Square Invoices alternative
Backbone vs. Square Invoices: an assistant instead of a payment terminal
Square Invoices is the invoicing arm of the Square payments ecosystem: unlimited free invoices, monetized through card processing. For shops already using Square terminals, that is coherent.
For freelancers in the DACH region, though, Square fails at the first hurdle: it does not operate in Germany or Austria, and per the vendor you cannot move an existing account to another country. On top of that, Square's AI only answers questions about your business data and explicitly cannot take actions on your account.
When German and Austrian freelancers pick Backbone over Square Invoices
Square optimizes for payment volume in its own ecosystem. Backbone (formerly Billy) optimizes for you spending less time on paperwork.
- Usable in Germany and Austria at all — Square does not operate there
- Draft an invoice from one sentence; Square's AI cannot take actions
- Mandatory-detail check under §14 UStG and §11 UStG in one account
- Invoices in EUR, USD, GBP or CHF — Square allows one currency per account
- No incentive conflict: Backbone earns on the subscription, not on your payments
Backbone vs. Square Invoices at a glance
| Backbone | Square Invoices | |
|---|---|---|
| AI & automation | ||
| Create an invoice from an AI prompt | YesBackbone AI, asks before sending | No |
| AI executes actions | Yesafter your confirmation | NoSquare AI only answers questions about your data |
| Automatic payment reminders | Yesdunning with interest; own schedule from Studio | Yesfree plan included |
| Design & interface | ||
| Ready-made invoice designs | Partiallytwo templates (Basic, Minimal), live preview | Partially3 layouts |
| Custom branding | Partiallylogo, accent color, two templates | Yeslogo & color, even free |
| International & compliance | ||
| Available in Germany & Austria | Yes | NoSquare does not operate there |
| Germany & Austria (§14 UStG / §11 öUStG) | Yesmandatory-detail check while you write | No |
| Foreign currencies | YesEUR, USD, GBP, CHF | Noone currency per account |
| Limits & price | ||
| No fee per payment | Yessubscription, not commission | No3.3% + 30¢ on the free plan, 2.9% + 30¢ with a subscription |
| Entry price (net/month) | from €19 incl. VAT | free plan $0; Plus $49 per location |
Square Invoices pricing and feature claims per the vendor, verified on July 31, 2026, prices net. Backbone details per back-bone.io as of October 9, 2026; Backbone prices incl. VAT. Subject to change.
Backbone in detail
When Square Invoices is the better choice
To be fair: if you run a shop or in-person services with a Square terminal, Square Invoices is a seamless free add-on. Backbone has no POS system and takes no card payments — clients pay by bank transfer (with a scan-to-pay QR code); it is built for invoice senders, not the counter.
See all Square Invoices alternatives