BillForge vs Zoho Invoice
Zoho Invoice is a polished, free invoicing app and part of the wider Zoho suite. BillForge is purpose-built for Indian GST and TDS compliance. Here is an honest, feature-by-feature comparison so you can pick what fits your business.
| Feature | BillForge | Zoho Invoice |
|---|---|---|
| GST invoices (CGST/SGST/IGST)Slab-correct tax with auto state split | Yes | Yes |
| Gap-free Rule 46 invoice numberingSequential, no gaps, format locks on first invoice of the FY | Core design — numbers are allocated in a transaction so gaps cannot occur | Sequential numbering supported; gap-free guarantee not specifically marketed |
| GSTR-1 portal-format exportJSON matching the GSTN offline tool | One-click JSON (B2B, B2CL, B2CS, exports, CDNR, HSN) | GST returns live in Zoho Books (paid), not the free Invoice app |
| GSTR-3B export | Portal-shaped JSON, monthly and QRMP | Via Zoho Books (paid) |
| TDS certificates (Form 16A / 26Q data)For tax you deduct on vendor payments | Form 16A PDF + 26Q data generated | TDS handled in Zoho Books (paid); not in free Invoice |
| MSME 43B(h) 45-day trackerDisallowance risk alerts on overdue MSME vendor bills | Yes | Not a built-in feature |
| AI bank reconciliation | Yes | Reconciliation in Zoho Books |
| Pricing | Free for 3 months, no card | Zoho Invoice free; Books is paid per org/user |
| Data residency in India | AWS Mumbai (ap-south-1) | Zoho offers India data centres |
Zoho Invoice details reflect publicly documented product behaviour as of 2026 and may change. Zoho also sells Zoho Books, a separate paid product with deeper GST returns and TDS — this table compares the free Zoho Invoice product. Verify current details on zoho.com before deciding.
Try BillForge free for 3 months
Gap-free Rule 46 numbering, one-click GSTR-1 & 3B export, and TDS certificates — no credit card needed.
Create GST-compliant invoices freeFrequently asked questions
Is BillForge a replacement for Zoho Invoice?
If you only need to send invoices, both work. If you need the full Indian compliance loop — GST returns, TDS certificates, MSME tracking — BillForge includes those in one product, whereas with Zoho you would typically move up to the paid Zoho Books.
Does Zoho Invoice file GSTR-1?
GST return filing sits in Zoho Books (a separate, paid product), not the free Zoho Invoice app, as of 2026. BillForge generates portal-format GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B JSON directly.
Can I move my data from Zoho to BillForge?
You can export your clients and items from Zoho as CSV and import them into BillForge. Reach support@billforge.in and we will help with the migration.