Hiveage and Refrens tie across most categories (15 tied features). Below is the full feature-by-feature breakdown.
| Feature | Hiveage | Refrens |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan |
— Limited
5 clients on free
|
✓ Yes
Branded free tier
|
| Entry paid plan |
— Paid add-on
Plus AU$16/mo
|
— Paid add-on
Pro ~AU$8/mo
|
| Download PDF without signup |
✗ No
|
✗ No
|
| Feature | Hiveage | Refrens |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited invoices |
✓ Yes
|
— Limited
|
| Custom logo & branding |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Recurring invoices |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Email invoices to clients |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Multi-currency |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Client management |
— Limited
5 clients free
|
✓ Yes
|
| Feature | Hiveage | Refrens |
|---|---|---|
| ATO-compliant GST invoices |
— Limited
Configurable tax rates
|
— Limited
|
| ABN field built in |
— Limited
Custom field workaround
|
— Limited
Custom field workaround
|
| Australian-focused support |
— Limited
|
✗ No
|
| Feature | Hiveage | Refrens |
|---|---|---|
| Bank reconciliation |
✗ No
|
✗ No
|
| Expense tracking |
— Limited
|
— Limited
|
| Payroll |
✗ No
|
✗ No
|
| Inventory tracking |
✗ No
|
✗ No
|
| Feature | Hiveage | Refrens |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe payments |
✓ Yes
|
✓ Yes
|
| Mobile app |
— Limited
|
— Limited
|
| Feature | Hiveage | Refrens |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time |
— Limited
Account signup required
|
— Limited
Account signup required
|
Neither tool fits your invoicing-only workflow? Try InvoiceSonic — free for unlimited ATO-compliant tax invoices, no signup required.
Create a free invoice now →Hiveage starts at Free; Plus from AU$16/mo; Refrens starts at Free; Pro from ~AU$8/mo. Hiveage offers free for 5 clients, unlimited invoices. Refrens offers free unlimited invoices (with branding).
For ATO-compliant GST: Hiveage = limited, Refrens = limited. For native ABN field: Hiveage = limited, Refrens = limited. If you operate in Australia and either tool falls short here, InvoiceSonic handles both natively — and it's free.
Most freelancers want fast invoicing without paying for full accounting. Between these two, Refrens wins more categories overall. But if you're a freelancer who just wants ATO-compliant tax invoices for free, InvoiceSonic is purpose-built for that workflow.
Both Hiveage and Refrens let you export client lists and invoice history (usually as CSV). Migration takes an afternoon for most small businesses. If you're considering switching anyway, it might be worth evaluating InvoiceSonic as a free alternative for invoicing while keeping your accountant's tool of choice for bookkeeping.
Both tools are accounting-first platforms; their invoicing modules are a subset of what they do. If invoicing is your only need, a free dedicated invoice generator like InvoiceSonic is usually faster, cheaper, and more focused — without paying for bookkeeping, payroll, or inventory features you won't use.
Yes — InvoiceSonic is free for unlimited Australian-compliant invoices with no signup required for PDF download. You can run it alongside or instead of paid accounting platforms.