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How to create professional invoices with PayPal

PayPal Editorial StaffPayPal Editorial Staff

August 18, 2026

August 18, 2026

10 mins read

Merchants juggle every aspect of their business; how they manage payments should be last on the list. Whether you’re a freelancer invoicing clients for project work, a contractor sending invoices for services, or a wholesale business managing bulk orders, PayPal Invoicing helps you create professional digital invoices to grow your brand and business while streamlining the payment process.

Invoices are created and sent using your PayPal Business account, online or from your phone. Customers can pay from any device using a variety of payment options, including PayPal, Venmo (US only), Pay Later, Apple Pay®, debit and credit cards, and Pay by Bank (ACH). No PayPal account is required for a customer to complete payment, so you get paid fast.

“I like how simple and professional PayPal Invoicing is. It lets me create and send invoices in just a few clicks, with a clean, customizable layout that looks polished for clients.” 1

PayPal invoices can be personalized to reflect your brand and how you do business. Add your logo, icon, and brand colors to create a consistent, professional experience that customers recognize.

You can also customize invoices to fit your workflow. Create invoice templates with fields for order details, project information, shipping options, and payment terms like Net 30, partial payments, or return policies. Once set up, templates save you time on every invoice, so you can skip repetitive steps and send faster.

All PayPal Invoicing features are free to use with no setup costs or subscription fees. Create and send out as many invoices as needed, paying only when you get paid. Here’s how to give your business a lift in just a few steps with PayPal Invoicing, the free invoice generator built for small businesses.

Create. Send. Get paid. Repeat.

Look professional from the start

Your PayPal invoice may be the first branded touchpoint your customer sees. The invoice directs them to your checkout and ends with a payment confirmation. Each step is an opportunity to make your brand stronger. Setting up your PayPal business profile takes just a few minutes and applies automatically to every invoice, estimate, and receipt you send.

Pro tip: A complete, professional profile that includes your business address, website, and contact details can help build customer trust.

  1. Log in to your existing PayPal business account or create one for the first time: it's fast, free to open, and easy to do.
  2. From your PayPal business account, go to “Sales” and click “Invoices.”
  3. From your Invoices page, click “Invoice Settings,” then select “Customize.” This is your one-time brand setup; everything you configure here will automatically apply to all future invoices.
  4. Upload your business logo and icon, set your brand accent colors, and complete your company information. Include your full business address, website URL, and contact details. This information appears on every invoice, and on the checkout page your customers see when paying. A professional, complete profile signals credibility and can improve payment rates.
  5. Click “Preview” to see exactly how your invoices will look to customers, including the checkout experience.

Create your invoice

  1. From your PayPal business account, go to “Sales” and click “Invoices.”
  2. From your Invoices page, click “Create New.”
  3. Enter your customer details, such as their name and email address. No email address? No problem. You can share invoices with links or QR codes, too.
  4. Now add your item or service details, with a description, quantity, and price. PayPal Invoicing works well for invoices for services like consulting and contracting, product invoices, and tax invoices with sales tax/GST/VAT line items for registered businesses.
  5. Include a personalized thank-you note, payment instructions, discounts, terms and conditions, and more.

Send an estimate first

Still working out details with a customer? Start by sending an estimate with PayPal Invoicing before locking in the final invoice. This gives your customers a chance to review, ask questions, and approve the project scope before payment.

Once a customer accepts your estimate, you can convert it to an invoice in a single click. All line items, pricing, and terms carry over automatically. No re-entering information, no chasing approvals by email. Move from quote to payments fast.

  1. From your Invoices business dashboard, click “Create New” and select “Estimate.”
  2. Add your line items, pricing, payment terms, and a note to the customer, then click “Send.”
  3. Your customer can review the estimate and either accept it or leave comments. You’ll be notified as soon as they respond.
  4. Once accepted, click “Convert to Invoice.” All estimate details carry over automatically; just review, add any final details, and send.

Enable payment options

PayPal Invoicing takes the guesswork out of payment methods. Rather than manually managing which options to show, PayPal can automatically display payment options to your customers according to what’s available in their location or on their device. Enable PayPal, Venmo (US only), Pay Later, Apple Pay®, debit and credit cards, and Pay by Bank (ACH), and your customers will be offered the appropriate choices every time.

Pay by Bank (ACH) is especially useful for high-value invoices. Enable it once in Invoice Settings, and you have individual invoice-level control, with the option to set it as the only accepted payment method. Ideal for large contracts or B2B transactions where bank transfers are preferred.

  1. From Invoice Settings, navigate to “Payment Methods.” PayPal automatically handles which options appear for each customer; no manual configuration needed per invoice.
  2. Once Pay by Bank (ACH) is enabled in Invoice Settings, you can also control it on a per-invoice basis. Find the toggle on the right side of the invoice editor under Invoice Options.
  3. You can also enable partial payments for deposits, discounts, and tipping to give buyers even more flexibility.
  4. Confirm your payment options are visible in preview.

Save as a template

You don’t have to create a brand new invoice every time. Save a custom invoice template that’s always ready to go for your regular sales. There are two ways to build a template. Pick the one that fits your workflow:

Create a template from scratch

  1. From your Invoices dashboard, navigate to the Templates tab and click Create “New Template.”
  2. Fill in your line items, pricing, taxes, discounts, shipping terms, and payment conditions, then save. Your template is ready to use immediately.

Save an existing invoice as a template

  1. While editing any invoice, open the template dropdown and select “Save as Template.”
  2. Give it a name and save. It captures everything in that invoice for future reuse.

Create multiple templates for all types of sales. You can create service invoices for freelance or contractor projects, wholesale invoicing templates for bulk orders, invoices with varying tax rates and shipping terms, and invoices with custom payment terms, such as Net 30. The next time you send, just select the right template and go.

Link and send

Your invoice is now personalized and ready to send. Choose the way that works best for you.

  1. Click “Send,” and PayPal emails the invoice directly to your customer using your brand icon and background color.
  2. Share your invoice using a PayPal invoice link and paste it into a text message, email, social media post, or any messaging platform. Or generate a QR code for in-person transactions that customers can scan and pay instantly from their phones.
  3. Download your invoice as a PDF to print out or share as an attachment.

Get paid. Repeat.

Make it easier to get paid. Streamline how you send, track, and manage your invoices.

  1. Make invoices recurring for repeat customers and subscription-based services. Go to “Invoicing” and click on "Recurring Series," then click “Create New Recurring Series.” Start from an existing invoice template to save time or create a new one. Set your billing frequency (weekly, monthly, quarterly, or a custom schedule), and PayPal handles the rest.
  2. Automatic payment reminders are on by default. PayPal automatically follows up with customers via email when invoices are due or overdue, so you never have to chase a late payment manually. To adjust the reminder frequency or timing, go to “Invoice Settings” then “Auto Reminders." You can also set invoice expiration dates to create urgency and keep payment timelines on track.
  3. Send invoices at scale with batch invoices via CSV upload. If you manage orders in a spreadsheet or export them from an order management system, upload a CSV file directly to PayPal Invoicing to automatically create and send invoices to multiple customers at once. Ideal for wholesale invoicing and high-volume operations.
  4. Track when invoices are sent, opened, and paid from your business dashboard.

“What I like most about PayPal Invoicing is how simple and professional it is to use. I can easily create and send invoices in just a few minutes, and they look clean and well-designed without any extra effort.

It’s also really convenient that clients can pay instantly through PayPal, which makes the process smooth ” 2

Create professional, on-brand invoices with ease and spend less time on admin tasks. With PayPal Invoicing, you can stay organized, send with confidence, and get paid faster.

Watch your business grow with PayPal.

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