Retainers, subscriptions, SaaS, gym memberships, accountancy fees, ongoing consultancy — the UK economy runs on recurring revenue, and the worst use of an invoicing tool is to re-key the same charge every month. 4invoices generates recurring invoices on the schedule you set, applies the right VAT treatment per line, and follows up automatically when payment is late.
Monthly subscription billing across hundreds of customers
Set up a recurring invoice once, attach it to a customer or list of customers, choose the cadence (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual or custom interval). 4invoices generates the invoice on the billing date, sends it via email, and queues the next one. Stripe UK and GoCardless integrations charge the customer automatically; bank reconciliation matches the inbound payment back to the invoice.
Annual retainers with VAT split correctly across years
An annual retainer signed in October spans two VAT quarters. 4invoices handles deferred income correctly — the invoice issues with the full annual value, your accounting reports show the monthly recognition. HMRC's Making Tax Digital submission picks up the correct revenue per period without manual adjustment.
Price changes during a recurring schedule
When you raise your retainer from £500 to £600 per month, the change applies from the next invoice. The earlier invoices keep their issued amounts (no rewriting history); the customer sees a clear price-change line on the first new invoice with the old and new rate. Pro-rata calculations supported for mid-cycle changes.
How recurring works at 4invoices
A recurring invoice is a template plus a schedule. You define the line items (descriptions, quantities, unit prices, VAT rates), the customer or customer segment, and the billing rules (start date, end date or open-ended, cadence). On each billing date, 4invoices renders an actual invoice — with the right invoice number from your numbering sequence — and sends it via the customer's preferred channel.
Payment automation runs in parallel. If the customer is on Stripe UK with a saved card, we charge automatically on the invoice date. If they're on GoCardless with Direct Debit authorisation, the request goes out 3 working days before the due date (the standard Bacs lead time). If they're on Faster Payments only, we send the invoice plus a payment link they can use to push the payment manually.
Late payment is handled without you intervening. A first reminder goes out 3 days after the due date (configurable). A second at 7 days. A third at 14 days with the option to attach a statement showing all open invoices for that customer. At 30 days, the system flags the case to you for a personal call — automation doesn't replace human judgment when a long-term customer has gone quiet.
Frequently asked
Can I run different cadences per customer?
Yes. The same product can be billed monthly to one customer and quarterly to another. The recurring template is per customer-product pair, not a global setting.
What happens if a customer cancels mid-period?
Mark the customer as cancelled in 4invoices. The current invoice (already issued) remains payable. The next scheduled invoice doesn't generate. Optionally, a pro-rata credit note can be issued for the unused portion of the current period.
Does the VAT treatment update if I change registration status?
Yes. If you cross the £90,000 threshold and register for VAT, future recurring invoices automatically apply VAT (you choose 20%/5%/0% per line). Earlier invoices are kept as issued. The system flags any in-flight recurring schedules so you can review the price-with-VAT communication to customers.
Set up your first recurring invoice in under five minutes
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