Invoice vs receipt (and pro forma invoice): what's the difference?

Clients use these words loosely, so it helps to know which document answers which question. This is part of our getting paid series; for the full billing flow, start with the pay-on-time guide.

The three documents side by side

Example of each

PRO FORMA INVOICE PF-2026-07 · May 2, 2026 · valid until May 31
Brand identity package (logo, colors, type): $2,400.00 (estimate)
Not a request for payment.

INVOICE 2026-031 · June 10, 2026 · due June 25, 2026
Brand identity package, delivered June 10: $2,400.00
Less deposit received May 6 (invoice 2026-024): −$1,200.00
Balance due: $1,200.00 · Pay by card at [link] or ACH to [account]

RECEIPT for invoice 2026-031 · June 18, 2026
Received $1,200.00 by card on June 18, 2026. Balance: $0.00. Thank you.

When a client asks for a receipt

If they haven't paid yet, they probably need an invoice: some people say "receipt" for any bill. If they have paid, send a receipt with the amount, date and method, or the invoice marked Paid with the payment date. For a reimbursement claim at their employer, a receipt naming the service and your business is usually what's needed.

When to use a pro forma invoice

Send a pro forma invoice when the client's finance team needs a document in invoice format before they can approve spending or raise a purchase order. It's also useful for a client abroad who has to arrange a transfer in advance, or for a deposit request when the client's system only accepts invoices. Mark it "Pro forma" in the title, give it a validity date, and use a separate prefix (such as PF-2026-07) so it never takes a number in your real invoice sequence. When the work is confirmed, issue a proper invoice with the next invoice number.

What a receipt should say

• The word "Receipt" and your business name and contact details.
• The client's name and the invoice number the payment applies to.
• The amount received, the date it arrived and how it was paid (card, ACH, check number, bank transfer).
• The balance still owed, even if it's $0.00.
• For a deposit, what the payment covers and the remaining project fee.

Common mix-ups

Two mistakes cause most of the confusion. The first is sending a quote or pro forma that looks exactly like an invoice, so the client's accounts team pays it twice or books it as a final bill. The second is editing a paid invoice to change it into a receipt, which breaks your records; send a separate receipt instead, or keep the invoice as it was and mark it paid with the date.

Invoice vs bill vs quote

A bill is the same document as an invoice seen from the payer's side: you send an invoice, they receive a bill. A quote or estimate states a price before work starts, like a pro forma, but in quote format; a proposal adds scope and terms the client can accept.

Credit notes and refunds

If you need to reduce an invoice that's already been sent or paid, don't edit it. Issue a credit note that names the original invoice and the amount credited, or refund the payment and record the refund. Your records then show the original amount, the correction and the reason, in that order.

What to keep for your records

The IRS expects you to keep records that support the income and expenses on your return, such as invoices, bank deposits and receipts (IRS Publication 583). Keep each invoice, the matching payment record (bank deposit, Stripe payout or receipt) and any pro forma that turned into work, so you can show how each payment matches your income.

No account needed for a one-off: the free invoice generator and the receipt generator both make a PDF in your browser.

In SoloWOS

In SoloWOS Invoicing, when a client pays an invoice by card, it's marked Paid and the client gets a receipt email with the amount, invoice number and date; you get a payment notice. For a bank transfer, use "Mark as paid…" with the date and a note such as "bank transfer", and the invoice shows as Paid. There's no separate pro forma type; a proposal with line items does the same job and can become an invoice once accepted.