How to Make a Receipt for Your Small Business (Free & Easy Methods)

You just made your first sale. Congrats! Now your customer wants a receipt, and you're scrambling to figure out how to make one that looks professional.

Don't worry - creating receipts for your small business is easier than you think. You don't need expensive software or fancy equipment. Let's walk through your options from simplest to most sophisticated.

The Absolute Fastest Way: Pre-Made Receipt Books

If you need receipts right now and want zero tech:

Receipt books from any office supply store - $5-10 for 50-100 receipts with carbon copies.

How it works:

1. Write your business name at the top
2. Fill in customer name, date, items, amounts
3. Add up the total
4. Tear off the top copy for customer, keep the carbon copy

Pros: Available immediately, no setup, no tech needed, cheap Cons: Handwritten looks less professional, takes time, easy to make math errors

Best for: Very small volume, temporary solution, emergencies, markets/craft fairs

If you go this route, get a custom business stamp ($15-20) with your name, address, and phone number. Stamp each receipt before filling it out. Looks way more professional than handwriting.

The Free Digital Way: Online Receipt Makers

For professional-looking receipts without buying software:

Free online receipt makers let you create custom receipts in minutes. Just fill in a form, and they generate a formatted receipt you can download or email.

How it works:

1. Go to a receipt maker tool
2. Choose a template style
3. Enter your business info
4. Add items and prices
5. Download as PDF or PNG
6. Email to customer or print

Pros: Professional appearance, automatic calculations, free, works on any device, no installation Cons: Requires internet, might have branding/watermarks on free versions

Best for: Occasional receipts, freelancers, side businesses, one-off sales

Some popular free options:

• Online Receipt Maker - Free templates, instant downloads
• Invoice Simple - Basic version is free
• Wave - Free with their accounting software

The Template Way: Word or Google Docs

Create your own reusable receipt template:

In Microsoft Word or Google Docs:

1. Create a new document
2. Add your business header (logo, name, contact info)
3. Create a simple table for items, quantities, prices
4. Add fields for customer name, date, receipt number
5. Add total, tax, and payment method fields
6. Save as a template

Each time you need a receipt:

1. Open the template
2. Save as a new file (don't overwrite template!)
3. Fill in the transaction details
4. Save as PDF
5. Email or print

Pros: Fully customized, free (if you have Word/Docs), works offline, complete control Cons: Manual calculations, formatting can be fiddly, need to update manually

Best for: Businesses with consistent receipt format, people comfortable with document editing

You can find free receipt templates online to get started. Just search "free receipt template Word" or "receipt template Google Docs."

The Spreadsheet Way: Excel or Google Sheets

For people who love spreadsheets:

Create a receipt template in Excel or Google Sheets with automatic calculations:

Setup (do once):

1. Design receipt layout in one section
2. Use formulas for automatic math (subtotal, tax, total)
3. Make it print nicely on one page
4. Create data entry area
5. Save as template

Pros: Automatic calculations, can track all receipts in one file, good for data analysis, free Cons: Initial setup takes time, not the most visually appealing, need spreadsheet skills

Best for: People who already track finances in spreadsheets, businesses that want receipt database and receipt generator in one

Bonus: You can set up a sheet that generates multiple receipts and keeps a running log of all sales.

The App Way: Mobile Receipt Apps

For on-the-go receipt creation:

Several phone apps let you create receipts from your phone and email them immediately:

Square - Free app, creates receipts automatically when you process payments. You can also manually create receipts.

PayPal/Venmo Business - Similar to Square, generates receipts for transactions.

Invoice2go - Receipt and invoice creator app. Some features free.

Receipt Maker - Dedicated receipt creation apps available on iOS and Android.

Pros: Create receipts anywhere, quick, professional, usually can email automatically, often free Cons: Small screen, limited customization, may require signup

Best for: Service businesses, mobile vendors, businesses that accept digital payments, people who are always on phone anyway

The Professional Way: Accounting Software

If you're running a real business, consider proper accounting software:

Free options:

• Wave - Completely free accounting software with receipts, invoices, everything
• Zoho Books - Free for very small businesses
• GnuCash - Open source and free, more complex

Paid options ($10-30/month):

• QuickBooks - Industry standard, does everything
• FreshBooks - Very user-friendly, great for service businesses
• Xero - Modern interface, good features

Pros: Professional features, automatic calculations, customer database, tracks everything, exports for tax time, looks very professional Cons: Monthly cost, learning curve, overkill if you rarely need receipts

Best for: Established businesses, anyone who needs invoicing and accounting anyway, businesses with regular customers

The advantage here isn't just receipts. It's complete business financial management. If you're serious about your business, you'll need this eventually anyway.

The POS System Way: All-in-One

If you have a physical retail location or restaurant:

Point of Sale (POS) systems handle sales AND receipt printing:

Popular systems:

• Square POS - Free software, buy their hardware
• Shopify POS - If you have a Shopify store
• Toast - Designed for restaurants
• Lightspeed - Retail focused
• Clover - Full-featured POS

These include:

• Receipt printer (thermal printers, $150-300)
• Tablet or terminal
• Software that handles everything
• Automatic receipt generation

Pros: Professional, automatic, fast, handles inventory and sales tracking, multiple payment methods Cons: Upfront hardware cost, monthly fees, overkill for simple needs

Best for: Retail stores, restaurants, businesses with physical locations and regular foot traffic

What Every Receipt Needs

Regardless of method you choose, include these elements:

Business Information:

• Your business name
• Address
• Phone number or email
• Business website (optional but nice)

Transaction Details:

• Receipt number (just number them sequentially)
• Date and time of sale
• Customer name (if applicable)

Items Purchased:

• Description of each item/service
• Quantity
• Price per unit
• Line total

Money Details:

• Subtotal
• Tax amount (if applicable)
• Any discounts or fees
• Final total
• Payment method (cash, card, check, etc.)

Optional but Good:

• Return/exchange policy
• Thank you message
• Warranty information
• QR code to website or review page

Tips for Professional-Looking Receipts

Add your logo - Even a simple logo makes receipts look more legitimate.

Use consistent formatting - Pick fonts, sizes, and layout, then stick with them.

Include social media - If you want reviews or followers, add your handles.

Number sequentially - Receipt #001, #002, etc. Looks professional and helps your tracking.

Leave white space - Don't cram everything together. Clean, spaced layout is easier to read.

Make totals stand out - Bold or larger font for the final amount.

Use readable fonts - This isn't the place for fancy cursive. Clear and simple wins.

Digital vs Paper Receipts

Email receipts when possible:

• Customers appreciate not having more paper
• They can't lose a digital receipt
• Better for the environment
• Easier for customers to expense
• Cheaper for you (no paper, ink, or printer maintenance)

Always offer printed option:

• Some customers prefer paper
• Some need physical receipts for their records
• Some businesses require them

Best practice: Ask "Would you like a printed receipt, or should I email it?" This gives them the choice and makes you look professional.

Legal Considerations

Different places have different receipt requirements:

Generally required:

• Business name
• Date
• Items purchased
• Amount paid

Sometimes required:

• Business address
• Tax ID or registration number
• Sales tax shown separately
• Specific warnings or notices

Check your local regulations. Some places require businesses to offer receipts for all transactions, even if customers decline.

Receipt vs Invoice: What's the Difference?

Receipt = Proof that payment was already made. Given after transaction is complete.

Invoice = Request for payment. Sent before payment is received.

Don't confuse them. If someone paid you, give them a receipt. If they owe you money, send an invoice.

Keeping Copies for Yourself

Whatever method you use, keep copies of all receipts you issue:

Why:

• Proof of income for taxes
• Track what you've sold
• Resolve disputes
• Required by tax authorities

How:

• Carbon copies from receipt books
• Save PDFs in a folder
• Accounting software stores automatically
• Photograph or scan paper receipts

Keep receipt records for at least 7 years for tax purposes.

The Bottom Line: Which Method to Choose

Just starting out or very occasional sales: Free online receipt maker or receipt book

Freelancer or consultant: Online receipt maker or accounting software like Wave (free)

Regular but not constant sales: Google Docs template or simple accounting software

Established business: Accounting software (QuickBooks, FreshBooks, etc.)

Retail store or restaurant: POS system with receipt printer

On-the-go service business: Mobile app (Square, PayPal, etc.)

The best system is the one you'll actually use consistently. Start simple and upgrade as your business grows. You can always move to more sophisticated systems later.

Most importantly, just start giving receipts. Even a simple handwritten one from a receipt book is way better than nothing. Your customers will appreciate it, and your business will look more professional.

As your business grows, you'll naturally graduate to better systems. But for now, pick a method and start creating receipts today. Your customers are waiting.