Sending invoices to clients
Create and send branded invoices with line items, tax, and a Stripe pay link clients can pay in one click.
Invoices let you bill clients for anything outside of a booking — custom work, products, consultation fees, or any amount you agree on. The client gets an email with a branded invoice and a "Pay Now" button that takes them straight to Stripe Checkout.
When to use invoices vs. payment requests: - Invoices — for itemized billing: multiple services, tax, discounts, due dates. Best for custom work, custom pricing packages, or clients you bill after the fact. - Payment requests — for a single amount after an appointment, like a remaining balance on a deposit. Simpler and tied to a specific booking.
How to create an invoice: 1. Go to Dashboard → Payments 2. Click the Invoices tab 3. Click New Invoice 4. Fill in the client name and email 5. Add line items (description + quantity + price) 6. Optionally set tax %, a discount (flat or percent), a due date, and notes 7. Click Create Invoice
The invoice is saved as a draft. It is not sent yet.
Sending the invoice: - Click the send icon (paper airplane) on any draft or sent invoice - Bontro emails the client with the total amount, due date (if set), and a "View & Pay Invoice" button - The invoice status moves from Draft → Sent
How the client pays: The pay link opens a branded invoice page at bontro.co/invoice/... showing the full itemized breakdown. Clicking "Pay" takes them to Stripe Checkout. Once paid, the invoice moves to Paid and you see the money in your Stripe account.
Sharing the link without email: Click the copy icon on any invoice to copy the direct pay link. Paste it into a DM, text, or WhatsApp.
Downloading a PDF: The invoice page has a "Download PDF" button in the top right. The PDF is professionally formatted with your brand color and all line item details. You can share it or keep it for your records.
Invoice statuses: - Draft — created, not yet sent. Only you can see it. - Sent — emailed to the client. The pay link is live. - Paid — client has paid via Stripe. Money is in your Stripe account.
If the due date passes and the invoice is still unpaid, it shows as overdue on the client's invoice page.
Tax and discounts: - Tax % — enter a percentage (e.g. 8.5 for 8.5%). Applied to the subtotal after any discount. - Discount — choose flat (e.g. $20 off) or percent (e.g. 10% off). Applied to the subtotal before tax.
Which plan do I need? Invoices are available on the Growth and Business plans. Starter plan users can upgrade under Dashboard → Settings → Billing.
Do I need Stripe to use invoices? Yes, for online payment. If you haven't connected Stripe, the invoice will still be created and the PDF can be downloaded, but the "Pay Now" button will show an error. Connect Stripe under Dashboard → Settings → Payments.