Best Accounts Receivable Software for Small Businesses
Features and pricing change; we checked each tool's site in October 2026, and where we couldn't confirm a detail we say so below rather than guess.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | How it follows up | Collections | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casey | Small businesses that bill after the work is done | Automatic text, email and WhatsApp at the time each customer responds | Yes, after 60 days (AI plus people) | Free if paid on time; $5 per chased invoice; 20% of recovered |
| QuickBooks Online | Owners who want accounting and invoicing in one place | Invoice reminders inside the accounting app | Check their site | Subscription, varies by plan |
| FreshBooks | Freelancers and service businesses | Invoice reminders and online payments | Check their site | Subscription, varies by plan |
| Bill (formerly Bill.com) | Teams that want AP and AR together | Invoicing and payment workflows | Check their site | Subscription, varies by plan |
| Chaser | Finance teams chasing many invoices | Automated reminder sequences | Check their site | Subscription, varies by plan |
| Upflow | Mid-market AR teams | Collection workflows | Check their site | Subscription, varies by plan |
How we compared
A small business owner doesn't need the longest feature list. These are the criteria that decide whether accounts receivable software is worth having:
- Time saved. Does the software do the chasing, or does it just remind you to chase?
- How follow-ups go out. Email only, or also text and WhatsApp? Does it adapt to each customer?
- Getting paid faster. Are there pay links, card and ACH, payment plans and partial payments?
- Cost when customers pay on time. Many tools charge a flat monthly fee whether or not you ever have a late invoice.
- What happens past 60 days. Software that stops at reminders leaves you alone with the hardest invoices.
- Setup. How long until the first invoice goes out, and does it connect to the accounting system you already use?
A note on sources: we could not confirm current plan names, prices or feature lists for the tools below on their official sites. So for competitors we describe their general category and say "check their site" for anything specific. Verify details with each vendor before you buy.
Casey
Casey is an AI accounts receivable assistant for small businesses that bill after the work is done: contractors, home services, law firms, clinics and studios, agencies and consultants. You text it like you'd text an employee (iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS, Slack or email): "Bill Studio Nova $2,400 for the March shoot." Casey sends the invoice by email and text with a card or ACH pay link, in your business's name with your logo.
What it does well
- Sends a free friendly reminder 3 days before the due date.
- From 4 to 60 days past due, follows up automatically on the channel and at the time each customer responds to, offers payment plans and partial payments, and learns how each customer pays.
- At 60+ days, one tap hands the invoice to Casey's collections team (AI plus people): calls, formal demand letters, legal notices, and settlements with your approval.
- Works on top of QuickBooks Online and Clio, and takes payments through Stripe.
- Asks you before anything sensitive, and you can pause reminders for any customer.
Pricing Sending invoices, pay links and the pre-due reminder is free. Invoices paid on time (up to 3 days past due) cost nothing. Casey charges $5 per invoice only if it has to chase it, however many follow-ups it takes. Collections is 20% of what's recovered and nothing if nothing is recovered. See pricing.
Where it falls short Casey is built for small US businesses. If you have a large finance team that wants a dashboard-heavy platform with deep cash-application controls, a dedicated enterprise AR tool may suit you better. Casey also isn't aimed at businesses outside the US.
Who it suits Owners who would rather text an instruction than learn software, and who want to pay only when a customer actually runs late.
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online is accounting software with invoicing built in, and it's the system many small businesses already live in. Its main strength is that your invoices, customers and books are in one place, so there's nothing extra to set up if you already use it.
Where it falls short. Invoicing inside an accounting app is mostly about creating and sending invoices and tracking their status. Chasing is largely on you, and escalation to formal collections isn't the focus. We couldn't confirm current reminder features or prices, so check their site.
Who it suits. Owners who want one subscription for books and invoices and are comfortable following up themselves. Note that Casey connects to QuickBooks Online and keeps open invoices in sync, so you don't have to choose between them.
FreshBooks
FreshBooks is invoicing and accounting software popular with freelancers and service businesses. It's known for being approachable, with online invoices and payments designed for people who aren't accountants.
Where it falls short. Like most invoicing apps, it's strongest at creating and sending invoices. How far its automated follow-up and any collections help go varies by plan, so check their site.
Who it suits. Solo professionals and small service businesses who want simple invoicing and bookkeeping in one tool and don't have many late invoices.
Bill (formerly Bill.com)
Bill is a financial operations platform that covers paying bills and sending and collecting invoices. Its draw is handling both sides of the ledger, accounts payable and accounts receivable, in one system with approval workflows.
Where it falls short. A platform built around finance workflows can be more than a small business with a handful of late invoices needs. Pricing is subscription-based and varies by plan, so check their site for current numbers.
Who it suits. Businesses with a bookkeeper or finance person who wants payables and receivables managed together.
Chaser
Chaser is a dedicated credit control and AR automation tool. As a category, these tools are built to run reminder sequences across a large number of invoices and give finance teams visibility into who owes what.
Where it falls short. Dedicated AR platforms are typically priced as ongoing subscriptions, which can be more than a small business wants to carry when most customers pay on time. We couldn't verify current plans or features, so check their site.
Who it suits. Companies with an accounts receivable team and enough invoice volume to justify a dedicated system.
Upflow
Upflow is an accounts receivable platform aimed at finance teams, with collection workflows and tools to coordinate follow-up across a team. It tends to fit businesses with more invoices and more people involved in collecting.
Where it falls short. Teams-oriented platforms add setup and process that a one-person or small crew business may not need. Pricing and exact features vary by plan, so check their site.
Who it suits. Mid-sized businesses with a dedicated finance function. If that's you, this kind of tool is likely a better fit than Casey.
Why we built Casey differently
Most accounts receivable software assumes you have a finance person and time to configure workflows. A contractor, a law firm or a small agency usually has neither. The owner sends the invoice, hopes for the best, and then spends weekend hours writing awkward "just checking in" messages.
So Casey works the way you'd work with an employee. You text an instruction, and Casey handles the invoice, the reminder, the follow-ups and, if it comes to that, the collections. Two choices shaped it:
- Price tied to the work. Software with a flat monthly fee charges you the same in a month when everyone paid on time. Casey is free when customers pay on time, and $5 per invoice only when it has to chase. You pay when it earns its keep.
- Follow-up that doesn't stop at a reminder. Casey reaches each customer on the channel and at the time they respond to, offers payment plans and partial payments, and after 60 days hands off to a collections team for 20% of what's recovered. Reminders alone don't help with the invoices that matter most.
If you want a closer look at the human side of asking, our guides on how to ask a client for payment politely and how to collect overdue payments from customers are useful whichever tool you choose.
Which should you choose?
Match the tool to your situation:
- You bill after the work is done, have no finance staff, and want to text instructions: Casey. You pay nothing when customers pay on time, and a collections team is there past 60 days.
- You want your books and invoices in one app and don't mind chasing yourself: QuickBooks Online or FreshBooks. You can also add Casey on top of QuickBooks Online for the follow-ups.
- You run payables and receivables together with a bookkeeper: Bill.
- You have an AR team and high invoice volume: Chaser or Upflow.
- You're outside the US: Casey is built for US small businesses, so look at tools that support your country.
Whatever you pick, confirm current pricing and features on the vendor's own site before you commit. If most of your pain is late invoices rather than bookkeeping, start by trying a tool that only charges when it has to chase. You can sign up for Casey here.
Frequently asked questions
What is accounts receivable software?
It's software that helps you invoice customers, track what's unpaid, and follow up until you're paid. Better tools also take card and ACH payments and help with overdue invoices.
Do I need accounts receivable software if I already use QuickBooks?
Not necessarily, but accounting software mostly records and sends invoices while chasing falls on you. Casey connects to QuickBooks Online and handles the follow-ups, so you can keep your books where they are.
How much does accounts receivable software cost?
It varies widely. Many tools charge a monthly subscription by plan, so check each vendor's site. Casey is free when customers pay on time, $5 per invoice it has to chase, and 20% of what's recovered in collections.
What's the difference between invoicing software and AR automation?
Invoicing software creates and sends invoices. AR automation goes further by following up on unpaid ones, offering payment plans, and escalating when invoices run far past due.
When should I send an invoice to collections?
Many owners escalate around 60 days past due, after friendly reminders and payment-plan offers haven't worked. With Casey, one tap sends a 60+ day invoice to its collections team.