Free PDF invoice template, ready to fill and send
A PDF is the right format for the invoice a client receives: it opens on any device, renders exactly as you sent it, and cannot be casually edited. This page has the full template free, with a blank fillable PDF to download and no email gate. Below is what goes in it, how to fill it without paid software, and how to flatten it so the numbers stay put.
What goes on a pdf invoice
| Field | What goes there |
|---|---|
| Sender block | Your name or business name, address, phone, and email at the top left, exactly as they appear on your bank account and W-9. |
| Bill to block | The client's legal name and address. On a fillable PDF this is a text field you tab into, so watch the font size when names run long. |
| Invoice number | Unique and sequential. Also put it in the PDF's file name so it survives the client's downloads folder. |
| Dates | Issue date and due date as fixed text. Once flattened, nobody can nudge the due date a week. |
| Line items | Description, quantity, rate, amount. Four columns, one row per distinct service. |
| Subtotal, tax, and total | Compute these before you fill the PDF, in a calculator or spreadsheet. A PDF form does not do math unless someone scripted it, and this one does not pretend to. |
| Payment methods | Bank transfer details, a payment link written out in full, or a mailing address for checks. |
| Terms and late fee line | One line: payment due within 14 days, then 1.5 percent monthly on overdue balances where allowed. |
| Memo field | PO number or project reference the client's accounts payable team will match against. |
The line-item table
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior photography, half day session | 1 | $500.00 | $500.00 |
| Photo retouching, per image | 12 | $8.00 | $96.00 |
| Gallery hosting, one year | 1 | $120.00 | $120.00 |
How to use this template
- Download the blank PDF. The button at the bottom of the page hands you the file directly. No account, no email, no watermark.
- Fill it with free software. Adobe Acrobat Reader is free and its Fill & Sign tool types into any PDF. On a Mac, Preview does the same with the Markup toolbar. Both run fine without a subscription.
- Flatten before sending. Print the filled invoice to a new PDF: File > Print, then Save as PDF on Mac or the Microsoft Print to PDF printer on Windows. Printing merges the form fields into the page so your amounts can no longer be selected and changed.
- Name the file so it files itself. Use number, client, then the word invoice: 2026-014 Alvarez invoice.pdf. It sorts chronologically in any folder and is findable by searching any part of it.
- Email with the total in the body. Attach the PDF and put the amount and due date in the first line of the email. The client should not need to open the attachment to know what is being asked and by when.
Get paid faster
Send the format the client cannot argue with
An editable invoice invites edits, and a spreadsheet invites questions about formulas. The PDF freezes the ask. Disputes then happen in words, over email, where they belong.
Keep the source file forever
Whatever you filled the PDF from, keep it alongside the flattened copy. When a client asks for a corrected invoice in November you want to edit, not rebuild.
Due dates beat terms jargon
Write April 14 next to Net 30. Clients pay dates, not vocabulary, and accounts payable software keys on the date field anyway.
Attach it to the thread that ordered the work
Reply to the email where the client approved the job instead of starting a fresh thread. The approval and the invoice sitting together ends most scope arguments before they start.
The blank PDF downloads instantly with nothing gated, and the CSV version opens in Excel or Google Sheets if you would rather do the math in a spreadsheet first.
Frequently asked questions
Why should invoices be sent as PDFs?
Three reasons: a PDF renders identically on every device, it opens without special software on phones and locked down work computers, and it cannot be edited by accident or by intent without leaving traces. Word and Excel files fail all three.
How can I fill out a PDF invoice for free?
Adobe Acrobat Reader's Fill & Sign tool is free and works on Windows, Mac, and phones. Mac users can also use Preview's Markup toolbar, and most browsers can type into a fillable PDF directly.
What does flattening a PDF mean?
Flattening merges interactive form fields into the page itself, turning your typed entries into permanent content. The easiest method is printing the filled PDF to a new PDF. Send the flattened copy and keep the fillable original for yourself.
Can a client pay directly from a PDF?
Only if you put a payment link in it. A written out link works when clicked in most PDF readers. Otherwise the PDF carries the instructions and the payment happens in the client's banking or card flow.
Does Staxen send PDF invoices?
Yes. For trade contractors, Ivy the Invoicer generates the invoice, sends the client a link with card and ACH payment attached, and escalates reminders when it goes overdue, for $59 per month per AI employee, $149 per month for all three. The free template above covers the manual version of the same job.
Start free with Staxen: your first job is on us, no card required.