The 5 Best Self-Hosted Invoicing Software in 2026
No SaaS bills. No vendor lock-in. Full control of your invoice data. Here's how to pick the right open-source invoicing tool for your business, and when to let Opsily manage it.
Why Self-Hosted Invoicing Matters
SaaS invoicing tools charge monthly per user, per feature tier, per integration. Over 3 years, these bills add up—especially if you have a team.
Self-hosting flips the economics. You pay once for the software (or nothing if it's open source), and then only for your own server. No recurring subscriptions to each vendor. No data locked behind paywalls. No "we're discontinuing this feature" emails.
For businesses in the EU, self-hosting also means complete GDPR compliance: your invoice data never leaves your infrastructure. No third-party vendor access. No data residency negotiations.
The trade-off: you handle updates, backups, and uptime. Or you let Opsily do it for you.
Invoice Ninja vs. The Top Self-Hosted Alternatives
Comparison based on current stable releases as of 2026. Features subject to change. All are free to self-host.
The Roundup: 5 Self-Hosted Invoicing Tools Compared
1. Invoice Ninja: The Feature-Rich Champion
Best for: Teams needing advanced invoicing, expense tracking, and project management all in one.
Invoice Ninja leads this roundup with the broadest feature set: invoices, quotes, proposals, e-signatures, 40+ payment gateways, recurring billing, expense tracking, project management, time tracking, and client portals. It's the only tool here with PEPPOL e-invoicing support (EU B2B compliance). Active development with 26,944 commits. 200,000+ users.
Setup: Docker, Docker Compose, Cloudron, or manual installation. Requires PHP 8 and MySQL/PostgreSQL.
Learning curve: Moderate. The UI is polished but has more menus than simpler tools.
Cost: Free (open source, Elastic License v2). Optional: $40/year to remove branding. Or use Opsily's managed hosting.
2. InvoicePlane: The Minimalist's Choice
Best for: Solo freelancers and small teams wanting simplicity and low server load.
InvoicePlane prioritizes ease of use. Fewer bells and whistles, but everything a freelancer needs: invoices, quotes, online payments, and client CRM. Downloaded 100,000+ times. Long track record (v1.7.2 current). EU e-invoicing compliant as of v1.6.2.
Setup: Very straightforward. Web-based installer. Low CPU/RAM footprint.
Learning curve: Low. If you've used any invoicing software, you'll navigate this in minutes.
Cost: 100% free and open source. Community-driven; no paid support.
3. InvoiceShelf: The Modern Underdog
Best for: Teams wanting a modern codebase and data privacy as a first principle.
InvoiceShelf is a fork of the discontinued Crater Invoices, actively maintained with modern tech (React frontend, Laravel backend). Focused on privacy and simplicity. 1.8K GitHub stars, but growing. Version 3.x in alpha; v2.x production-ready.
Setup: Docker or manual installation. Requires PHP 8.4+, MySQL/MariaDB/PostgreSQL/SQLite.
Learning curve: Low to moderate. Clean UI inspired by SaaS tools.
Cost: Free and open source (AGPL-3.0). Version 3 preview available.
4. SolidInvoice: The Hybrid Option
Best for: Businesses that want self-hosting flexibility but don't want to manage servers.
SolidInvoice offers both: run it yourself for free, or use their managed cloud starting at $9/mo. Core features cover quotes, invoices, recurring billing, and online payments. Tagline: "Own every byte of your data." Designed for freelancers and small businesses.
Setup: Self-hosted via Docker or manual. Cloud option available.
Learning curve: Low. Very clean interface.
Cost: Free self-hosted. Cloud starts at $9/mo.
5. Akaunting: The All-in-One Accounting Suite
Best for: Businesses needing invoicing plus full accounting, expenses, inventory, and financial reporting.
Akaunting goes beyond invoicing. It's a complete accounting platform: invoicing, expense tracking, financial reports, inventory management, and a plugin marketplace for extensions. Free and open source. Active community with regular updates.
Setup: Docker, cPanel/Softaculous, or manual. Low server requirements.
Learning curve: Moderate. More features means more to learn, but well-organized menus.
Cost: 100% free and open source.
Why Choose Managed Hosting Over DIY Self-Hosting?
Self-hosting saves money. Managed hosting saves time. Here's what Opsily handles so you don't have to.
Automatic Updates & Zero Downtime
Invoice Ninja releases updates monthly. Opsily applies them automatically with zero downtime. You stay on the latest version without a single manual step or security risk from an outdated codebase.
Daily Encrypted Backups
All your invoice data is backed up every night and stored in separate German data centers. If anything fails, we restore in minutes. You never manage backup infrastructure yourself.
Instant Deployment
No Docker learning curve, no server provisioning, no config files. Click a button on Opsily and your managed Invoice Ninja is live in 3 minutes with SSL, monitoring, and scaling included.
Built for teams who need reliability
Trust & Compliance Built In
Invoice data is sensitive. We treat it like it is.
GDPR Compliant
Your invoice data stays in the EU. No third-party access. No data sharing with advertisers or analytics vendors. Full compliance with EU data residency rules.
Enterprise Infrastructure
Hosted in German data centers with automated 24/7 monitoring, DDoS protection, and redundant power and cooling for maximum uptime.
Transparent Pricing
No hidden fees. No per-API-call charges. No surprise bill increases. One price covers hosting, backups, SSL, monitoring, and support.
Encrypted Backups
All invoice backups are encrypted end-to-end and stored with automatic geographic redundancy for instant recovery.
Simple, Transparent Hosting Plans
All plans include GDPR-compliant German hosting, daily backups, SSL certificates, and 24/7 monitoring.
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Frequently Asked Questions
SaaS invoicing (like QuickBooks Online or FreshBooks) runs on the vendor's servers. You pay a monthly subscription, but you never own or control your data. Self-hosted invoicing runs on your own server or a managed host like Opsily. You own the code and the data, and there are no recurring vendor fees—only server costs. Self-hosting gives you full GDPR control and no vendor lock-in. The trade-off is responsibility for uptime, updates, and backups. Opsily's managed hosting splits the difference: you get the benefits of self-hosting without managing infrastructure yourself.
Ready to stop paying SaaS invoicing bills?
Start with Invoice Ninja on Opsily. Deploy in 3 minutes. No credit card required.