Need to show a client exactly what they will be billed before the work starts, or ask for payment in advance? Make a proforma invoice: same lines and total as the final invoice, a valid-until date, and your payment details. English, English + Arabic or English + Urdu labels. Print or save as PDF, and when the job is done or paid, turn it into the final invoice in one click. No signup, and nothing leaves your browser.
Proforma sent? Keep track of the real invoice.
When the client pays or the work is delivered, click Make the final invoice above. The free Kitebill app doesn't make proforma invoices, but it keeps the final invoices: mark one as sent and it turns overdue by itself after the due date; when the money lands, record the exchange rate you got and what arrived after fees. You enter the invoice there once. Everything stays in your browser.
Free: 3 clients and 10 invoices, no account, no card
Pro, US$29 once: unlimited clients and invoices, your logo, no "Created with" line, expenses and CSV export. 30-day money-back.
A proforma invoice is a preliminary bill: it shows what the final invoice will say (who, what, how much, in which currency) before the work is done or the goods are sent. Freelancers and small businesses usually send one to:
Ask for payment in advance. The client pays against the proforma, then you issue the final invoice.
Get the client's approval. Many accounts teams need a document with the exact amount to approve a budget or raise a purchase order before they can pay a supplier.
Prepare paperwork for goods. Importers and banks sometimes ask for a proforma invoice before a shipment or a payment is arranged.
It is not a tax invoice, and it is usually not booked as a sale: the final invoice is. What counts as a valid invoice depends on the country, so check local rules if you are VAT or GST registered. This page is not legal or tax advice.
Proforma invoice, quote or invoice?
Quote or estimate: an offer. The client hasn't agreed yet, and there are no payment details. Use the quote generator.
Proforma invoice: the deal is agreed (or nearly), and this shows the exact bill in advance. It can include payment details if you want the money first.
Invoice: the actual request for payment for work agreed or done, with an invoice number from your normal series and a due date. Use the invoice generator.
What to put on it
The words "Proforma invoice" at the top, so nobody pays it twice or files it as the final invoice. This page prints that title and a line saying a final invoice will follow.
Its own number series, such as PRO-0001. Keeping proformas out of your invoice numbers means your real invoices stay in an unbroken sequence.
The same lines and total as the final invoice. If the scope changes, send a new proforma rather than editing the old one.
A valid-until date. 30 days is set by default; shorten it if prices or exchange rates move fast.
Payment details if you're asking for an advance: bank, Payoneer, Wise or PayPal, the currency, and who pays transfer fees.
From proforma to final invoice
Once the client has paid or the work is delivered, click Make the final invoice. The invoice generator opens with the same client, lines, discount, tax, payment details and notes, and adds "Final invoice for proforma invoice PRO-…". Give it your next invoice number and the right dates, then print. If the client already paid in advance, say so in Notes, and use Mark as paid: make a receipt on the invoice page for a payment receipt.
Yes. There is no signup and no limit. The printed proforma invoice has a small "Created with Kitebill" line at the bottom.
Is a proforma invoice a tax invoice?
No. It is a preliminary document that shows what the final invoice will be. The final invoice, issued when the work is delivered or paid, is the one that counts for tax in most countries. Rules differ, so check yours if you are VAT or GST registered.
Can a client pay a proforma invoice?
Yes, that is one of its main uses: asking for payment before work starts. Add your payment details, and when the money arrives, issue the final invoice and, if the client wants one, a payment receipt.
Should proforma invoices use my normal invoice numbers?
It is simpler not to. A separate series such as PRO-0001 keeps your real invoice numbers in an unbroken sequence, which accountants and tax offices often expect.
Can I make it in Arabic or Urdu?
Yes. Choose English + Arabic or English + Urdu. Headings such as "Proforma invoice", "Valid until" and "Total" print in both languages; your own text prints as you type it.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No. The document is built by JavaScript in your browser and nothing is saved. "Make the final invoice" passes the details to the invoice page inside the address after the # sign, which browsers do not send to servers, and the page clears it straight away.
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