ASHDOCS vs Invoice Ninja: an Invoice Ninja alternative for invoicing by API
An honest comparison, using Invoice Ninja's own public pages and what ASHDOCS does today.
If you are weighing up an Invoice Ninja alternative, this page sets the two side by side. Invoice Ninja's facts come from its own website and GitHub repository, checked on 9 October 2026 and linked below; ASHDOCS' facts describe the product as it works today. The short version: if you want full accounting features or want to host the software yourself, Invoice Ninja is the better fit.
The two are built for different jobs. Invoice Ninja is an invoicing and business app with a client portal, expenses, time tracking and projects, and it can run on your own server. ASHDOCS is a hosted invoicing API: one request creates a numbered invoice with a PDF and a hosted page, can email it, and adds a pay link from your own Stripe or Razorpay account.
API first
Every invoice action is a REST call, and you can build against it with a free test key that never expires. The Free plan includes 100 credits per month for live invoices.
Events for every step
On paid plans, webhooks tell your app when an invoice is sent, viewed, paid or overdue, so your own system can react without polling.
Invoices from spreadsheet rows
Upload a CSV with a column mapping. Rows that share the same group value become one invoice with several line items.
ASHDOCS vs Invoice Ninja at a glance
Invoice Ninja's column quotes its public pages (checked 2026-10-09). Where a page we checked does not state something, the cell says so rather than guessing.
| ASHDOCS | Invoice Ninja | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan with 100 credits per month; paid plans from $15/month. Issuing an invoice uses 1 credit. No per-seat fees. | Free: $0 for 5 clients. Ninja Pro: $14/month or $140/year. Enterprise: from $18/month for 1–2 users, priced by number of users. Premium Business: custom, from $280/year (invoiceninja.com/pricing-plans). |
| Payment providers | Pay links from your own Stripe or Razorpay account. | Stripe, PayPal and Venmo, Square, GoCardless, Authorize.net, Mollie, Checkout.com, PayFast, Braintree, PayTrace, Razorpay, Eway Rapid, Forte and BTCPay, plus custom bank transfer instructions (invoiceninja.com/payments). |
| Hosted invoice page | Yes. Every issued invoice has a hosted page, with a Pay button when Stripe or Razorpay is connected. | Yes. A client portal where clients view invoices, pay and manage documents (invoiceninja.com). |
| Webhooks and events | On paid plans: invoice.sent, invoice.viewed, invoice.paid, invoice.overdue and other invoice events. | Yes. Webhooks are set up under Settings → Account Management → Webhooks or through the API at /api/v1/webhooks (Invoice Ninja API v5 docs). |
| API | REST API on every plan, including Free. | REST API access on Ninja Pro and above, not on Free (invoiceninja.com/pricing-plans). |
| Zapier, Make and n8n | ASHDOCS apps for all three, available on request while the public listings are completed; any HTTP step can call the REST API today. | Listed on all plans, including Free (invoiceninja.com/pricing-plans). |
| Line items from spreadsheet rows | Yes. A CSV batch with a group column turns several rows into one invoice with several lines. | Not stated on their site. |
| Accounting features | Invoices, quotes, credit notes and payments. No expenses, time tracking or ledger. | Expenses, vendors, time tracking and projects; reports including P&L on Ninja Pro and above (invoiceninja.com). |
| Self-hosting | No. ASHDOCS is a hosted service. | Yes. Source-available under the Elastic License, with a self-hosted option and a Docker image (github.com/invoiceninja). |
| Who it's for | Developers and small teams who create invoices from their own app, a spreadsheet or an automation, and take payment through Stripe or Razorpay. | Freelancers, small businesses, consultants, agencies, contractors, designers, developers and accountants (invoiceninja.com). |
When Invoice Ninja is the better choice
Choose Invoice Ninja if you want to run the software on your own server. Its repository is source-available under the Elastic License and it publishes a Docker image; ASHDOCS has no self-hosted version.
It is also the better pick if you want more than invoicing in one app: expenses, vendors, time tracking, projects and profit-and-loss reports are all on Invoice Ninja's feature list. ASHDOCS keeps invoices, quotes, credit notes and payments, not your books. And if you need a payment gateway other than Stripe or Razorpay, such as PayPal, Square or GoCardless, Invoice Ninja lists many more.
When an Invoice Ninja alternative fits better
ASHDOCS suits teams whose invoices are created by software rather than typed in by hand. One request with a customer and line items returns a numbered invoice with tax and totals, a PDF and a hosted page, and the same request can email it. Retries are safe with an idempotency key, so a workflow that runs twice does not send two invoices.
It also suits teams that want to react to what happens next. On paid plans, webhooks report when an invoice is sent, viewed, paid or overdue, and reminders follow up before and after the due date until the invoice is paid.
Finally, there is no server to run. You get an API key, test with free test keys, and pay by monthly credits with team seats included rather than by user.
Payment gateways and money flow
In both products the customer pays through a payment provider you connect, not through the invoicing tool itself. ASHDOCS supports two: Stripe and Razorpay. When one is connected, each issued invoice gets a pay link in your own account, the Pay button appears on the hosted page, and ASHDOCS adds no fee to the payment; your provider's own fees apply.
Invoice Ninja's payments page lists a much longer set of gateways, including Razorpay. If your customers expect to pay by PayPal or by direct debit through GoCardless, that is a reason to choose Invoice Ninja.
Frequently asked questions
Can I self-host ASHDOCS?
No. ASHDOCS is a hosted service and there is no self-hosted version. If running the software on your own server is a requirement, Invoice Ninja offers a self-hosted option.
Does ASHDOCS do accounting like Invoice Ninja?
No. ASHDOCS handles invoices, quotes, credit notes and payments, but not expenses, time tracking or a ledger. If you want those in the same app as your invoices, Invoice Ninja covers them.
Which payment gateways does ASHDOCS support?
Stripe and Razorpay. Connect either or both, and the Pay button on the hosted invoice page uses your own account, with no ASHDOCS fee on the payment.
Does ASHDOCS work with Zapier, Make and n8n?
Yes. Any Zapier, Make or n8n workflow can call the ASHDOCS REST API from an HTTP step with your API key. If you prefer a packaged app, ask us and we enable it for your account; you will not find it in the public directories until those listings are done.
Plans
- 100 credits per month
- 1 seat
- No webhooks
- 1,500 credits per month
- 1 seat
- Webhooks
- 10,000 credits per month
- 3 seats
- Webhooks
- 30,000 credits per month
- 5 seats
- Webhooks
- 100,000 credits per month
- 10 seats
- Webhooks
Test keys are free, never expire and never use credits; plan rate limits apply. Webhooks are on paid plans. Issuing an invoice uses 1 credit. No per-seat fees. See full pricing.