There’s a growing gap in how small, service-based businesses handle payments.
Many professionals—especially those in boutique practices—don’t need a full invoicing platform. But they’ve outgrown casual tools like Zelle or Venmo, which can feel too informal, lack protections, and don’t reflect the level of service they provide.
A mediation attorney recently described the dilemma perfectly:
“I don’t want to invoice. I don’t want to auto-draft my clients. I just want a clean, professional way to get paid—without creating more admin for either of us.”
This isn’t a one-off request. It’s a recurring need for real businesses that prioritize professionalism and client experience, but also want control.
So what’s the solution?
It’s not about choosing between outdated invoicing tools or peer-to-peer payment apps. It’s about building a receivables process that aligns with how you actually run your business: lean, efficient, and service-first.
If you bill hourly or by project—and want a streamlined, modern way to get paid—this simple setup works:
Melio – Request payments with a clean link. No invoice required. Your clients can pay how they want (bank, card, etc.), and you stay in control. (Requires QBO).
Memtime – Automatically tracks what you’re working on so you can bill accurately without stopping to log hours.
Asana – Keeps client work organized. Bonus: you can share timelines or deliverables to add transparency without drowning in admin.
Together, this replaces manual tracking, and back-and-forth billing.
Attorneys & mediators
Independent consultants
Fractional executives & advisors
Small firms that bill based on time or project work
Professional presentation – no informal cash apps or clunky spreadsheets.
No subscription bloat – all prices are relatively low.
Client-friendly – flexible ways to pay, with a streamlined process that makes you look buttoned-up.
Need help pulling this together? We can walk you through the setup or take care of it for you.
Affiliate Disclosure:
We may earn a commission from some links in this post—at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we use and trust.