAT Flat Rate Scheme handling, mixed VAT rates on one invoice, CIS returns or statements, credit notes, expenses or mileage, payment links, recurring invoices, or native mobile apps. If you need those, keep your spreadsheet or use accounting software alongside it.
A spreadsheet can be fully compliant too
Either way, the invoice has to carry the details GOV.UK lists: a unique number, your name, address and contact details, the customer's name and address, a description, the supply date, the invoice date, the amounts, any VAT and the total owed. Sole traders and limited companies have a few extra requirements. Use the invoice checker to test any invoice, whichever tool made it.
The easy way to decide
- Download the free weekly day-rate template and use it for a couple of weeks.
- If the typing and number-tracking feel like a chore, try BillMyWeek free for 14 days alongside it.
- Keep whichever one you actually use.
Frequently asked questions
Is a spreadsheet good enough for invoicing in the UK?
Yes, if the invoice includes the details GOV.UK says it must, you number invoices uniquely and you keep copies. A spreadsheet just needs more manual care than an app.
How much does BillMyWeek cost compared with a spreadsheet?
A spreadsheet can cost nothing if you already have the software. BillMyWeek has a 14-day free trial with no card needed, then £1.99 a month or £19.99 a year.
Can I move my spreadsheet invoices into BillMyWeek?
There's no import for old invoices. You set up your details once, then create new invoices from the next week or month. Your old spreadsheet files remain yours.
Does BillMyWeek do my tax return or VAT return?
No. It doesn't do Making Tax Digital, VAT returns or Self Assessment. It makes invoices, and can export a summary for your accountant.
What happens if I stop paying for BillMyWeek?
After the trial or a cancelled plan, your account becomes read-only. You can still view and download every invoice you've made, and nothing is deleted.
Sources
- Invoices: what they must include – GOV.UK
- What you must do as a CIS subcontractor – GOV.UK
- BillMyWeek pricing
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.