Online Receipt Generators in 2025
Need to create professional receipts but don't want to mess with complicated accounting software? You're in luck. Online receipt generators have gotten really good, and many are completely free.
We'll walk you through the best options available in 2025, comparing features, pricing, and what makes each one worth considering for your business. If you're just getting started, you might also want to check out our guide on how to make receipts for your small business, which covers all methods from handwritten to digital.
What to Look For in an Online Receipt Generator
Before we dive into specific tools, here's what matters:
Essential Features:
- Easy-to-use interface (you shouldn't need a tutorial)
- Professional-looking templates
- Customizable branding (your logo, colors, info)
- Download options (PDF, PNG, etc.)
- Mobile-friendly
Nice-to-Have Features:
- Receipt numbering (automatic sequential numbering)
- Tax calculation
- Customer database
- Receipt history/tracking
- Email delivery to customers
- Multi-currency support
- API integration
Pricing Models:
- Completely free (with possible watermarks)
- Free with premium features ($5-20/month)
- Pay-per-receipt model
- Subscription-based
Let's look at the top options:
1. Canva
Best for: Anyone who wants a beautiful, design-focused receipt
Canva is primarily known as a design tool, but it has an excellent receipt template library.
What You Get:
- Hundreds of professional receipt templates
- Drag-and-drop customization
- Upload your logo easily
- Brand kit (save colors, fonts, logos for consistency)
- Download as PDF or PNG
- Share directly or print
Pricing:
- Free version with watermark
- Canva Pro: $180/year (or ~$15/month) removes watermark, adds premium templates
How It Works:
- Go to Canva.com
- Search "receipt"
- Pick a template
- Customize with your business info
- Download PDF
Pros:
- Beautiful templates that look genuinely professional
- Extremely easy to use
- Perfect if design matters to your brand
- Great for businesses that care about aesthetics
Cons:
- Free version adds watermark
- Doesn't track receipt numbers automatically
- Manual receipt creation each time
- Not integrated with accounting software
- Watermark looks a bit "DIY" even though the design is great
Best For: Freelancers, consultants, and small service businesses where every receipt is a branding opportunity.
2. Shopify
Best for: E-commerce businesses and retailers with existing Shopify stores
If you're already selling on Shopify, you probably don't need to look elsewhere. Shopify integrates receipt generation directly into your store.
What You Get:
- Automatic receipt generation for every order
- Customizable receipt template
- Customer info pre-filled
- Email receipts to customers automatically
- Download/print options
- Receipt history and search
- Tax information included
- Multiple receipt formats
Pricing:
- Included free with Shopify plans (from $39/month for Basic)
- No additional cost
How It Works:
- Orders come in through your store
- Receipts are created automatically
- Emails sent to customers automatically
- You can customize the template in Settings > Orders
Pros:
- Completely automated
- No extra cost
- Integrates perfectly with your inventory
- Tracks everything
- Looks professional and branded
- Customer information pre-filled
- Can customize heavily
Cons:
- Only works if you're using Shopify
- Can't easily use for non-Shopify transactions
- Template customization requires some technical knowledge
Best For: Anyone with a Shopify store. If you're selling online through Shopify, you already have this included.
3. Xero
Best for: Businesses that need full accounting + receipts
Xero is accounting software, but it has excellent built-in receipt handling. This is the "all-in-one" solution.
What You Get:
- Receipt generation for invoices
- Receipt tracking and history
- Tax categorization
- Customer database
- Expense tracking
- Integration with your accounting
- Mobile app for on-the-go receipt capture
- Multi-currency support
- Automated calculations
Pricing:
- Starter: $11/month (limited features)
- Standard: $22/month (most small businesses)
- Premium: $62/month (more advanced)
How It Works:
- Create an invoice in Xero
- Once paid, it becomes a receipt
- Customize receipt template in settings
- Send to customer via email or print
- Everything tracks in your accounting
Pros:
- Professional appearance
- Fully integrated accounting
- Automated expense tracking
- Multi-user access
- Integrations with 1000+ other tools
- Tax-ready data
- Mobile app included
- Automatic numbering and tracking
Cons:
- Requires subscription (not free)
- Learning curve if new to Xero
- Overkill if you just need receipts and no accounting features
- Setup takes time
Best For: Established businesses that need accounting software anyway. If you're already using Xero, receipts are just part of it. If you're only looking for receipts, this is expensive.
4. Online Receipt Maker
Best for: Quick, simple, free receipt creation
Online Receipt Maker (onlinereceiptmaker.com) is a dedicated receipt generation tool built specifically for this one job.
What You Get:
- Receipt template library
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Enter your business info once
- Add line items, amounts, taxes
- Download as PDF or print
- No account required for basic use
- Multiple template styles
Pricing:
- Free version (fully functional, watermark-optional)
- Premium: Small one-time fees for advanced features
How It Works:
- Go to onlinereceiptmaker.com
- Choose a template
- Fill in business info (only first time)
- Add transaction details
- Download or print
Pros:
- Completely free and simple
- No account required
- Fast - literally designed just for this
- Clean, professional templates
- Perfect for occasional receipt needs
- Lightweight and quick loading
- Great for very small businesses
Cons:
- No automatic receipt numbering (you manual)
- No customer database
- No integration with accounting
- No receipt tracking
- Basic templates compared to Canva
Best For: Freelancers, side hustles, and small businesses that occasionally need receipts. Perfect if you don't want to overthink it.
How These Compare
| Feature | Canva | Shopify | Xero | Online Receipt Maker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0-15/mo | $39+/mo* | $11-62/mo | Free |
| Design Quality | Excellent | Good | Professional | Good |
| Ease of Use | Very Easy | Easy | Moderate | Very Easy |
| Automation | Manual | Full | Full | Manual |
| Receipt Tracking | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Tax Integration | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Mobile App | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Free Option | Yes | (Shopify stores) | No | Yes |
| Best For | Design-focused | E-commerce | Full accounting | Quick & simple |
*Shopify cost includes full e-commerce platform, receipt generation is included at no extra cost
Choosing the Right Tool for Your Situation
You should use Canva if:
- You care about design and branding
- You create receipts occasionally
- You want the cheapest option with beautiful results
- You're a freelancer or consultant
You should use Shopify if:
- You're running an online store
- You need automated receipt generation
- You want receipts integrated with your sales
- You take many orders daily
You should use Xero if:
- You need full accounting and receipts
- You're a growing business with employees
- You want deep expense tracking
- You're willing to pay for professional software
You should use Online Receipt Maker if:
- You want the fastest, simplest option
- You create receipts occasionally
- You don't need fancy features
- You want something truly free with no upselling
Important Receipt Elements (Regardless of Tool)
Whatever generator you choose, make sure your receipts include:
Legal Requirements:
- Business name and location
- Date of transaction
- Items purchased with price per unit
- Subtotal, tax, and total
- Payment method
Professional Touches:
- Your logo
- Business phone/email
- Website URL
- Return policy (optional but good)
- Thank you message
For Your Records:
- Receipt number
- Customer name (if applicable)
- Transaction ID (if applicable)
- Your internal notes
Pro Tips for Online Receipt Generators
1. Save a Template Whatever tool you choose, create your basic template once and reuse it. This keeps consistency and speeds up the process.
2. Test Before Using With Customers Create a test receipt and print it. Check how it looks, fix any spacing issues or formatting problems.
3. Keep a Copy for Yourself Always save or download a copy. You need records for taxes and for disputes.
4. Use Sequential Numbering Don't use the same receipt number twice. This prevents confusion and looks more professional.
5. Include Consistent Branding Same logo, colors, fonts every time. It builds brand recognition.
Advanced Tip: Combining Tools
Smart businesses often use multiple tools:
- Canva for custom, design-heavy receipts (special orders, big clients)
- Shopify for automated e-commerce receipts (online store)
- Xero for accounting and professional receipts (if they need accounting anyway)
- Online Receipt Maker for quick receipts (occasional needs)
You don't have to pick just one. Some businesses use Shopify for online orders and Canva for special print orders. Others use Xero for everything except one client that needs custom designed receipts.
Digital Receipts vs. Printed Receipts
Most of these tools support both. Here's when to use each:
Email (Digital):
- Preferred by most customers
- Better for the environment
- No printing costs
- Easier to track
- Better for remote transactions
Printed:
- Required by some businesses
- Still important for in-person sales
- Some customers prefer paper
- Needed for certain industries
Best practice: Offer both options. Ask the customer "Would you like this emailed or printed?"
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Don't use overly complex templates
- Hard to read = looks unprofessional
- Keep it simple and clean
Don't forget important info
- Missing tax details looks incomplete
- Always include payment method
Don't skip quality checks
- Typos in receipts look bad
- Verify all information before sending
Don't ignore backup copies
- Always keep your own records
- Download and save everything
The Bottom Line
Choosing an online receipt generator depends on your specific needs:
- For beautiful design: Canva
- For e-commerce automation: Shopify
- For full accounting: Xero
- For simple and free: Online Receipt Maker
All of these produce professional receipts that your customers will trust. None of them require technical skills. And all of them are significantly better than handwriting receipts. For specific examples and templates, explore our collection of receipt templates.
Start with the one that matches your current needs. You can always switch to a different tool later as your business grows. Many businesses use multiple tools at different stages of their growth.
The important thing is this: start creating professional receipts today. Your business will look more legitimate, your customers will appreciate it, and your accounting will be easier.
Pick a tool, create your first receipt, and experience how simple it can be.