Zoho Invoice is free.
Paymavo is also free.
The difference is simple:
Zoho Invoice wasn’t built for Canadian tax reality. Paymavo was.
Zoho Invoice markets itself as a “free forever” invoicing tool. And technically, that’s true. But for Canadian freelancers billing clients across provinces, that free plan introduces manual tax work, artificial limits, and recurring friction that make invoicing harder than it should be.
This article breaks down what Zoho Invoice does poorly for Canadian freelancers, based on real 2024–2025 user reviews — and why Paymavo Free is a better free option if you want compliant, professional invoicing without upgrading.
The “Free Forever” Reality for Canadians
Zoho Invoice is free.
No credit card.
No ads.
On paper, it looks ideal.
In practice, Canadian freelancers quickly discover that “free” comes with constraints that don’t align with how taxes, billing, and compliance actually work in Canada.
Here’s what real users are dealing with.
Pain Point #1: 500 Invoices Per Year Limit
Zoho Invoice caps free users at 500 invoices per year, with a maximum of 3 projects and 2 users.
Do the math:
- 500 invoices ÷ 12 months ≈ 42 invoices/month
- Hair stylist with 15 clients/month → limit hit in ~3 months
- Photographer with 5 events/month → limit hit in ~8 months
- Consultant billing weekly → limit hit before year-end
Once you hit that cap, your options are limited:
- upgrade to another Zoho product, or
- migrate platforms mid-year
Real user feedback (GetApp, 2025):
“Some users report dissatisfaction with client limits, Zoho branding, and a steep price jump to paid plans.”
— GetApp Reviews
Paymavo Free:
✅ Unlimited invoices
✅ No yearly caps
✅ No forced upgrade moment
Pain Point #2: No Automatic Canadian Tax Compliance
This is the biggest issue for Canadian freelancers.
Zoho Invoice does not automatically calculate GST, HST, or QST. Taxes must be manually configured and selected for every invoice. Automatic Canadian tax handling is pushed into Zoho Books (paid).
Why this matters:
- Ontario client → 13% HST
- Alberta client → 5% GST
- British Columbia → 5% GST + 7% PST
- Quebec → 5% GST + 9.975% QST
Each invoice becomes a manual decision. One mistake is enough to put you out of compliance with the CRA.
User frustration (G2, 2025):
“You can no longer change a client’s currency. Zoho now wants you to upgrade to Zoho Billing for that, calling it an ‘advanced feature’. That’s not advanced — it’s basic.”
— G2 Review
Paymavo Free:
✅ Automatic GST/HST/QST calculation
✅ Based on client province
✅ No per-invoice setup
✅ CRA-ready totals by default
Pain Point #3: OneAuth Authentication Issues (Ongoing)
Zoho’s OneAuth system is a recurring complaint in recent reviews. Many users report being locked out of their account, sometimes monthly, when trying to send invoices.
Real user reviews:
“Zoho implemented OneAuth that doesn’t work so every month when I go to login & send invoices I can’t.”
— Capterra Review, June 2025
“The worst customer support. Leaves me so frustrated and never helps me.”
— Software Advice Review, 2025
When you can’t log in, you can’t bill. For freelancers, that’s unacceptable.
Paymavo:
✅ Simple, reliable authentication
✅ No recurring login failures
✅ Works consistently on desktop and mobile
Pain Point #4: Slow, Offshore Support
Zoho support responses commonly take 2–3 days, and support teams are not Canada-focused.
User feedback (GetApp, 2025):
“Support can take 2–3 days to initially respond.”
— GetApp Review
When billing or login issues block your income, waiting days is not a viable solution.
Paymavo:
✅ Fast response times
✅ Canada-based support
✅ Team understands GST/HST/QST compliance
Pain Point #5: Features Removed to Push Upgrades
Zoho has a clear pattern: features that once existed in Zoho Invoice are removed and reintroduced as paid upgrades in other Zoho products.
User reaction (G2, 2025):
“You used to allow this, and now you’re locking it behind another upgrade. I’ll be moving all my Zoho services elsewhere.”
— G2 Review
This creates uncertainty for freelancers who just want stable invoicing.
Paymavo:
✅ Clear free plan
✅ No feature bait-and-switch
✅ Upgrade only when it makes sense
Side-by-Side: Zoho Invoice vs Paymavo
| Feature | Zoho Invoice (Free) | Paymavo (Free) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $0 | $0 CAD |
| Invoices Per Year | 500 max | Unlimited |
| Clients | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Canadian Tax Auto-Calculation | ❌ Manual | ✅ GST / HST / QST |
| Invoice Branding | Zoho branding | Clean “Made with Paymavo” |
| Support | Indian, slow | Canada-based |
| OneAuth Issues | ⚠️ Current problem | Better Auth (stable) |
| Stripe payments | Manual setup | Built-in |
| CRA-ready totals | ❌ | ✅ Included |
| Forced upgrades | Frequent | None |
Real-World Scenarios
Freelance Designer (Multi-Province Clients)
- 60 invoices/year
- Clients in ON, BC, AB
Zoho Invoice:
❌ Manual tax setup
❌ Repeated checks
❌ Compliance risk
Paymavo Free:
✅ Automatic tax calculation
✅ Unlimited invoices
✅ Zero setup friction
Busy Hair Stylist
- 15 clients/month
- Same province
Zoho Invoice:
❌ Zoho branding
❌ Login issues during peak days
Paymavo Free:
✅ Professional invoices
✅ Reliable access
✅ No limits
Active Consultant
- 50+ invoices/month
Zoho Invoice:
❌ 500-invoice cap
❌ Forced upgrade mid-year
Paymavo Free:
✅ Unlimited from day one
✅ No surprises
What Users Say About Zoho Invoice
The Good
“Simple and easy-to-use invoicing interface.”
— G2
Zoho Invoice works for very basic use cases.
⚠️ The Bad (Recurring Issues)
Customer Support Problems
“The worst customer support. Leaves me so frustrated and never helps me.”
— Software Advice Review, 2025
Important Features Treated as Premium
“On the billing system although it is very complete it can be confusing for some new users, and integration with Zoho tools increases the cost, as these other tools are treated as a premium feature.”
— Capterra Review, October 2024
🚨 The Deal Breakers
Features Intentionally Removed to Force Upgrades
“You can no longer change a client’s currency. Zoho now wants you to upgrade to their Zoho Billing tool for that… You’ve deliberately switched it off in Zoho Invoice.”
— G2 Review, 2025
Poor Fit for Canadian Tax Reality
“Users report dissatisfaction with client limits, Zoho branding, and a steep price jump to paid plans.”
— GetApp Analysis, January 2025
Why Paymavo Is Better for Canadian Freelancers
✅ Built for Canadian Taxes
- Automatic GST/HST/QST
- Province-based logic
- CRA-ready totals
✅ Truly Free Invoicing
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited clients
- No upgrade pressure
✅ Reliable by Design
- Stable authentication
- Simple workflows
- No feature removals
✅ Canada-First Support
- Fast responses
- Local understanding
- Clear answers
Pricing (Only If You Need More)
Free Plan (No Credit Card)
- Unlimited invoices & quotes
- Automatic GST/HST/QST
- Stripe payments
- Expense tracking
- “Made with Paymavo” branding
Pro Plan (Optional)
- Remove branding
- Recurring invoices
- Time tracking
- Advanced reports
- Priority support
You don’t need Pro to invoice correctly in Canada.
The Bottom Line
Zoho Invoice is free — but it wasn’t designed for how Canadian freelancers actually work.
Paymavo is also free — and it handles Canadian taxes, invoicing limits, and reliability by default.
No manual tax setup.
No invoice caps.
No forced upgrades.
👉Start with Paymavo Free: Paymavo.com
Last updated: December 29, 2025
Sources: User testimonials from Capterra, G2, GetApp, Software Advice, and Merchant Maverick (2024-2025). Zoho Invoice pricing and features verified via Zoho Canada official pricing page. Canadian tax compliance limitations documented in Zoho Books Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Zoho Invoice really free?
Yes. Zoho Invoice is free to use, but it comes with important limitations: a cap of 500 invoices per year, a maximum of 3 projects and 2 users, Zoho branding on invoices, and no automatic Canadian tax calculation. For proper GST/HST/QST automation, Zoho requires upgrading to Zoho Books (paid).
Q: Is Paymavo really free as well?
Yes. Paymavo offers a genuinely free plan with unlimited invoices and clients, automatic GST/HST/QST calculation, Stripe payments, and CRA-ready totals. No credit card is required, and there are no invoice caps or forced upgrades.
Q: Can I send more than 500 invoices per year with Zoho Invoice?
No. Zoho Invoice’s free plan is capped at 500 invoices per year. Once you reach that limit, you must either upgrade to a paid Zoho product or migrate to another platform mid-year.
Q: Does Paymavo limit the number of invoices on the free plan?
No. Paymavo Free includes unlimited invoices and quotes from day one. There is no yearly cap and no pressure to upgrade just because your activity increases.
Q: Does Zoho Invoice calculate Canadian taxes automatically?
No. Zoho Invoice requires manual tax configuration and manual selection of GST, HST, or QST on each invoice. Automatic Canadian tax calculation and CRA-ready tax reports are only available through Zoho Books, which is a paid product.
Q: Does Paymavo automatically handle GST, HST, and QST?
Yes. Paymavo automatically calculates the correct GST, HST, or QST based on your client’s province. This works out of the box on the free plan, with no per-invoice setup required.
Q: What is the OneAuth problem users mention with Zoho Invoice?
Many users report recurring login failures caused by Zoho’s OneAuth authentication system. These issues can prevent users from accessing their account to send invoices, sometimes on a monthly basis, with slow support response times reported in 2024–2025 reviews.
Q: Does Paymavo have similar login or authentication issues?
No. Paymavo uses a simpler, more reliable authentication system designed to work consistently on desktop and mobile. Users do not report recurring lockouts when sending invoices.
Q: How long does Zoho support usually take to respond?
Based on user reviews, Zoho support often takes 2–3 days to provide an initial response. This can be problematic when login or billing issues prevent you from invoicing clients.
Q: What kind of support does Paymavo offer?
Paymavo provides fast, Canada-based support with a clear understanding of Canadian tax compliance, including GST, HST, and QST. Support is available even on the free plan.
Q: Does Paymavo work with Stripe in Canada?
Yes. Paymavo integrates directly with Stripe for payments. Standard Stripe fees apply (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction), with no additional markup. Payouts typically arrive in 2–5 business days.
Q: What happens if I outgrow Paymavo Free?
Nothing breaks. You can continue using Paymavo Free indefinitely. If you later need advanced features like recurring invoices, time tracking, or removing branding, you can upgrade to Paymavo Pro — but upgrading is optional, not required to stay compliant.
Q: Is Zoho Invoice a good choice for Canadian freelancers?
Zoho Invoice can work for very basic use cases: fewer than 500 invoices per year, all clients in the same province, and users who are comfortable manually managing taxes and Zoho branding. For multi-province Canadian tax compliance, Zoho requires upgrading to paid products.
Q: Does Paymavo support Quebec (QST)?
Yes. Paymavo automatically calculates both GST (5%) and QST (9.975%) for Quebec clients, producing the correct combined tax total of 14.975% without manual setup.
