Best Contractor Invoicing Software

The best option matches how your jobs are billed. A service plumber may need one invoice paid the day of the call, while a remodeler sends a deposit invoice, several progress invoices, a change order or two, and a final invoice on the same job. Look for software that turns an approved estimate into an invoice, accepts card payments on every invoice type, posts each payment to the correct job in your accounting software, and handles recurring maintenance billing. Clearwater Processing offers invoicing solutions with card payment collection, QuickBooks and Xero integration, back-office billing, and reporting, so trade contractors can collect deposits, progress payments, and final balances by invoice, phone, or email within one merchant services environment.

Many contractors collect a deposit once the estimate or contract is signed, before ordering materials, equipment, or special-order items like windows and cabinets, or scheduling a crew. With Clearwater Processing’s invoice payment solutions, you can send a deposit invoice the customer pays by card, or key the payment into a virtual terminal while the customer is on the phone. Record the deposit against the job so it’s credited on the next progress invoice and the final bill, and check whether your state limits how much a home-improvement contractor can collect upfront. Progress payments and the final balance can then be invoiced the same way, and payment activity can sync with QuickBooks or Xero so each job’s deposits and balances stay easy to track.

Construction companies usually bill against a contract schedule rather than one invoice per job: a deposit or mobilization invoice, monthly progress invoices or pay applications based on work completed, change-order invoices as scope changes are approved, and a retainage invoice once the project is closed out. A suitable solution should support those invoice types, card acceptance, accounting integration, and reporting that ties each payment to its project. Clearwater Processing offers invoicing solutions, QuickBooks and Xero integration, back-office billing, and payment processing environments that can help construction and trade businesses collect payments by card, phone, email, or other supported channels.

Yes. Where card-network rules and state law allow it, contractors can add a surcharge or use dual pricing, and Clearwater Processing’s custom invoicing supports dual pricing and zero-fee (surcharge) programs. Those rules set disclosure requirements, do not allow surcharges on debit cards, and in some states restrict surcharging, so check current rules before adding a fee to an invoice. If a fee is allowed, show it on the invoice before the customer pays rather than adding it at the final walkthrough. On large invoices, such as HVAC replacements, roofing jobs, remodels, or commercial projects, processing costs on a single payment can be significant, which makes it worth lowering what you pay in the first place. Clearwater Processing’s merchant statement analysis shows clients 10%–30% savings on average, and your representative can walk through what large-ticket payments are costing you now.

Clearwater Processing offers next-day funding, so card payments collected on invoices, at the job site, or over the phone are typically deposited the next business day. A deposit paid by card can go toward the materials order without waiting on a mailed check, and a final payment collected after the punch list helps cover payroll, supplier invoices, and materials for the next job instead of sitting in the mail or waiting to clear.

Yes. Clearwater Processing offers invoicing solutions that let merchants send invoices customers can pay by card. That suits homeowners who approve a change order by email, property managers paying for a service call, and commercial clients who pay after the work is done rather than at a counter. Listing the job address, the scope, and any deposit already received on each invoice shows the customer exactly what they’re paying for, which cuts down on payment questions and disputes. Available payment environments may also include back-office billing, reporting, and connections with existing accounting software.

Yes. Clearwater Processing provides integration with QuickBooks and Xero. The integration is designed to help merchants connect payment processing with their existing accounting software rather than requiring a change in accounting platform. For contractors, that means card payments can be matched to each job’s open invoices, deposits don’t get lost between the estimate and the final bill, and processing fees are easier to see when you review job costs. Contractors can use this alongside invoice payment solutions, statement analysis, and payment reporting.

Yes. Clearwater Processing offers recurring billing solutions through back-office billing capabilities, so merchants can process recurring or subscription-based transactions within a broader payment processing environment. For contractors, that covers HVAC maintenance agreements with spring and fall tune-ups, seasonal landscaping or snow-removal contracts, pool service, pest control plans, and other service plans that charge customers on a set schedule. Spell out the amount, the billing schedule, and how the customer cancels in the agreement, and get the customer’s authorization to charge their card on that schedule. Clearwater can also automatically update cards that are about to expire, so a two- or three-year maintenance agreement keeps billing without a call to the customer.

Every Clearwater Processing client gets a dedicated representative’s personal cell phone number, backed by US-based backend phone support available 24/7/365. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 7am to 10pm EST and Saturday from 8am to 10pm EST. That helps when a customer is trying to pay an invoice after hours, a deposit doesn’t appear where you expect, or a crew lead has a payment question from the job site.

Get the change order signed before the added work starts, with the scope, price, and any schedule impact spelled out. Then bill it as its own invoice or as a separate line on the next progress invoice, and decide up front whether the customer pays for it now, pays a deposit on it, or pays it with the final balance. Customers can pay a change-order invoice by card online, or the office can key it into the virtual terminal while the customer is on the phone. Keeping each change order tied to the original job in your accounting software means the final invoice shows the revised contract amount, which heads off disputes at the walkthrough.

Progress billing splits a job into stages and invoices each one as it’s completed, rather than waiting for the end of the project. Residential remodelers often bill by milestone, such as demolition, rough-in, drywall, and finish, while commercial contractors usually submit monthly pay applications against a schedule of values, showing the percentage complete, the retainage held back, and amounts already paid. Lien waivers are commonly exchanged as each payment clears. Clearwater Processing’s invoice payment solutions let each progress invoice be paid by card, and reporting ties every payment to the job so the final invoice and retainage release are easy to reconcile.

Key the card into a virtual terminal on the technician’s phone or tablet while the customer is present, rather than writing the number on a work order or texting a photo of the card to the office, and hand the card straight back. Ask for the security code and billing ZIP code that keyed payments typically request, and keep devices locked with a passcode. Clearwater Processing pairs its virtual terminal with PCI compliance solutions, fraud-prevention practices, and $100,000 breach protection insurance.

Yes. Clearwater Processing can automatically update customers’ cards that are about to expire, so HVAC tune-up plans, lawn and pest control programs, and pool service agreements keep charging on schedule without the office tracking down new card details. That saves staff time and keeps recurring revenue that would otherwise stall at the expiration date. Cards can still decline for other reasons, so review each billing run in reporting.

Yes. Clearwater Processing offers multi-location capabilities with parent and sub-parent reporting, so a contractor with several branches, or separate HVAC, plumbing, and electrical divisions, can review each one’s deposits, progress payments, and final balances on their own while the owner sees the combined picture.

Service trades usually bill one call at a time, so the priority is getting paid before the truck leaves. Look for invoicing that lets a technician turn the completed work order, with labor, parts, and any flat-rate charges, into an invoice on site, then take the card through a virtual terminal on a phone or tablet or email the invoice for the customer to pay online. After-hours emergency calls, such as a no-heat call or a burst pipe, also call for taking a card over the phone at dispatch or at completion. Maintenance agreements should bill automatically, and Clearwater Processing can automatically update customers’ cards that are about to expire, so plan revenue keeps coming in without the office chasing new card details. Each payment can sync with QuickBooks or Xero against the right job.

Large residential projects usually run on a payment schedule written into the contract: a deposit at signing, a payment when materials are delivered or work starts, milestone payments as stages are completed, and a final payment after the walkthrough. Bill each stage as its own invoice showing the contract amount, approved change orders, amounts already paid, and the balance remaining, so the homeowner can see where the job stands. On insurance-claim roofs, list the homeowner’s portion and the insurance-funded portion as separate lines so each payment posts to the right place. Clearwater Processing’s invoice payment solutions let customers pay each stage by card, dual pricing or zero-fee (surcharge) programs can help on large tickets where card-network rules and state law allow, and next-day funding means a card deposit can go toward the materials order quickly.

Retainage is the portion of each progress payment, set by the contract, that the owner or general contractor holds back until the project is substantially complete or closed out. Track the amount retained on every pay application as its own line, so you always know what is still owed on each job, and send a separate retainage invoice once the contract’s closeout conditions are met, usually along with a final lien waiver and any required closeout documents. Clearwater Processing’s reporting ties each progress payment to its project, and with QuickBooks or Xero integration the retainage balance stays visible in your accounting software instead of being forgotten once the crew moves on to the next job.

Offer both and let the customer choose. Many commercial clients and property managers pay large invoices by check or ACH bank transfer on net terms, while homeowners often prefer to put the deposit or final payment for an HVAC replacement or new roof on a card. Accepting cards on every invoice type removes one more reason for a payment to stall, and Clearwater Processing’s custom invoicing with dual pricing can show a card price and a check or ACH price on the same invoice where card-network rules and state law allow. Your dedicated representative can review what card payments on large tickets are costing you now and which setup fits how your customers pay.