Should I Build It Should I Build It
02 Jul 2025
SaaS Accounting Productivity Freelance

The idea is simple: make invoicing fast and stress-free for ...

...freelancers, consultants, and solo founders. With WhatsDue, you can create clean, professional invoices in seconds, send them via SMS or email, and get paid without chasing. There’s no accounting software, no setup, no learning curve — just your branding, your details, and a frictionless way to bill clients. It’s for people who don’t want bloated tools — just something that works.

Confidence
Engagement
Net use signal
Net buy signal

Idea type: Freemium

People love using similar products but resist paying. You’ll need to either find who will pay or create additional value that’s worth paying for.

Should You Build It?

Build but think about differentiation and monetization.

Your are here

WhatsDue enters a crowded market of simplified invoicing solutions tailored to freelancers and small businesses. Our analysis indicates high confidence in this category due to a substantial number of similar products (n_matches = 27). These products generally receive medium engagement (avg n_comments = 8), suggesting a moderate level of user interaction and feedback. The Freemium idea category suggests that people like these tools but are hesitant to pay. This means you'll need to figure out how to get people to pay, who will pay, or create additional value for paying customers. Focus on differentiating WhatsDue from existing free invoice generators. Success hinges on identifying a specific niche or pain point that WhatsDue addresses more effectively than its competitors, and on creating value that users are willing to pay for.

Recommendations

  1. Given the 'Freemium' categorization and the number of competitors, start by deeply understanding your ideal customer. What specific invoicing pain points do they experience that current solutions don't adequately address? Focus on a specific niche (e.g., consultants in a particular industry) to tailor your feature set and marketing efforts.
  2. Based on user feedback from similar products, many desire integrations with accounting software. While WhatsDue aims for simplicity, consider if key integrations could be a premium feature. Also, explore how you might incorporate features for recurring invoices or save invoice formats, as these are recurring requests.
  3. Since most users are currently getting value from free versions, you need to be laser-focused on identifying which users get the most value from the free product. Observe user behavior within your free tier to understand which features are most heavily used and which users are most engaged. These are your potential paying customers.
  4. Develop premium features that directly address the needs of those high-value free users. This could include advanced customization options, priority support, team collaboration features, or deeper integrations. Consider a feature like automatic reminders for overdue invoices, as this solves a tangible pain point.
  5. Explore team-based pricing models instead of individual subscriptions. Small teams or agencies may be more willing to pay for a collaborative invoicing solution. This opens up a new revenue stream and aligns with the needs of growing businesses.
  6. Consider offering personalized help or consulting services as a high-end add-on. This could involve helping clients set up their invoicing system, providing financial advice, or assisting with tax compliance. This high-touch approach can justify a premium price point.
  7. Conduct A/B testing with small user groups to determine optimal pricing strategies. Experiment with different price points, feature bundles, and subscription options to identify what resonates best with your target audience. Use data to inform your pricing decisions.
  8. Address potential concerns by offering robust security features. Communicate your security measures clearly on your website and in your app. Build trust with your users and let them know you’re invested in keeping their information safe.

Questions

  1. Given the number of competitors, what specific, unique value proposition does WhatsDue offer that will make it stand out in the market and convince users to switch from existing solutions or spreadsheets?
  2. WhatsDue focuses on simplicity. How will you balance adding revenue-generating premium features with maintaining a clean, user-friendly experience, avoiding the feature bloat that users criticize in competing products?
  3. Considering that many users of similar products express concerns about pricing transparency, how will you ensure that WhatsDue's pricing model is clear, straightforward, and perceived as fair by your target audience?

Your are here

WhatsDue enters a crowded market of simplified invoicing solutions tailored to freelancers and small businesses. Our analysis indicates high confidence in this category due to a substantial number of similar products (n_matches = 27). These products generally receive medium engagement (avg n_comments = 8), suggesting a moderate level of user interaction and feedback. The Freemium idea category suggests that people like these tools but are hesitant to pay. This means you'll need to figure out how to get people to pay, who will pay, or create additional value for paying customers. Focus on differentiating WhatsDue from existing free invoice generators. Success hinges on identifying a specific niche or pain point that WhatsDue addresses more effectively than its competitors, and on creating value that users are willing to pay for.

Recommendations

  1. Given the 'Freemium' categorization and the number of competitors, start by deeply understanding your ideal customer. What specific invoicing pain points do they experience that current solutions don't adequately address? Focus on a specific niche (e.g., consultants in a particular industry) to tailor your feature set and marketing efforts.
  2. Based on user feedback from similar products, many desire integrations with accounting software. While WhatsDue aims for simplicity, consider if key integrations could be a premium feature. Also, explore how you might incorporate features for recurring invoices or save invoice formats, as these are recurring requests.
  3. Since most users are currently getting value from free versions, you need to be laser-focused on identifying which users get the most value from the free product. Observe user behavior within your free tier to understand which features are most heavily used and which users are most engaged. These are your potential paying customers.
  4. Develop premium features that directly address the needs of those high-value free users. This could include advanced customization options, priority support, team collaboration features, or deeper integrations. Consider a feature like automatic reminders for overdue invoices, as this solves a tangible pain point.
  5. Explore team-based pricing models instead of individual subscriptions. Small teams or agencies may be more willing to pay for a collaborative invoicing solution. This opens up a new revenue stream and aligns with the needs of growing businesses.
  6. Consider offering personalized help or consulting services as a high-end add-on. This could involve helping clients set up their invoicing system, providing financial advice, or assisting with tax compliance. This high-touch approach can justify a premium price point.
  7. Conduct A/B testing with small user groups to determine optimal pricing strategies. Experiment with different price points, feature bundles, and subscription options to identify what resonates best with your target audience. Use data to inform your pricing decisions.
  8. Address potential concerns by offering robust security features. Communicate your security measures clearly on your website and in your app. Build trust with your users and let them know you’re invested in keeping their information safe.

Questions

  1. Given the number of competitors, what specific, unique value proposition does WhatsDue offer that will make it stand out in the market and convince users to switch from existing solutions or spreadsheets?
  2. WhatsDue focuses on simplicity. How will you balance adding revenue-generating premium features with maintaining a clean, user-friendly experience, avoiding the feature bloat that users criticize in competing products?
  3. Considering that many users of similar products express concerns about pricing transparency, how will you ensure that WhatsDue's pricing model is clear, straightforward, and perceived as fair by your target audience?

  • Confidence: High
    • Number of similar products: 27
  • Engagement: Medium
    • Average number of comments: 8
  • Net use signal: 10.4%
    • Positive use signal: 18.5%
    • Negative use signal: 8.1%
  • Net buy signal: -3.1%
    • Positive buy signal: 2.5%
    • Negative buy signal: 5.6%

This chart summarizes all the similar products we found for your idea in a single plot.

The x-axis represents the overall feedback each product received. This is calculated from the net use and buy signals that were expressed in the comments. The maximum is +1, which means all comments (across all similar products) were positive, expressed a willingness to use & buy said product. The minimum is -1 and it means the exact opposite.

The y-axis captures the strength of the signal, i.e. how many people commented and how does this rank against other products in this category. The maximum is +1, which means these products were the most liked, upvoted and talked about launches recently. The minimum is 0, meaning zero engagement or feedback was received.

The sizes of the product dots are determined by the relevance to your idea, where 10 is the maximum.

Your idea is the big blueish dot, which should lie somewhere in the polygon defined by these products. It can be off-center because we use custom weighting to summarize these metrics.

Similar products

Relevance

I've build a stupidly simple invoicing for freelancers and contractors

01 May 2024 Freelance

Hey HN.Being a freelance myself for a while I've used dozen of well-known services to run my routines.I've acknowledged that I don't need THAT many different tools & functions where I just getting lost.So I created Onigiri, a stupidly simple & convenient invoicing which allows you to create, send & store your invoices easilyNick

Users commented on Onigiri, a simple invoicing tool, noting issues with ultrawide screens, ads, and unclear pricing leading some to exit. Suggestions included a dark mode, freemium model, and better pricing visibility. Alternatives like Zoho and Invoice Ninja were mentioned. Concerns about privacy, business model, and feature set were raised, with some preferring spreadsheets or existing tools like Bonsai. Positive feedback included the design and simplicity. There were also minor suggestions for copy edits and a warning about potential logo infringement with Basecamp.

Users find the product overwhelming due to too many tools and functions, and are critical of the ad presence. The registration requirement, UI issues like the arrow covering words, lack of dark mode, and a 14-day trial are seen as negatives. Pricing issues are prominent, with difficulty finding pricing information, unclear pricing, and a general sentiment that the product is too expensive compared to alternatives. There are also concerns about legal liabilities, privacy policies, and a lack of unique features. The app and desktop versions are considered clunky, and there's criticism of the lack of integration with accounting software and invoicing simplicity.

https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=ChilledTonic

See also:https://www.hellobonsai.com/Which I have used on and off as a freelancer; if Onigiri is even 60% of the way there in feature parity, I’ll switch today. Bonsai has always been far to expensive for my tastes.

https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=awavering

Second that, am also on Bonsai.Scheduling, quarterly estimated taxes, and longevity are worth paying for but I wish it wasn't so steep.

https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=awavering

Not the OP, but I pay for Bonsai because it does a better job of competitors of bringing a variety of tools together in a way that saves me time.- Scheduling/calendar for client intros and meetings.- Client info is then available to create a project.- I track time to a project as I work on it.- I invoice monthly or at the end of the project.- Forms for collecting feedback and testimonials.- Tax tracking for knowing how much I owe the IRS every 3 months.It doesn't do any one thing outstandingly, but having a single point of reference for all my clients and my business interactions with them is really valuable. I looked at a few similar options (https://www.withmoxie.com/, https://www.waveapps.com/) but Bonsai beat them on functionality and usability.The main part of Bonsai that I don't use is project management - that always happens in email/slack/asana/monday.

https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=boatbuilder

Have been using this for a while. Yep, stupidly simple and super super useful! Thank you

https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=solardev

Well, in my case, I'm always in Chrome anyway, so having it as a browser popup is super convenient for being able to start/pause the timer in 2 clicks.If it was an app, I'd probably never use it because it would take too much time to unlock my phone, find the app, wait for the app to launch, go to the timer, and then hit pause. It's a lot of friction for something I'll typically do 3-4 times a day, starting and stopping the timer to work on other things or just to take a break.

https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=kimelnick

got it! Thank your for the details. Will consider chrome extensions for sure. May I somehow connect you later when I'll start playing around with it? Wanna hear feedback from an experienced harvest extension user

https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=kimelnick

Yep, I plan to add an integration to connect it with Xero, Quickbooks & some others

https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=kimelnick

Omg) now definitely "does") ty

https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=stevage

Ok can you explain how you would make an invoice PDF in Google sheets? I'd seriously consider that.

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Relevance

ONIGIRI - Stupidly simple invoicing

19 Dec 2024 Fintech Payments Freelance

Easily make, send, and share invoices — get paid faster than ever.

Onigiri, an invoicing tool, is praised for its simplicity, ease of use, and minimalist design, particularly appealing to solopreneurs and freelancers seeking alternatives to overcomplicated invoicing apps. Users love the clean and relaxing interface, attractive branding, and the product's convenient nature. The app is seen as fast, with a good UI, drawing comparisons to 37signals. One user experienced a sign-in issue with Google. Overall, the product is well-received for addressing the need for simple invoicing solutions.

Users criticize the increasing complexity of invoicing apps, suggesting a focus on essential features. The sign-in process failed for at least one user. Functionality is lacking such as customer-input fields for invoices, quantity, and order/checkout features.

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76
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Free Invoice Generator for Everyone - Say goodbye to Spreadsheets, make tax compliant invoices

04 Apr 2023 CRM Accounting Productivity

Invoice Generator, a tool so grand, Simplifies invoicing, just like magic in hand No more fussing with spreadsheets or paper, Just create an invoice, & send it over later Get paid on time & keep your cashflow strong, Your business will thrive, all day long

The Product Hunt launch received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with users praising the free invoice generator for its ease of use, sleek design, and time-saving capabilities. Many users congratulated the team and expressed excitement about using the tool, highlighting its usefulness for simplifying invoicing and streamlining billing processes. Some users requested additional features like template saving, tax fields, and accounting software integration. Several users also inquired about how the product differentiates itself from similar tools like Zoho Invoices. Long-term users of Clientjoy services also expressed satisfaction.

Critics highlight a lack of clear product differentiation and question the necessity of the app compared to existing solutions, suggesting the need for a stronger business plan. Furthermore, the app's claim of being entirely free is undermined by requests for users' emails to download it, which raises questions about its monetization strategy and transparency.

shlok06

Congrats on Launch! Super excited to use the product.

drashti_doshi

This looks incredibly promising! The sleek design and intuitive interface make it seem like creating and sending invoices will be a breeze. It's great to see such a valuable tool being offered for free, and I can't wait to give it a try. Thanks for making our invoicing process so much easier!

vivek_athankar

Damn, I used this and it has made my work easy...

kabir_singh7

Now no need to design the invoice, free tool providing such an amazing theme, Totally time saver product, all the best guys👍

shivam_hire1

A free invoice generator, an absolute delight from the team. Now I can stop bothering myself with excel and google sheets. Quick and easy invoicing ⭐️

vidhi_yelve

This is a great one team and really very easy to use.

elma_pena

Congratulations again Clientjoy team! You guys keep on coming with great updates! Thank you and I'm a proud user of Clientjoy! @shreyash_jain

megancrabb76348

Thanks for taking invoicing to the next level. If your promise of staying free stands, you can count me on board!

sai_k9

This is a great one team and really very easy to use. I just wanted to know, can I save a template and re use it again and again just by changing the invoice numbers ? In the comments it was mentioned it is truly free, but requesting me email for download like other apps. And like how we add items, can we add tax fields as well. As locals business especially in India we have both CGST and SGST.

sanika_g

Client joy services are great I am using it form past 2 years

naynesh_juikar

The product are easy and good to use

chirag_borole

This invoice generator can save me a lot of time and allow me to streamline the billing process, allowing me to concentrate on other aspects of my business while saving you time.

omkar_hande

Thanks for making our invoicing process so much easier with your sleek design and intuitive interface; I am thrilled to see such a valuable tool being offered for free, and I am eager to try it out. The invoicing process will never be the same once we have it in place.

pooja_tak1

I would like to thank you for making our invoicing process such an easy one with your sleek design and intuitive interface. I am delighted to see such a valuable tool being offered for free, and I'm eagerly anticipating using it. I'm sure it'll transform the way we do invoicing once we have it in place.

supriya_mankar

Invoice processes have been made so easy and convenient by your sleek design and intuitive interface that I would like to thank you for that. I am pleased to see such a useful tool available for free, and I eagerly anticipate using it in the near future. Once it is installed, I'm certain it will transform how we invoicing is done in our organization.

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Invoice Generator - Get paid faster with free invoice generator

27 Apr 2024 Productivity Payments Freelance

This project provides a user-friendly invoice generation tool for freelancers, small businesses, and contractors. Create professional, customized invoices quickly and easily to ensure you get paid on time, every time.

The Product Hunt launch received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with users praising the mobile-friendly site, sleek design, and user-friendly interface. Several users highlighted its usefulness for freelancers and startups. Suggestions included saving/reusing invoice formats, data export, Google Drive integration for Google Sheets, support for more currencies, and payment integrations, as well as considering security. Some users inquired about future iterations and format accessibility. The open-source nature and speed of invoice generation were also appreciated. One user mentioned inspiration from Cryptoinvoice.new.

Users criticized the product launch for lacking key features such as saving invoice formats, data export/import capabilities, and PDF re-import functionality. The tedious process of repeatedly filling out the same invoice data was also a point of concern. Suggestions included adding support for more currencies and addressing accessibility issues to ensure the format is usable for everyone.

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384
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11.1%
27
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Invoicetastic - Effortless Invoicing & Payment Tracking for Freelancers!

25 Feb 2025 SaaS Productivity Finance

InvoiceTastic makes it easy to create, send, and track invoices. Designed for freelancers & small businesses, it helps you get paid faster!

Users express overall satisfaction with the product, particularly its invoicing capabilities. They highlight its problem-solving ability, ease of use, and helpful founder support. Several users are impressed and recommend it to others. There's a desire for more features and guidance on continued use, indicating a positive experience and interest in further development.

The primary criticism revolves around a desire for more features. Users feel the current offering is lacking and are eager to see additional functionalities implemented to enhance its utility and value.

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9
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66.7%
16.7%
6
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Envise - Invoicing made simple

01 May 2023 Fintech SaaS Productivity

Envise, a free invoice maker app, was developed for entrepreneurs, SME owners, contractors and freelancers for fast estimates and invoicing. Create and share, your business branded professional estimates and invoices in seconds, from anywhere, at any time!

The Product Hunt launch received positive feedback and congratulations. Users find the invoice generator helpful, especially for smartphone use. A request was made for a desktop version due to the user not having Android. One user inquired about how the product compares to other invoice generators.

A key criticism is the lack of a desktop version, limiting accessibility for users who don't use Android devices. This absence prevents non-Android users from fully utilizing the product's features, hindering wider adoption.

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70
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Invoice Generator - Easily create, share and organise your invoices

01 Aug 2023 SaaS Freelance Business

Effortless invoicing at your fingertips, whether you’re a small business owner, freelancer or entrepreneur looking to streamline your invoicing process. With our app, you can easily create professional invoices and send them to your clients in just a few taps.

Users congratulate Cheruiyot on the successful launch and wish good luck. The automation of invoicing to free time and resources is appreciated. One user asks about app pricing and its availability as a web application.

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Heppipay - Uncomplicated invoice management for freelancers

05 Apr 2023 SaaS Productivity Freelance

No more time lost staying on top of your bills. As a freelancer, focus on what you love and leave invoicing to us.

User signed up to test, profile creation has issues.

Bank details required despite being optional; IBAN error.

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67
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InvoicePad Click, Send and Get Paid – Payments Simplified

20 Dec 2023 Fintech Payments

Hello HN! At InvoicePad, we're all about making your online payment and invoicing process a breeze. We understand how important it is for businesses to have a smooth, secure way to handle finances, especially when dealing with global transactions. That's why we've created a platform where you can easily manage your billing and enjoy hassle-free, one-click payments. It's all about giving you the freedom to focus on growing your business, wherever you are in the world. Let's make financial transactions simpler together with InvoicePad!We get that small businesses and freelancers need a bit of extra love when it comes to managing finances. That's why we've tailored our pricing to be super friendly. We believe everyone deserves access to a top-notch invoicing and payment system, without having to worry about a hefty price tag. We're here to support your financial journey, keeping things affordable and understanding your budget needs. It's all about being a part of your team and helping you thrive without breaking the bank. Let's handle those finances together, the friendly way!We're super excited to invite each and every one of you to share your ideas, experiences, and feedback with us.Looking forward to hearing from you all!

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4
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Invoicing.to - Your all-in-one invoicing solution, easy and almost free

28 Apr 2023 Accounting Operations Productivity

Make it easy with Invoicing.to – the smart way to manage invoicing with a comprehensive service. Get organized, manage multiple profiles effortlessly, organize clients efficiently. Bonus for pros: hassle-free integration with Workzone.io More details below 👇

The Product Hunt launch received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with numerous users congratulating the team and praising the product's simplicity, high quality, and usefulness for invoicing. Its mobile-friendly design and multi-currency support were appreciated. Several users highlighted its potential for freelancers and expressed intentions to recommend it. There's interest in future updates, integrations within the WorkZone ecosystem, and its use as a basic POS billing solution. One user suggested adding the product to a directory. Overall, the launch was well-received and the product is considered promising.

Criticism is minimal. The POS billing feature is seen as only useful for those needing a basic product. There's concern over the subtle promotion of a personal project within a congratulatory message.

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Easy Invoice Maker App by Moon - An invoicing solution for all businesses

16 Mar 2024 Android Finance Business

Sending professional invoices has become a Childs play with Moon Invoice. Our online invoicing solution is an invoice to go app that helps businesses, consultants, freelancers, & enterprises to send digital invoices & receipts from anywhere, anytime.

The Easy Invoice Maker App by Moon received positive feedback on its Product Hunt launch. Users congratulated the team and wished them luck. The app was described as neat and well-done. There was a specific mention of the app being potentially valuable to agency businesses.

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79
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UniqInvoice - Invoice Solutions For Businesses and Freelancers

08 Oct 2024 Accounting Finance Freelance

Discover Invoice Made Easy, the definitive tool for seamless invoicing. Tailored for both businesses and freelancers, it simplifies billing, manages expenses, and streamlines financial operations with ease.

Users appreciate the project's ease of use. There's a suggestion to add automation for recurring invoices, particularly beneficial for businesses with repeat customers. The positive feedback indicates a user-friendly experience.

The primary criticism is the absence of invoice automation. Users are suggesting the addition of this feature to streamline invoicing processes.

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28
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Invoice Generator Web App - Create Professional Invoices Instantly!

18 Mar 2025 Web App Productivity Freelance

Generate polished, professional invoices in seconds. Add your logo, personalize details, instantly export invoices as PDFs, and get paid faster—completely free and hassle-free.

Users appreciate the tool, highlighting its helpful preview window. There's a noted need for invoicing tools that also provide compliance features and summaries for business use.

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