An invoice requests payment; a receipt confirms a payment was made. They look similar and often list the same items, but they do different jobs at different moments. Here’s how to tell them apart and use each correctly.
Invoice: a request for payment
You send an invoice before you’ve been paid, to tell a client what they owe and by when. It shows an invoice number, the issue and due dates, itemised charges, tax, the total due and how to pay.
Receipt: proof of payment
You issue a receipt after payment, as proof the money changed hands. It shows who paid, what for, the amount, the date and the payment method — often with a “Paid” marking. Customers keep receipts for expense claims and bookkeeping; you keep a copy for your records.
Side by side
- Purpose — invoice: ask for payment. Receipt: confirm payment.
- Timing — invoice: before payment. Receipt: after payment.
- Key field — invoice: amount due + due date. Receipt: amount paid + payment method.
Do you need both?
Often, yes. For B2B work you typically send an invoice, then issue a receipt once it’s paid. For an immediate cash or card sale, a receipt alone is usually enough. If you issued an invoice first, you can create the receipt from the same details in one step — marked paid in full.
Create either one for free
Use our free invoice generator to request payment, and the free receipt generator to confirm it — both as clean PDFs, with the right tax model for the US, UK, Australia or Canada.