Arbeitly vs Invoice Ninja: Open Source vs All-in-One

Invoice Ninja has a dedicated following among freelancers who value open-source software and the ability to self-host. It's a capable invoicing tool with a strong feature set. But for freelancers who need more than invoicing, the comparison reveals important differences.

Core Invoicing Features

Both platforms handle the invoicing fundamentals well: professional invoice templates, recurring invoices, expense tracking, and basic reporting. Invoice Ninja's self-hosted version is free; its hosted version starts at $12/month. Arbeitly's free tier covers invoicing with no invoice limits.

Time Tracking

Invoice Ninja includes basic time tracking. Arbeitly's time tracker integrates directly with project and client management, making it easier to convert tracked time to invoices and analyse profitability by client.

CV Builder and Job Management

Invoice Ninja focuses exclusively on invoicing and payments. Arbeitly includes an AI CV builder, job application tracking, and career management tools — features that make it a complete business platform for freelancers, not just a billing tool.

Product Finances Tracking

For SaaS founders and digital product creators, Arbeitly's product finances feature enables per-product P&L tracking that Invoice Ninja doesn't offer.

Maintenance and Updates

Self-hosting Invoice Ninja means you're responsible for updates, security patches, and server maintenance. For freelancers who want to focus on client work rather than server administration, a fully-managed SaaS like Arbeitly removes this overhead entirely.

Language Support

Invoice Ninja supports multiple languages but doesn't cover Faroese or Icelandic. Arbeitly's 10-language support — including all major Northern and Western European languages — gives it an edge for EU-based businesses and international teams. More comparisons on the Arbeitly blog.

Invoice Ninja is an excellent choice for developers who want full control and are comfortable with self-hosting. For freelancers who want a complete, maintained, EU-native business platform without server management, Arbeitly is the stronger choice.