FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you might want to ask before using our generators — about the tools themselves, GST treatment, e-invoicing, pricing, and how we handle your data.

Reviewed by Practising CAs Updated FY 2026-27 No Sign-up Needed

General & About the tools

+Is GSTBillMaker really free? Where’s the catch?

Yes — all four invoice generators (Tax Invoice, Goods Invoice with Bill-To/Ship-To, Non-GST Bill, Export Invoice) are fully free with no sign-up, no payment, no watermark, and no usage limits.

There’s no catch. The site is run by a practising Chartered Accountant as a public utility — the goal is to give small businesses, freelancers, and exporters a quick, statutorily-compliant way to issue invoices without forcing them into a paid SaaS subscription. A future Pro tier (saved profiles, bulk Excel upload, recurring invoices) will be optional and only for users who want automation.

+Do I need to create an account or log in?

No. The free generators work entirely in your browser. You fill in seller, buyer, and item details, then download the PDF. Nothing is stored on our servers.

This also means we cannot recover your invoice for you later — please save the PDF (and a copy of the source data) on your own device or cloud storage.

+Are the invoices legally valid for GST compliance?

Yes — the templates are built around the mandatory fields prescribed under Section 31 of the CGST Act + Rule 46 of the CGST Rules for tax invoices, and the corresponding rules for bills of supply, export invoices, and non-GST bills.

That said, statutory compliance is the responsibility of the issuer. You must ensure: (i) GSTIN is correct, (ii) HSN/SAC code matches the supply, (iii) place of supply is determined correctly, (iv) invoice serial number is unique and consecutive, and (v) the document is reported in your GSTR-1 within the due period.

+Which generator should I use for my situation?

Pick based on the nature of supply:

  • Tax Invoice — you’re GST-registered and supplying taxable goods/services to anyone (B2B or B2C).
  • Goods Invoice (Bill To + Ship To) — you’re shipping goods where the billed party and the receiving party have different addresses (very common in B2B trade).
  • Non-GST Bill — you’re not GST-registered, or you’re supplying exempt/nil-rated goods (use the same generator with appropriate fields), or you’re under composition scheme.
  • Export Invoice (LUT) — you’re exporting services or goods, with or without payment of IGST.

Still unsure? Read our guide on Tax Invoice vs Bill of Supply in the Knowledge Centre.

+Can I use this on mobile?

Yes. All four generators are fully responsive and work on Android & iOS browsers (Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox). The PDF download uses the browser’s native print-to-PDF on mobile, which works reliably across modern devices.

For a sharper print result on long invoices with many line items, desktop is recommended.

+Who is behind GSTBillMaker?

The site is built and maintained by a Practising Chartered Accountant with experience in GST advisory, statutory audits, and compliance for SMEs. The intent is to make compliant invoicing accessible to anyone who needs it — not to gate it behind a paywall.

Read more on our About page.

Tax Invoice & Goods Invoice

+What’s the difference between Tax Invoice and Goods Invoice (Bill To + Ship To) generators?

Both produce GST-compliant tax invoices. The difference:

  • Tax Invoice — one buyer block (billed-to = shipped-to). Use for services or simple goods deliveries.
  • Goods Invoice with Bill To + Ship To — two separate buyer blocks. Use when goods are billed to one party (e.g., head office GSTIN) but physically shipped to a different party (e.g., branch / consignee). The place-of-supply logic shifts to the ship-to location under Section 10(1)(a) IGST Act.
+Does the tool calculate CGST/SGST vs IGST automatically?

Yes. Once you enter the seller’s state and the buyer’s state (or ship-to state in the Goods Invoice generator), the tool determines the supply type:

  • Same state → CGST + SGST (split equally).
  • Different states → IGST.
  • Union Territory → CGST + UTGST.

You can override this manually if you have a special situation (e.g., SEZ supplies, deemed exports).

+How do I add HSN/SAC codes? Is it mandatory?

Each line item has a dedicated HSN/SAC field. Yes, it’s mandatory — the digit count depends on your aggregate turnover in the preceding financial year (4 / 6 / 8 digits). For full thresholds and how to find the correct code, see our HSN/SAC guide.

+Can I issue an invoice in a currency other than INR?

For domestic supplies (Tax Invoice / Goods Invoice), the invoice should be in INR — the GST law contemplates Indian rupees for domestic transactions.

For exports, use the Export Invoice generator, which supports USD, EUR, GBP, AED, SGD, and a custom-currency option, with optional INR equivalent against your declared exchange rate.

+Can I add my logo or signature to the invoice?

The current free generators produce a clean professional layout without logo upload — this keeps the tool light, fast, and zero-data-collection. Logo upload, saved company profile, and digital signature integration are planned for the upcoming Pro tier.

+How do invoice numbering / serial numbers work? Does the tool track them?

The free generator does not store invoice numbers between sessions. You must maintain your own consecutive serial number series as required under Rule 46 (max 16 characters, consecutive, alphanumeric/special characters allowed, unique per FY).

Auto-incrementing invoice numbers tied to your saved profile is a Pro tier feature.

+Can I issue a credit note / debit note using these tools?

Not yet. The current generators issue tax invoices only. Credit note and debit note generators (under Section 34 CGST Act, with the mandatory cross-reference to the original invoice) are on the roadmap.

Non-GST Bill & Export Invoice

+When should I use the Non-GST Bill generator instead of a Tax Invoice?

Use the Non-GST Bill generator if any of these apply:

  • You’re not registered under GST (turnover below threshold).
  • You’re under composition scheme — you can’t charge GST on outward supplies, you must issue a Bill of Supply.
  • You’re supplying wholly exempt or nil-rated goods/services.

The bill format omits GST columns and includes the appropriate “Composition Taxable Person, not eligible to collect tax on supplies” or similar declaration where relevant.

+What does the Export Invoice generator’s “LUT” mode do?

It produces an export invoice without IGST and adds the mandatory LUT declaration: “Supply meant for export of services under Letter of Undertaking (LUT) without payment of IGST as per Section 16(3)(a) of IGST Act, 2017 read with Rule 96A of CGST Rules.”

Use this mode if you’ve filed Form RFD-11 (LUT) for the current FY. If you haven’t, switch to “With Payment of IGST” mode — the tool will calculate IGST on the converted INR value.

For the full LUT mechanism, read our guide on Place of Supply for service exporters.

+My foreign client wants the invoice in USD. Will the PDF show INR equivalent?

Yes — the Export Invoice generator supports multi-currency (USD, EUR, GBP, AED, SGD, custom) and lets you optionally show the INR equivalent against an exchange rate you declare. This is useful for your books, FIRC reconciliation, and GSTR-1 reporting (which is in INR).

+Do I need an IEC code to issue export invoices?

For export of services, IEC (Importer Exporter Code) is technically not mandatory under DGFT rules. However, most banks ask for it during inward remittance, and certain export benefits require it.

For export of goods, IEC is mandatory. The Export Invoice generator has an optional IEC field — populate it if available.

+Can I use the Goods Invoice (Bill To + Ship To) for SEZ supplies?

Yes, with care. SEZ supplies are zero-rated under Section 16 IGST Act, so they can be issued under LUT (no IGST) or with payment of IGST. The Bill To + Ship To layout works well for SEZ scenarios where the SEZ unit is the consignee.

You’ll need to manually note “Supply to SEZ Unit/Developer under LUT without payment of IGST” or the equivalent declaration in the Notes field. For complex SEZ structures, please consult a CA.

E-Invoicing & IRN

+Does GSTBillMaker generate the IRN (Invoice Reference Number)?

Not in the free tier. IRN generation requires authenticated push to the government’s Invoice Registration Portal (IRP) via API integration. This is on the roadmap for the upcoming Pro+ / Enterprise tier, which will support direct IRP push, IRN/QR embedding, and GSTR-1 sync.

For the current free generators, if you’re below the e-invoicing threshold (currently ₹5 crore aggregate turnover), this isn’t required — just download and issue the PDF as usual.

+Am I required to do e-invoicing? What’s the threshold for FY 2026-27?

Currently, e-invoicing is mandatory if your aggregate turnover crossed ₹5 crore in any FY from 2017-18 onwards (Notification 10/2023-CT). This applies to B2B supplies, exports, SEZ supplies, and credit/debit notes — not B2C.

For the full eligibility matrix, exemptions, and worked examples, read our complete guide to E-Invoicing in India.

+If I’m above the threshold and use your free generator, am I non-compliant?

Yes — if you’re required to do e-invoicing but issue an invoice without an IRN, the document is not a valid tax invoice under Rule 48(5). Penalty under Section 122 can apply (up to ₹10,000 per invoice) and your buyer may be denied ITC.

You must use an IRP-integrated billing system (or generate IRN via the GSTN’s free utility / API + use the resulting JSON to print). The free generator is intended for sub-threshold users.

+Will the Pro tier handle e-invoicing end-to-end?

Yes — the planned Pro+ / Enterprise tier will include direct IRP integration: auto-generate IRN, embed the QR code, and optionally push to your GSTR-1. This requires an authenticated GSTN API connection per business, so there’s onboarding overhead. Pricing will be transparent on the pricing page when launched.

Pro Tier & Pricing

+When is the Pro tier launching, and what will it cost?

Pro is in active development. Indicative pricing (subject to change at launch):

  • Pro — ₹3,999 / year: saved company profile, auto-incrementing invoice numbers, manage up to 50 buyers + 50 items, bulk Excel upload (100 invoices per batch).
  • Pro+ — ₹8,999 / year: recurring invoices, email delivery, multi-business profiles, IRN/QR generation, GSTR-1 export.
  • Enterprise — ₹25,000+ / year: multi-user access, white-label, API access, custom integrations.

The free generators will continue to be free — Pro is purely for users who want automation.

+Will the free generators ever be paywalled?

No. The four free invoice generators (Tax Invoice, Goods Invoice with Bill-To/Ship-To, Non-GST Bill, Export Invoice) are committed to remain free, no sign-up, no usage limits.

+Can I get notified when Pro launches?

Yes — please drop us a line via the Contact page and we’ll add you to the launch list. We’ll only email you about the Pro launch (no marketing).

Privacy & Data Handling

+Where is my invoice data stored? Do you keep a copy?

Nowhere on our servers. The free generators run entirely in your browser — the data you type into the form never leaves your device. The PDF is generated locally using your browser’s print engine.

This means we have no copy of your invoices, no buyer list, no item catalogue from you. It also means we can’t recover anything for you — please save the PDF on your own storage.

+Do you use cookies or analytics?

We use Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console to understand which pages users visit and how they discover the site — this is anonymised, aggregated traffic data only. No personally identifiable invoice content is captured. See our full Privacy Policy for details.

+Will my invoice data be used for the Pro tier later?

No. Even when Pro launches with a saved-profile feature, that data will be tied to your account and used only to render your invoices. We do not aggregate or resell user data, and we do not run targeted ads against invoice content.

+I noticed the form has my GSTIN / buyer info in the URL. Is that safe?

The generators do not put form data in URL query strings — everything stays in the form fields. If you ever see a URL containing your data, please report it via the Contact page and we’ll investigate immediately.

Still have questions?

Couldn’t find the answer here? We typically respond to email queries within 1–2 working days. CA-grade replies, no chatbot.

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