Software Invoice Template
Create professional software invoices for development projects, licensing, and ongoing support. This software invoice template is designed for software companies and freelancers billing for milestones, hourly development, subscriptions, maintenance, and product plans. Download instantly in PDF, Word, or Excel format.
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What to Include on a Software Invoice
Software invoices can cover project-based development, subscription billing, licensing, or ongoing support. A good invoice makes the billing model obvious.
Client and project/product details- Client name and billing contact
- Project or product name
- Milestone/phase (for project work)
- Billing period (for subscription invoices)
- Milestone or fixed project fee
- Development hours (engineering time)
- QA and testing
- Deployment and handover
- Documentation and training (if included)
- Support/maintenance retainer
- Plan name or license type
- Seat count (if applicable)
- Billing period covered
- Renewal notes (if relevant)
- Subtotal, tax (if applicable), total due
- Payment terms and instructions
Software Billing Models: Project, Hourly, and Subscription
Software work is billed in a few common ways:
1) Fixed project fee
A defined scope and a fixed price. Often split into milestone invoices.
2) Milestone billing
Payments tied to deliverables (MVP, beta, launch). Helps cash flow and keeps client aligned.
3) Hourly development
Best for evolving scope, support, or consulting work. Use clear task descriptions and service periods.
4) Subscription/SaaS
Recurring charges for access to a product. Invoice should show plan name and billing period.
Many businesses combine a project fee with an ongoing maintenance retainer or a subscription for hosting/support.
Milestones, Scope, and How to Invoice Change Requests
Change requests are common in software projects. Your invoice should separate the original scope from approved additions.
Best practices- Use a “Milestone/Phase” field
- Keep milestone names consistent with your proposal (e.g., “MVP Build”)
- Add “Change Request (approved)” as a separate line item when scope expands
- If billing hourly, include a service period and keep descriptions specific (e.g., “API integration work”)
Subscription and Licensing Details on Software Invoices
Subscription invoices should clearly communicate what the charge covers.
Helpful fields- Plan name (Starter/Pro/Enterprise)
- Seat count (if per user)
- Billing period (monthly/annual dates)
- License type (single-site, multi-site, enterprise)
- Support level (standard, priority)