How to Make a GST Invoice Online (Free): A Step-by-Step Guide

If you run a business in India, a GST invoice isn't optional — it's the document your customer needs to claim input tax credit, and the one you'll rely on at filing time. The good news: you don't need accounting software or a chartered accountant to make one. Here's exactly how to create a GST-compliant invoice online, for free, in a few minutes.

Make a GST invoice now with the free generator → — no sign-up needed.

What makes an invoice "GST-compliant"?

Under Rule 46 of the CGST Rules, a tax invoice has to carry a specific set of fields. Miss one and your customer may not be able to claim credit. The essentials:

• Your business name, address, and GSTIN
• A unique, sequential invoice number and the invoice date
• The customer's name, address, and GSTIN (if they're registered)
• Place of supply (the state) — this decides whether you charge IGST or CGST + SGST
• A description of each item or service, with HSN/SAC codes
• Quantity, rate, and taxable value (after any discount)
• The GST rate and amount, split into CGST + SGST or IGST
• The total, ideally with the amount in words
• Your signature (or a note that it's a computer-generated invoice)

Step 1: Add your business details

Start with who's issuing the bill — your legal name, address, and GSTIN. If you sell across states, your GSTIN's first two digits are your state code, which the invoice uses to work out the tax split.

Step 2: Add the customer and place of supply

Enter the customer's name and, if they're GST-registered, their GSTIN. The place of supply — usually the customer's state — is the single most important field for tax, because it decides the split (more on that below).

Step 3: Add your line items

For each product or service, add a description, the HSN or SAC code, the quantity, and the rate. If you're giving a discount, apply it here — GST is charged on the taxable value after discount, so the discount must be reflected on the line.

Step 4: Let the GST calculate itself

This is where a proper tool saves you from mistakes:

• Same state (your state = customer's state) → CGST + SGST, split equally. An 18% rate becomes 9% CGST + 9% SGST.
• Different state → IGST at the full rate (18%).

If you're unsure which applies, read CGST vs SGST vs IGST explained.

Step 5: Download or send the PDF

Once the numbers are right, generate a clean PDF. With the free invoice generator, the PDF is built right in your browser — nothing is uploaded — and you can download it instantly. Then email it, or send it over WhatsApp the way most Indian businesses actually do.

Excel vs. a free tool vs. software

Plenty of people start with an Excel GST invoice format. It works for a one-off, but it breaks down fast: you re-key the customer every time, the numbering drifts, and one wrong formula means a wrong tax amount. A free generator fixes the maths; a proper app also saves your customers and items, keeps numbering sequential, and tracks who's paid — so every future invoice takes seconds.

Make your first GST invoice now

• One-off invoice, no login: use the free GST invoice generator.
• Invoicing regularly: create a free Simple Billing account — it remembers your business, customers, and numbering, adds a UPI "scan to pay" QR, and lets you send over WhatsApp. Free plan, no credit card.

A compliant invoice shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. Once your details are saved, it won't.