Self employed invoice template: free download for sole traders
In this guide, a sole trader is someone who runs a business as an individual, not through a limited company. Plenty of tutors, photographers and window cleaners work this way, and they all need the same thing at the end of a job: an invoice that gets paid.
Your invoice carries your name, not a company’s. That is the one difference to get right. Below is a free template for sole traders in Word, Excel and PDF, and a plain explanation of what goes where.
Download the sole trader invoice template
Free to download, no account needed. The same layout in 3 formats.
What a sole trader puts on an invoice
The details GOV.UK lists for any invoice apply to you too. For sole traders it adds 2 more: your name and any business name you use, and an address where legal documents can reach you if you trade under a business name. The template has a box for each.
| On the invoice | What a sole trader writes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Your name | Your own name, on every invoice | Priya Shah |
| Business name | Only if you trade under one | trading as Shah Tutoring |
| Address | Your address and contact details, on every invoice. If you use a business name, give an address where legal documents can reach you. | 12 Sample Road, Anytown, AB1 2CD |
| VAT number | Only if you are VAT registered. Otherwise leave it out | Leave blank |
The words "trading as" are a common way to join your name and business name. GOV.UK asks for both and does not set the wording.
Fill it in, one line at a time
- Your details. Name, business name if you have one, address, email and phone.
- The customer. A person or a company, with an address.
- A unique invoice number. Start a simple series and never reuse a number.
- 3 dates. The invoice date, the supply date (when you did the work) and the date payment is due.
- What you did, in words the customer recognises. "Maths tutoring, 4 sessions, 1 to 22 June" or "Fitted 2 internal doors, 6 hours" works. "Services" does not.
- How to pay you. Your bank details and a payment terms line.
A tutor, a photographer and a joiner will write very different line 5s. The structure around it stays the same. For the payment terms line, this guide has wording you can copy.
Which file to use
| Format | Use it when | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Word | You want to change the wording or layout | You type the totals yourself |
| Excel | An invoice has several lines or hours | Quantity times price adds up for you. Use the yellow cell for VAT only if you charge it |
| You need one invoice quickly | Fill it in on screen, then print or save a copy |
The same template, set up for any UK business, is on the main invoice template page, with a Google Docs how-to.
Invoicing as a sole trader, from your phone.
Create a professional invoice in EasyInvoice, add your logo, and send it by email, WhatsApp, Messenger or SMS. Free trial for 14 days, no card needed.
When the file stops saving you time
A template is enough while you send a handful of invoices. It stops being enough when the same customers come back every week. You start copying last month’s file, retyping the same details and scrolling a spreadsheet to see who has paid.
EasyInvoice keeps the repeat work out of the way:
- • Pick a saved customer and saved items instead of retyping them
- • Repeat the same invoice weekly, monthly or quarterly for regular clients
- • Turn an accepted estimate into an invoice in one tap
- • See how much you have earned this month, and which invoices make up the total
- • See who has paid and who still owes you
Invoices and estimates have no limit, and Basic costs £6.99 a month. The sales dashboard shows the month at a glance, and the pricing page has the full plan details.
Try your next invoice in the app.
Add your logo, send an invoice to a real customer and watch it move to paid. Free for 14 days, no card needed.
FAQ
What should a sole trader put on an invoice?
A sole trader’s invoice shows a unique invoice number, their own name and any business name they use, their address and contact information, and, if they use a business name, an address where legal documents can reach them, the customer’s name and address, a clear description of the work, the supply date, the invoice date, the amounts and the total owed. GOV.UK has the full list.
Do I need my own name on a self-employed invoice?
If you are a sole trader, yes. GOV.UK says a sole trader’s invoice must include their name and any business name they use. A business name alone is not enough.
Is there a free self-employed invoice template?
Yes. The template on this page is free to download in Word, Excel and PDF, and you do not need an account. It is set up for sole traders, with boxes for your name and business name.
Can a sole trader invoice without VAT?
If you are not VAT registered, you leave the VAT line blank and the VAT number out. Whether you need to register for VAT is a separate question, and GOV.UK covers what an invoice shows when VAT applies.
Do I need a logo on my invoice?
No. Nothing in GOV.UK’s list of invoice details asks for a logo. A logo makes an invoice look finished, and EasyInvoice lets you add yours.
How do I invoice a client as a freelancer?
Agree the price and payment terms first. After the work, send an invoice with a unique number, your name, the client’s details, a clear description, the dates and the total. Put the payment terms on it, so the client knows when you expect to be paid.
