Why you need invoicing software at all
Which document you are obliged to issue depends on who you sell to and on whether you are registered for DPH (Czech VAT). A VAT-registered trader issues tax documents in the cases the VAT Act sets out; a consumer who asks for proof of purchase has to be given one. Even where the law does not require a document called an "invoice", you need something credible behind the income and the payment terms you agreed.
Invoicing software saves time, cuts down on mistakes and keeps the numbers in one place. The Czech market in 2026 offers plenty of options, several with a free plan. The question is how to tell which one fits you.
If you are looking for a tool rather than a comparison, invoicing software for sole traders in Czechia puts what a small business needs on one page, including a free plan to start on. Below is what to compare free plans by.
Taxorio Free: what the free plan covers
| Feature | Free plan | When you need PRO |
|---|---|---|
| Issued invoices | 2 per month | A higher regular volume |
| Expenses | 5 per month | Keeping records of more documents as you go |
| AI document recognition | 5 documents per month | Scanning more often |
| VAT XML exports | Not included | DPHDP3 and DPHKH1 for supported Czech documents |
If you issue at most two invoices and record at most five expenses in a month, the whole basic workflow is available without paying. The counters reset at the start of each month.
What to compare invoicing software by
1. Statutory invoice details
The basic requirement of any invoicing tool is that the invoices it produces meet the legal requirements. Under the VAT Act (Act No. 235/2004 Coll.) and the Civil Code, an invoice has to carry:
- identification of the supplier and the customer (name, address, IČO — the Czech business identification number — and DIČ, the tax identification number, where relevant)
- the invoice number, unique within its sequence
- the date of issue and the date of the taxable supply (DUZP)
- a description of the goods or services supplied
- the tax base, the VAT rate and the VAT amount, if you are registered
- the total amount payable
- payment details (bank account number, variable symbol)
Good software watches these for you and will not let an incomplete invoice out.
2. Automatic numbering
Numbering is not a formality: the tax office expects the sequence to be unbroken and unambiguous. Software that assigns numbers automatically keeps duplicates and gaps out of the records, which is one fewer thing to explain during an inspection.
3. QR payment codes
A QR code on the invoice is effectively standard in Czechia. The customer scans it in their banking app and the payment details fill themselves in — amount, account number, variable symbol — which cuts down on mispayments and on chasing.
Check that the tool supports the SPD format (Short Payment Descriptor), which every Czech bank reads. Some cheaper or older tools do not generate QR codes at all.
4. ARES lookup
Retyping customer details is a reliable source of errors. Decent software connects to the ARES register (the Czech administrative register of economic entities) and fills in the company name, address and the rest from the IČO. The same goes for checking a DIČ against the VIES system for EU trading partners.
5. VAT support and exports
If you are registered for VAT, the software has to handle the current rates. Czechia has two in 2026: the standard 21 % and the reduced 12 % (the result of merging the former 10 % and 15 % rates in the 2024 consolidation package). The tool should apply them correctly and, ideally, export data for the VAT return and the control report.
6. Expense records
Invoicing is one half of the picture. To know where you stand you also need to record expenses. Some tools include categorised expense records, which saves work when the tax return comes round and makes cash flow easier to plan.
7. Access from a phone
A web app that works on a phone and a tablet is the minimum today. Some tools go further and let you photograph documents with the phone, which is the difference between recording a receipt from a trip and losing it.
Why free plans exist, and what they limit
Plenty of invoicing tools have a free plan, for a simple reason: the provider wants you to try the software and expects that if it suits you, you will move to a paid plan as your volume grows. Free plans therefore almost always come with limits.
The usual ones:
- Invoices per month — the most common limit, typically two to five
- Expenses recorded — a cap on how many you can log
- No advanced exports — XML exports for the tax office tend to sit behind the paid plan
- Limited AI features — automatic document recognition capped by the number of documents processed
- Fewer templates — a narrower choice of invoice layouts
A free plan suits anyone who invoices occasionally — a side business, or the first months of a new one. Past a few invoices a month, a paid plan usually pays for itself in time saved.
What to watch out for in free plans
Hidden costs
Some tools are free only at first glance. There can be charges for exporting a PDF, for putting your logo on the invoice, or for removing the provider's advertising from the document. Read the terms before you register and find out what the free plan actually includes.
The quality of the PDF
The invoice is how your business looks on paper. Check that the free plan produces a professional PDF without watermarks or the provider's advertising — a customer who receives an invoice carrying someone else's marketing draws conclusions.
Data security
Invoicing data is sensitive: customer details, bank accounts, an overview of your income. Make sure the provider uses an encrypted connection (HTTPS), secure storage and regular backups.
Whether it will still be there
Consider whether the tool will still exist in a year or two. Moving between invoicing systems is unpleasant — historical data to transfer, settings to redo. Prefer a provider with a clear business model and visible development.
A practical example
Say you are a freelance developer with one long-term client and the occasional one-off job, so you issue one or two invoices a month.
- Registration — create an account, enter your IČO and let the system pull your details from ARES.
- Setup — choose the invoice numbering, add your bank account and, if you want, a logo.
- The first invoice — enter the client's IČO, let the system fill in their details, then add the description of the work, the amount and the due date. The payment QR code is generated with the invoice.
- Sending — download the PDF and e-mail it to the client.
- Expenses — record the software, hardware or services you used for the work.
When you need to invoice more, you move to a paid plan.
Taxorio as one of the options
There are several invoicing tools on the Czech market and the right one depends on what you do. If you are still choosing, this comparison of the most widely used invoicing tools for sole traders is a place to start. One of the options is Taxorio, whose free plan covers 2 invoices, 5 expenses and 5 AI document recognitions per month.
The free plan includes:
- invoice PDFs with a choice of three templates (Aurora, Modern and Classic)
- an automatic payment QR code in the SPD format
- customer details pulled from ARES by IČO
- DIČ verification against VIES for trade within the EU
- automatic invoice numbering in a fixed YYYYXXXX format (year and sequential number, for example 20260001)
- categorised expense records (software, hardware, travel, phone, services, office and more)
- a tax calendar of upcoming dates
- a dashboard with income, expenses and VAT
As the business grows, the PRO plan from CZK 69 a month adds unlimited invoices and expenses, up to 150 AI scans a month, and DPHKH1 and DPHDP3 XML exports for supported Czech documents. The DPFDP7 export covers the basic sole-trader scenario with Section 7 income; other types of income, tax reliefs and deductions have to be completed and checked on the MOJE daně portal.
You can open an account at app.taxorio.cz without a card.
Summary: how to choose
- Do the invoices meet every statutory requirement?
- Does it generate QR payment codes in the SPD format?
- Can it fill in customer details from ARES?
- Does it record expenses as well as invoices?
- Does it handle the current VAT rates, 21 % and 12 %?
- Is the PDF professional and free of the provider's advertising?
- Is the pricing clear?
- Does it work in a browser on a phone as well as a computer?
A free plan is a good start, but expect to need a paid one as your invoicing grows. At the order of tens of crowns a month, the cost comes back in time saved and in knowing the documents are in order.
Tip: before you commit, run a real invoice through the free plan of whichever tool you are considering. Nothing else tells you as quickly whether the workflow fits how you work.
Seven tools compared by type of business and by what the automation costs: The best invoicing software for Czech sole traders in 2026.
Official sources
- Czech Trade Inspection Authority — proof of purchase of goods or a service
- Czech Financial Administration — value added tax and tax documents
Taxorio scope: Taxorio provides invoicing and income/expense records for Czech sole traders. It is not full accounting or personalised tax advice. For an unsupported or unusual case, verify the treatment with a Czech accountant or tax adviser before filing.