Feature
Track the expense once. Bill it with the receipt attached.
Every cost you front for a client — software, travel, a print run — is money you should get back. Hoursmith logs the expense against the client, keeps the receipt files with it, and pulls the billable ones onto your next invoice in a click. The receipts can ride along with the invoice itself, so the client never has to ask for them.
Plans: Free · Studio · Agency
Free for solo freelancers · No credit card required
What's in it
Client-first expenses
Every expense belongs to a client (and optionally one of their projects), and its currency follows the client automatically — so a EUR client's costs are logged and billed in EUR without you thinking about it.
Receipts attached, up to 10 per expense
Drop PDF, PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, or HEIC files onto the expense. A paperclip count on the list opens a receipt popover with one-click downloads — no need to open the edit form to see what's behind a cost.
Billed to an invoice in one click
Mark an expense billable and bill it from its row, or multi-select billable expenses inside the invoice builder. Billed expenses land under their own Expenses group on the invoice, lock to it so they can never be double-billed, and release automatically if the invoice is rebuilt or cancelled.
Categories that match how you spend
Pick from the built-in categories or type your own label — previously used custom categories come back as quick-picks in both the form and the filters, and the real label shows everywhere (never a generic 'Other').
Filters, totals, and breakdowns
The expenses page is a running report: filter by client, project, category, billable, billed, or date range, and read Total / Billable / Billed / Unbilled at a glance with category, project, and month breakdowns underneath.
Nothing reimbursable slips through
Unbilled billable expenses count into the dashboard's Ready-to-invoice card and the Reports → Uninvoiced tab right next to unbilled hours — so the next invoice run catches them. A Duplicate action re-logs recurring costs (subscriptions, retainers) dated today.
How it works
- 01
1. Log the expense
Pick the client, a category, the amount, and the date. The currency follows the client; mark it billable if it's passing through to them.
- 02
2. Attach the receipts
Drag the receipt files onto the form — up to 10 per expense. They stay with the expense, and the set freezes once the expense is on an invoice.
- 03
3. Bill it to an invoice
One click from the expense row, or tick it in the invoice builder's Billable-expenses picker. It lands under an Expenses group at the exact amount you logged.
- 04
4. Send with receipts attached
Toggle 'Include expense receipts' on the invoice and the billed expenses' files ride along as supporting documents — on the email, the public invoice page, and a one-zip download.
Common questions
Can an expense end up on two invoices?
No. Billing an expense locks it to that invoice. It only becomes billable again if the invoice is rebuilt without it, cancelled, or deleted — and the expense itself can't be edited while it's locked, so the invoice and the expense ledger always agree.
What file types work as receipts?
PDF, PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, and HEIC/HEIF — up to 10 files per expense. Photos straight off an iPhone work without conversion.
Who on my team can manage expenses?
Owners, Admins, and Managers. Expenses are client-billing data, so Member-role teammates (who log their own time) don't see or edit them — same boundary as invoices and rates.
Does Hoursmith do mileage tracking or employee reimbursement approvals?
No. Hoursmith expenses are for costs you bill on to clients — there's no mileage calculator and no reimbursement-approval workflow. If your core need is employee expense reports, a dedicated expense tool is the better fit.
Related
Try it free, in two minutes.
Create an account, set up your first client, and log an hour. The invoice will already be on the way to building itself.
Free for solo freelancers · No credit card · Cancel any time