Best Invoicing App for Tradespeople in the UK

You are on a job. You finish the work, the client is pleased, and you want to get paid. The best thing you can do in that moment is raise the invoice before you leave — while the job is fresh, while the client is happy, while everything is right in front of you.

The best invoicing apps for UK tradespeople make this possible. Here is what to look for, and why getting this right matters.

Why Tradespeople Have Unique Invoicing Needs

Tradespeople are not office workers. Your invoicing tool needs to fit into a working life that involves physical jobs at different locations, variable materials costs, cash and card payments, and minimal time to spend on admin.

A software solution designed for an accountant or a large business will not serve you well. You need something that:

Works entirely on a smartphone
Creates a professional invoice in under two minutes
Handles VAT calculations automatically
Captures material receipts with a photo
Works in areas with poor mobile signal
Costs a sensible amount each month

The Features That Matter Most

On-Site Invoice Creation

The single most valuable feature in an invoicing app for tradespeople is the ability to create and send a professional invoice from your phone while still at the client’s property.

This is not just about convenience — it directly affects when you get paid. Clients who receive an invoice the moment a job is finished pay faster than clients who receive one a week later. When the job is fresh in their mind and they are happy with your work, payment is easiest.

Saved Clients and Items

After your first few clients, typing the same names, addresses, and job descriptions repeatedly becomes tedious and error-prone. The best apps let you:

Save client details (name, address, email) for instant recall
Build a catalogue of standard jobs and prices (e.g., “Replace radiator including parts — £280”)
Select saved items from a list rather than typing from scratch

For a plumber who fits the same types of jobs repeatedly, being able to build an invoice from saved items in thirty seconds is transformative.

Materials and Expense Tracking

Materials are often the difference between a profitable job and a loss-maker. An app that lets you:

Log material costs against specific jobs
Photograph purchase receipts immediately
Track running material costs versus quoted amounts
Generate expense reports for tax purposes

…helps you price future work more accurately and claim the correct expenses at tax time.

VAT Handling

If you are VAT-registered, your invoicing app must handle VAT correctly:

Apply the right VAT rate (standard 20%, reduced 5%, or zero-rated)
Calculate net and gross amounts automatically
Display your VAT registration number on every invoice
Generate a VAT summary for reporting purposes

Some construction and domestic work qualifies for reduced-rate VAT. Your app should make it easy to apply different rates to different line items.

Payment Reminders

Most tradespeople dread chasing unpaid invoices. A good app automates this:

Marks invoices as overdue when payment terms expire
Sends polite, professional reminder emails automatically
Escalates reminders for persistently overdue invoices
Notifies you when payment is required before human escalation

You focus on the next job; the app handles the chasing.

MTD Compliance

If your income exceeds the Making Tax Digital threshold, your invoicing app should support:

Digital record-keeping in the format HMRC requires
Quarterly update submissions to HMRC
HMRC recognition (check the GOV.UK list of compatible software)

Even if you are not yet at the MTD threshold, choosing an app that is MTD-ready means you will not need to switch when your income grows.

What to Avoid

Desktop-first software with a token mobile app: The mobile experience should be a core priority, not an afterthought. If you cannot perform every key action from your phone, the app is not designed for tradespeople.

Overly complex interfaces: You should not need training to raise an invoice. If the app requires more than a few taps to send a basic invoice, it will frustrate you in daily use.

Hidden pricing tiers: Some apps offer attractive headline pricing but lock essential features behind higher tiers. Make sure MTD features, expense tracking, and client management are included in the price you are comparing.

No offline functionality: Mobile signal is unreliable on many job sites, in basements, and in rural areas. An app that requires internet connectivity to create an invoice is a problem waiting to happen.

Practical Advice for Tradespeople Choosing an App

Test it on a Monday morning before a full day of jobs — the most pressured time in a tradesperson’s week. How fast can you actually raise an invoice?
Raise a test invoice for a typical job — including materials, VAT, and your standard terms. How long does it take?
Photograph a receipt and check the OCR extraction. Is it accurate? Does it save time over typing?
Check the payment reminder setup — how many clicks to configure? Does it look professional?
Verify HMRC recognition — search the GOV.UK list to confirm the app is recognised for MTD purposes.

Invoice Guru: Built for UK Tradespeople

Invoice Guru is a mobile invoicing and record-keeping app designed specifically for UK sole traders and tradespeople. It combines fast, professional invoicing with expense capture, client management, and MTD-compatible record-keeping in a single app.

For plumbers, electricians, builders, decorators, and other trades professionals who want to spend less time on admin and more time on the work — and the life outside the work — it is built to be the only invoicing tool you need.

With InvoiceGuru, you also get quoting tools that convert accepted quotes directly into invoices, plus full MTD compliance built in. Start your free trial today and send your first invoice before you leave your next job.