You can make a receipt for free with Zoho Invoice, which calls itself free for all small businesses and has its own free receipt generator, or with the free plan of a point of sale app such as Square if you take payments in person. If you only need the odd receipt, a blank template in your word processor works too, as long as it shows who paid, how much, when, and what for.
A receipt sounds like the simplest document in business. Then a customer asks for one at the wrong moment, or your accountant asks where last year's are, and it suddenly matters. The good news is you don't need to pay for anything to produce a clean, compliant receipt. The trick is picking the right free route for how you sell, and knowing which details tax offices expect to see on it.
I've split this into three routes: free invoicing software that also issues receipts, free point of sale apps that send receipts automatically, and plain templates you fill in yourself. Then I'll cover what a receipt needs to show in the US and the UK, because that part is where most free templates fall short.
Three free ways to make a receipt
1. Free invoicing software: Zoho Invoice
Zoho Invoice's pricing page answers its own question in the headline: it says it's free for all small businesses, and describes itself as a forever-free invoicing solution. You can customise templates to match your brand, email documents or save them as a PDF, and send recurring invoices. Zoho also lists a Free Receipt Generator among its tools. This route suits freelancers, consultants and service businesses who bill a client first and then confirm the payment.
2. A free point of sale app: Square
If you take payments face to face, a point of sale app is the easiest receipt maker there is, because it creates the receipt at the moment of sale. Square's pricing page says its point of sale software is completely free and that you pay a rate per card payment instead; cash and check payments are listed as free on Square Free. Square's plans also list automatic digital receipts sent by text or email, and customised receipts that can carry a coupon, an event invitation, a business update or an eGift card. Check which plan includes the customised version before you rely on it.
3. A blank receipt template
For a market stall, a one-off sale or a cash job, a template is often enough. Any word processor or spreadsheet will do. The risk with templates is that they look finished while leaving out what the tax office wants, so use the checklist further down this page before you print a batch.
Free receipt routes compared
| Route | Best for | What the free option covers | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Invoice | Freelancers and service businesses | Invoices, templates, PDF and email, recurring invoices, a free receipt generator | Card payments taken through it carry processing fees |
| Square Free | In-person sellers | Free point of sale software, digital receipts | Card payments carry a rate per payment |
| Word or spreadsheet template | Occasional sales and cash jobs | Unlimited receipts you fill in by hand | Easy to miss required details |
| PayPal invoicing | Online sellers already on PayPal | Downloadable invoice templates and free sign-up | Fees apply when customers pay |
What a receipt needs to show
Free tools differ, but the rules don't change with the tool. In the US, the IRS says your supporting documents for purchases and expenses should identify the payee, the amount paid, proof of payment, the date, and a description that shows the item or service was for business. It lists sales slips, paid bills, invoices, receipts, deposit slips and canceled checks as typical supporting documents, and it notes that a combination of documents may be needed to prove every element of a purchase.
In the UK, GOV.UK's invoice guidance says an invoice must include a unique identification number, your name and contact details, the customer's details, a clear description, the supply date, the invoice date, the amounts, any VAT, and the total. Sole traders using a business name must also give an address where legal documents can reach them, and limited companies must use the full company name exactly as it appears on the certificate of incorporation.
So whichever free tool you use, make sure each receipt carries:
- Your business name and contact details.
- A unique receipt or reference number.
- The date of the sale or payment.
- A clear description of what was bought.
- The amount paid and how it was paid.
- VAT or sales tax, where it applies, shown separately.
The UK catch: simplified VAT receipts
Here's the detail most free receipt templates skip. HMRC's VAT guide says a VAT-registered business can issue a simplified VAT invoice when the supply is £250 or less and the customer agrees, as of October 2026. It must still show your name, address and VAT registration number, the time of supply, a description of the goods or services, and for each VAT rate the total including VAT and the rate itself.
Go over £250, or have a customer ask for a full VAT invoice, and you must give them one. HMRC also says retailers should give a VAT invoice when asked and may face a penalty for refusing a taxable person. A cheerful till slip without your VAT number won't do the job for a business customer who wants to reclaim the VAT.
Making a receipt you send versus keeping receipts you get
People often search for a receipt maker when what they want is somewhere to store the receipts they receive. Those are different jobs. Wave, for example, offers receipt scanning that reads the data with OCR and lets you bulk upload up to 10 at a time, but its receipts page says mobile scanning needs an active paid plan. If your problem is the shoebox of paper, look at scanning tools. If your problem is giving customers proof of payment, stick with the free makers above.
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For a sale that needs more than a receipt, use a free bill of sale template.
How to make your first free receipt
- Pick the route that matches how you get paid: in person, by invoice, or the odd cash job.
- Set up your business name, address and logo once, so every receipt carries them.
- Turn on a numbering sequence so no two receipts share a number.
- Add the date, description, amount and payment method for the sale.
- Show VAT or sales tax separately if you're registered for it.
- Send it by email or save it as a PDF, and keep your own copy in one folder.
If you also send invoices, my guide on how to invoice a customer correctly covers the step before the receipt, and sole traders in the UK will find the extra rules in invoicing correctly as a sole trader.
My advice
Don't overthink it. If you invoice clients, use a free invoicing tool and let it issue the receipt when the payment lands, so the two always match. If you sell in person, let your point of sale app do it automatically, because a receipt you never have to remember to write is the one that always exists. And whichever you choose, check the first receipt against the checklist above before you send fifty of them.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I make a receipt for free?
Yes. Zoho Invoice says it's free for all small businesses and lists a free receipt generator, Square's point of sale software is free with fees only on card payments, and a word processor template costs nothing.
What should a receipt include?
Your business name and contact details, a unique number, the date, a description of what was bought, the amount and payment method, and VAT or sales tax shown separately if you're registered.
What is a simplified VAT receipt?
HMRC lets a VAT-registered business issue a simplified VAT invoice for supplies of £250 or less when the customer agrees. It still needs your VAT number, the time of supply, a description, and the total and VAT rate.
Is a receipt the same as an invoice?
No. An invoice asks for payment and a receipt confirms payment was made. Many free invoicing tools produce both, so the receipt matches the invoice it settles.
Do I need to keep copies of receipts I issue?
Yes. The IRS treats receipts, sales slips and invoices as supporting documents for your income and expenses, so keep your own copy of every receipt in one place.
