InvoiceShelf

AI capabilities

Optional free AI Assistant module (3.x alpha only) — in-app chat and writing help; bring your own OpenRouter API key.

Pricing

Free license. Hosting estimate: $5-10 small VPS

Open source

• Code: https://github.com/InvoiceShelf/InvoiceShelf
• GitHub stars: 1886
• Latest release: 2026-10-21
• Hosting: Self-host only: no official cloud, and not found on PikaPods, Cloudron or Elestio. Docker image available.
• Backing: InvoiceShelf community org (fork of Crater); no large company backer identified.
• AGPL-3.0: free for commercial use; if you modify it and let others use it over a network you must offer your modified source. Using it internally/for your own clients' invoices unmodified is fine.
• Site says 'no seats, no subscription, no upsell'. Official add-on modules (Payments, AI Assistant, E-invoicing) are also AGPL-3.0.
• 28 advisories in last 12 months (2 critical cross-tenant privilege escalation/invoice tampering, 14 high incl. OS command injection via mail settings); all patched in 2.4.4+. Use stable 2.x (3.x branch is alpha, not for production).

Trust checks

• Admin-verified listing: Pass · Reviewed by the Catervas team: links and prices checked Nov 5, 2026
• License verified: Pass · AGPL-3.0 is on the license allow-list
• Active maintenance: Pass · Last release or commit 2026-10-21
• No open critical security advisories: Pass · No unpatched critical or high advisories found. Keep it on the latest release.
• Privacy and data policy: Pass · Self-hosted: your data stays on your own hosting.
• Company or foundation backing: Pass · InvoiceShelf community org (fork of Crater); no large company backer identified.

Problems it helps with

• Licensing, CE tracking, sales tax and bookkeeping: Professional estimates and invoices, recurring invoices (e.g. weekly cleaning or monthly tuition), customer portal and online card payment links, payment and expense tracking to see who still owes money.
• Thin margins, tuition collection and subsidy shortfalls: Professional estimates and invoices, recurring invoices (e.g. weekly cleaning or monthly tuition), customer portal and online card payment links, payment and expense tracking to see who still owes money.
• Bidding and pricing jobs profitably as costs rise: Professional estimates and invoices, recurring invoices (e.g. weekly cleaning or monthly tuition), customer portal and online card payment links, payment and expense tracking to see who still owes money.
• Cash flow and back-office overload: invoices, payroll, sales tax: Professional estimates and invoices, recurring invoices (e.g. weekly cleaning or monthly tuition), customer portal and online card payment links, payment and expense tracking to see who still owes money.

Works with

• PayPal · Online card payments via Payments module (Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay;
• Stripe · Online card payments via Payments module (Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay;