The Best Invoice Software
for South Africa
Create SARS-compliant tax invoices in seconds. Send by WhatsApp or email. Accept payments via Paystack, Yoco, or PayFast. Built for South African small businesses and freelancers.
Free plan available. No credit card required. Premium from R99/month.
Quick answer
What is invoice software?
Invoice software (also called invoicing software or billing software) is a digital tool that enables businesses to create, send, and manage invoices electronically. Rather than designing invoices manually in Word or Excel, invoice software automates the formatting, numbering, VAT calculations, and delivery process - saving hours every week and reducing costly errors. In South Africa, invoice software must comply with the requirements of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) for valid tax invoices, including VAT at 15%, the supplier's VAT registration number, and a specific set of mandatory fields under the Value-Added Tax Act 89 of 1991. Modern South African invoice software also integrates with local payment gateways such as Paystack, Yoco, and PayFast, allowing clients to pay directly from the invoice. Increasingly, leading platforms like Rebill support WhatsApp delivery - which matters enormously in South Africa, where WhatsApp is the dominant business communication channel, giving invoices far higher open rates than email.
What South African businesses need in invoice software
Running a business in South Africa has specific requirements. Your invoicing tool needs to handle all of them without extra plugins or workarounds.
SARS compliance
Valid tax invoices meeting VAT Act requirements, including all mandatory fields and automatic numbering.
ZAR currency support
South African rand as the default currency, with correct formatting and multi-currency support for international clients.
VAT at 15%
Automatic 15% VAT calculation per line item with clear VAT breakdowns - exclusive, inclusive, and zero-rated options.
Local payment gateways
Native integration with Paystack, Yoco, and PayFast so clients can pay directly from the invoice link.
WhatsApp delivery
Send invoices directly to clients via WhatsApp, the most widely used business messaging channel in South Africa.
Mobile access
Manage invoices on the go from any smartphone or tablet without installing an app - fully browser-based.
Affordable local pricing
Priced in ZAR for the South African market. Free plan available; Premium at R99/month - a fraction of global alternatives.
Client portal
Give clients a self-service portal to view invoices, download statements, and pay outstanding amounts online.
Revenue reports
Track revenue trends, outstanding amounts, and aging analysis so you always know the financial health of your business.
South African tax invoice requirements (SARS)
Every valid South African tax invoice must include the following fields under the Value-Added Tax Act 89 of 1991. Rebill includes all of them automatically.
| Required field | Details | Rebill |
|---|---|---|
| Words "Tax Invoice" | Must appear prominently on the document for any supply of R50 or more | |
| Supplier name and address | Full business name and physical or postal address of the supplier | |
| Supplier VAT registration number | Your 10-digit SARS VAT number (e.g. 4123456789) | |
| Invoice date | The date the invoice is issued - determines the VAT period for submission | |
| Unique invoice number | Sequential numbering - no duplicates or gaps permitted. SARS may request an audit trail. | |
| Recipient name and address | Full name and address of the client or business receiving the invoice | |
| Description of goods or services | Clear description of what was supplied - must be specific enough for SARS to identify the supply | |
| Quantity and unit price | Number of units supplied and the price per unit, both excluding and including VAT | |
| VAT amount at 15% | The rand amount of VAT charged, shown separately from the subtotal | |
| Total amount including VAT | The final amount due from the client after VAT has been added |
Source: SARS Value-Added Tax Act 89 of 1991, Section 20. Requirements for full tax invoices above R5,000 include the recipient's VAT number.
How Rebill works
From setup to payment in four simple steps. No accounting degree required.
Create your account
Sign up free in under a minute. Add your business name, logo, VAT number, and bank details. Your first invoice is ready to go.
Create an invoice
Add your client, line items, and VAT. Rebill auto-numbers the invoice, calculates totals, and formats everything to SARS standards.
Send to your client
Deliver the invoice by email or via WhatsApp with a single click. Clients receive a professional PDF and a "Pay now" link.
Get paid
Clients pay online via Paystack, Yoco, or PayFast. Rebill marks the invoice paid and updates your reports automatically.
Everything you need in one invoicing platform
Rebill gives South African small businesses a complete set of invoicing and billing tools - no expensive add-ons, no complex setup.
SARS-compliant invoicing
Every invoice meets VAT Act requirements. Add your VAT number once and Rebill handles the compliance automatically on every document you send.
WhatsApp delivery
Send invoices and payment reminders via WhatsApp. Clients in South Africa respond to WhatsApp messages far faster than email - get paid sooner.
Online payments
Connect Paystack, Yoco, or PayFast and add a "Pay now" button to every invoice. Clients pay by card in seconds - no back-and-forth needed.
Quotes and proposals
Create professional quotes and convert them to invoices in one click when the client accepts. No retyping, no data entry errors.
Recurring billing
Set up weekly, monthly, or annual billing schedules and Rebill generates and sends invoices automatically on the due date.
Late fees
Automatically apply late fee charges to overdue invoices after a grace period you configure. Reduce late payment without chasing manually.
Client portal
Clients can log in to view all their invoices, download account statements, and pay outstanding balances without contacting you.
Reports and analytics
Revenue trends, aging analysis, and per-client analytics give you a clear picture of what you've earned and what's outstanding.
Expense tracking
Record and categorise business expenses alongside your income for a complete picture of your business finances.
Invoice scheduling
Write your invoice today and schedule it to send at any future date and time - useful for retainers, project milestones, and end-of-month billing.
Security and POPIA
Data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Rebill is POPIA compliant, keeping your client data and business information protected under South African law.
Custom branding
Upload your logo and set your brand colours. Every invoice, quote, and delivery note goes out looking professionally designed and on-brand.
Quick answer
Why South African businesses choose Rebill
South African businesses choose Rebill because it is the only invoicing platform built specifically for the South African market from the ground up. Unlike international tools such as Xero or QuickBooks that bolt on South African features as an afterthought, Rebill was designed in Cape Town for local conditions from day one. The free tier is genuinely useful - not a crippled trial - letting early-stage freelancers and small businesses invoice professionally without any monthly cost. What truly sets Rebill apart is WhatsApp delivery: because South Africa has one of the highest WhatsApp adoption rates in the world, sending invoices via WhatsApp instead of email dramatically improves open rates and accelerates payment. Rebill also integrates natively with Paystack, Yoco, and PayFast - the payment gateways that South African businesses and their clients actually use. SARS compliance is built in from day one, not configured through plugins. At R99/month for the Premium plan, Rebill is a fraction of the cost of Xero (from R370/month) or Sage Business Cloud (from R220/month), making it the clear choice for cost-conscious South African entrepreneurs.
Rebill vs other invoice software for South Africa
See how Rebill compares to the most common alternatives used by South African businesses.
| Feature | Rebill | Sage | Xero | QuickBooks | Zoho Invoice | Huppi | payPod |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (monthly) | Free / R99 | ~R220+ | ~R370+ | ~R300+ | Free / ~R200+ | ~R149+ | ~R99+ |
| Free tier | |||||||
| WhatsApp delivery | |||||||
| Local payments (PayFast / Yoco / Paystack) | Partial | Partial | Partial | ||||
| SARS VAT compliance | |||||||
| SA-native product |
Pricing correct as of 2026. Competitor pricing subject to change. "Partial" indicates limited integration via third-party tools.
Who is Rebill for?
Whether you invoice once a month or a hundred times a week, Rebill scales with you.
Freelancers
Designers, developers, photographers, copywriters - anyone doing project-based work. Send professional invoices in minutes and get paid faster via WhatsApp or online card payment.
- Free plan for low invoice volumes
- Quote-to-invoice conversion
- WhatsApp invoice delivery
Small Business
Retailers, trades, service businesses, and growing startups. Manage multiple clients, automate recurring billing, track expenses, and stay on top of what you're owed.
- Recurring billing automation
- Revenue and aging reports
- Multi-currency invoicing
Consultants
Management consultants, accountants, attorneys, and other professionals billing by retainer or project. Set up recurring monthly fees and manage complex multi-project invoicing.
- Monthly retainer automation
- Client portal for statements
- Automatic late fee charging
Simple, affordable pricing for South Africa
No hidden fees. No per-invoice charges. Priced in ZAR.
Free
For freelancers and early-stage businesses
- Unlimited invoices
- SARS-compliant tax invoices
- Client management
- Email delivery
- Quotes
- 20 expense records/month
- WhatsApp delivery
- Online payments
- Recurring billing
Premium
For growing businesses that need more
- Everything in Free
- WhatsApp invoice delivery
- Online payments (Paystack, Yoco, PayFast)
- Recurring billing and scheduling
- Automatic late fees
- Revenue and aging reports
- Client portal
- Unlimited expenses
- Priority support
e-Invoicing in South Africa: SARS 2028 mandate
SARS is planning to introduce mandatory e-invoicing for South African businesses, aligned with the global Peppol (Pan-European Public Procurement OnLine) standard. The initiative forms part of SARS's broader digital transformation strategy, aimed at reducing VAT fraud, improving compliance, and streamlining tax reporting for businesses.
While exact timelines and implementation details are still being finalised, SARS has indicated a phased rollout with larger businesses expected to comply first. Small businesses and SMEs are likely to follow in subsequent phases.
Rebill is built to evolve alongside South African tax legislation. As the e-invoicing mandate is confirmed and Peppol-compliant requirements are published, Rebill will ensure our platform supports the transition - so South African businesses can continue invoicing confidently without having to switch tools.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best invoice software in South Africa?
Is there free invoice software in South Africa?
Does invoice software need to be SARS compliant?
What must appear on a South African tax invoice?
Can I send invoices via WhatsApp?
Which payment gateways work with SA invoicing software?
How much does invoicing software cost in South Africa?
What is the difference between invoicing software and accounting software?
Start invoicing for free today
The best invoice software in South Africa. Free plan, no credit card required.
SARS-compliant tax invoices, WhatsApp delivery, and local payment gateways - all in one platform built in Cape Town.
Free plan available forever. Premium from R99/month.