Free invoicing for contractors and trades
Between job sites and quotes, the last thing you need is fiddly billing software. Tillage gives contractors fast estimates, deposit and milestone invoicing, and card or ACH payments in one free tool — with late fees and fee pass-through so you get paid on time and in full.
Why contractor billing is its own headache
Project work means deposits, change orders, progress billing, and clients who pay late. Most invoicing tools don't handle any of it well.
Deposits and progress billing done manually
A job needs money up front, a payment at rough-in, and a balance on completion. Most tools make you create each of those invoices by hand and remember when to send them, so it's easy to do the work before you've collected the deposit.
Late payments stall your cash flow
Materials and subs need paying now, but the client sits on the invoice for weeks. Without automatic reminders or enforceable late fees, you're floating the cost of the job and making uncomfortable phone calls to get paid for work you already finished.
Card fees on big-ticket jobs
On a $20,000 job, letting a client pay by card can cost you nearly $600 in processing fees. Eat it and your margin shrinks; refuse cards and you wait longer for a check. Most tools give you no way to simply pass the fee along.
Change orders that never get billed
The client asks for an extra run of wiring or a finish upgrade mid-job, you say yes to keep things moving, and the change never makes it onto an invoice. Without a fast way to capture change orders on site, the extra work quietly comes out of your own margin.
How Tillage helps contractors
Quote fast, collect deposits up front, and get the balance without chasing it.
Estimates to invoices in minutes
Turn a quick estimate into a professional invoice on your phone between jobs, with your logo and clear line items — no desktop software or paperwork pile required.
Deposits and milestone billing
Set a payment schedule — deposit, progress payments, final balance — and Tillage generates each invoice when it's due, so you collect the deposit before the work starts.
Late fees and reminders built in
Automatic reminders go out before and after the due date, and you can apply late fees you agreed up front — so overdue invoices get paid without the awkward follow-up calls.
Pass card fees to the client
Accept cards and ACH, and turn on fee pass-through so the client covers the processing fee at checkout. You get paid fast and keep your full margin.
Tillage vs. basic invoice apps
A basic app formats an invoice. Job-based work needs deposits, milestones, and late fees.
| Capability | Tillage | Basic invoice apps |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan ($0/month) | Yes | Yes |
| Deposits & milestone billing | Yes, scheduled | Manual |
| Late fees + automatic reminders | Yes | Limited |
| Pass card fees to the client | Yes | Rarely |
| Works from your phone on site | Yes | Varies |
| Full accounting & taxes | No — export to your accountant | Varies |
Honest take: Where other tools win: dedicated job-costing suites and full accounting platforms go deeper on materials tracking and the books. Tillage focuses on quoting, deposits, and getting the invoice paid — and exports cleanly to whatever you use for accounting.
Built for project-based trades
Money up front, progress payments, and a balance you don't have to chase.
Collect the deposit first
The deposit invoice goes out before the job starts, so you're never financing materials and labor out of your own pocket.
Paid on completion
Milestone and final-balance invoices issue automatically when they're due, with reminders that nudge the client so the last payment doesn't drag.
Contractor invoicing FAQ
Quick answers about billing with Tillage.
Get paid for the work you've already done
Fast estimates, deposits up front, and balances without the chasing. Start free — no credit card required.