Invoice Ninja is incredibly powerful—if you have time to set up servers, manage updates, and troubleshoot hosting issues. For the rest of us, there's Quidbill: the same fast invoicing without the DevOps degree.
For freelancers who want to invoice, not manage servers
Setting up Invoice Ninja on a VPS takes 3-4 hours. Add monthly updates, backups, and security patches—that's a part-time sysadmin job.
Self-hosting complexity analysis
Developers can self-host anything. The question is: should they? Every hour on server maintenance is an hour not billing clients.
Opportunity cost calculation
Self-hosted means self-supported. When your instance crashes during tax season, it's just you and Stack Overflow.
Self-hosting trade-off reality
| Feature | QuidbillSimple | Invoice NinjaComplex |
|---|---|---|
| Time to First Invoice | 30 seconds | 3+ hours (setup) |
| Self-Hosting Required | Yes (or $10/mo hosted) | |
| Server Maintenance | None | Monthly updates, backups |
| Price (Hosted) | $29/month | $10/month (basic) |
| Price (Self-Hosted) | N/A | Free (+ hosting costs) |
| Client Limits | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Open Source | ||
| Customization | Templates only | Full code access |
| API Access | Coming soon | Full API |
| Reliability | 99.99% uptime | Depends on your hosting |
| Support | Direct from founder | Community forums |
The Bottom LineInvoice Ninja is more powerful and customizable. Quidbill is faster to start and zero maintenance. If you just need to send invoices and get paid, Quidbill saves you hours every month. If you need deep customization and don't mind server work, Invoice Ninja is great.
As a developer, you can self-host anything. You have the skills. But here's the question: should you?
Invoice Ninja's self-hosted version is genuinely free. But let's do the math:
| Cost | Invoice Ninja (Self-Hosted) | Quidbill |
|---|---|---|
| Software | $0 | $29/month |
| VPS Hosting | $5-20/month | Included |
| Initial Setup | 4-8 hours | 30 seconds |
| Monthly Maintenance | 2-4 hours | 0 hours |
| Annual Time Investment | 24-48 hours | 0 hours |
| Time Value (@ $75/hr) | $1,800-3,600/year | $0 |
That "free" software actually costs $2,000-4,000/year when you account for your time and hosting.
Those 24-48 hours per year could be:
Let's be honest: Invoice Ninja is the right choice for some users:
For solo freelancers who just need to invoice clients? Quidbill is almost always the better choice.
Here's something I hear a lot: "I could build this myself."
You're right. You could. But consider:
Sometimes the best engineering decision is knowing what not to build.
No more Docker, no more Nginx configs—just invoicing
Use Invoice Ninja's export feature to download your clients and invoice history as CSV.
No server setup, no configuration. Just your email and business name.
Upload your client CSV. Quidbill handles the rest.
Cancel your VPS, delete the Docker containers, and reclaim your time.
$29/month • Cancel anytime • 30-day money-back guarantee
Invoice Ninja's self-hosted version is free, but your time isn't. Factor in server costs ($5-20/month), setup time (4+ hours), and monthly maintenance (2+ hours/month). At $50/hour, that 'free' software costs you hundreds of dollars in the first year. Quidbill is $29/month with zero time investment.
I'm building API access for 2025. If you have specific integration needs, let me know—I prioritize based on user requests. For now, Quidbill works great for straightforward invoicing workflows.
Not directly—Quidbill templates are pre-designed for simplicity. However, they cover the most common needs, and you can customize colors and add your logo. Most users find they prefer the cleaner designs.
No, Quidbill is a closed-source SaaS. I understand the appeal of open source, but I've chosen to focus on a polished, hosted experience. If open source is a priority, Invoice Ninja is a great choice—just be honest about the time cost.
Every hour you spend on Docker and Nginx is an hour not spent on client work. Quidbill: professional invoicing without the DevOps.