Answers / How to get paid faster
How to get paid faster
Send the invoice the day the job ends, put a pay-online link on it, take payment on site when you can, take deposits on bigger jobs, and let automatic reminders do the chasing. Here is how to set each one up with invoicing tools we list.
Steps
- Send the invoice the day the job ends. The longer you wait to bill, the longer you wait to get paid. Invoice from the same job software you quoted in, so the approved price carries over and you can send it from your phone before you leave the driveway.
- Put a pay-online link on every invoice. Turn on online payments so the customer can pay by card or bank transfer straight from the invoice instead of mailing a check. Jobber, Housecall Pro, ServiceM8 and FreshBooks list online invoice payments; with Wave, online payments are an add-on you apply for.
- Take payment before you leave. For smaller jobs, ask for payment on the spot. Jobber, Housecall Pro and ServiceM8 list Tap to Pay, which takes a card on your phone with no reader. Card fees apply, so check the rates on the vendor's pricing page.
- Take a deposit and bill big jobs in stages. For bigger jobs, collect a deposit when the customer says yes and invoice as you hit milestones. Jobber and ServiceM8 list progress invoicing; ServiceM8, FreshBooks and Wave list deposits.
- Let reminders do the chasing. Turn on automatic payment reminders so overdue invoices get a polite nudge without you making the call. Jobber (on plans above Core), Housecall Pro, ServiceM8, FreshBooks and Wave all list them. Read the reminder wording before you turn it on. FreshBooks also lists scheduled late fees; if you use them, put your policy on the quote first.
- Put repeat customers on automatic payments. For recurring work like mowing or maintenance, charge the card the customer saved. Jobber lists automatic card payments for recurring work on plans above Core, and ServiceM8 lists Auto-Pay for recurring jobs from its Starter plan.
- Sync payments to your books and check once a week. Connect your job software to your accounting software so paid invoices are marked paid without retyping (see the setup guides below). Once a week, look at the unpaid invoice list and call anyone the reminders didn't reach.
Tools that do this
Only tools we list. What each does here comes from the vendor's own page on the date shown; prices are the starting prices on the vendor's pricing page. Prices change, so confirm before you buy.
| Tool | What it does for this | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Jobber | Pricing page lists invoices customers can pay online by card or bank payment (ACH), Tap to Pay in the Jobber mobile app with no extra hardware, instant payouts for an extra 1% fee, and progress invoicing. Plans above Core add automated invoice follow-ups by email or text with a one-click pay option, and automatic card payments for recurring work. (vendor page, checked 2026-11-01) | Core $29/mo billed annually ($49 month-to-month) (pricing, checked 2026-11-01) |
| Housecall Pro | Pricing page lists invoices with automated reminders that customers can pay 24/7, card and debit payments on invoices and in the field, Tap to Pay on a phone with no card reader, and fee-free check deposits through the mobile app. (vendor page, checked 2026-11-01) | Basic $59/mo billed annually (pricing, checked 2026-11-01) |
| ServiceM8 | Pricing page lists online invoices clients can pay by card or Apple Pay, card payments on site including Tap to Pay, Live Invoice Statements (one link to everything a client owes) and Automated Payment Follow-ups by email and text, each marked "All plans"; Auto-Pay for recurring jobs from Starter; deposits and progress invoicing. (vendor page, checked 2026-11-01) | Free $0/mo (30 jobs); Starter $29/mo (50 jobs); Growing $79/mo (150 jobs); Premium $149/mo (500 jobs) (pricing, checked 2026-11-03) |
| FreshBooks | Pricing page lists automated late payment reminders, scheduled late fees, deposits and automated recurring invoices, plus online payments by card, digital wallet and bank transfer (ACH) and Instant Payouts. Check the plan table for which plan includes each. (vendor page, checked 2026-11-01) | Lite $23/mo, Plus $43/mo, Premium $70/mo list (promo shown: 80% off for 4 months); 30-day free trial (pricing, checked 2026-10-29) |
| Wave | Pricing page lists automated late payment reminders and collecting deposits through estimates. Online card and bank payments are an add-on you apply for; Wave says approval depends on identity verification and a credit review. (vendor page, checked 2026-11-01) | Starter $0; Pro $19/mo (new monthly Pro subscribers: $9.50/mo for the first 3 months) (pricing, checked 2026-11-03) |
Setup guides and comparisons
- Connect Jobber to QuickBooks Online (new integration) (setup guide)
- Connect ServiceM8 to QuickBooks Online (setup guide)
- Connect Housecall Pro to QuickBooks Online (setup guide)
- Jobber vs Housecall Pro
- Workiz vs ServiceM8
- FreshBooks vs Wave
- QuickBooks Online vs Xero
By industry: Construction, Snow & landscaping, Home services. All bookkeeping tools.
Last checked 2026-11-01. We do not rank these tools; we name a pick only after hands-on testing. Spot something out of date? Send a correction.
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