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I wish getting paid was as easy as like ordering takeout, you know.

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Well, today we're going to dive into invoice Ninja, a popular invoicing

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software that promises to, you know, maybe make the whole process smoother,

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faster, and, uh, maybe even a little bit enjoyable.

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Think of this as your shortcut to understanding if invoice Ninja can help

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you like ditch the spreadsheets and level up your business, we've got

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excerpts from their website and we're even peeking behind the curtain, like

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taking a look at their code on GitHub.

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It's like we're getting a backstage pass to see how it all works.

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And by the end of this deep dive, you'll know if invoice Ninja is the

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right fit for your business.

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Whether you're a freelancer, just starting out a season, small business

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owner, or even a developer who's, you know, just curious about how it's all built.

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Yeah.

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I think what's fascinating here is that invoice Ninja isn't just about sending

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invoices, it's more like a Swiss army knife for managing your business finances.

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Okay.

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Let's unpack that.

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Sure.

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What else does it do?

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Well, think of it this way.

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You can handle everything from sending quotes, managing projects, to tracking

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your time and expenses, and even keeping tabs on your vendors.

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It's really a whole suite of tools designed to keep your financial ducks in a row.

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So it's like a one-stop shop for all your financial needs.

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Pretty much.

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Now, I noticed they offer two different ways to use it.

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A hosted service and a self-hosted option.

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Right.

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Why would someone choose one over the other?

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That's a great question.

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Yeah.

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So for most people, the hosted service, SaaS, is the way to go.

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It's easy to set up.

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Okay.

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You don't need any technical expertise and Invoice Ninja takes care of all the

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maintenance and security.

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Okay.

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So they handle all that.

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But if you're more technically inclined or have specific data privacy concerns,

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self-hosting gives you complete control.

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Okay.

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You can install Invoice Ninja on your own server and customize it to

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your heart's content.

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Interesting.

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Yeah.

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So it's all about finding the right balance between convenience and control.

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Exactly.

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And speaking of convenience, I see they also have mobile and desktop apps.

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Absolutely.

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And these aren't just like watered down versions of the website.

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You can do things like expense tracking and time logging, like right from your

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phone, super useful if you're often on the go or meeting clients off site.

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Yeah.

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It's all about fitting into your workflow, not the other way around.

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Now let's dive into some of the key features that make Invoice Ninja stand out.

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One thing that caught my eye was the range of payment gateways they support.

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Right.

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We're talking Stripe, PayPal, and a whole bunch more.

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Right.

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Yeah. Think of a payment gateway, like as a secure tunnel.

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Okay.

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Between your client's credit card and your bank account.

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Invoice Ninja seamlessly integrates with all these different gateways.

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Okay.

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So you don't have to be a security expert to accept online payments.

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Right.

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And for your clients, it means they can pay you with a single click.

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Oh, wow.

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Without ever leaving their Invoice Ninja client portal.

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That's got to be a game changer for getting paid faster.

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Absolutely.

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No more chasing down late payments.

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Yeah, no more of that.

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But what about automation?

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Oh, yeah.

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I saw they integrate with Zapier and Makey.

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Right.

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That always gets my inner efficiency nerd excited.

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Now, this is where it gets really interesting.

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Imagine this.

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You've just finished a project for a client with a simple Zapier integration.

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Okay.

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Invoice Ninja can automatically generate an invoice.

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Okay.

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Send it to the client.

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Wow.

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And even update your project management tool.

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Okay.

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All without you lifting a finger.

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Okay.

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That's pretty slick.

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Yeah.

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I can see how that would save a ton of time and headaches.

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Absolutely.

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But are there any downsides to relying so heavily on automation?

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What if something goes wrong?

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That's a valid concern.

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Yeah.

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The key is to start small.

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Okay.

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And test your automations thoroughly.

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Got it.

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Invoice Ninja gives you a lot of control over how these workflows operate.

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Okay.

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So you can fine tune them to fit your specific needs.

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You don't want to automate something that's going to create more problems down the

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line.

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Right.

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Yeah, for sure.

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Yeah.

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All right.

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Well, that makes sense.

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So it's about finding that sweet spot between automating the tedious tasks and

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maintaining control over your business processes.

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Exactly.

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Now let's shift gears a bit and talk about the self-hosting option.

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For our tech savvy listeners, our peek into the GitHub repository revealed that

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Invoice Ninja is built with Laravel, a popular PHP framework.

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It is.

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What does this mean for developers who might be considering self-hosting?

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Well, the fact that it's built with Laravel is great news for a couple of reasons.

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Okay.

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First, it means the code base is likely to be well structured and easy to

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understand, which is crucial if you're planning to customize or extend the

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application.

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Right.

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Second, there's a huge community of Laravel developers out there, so you'll

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have access to a wealth of resources and support if you need help.

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That's a good point.

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So it's not just about having the technical skills, it's also about having

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a supportive community to lean on when you inevitably run into a roadblock.

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For sure.

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Now, they also mentioned something about the APKE in the UNV file.

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Right.

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What's that all about?

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That's a great question.

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Yeah.

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The APKE is basically a secret key that's used to encrypt sensitive data within

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your invoice Ninja installation.

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Okay.

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It's crucial for security and you need to keep it safe.

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Got it.

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Think of it as like the master key to your vault.

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Okay.

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If you lose it, you'll lose access to all your data.

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Not ideal.

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Not ideal at all.

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Definitely not.

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So security is a top priority, especially for those handling

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sensitive financial information.

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Absolutely.

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They also mentioned something about loading sample data for testing purposes.

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Right.

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If you're a developer and you want to play around with Invoice Ninja before

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diving into a live setup, you can use the provided commands to populate

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your database with some dummy data.

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Right.

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It's like a sandbox where you can experiment without breaking anything.

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Okay.

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You can test out different features, see how the application behaves, and get a

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feel for the code base before making any major changes.

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Okay.

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So it's a great way to get your feet wet without any real world consequences.

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Exactly.

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Now I'm curious, what did they say about contributions from the community?

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They actually encourage developers to contribute back to the main repository.

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Okay.

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They specifically mentioned adding tests for any new functionality or modifications.

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Right.

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This is a great sign as it shows they value community involvement and want to

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maintain a high standard of code quality.

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That's awesome.

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Yeah.

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It's always encouraging to see open source projects that are actively

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welcoming contributions from the community.

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Absolutely.

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It fosters a sense of ownership and collaboration.

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Oh, sure.

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Now let's get down to the nitty gritty.

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Okay.

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Free versus paid.

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Yeah.

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What's the catch?

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What's interesting is that their free plan is incredibly generous.

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Okay.

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You get a surprising number of features.

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All right.

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Including unlimited invoicing for up to 20 clients.

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Okay.

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This is perfect for freelancers or small businesses just starting out.

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You can send professional looking invoices.

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Okay.

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Track your expenses, manage a handful of projects, and even track your time.

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Wow.

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All for free.

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Okay.

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So the free plan is definitely not just a stripped down trial version.

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No, not at all.

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You can actually run a good chunk of your business on it.

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Absolutely.

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But what about those tempting paid features they hint at on their website?

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Right.

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When does it make sense to upgrade?

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That's where we'll pick things up in part two.

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We'll dive deeper into those paid features and explore the scenarios where

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upgrading to the pro or enterprise plan might be the right move for your business.

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All right.

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Looking forward to it.

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Stay tuned.

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We'll be right back after a short break.

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Welcome back to the deep dive.

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Before we went off to, uh, gather our thoughts, we were getting excited about

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those tempting paid features, but you know, their free plan is surprisingly

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robust, isn't it?

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It is.

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You can run a good chunk of your business on the free plan alone.

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Yeah.

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It's not just a limited trial.

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You get unlimited invoicing for up to 20 clients, which is like perfect for

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freelancers, just starting out or those with a smaller client base and you still

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get those core features we talked about, right?

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Creating quotes, tracking expenses, managing projects, and even time track.

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That's pretty impressive.

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All for free, all for free.

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Plus those beautifully designed invoice templates we mentioned earlier are

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included too, you can customize them with your logo and branding to keep things

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looking professional, even on the free plan, even on the free plan, speaking of

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those templates, they do offer more variety in the pro and enterprise plan.

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The free plan has four different designs while the paid plans give you 11 to

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choose from.

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So a few more options there.

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So if you're looking for something specific or want to switch things up,

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upgrading might be worth it.

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For sure.

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Okay.

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Let's circle back to those automation features you mentioned earlier.

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They really caught my attention.

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Yeah.

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The automation possibilities are truly where invoice Ninja shines.

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Give us some real world examples.

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How could someone actually use this?

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Let's say you're a freelancer and you just wrapped up a web design project with

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Zapier integration, you can set it up so that the moment you mark the project

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complete in your project management tool, invoice Ninja automatically generates an

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invoice, sends it to the client and even logs the income in your accounting

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software all without you manually doing a thing.

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Wow.

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That's next level efficiency.

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It is, but I'll admit I'm a bit wary of automating financial stuff.

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Sure.

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What if something goes wrong with the automation?

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That's smart to be cautious.

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Yeah.

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That's why it's best to start small and test things thoroughly.

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Right.

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You don't want to automate a process that could potentially cause errors.

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Yeah, for sure.

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The beauty of invoice Ninja is that it gives you granular control over

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how these automations work.

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You can fine tune them to fit your needs and make sure everything runs smoothly.

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All right.

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That makes me feel better.

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Good.

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So it's about finding that sweet spot between hands off automation and

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maintaining control.

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Exactly.

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00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:55,080
Now let's talk about something that will be particularly interesting for our

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00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,560
developer listeners, the self-hosting option rate.

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00:10:58,560 --> 00:11:02,160
What did we learn from poking around their GitHub repository?

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00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:08,720
As we mentioned before, invoice Ninja is go with Laravel, which is a popular PHP

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framework known for its elegant syntax and robust features.

273
00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:14,000
Yeah.

274
00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:19,640
This is great news for developers because it means the code base is likely to be

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00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:23,560
well organized and relatively easy to understand.

276
00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:28,560
So for those who are comfortable working with the command line and want full

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00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:34,000
control over their setup, invoice Ninja has made self-hosting surprisingly

278
00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:34,680
straightforward.

279
00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:35,360
Exactly.

280
00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:39,600
They even include detailed instructions on setting up your own server right

281
00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:44,800
there on GitHub, but there's one crucial detail they emphasize and it's all about

282
00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:45,360
security.

283
00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:48,240
Oh, you mean the APT key they talked about.

284
00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:48,480
Yes.

285
00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:49,560
What's so important about that?

286
00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:53,960
The APP key acts as the master key to your invoice Ninja vault.

287
00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:55,080
I like that analogy.

288
00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:59,240
It encrypts all the sensitive data within your installation, ensuring that only

289
00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:00,920
authorized users can access it.

290
00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,960
You absolutely need to keep this key safe and secure.

291
00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:05,360
Right.

292
00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:08,720
Because if you lose it, you could lose access to all your data.

293
00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:09,040
Okay.

294
00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:12,040
So we're talking about protecting financial information here.

295
00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:12,760
Absolutely.

296
00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:14,760
Definitely not something to take lightly.

297
00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:15,800
No, not at all.

298
00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:18,920
Now they also mentioned something about loading sample data.

299
00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:19,360
Right.

300
00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:20,880
What's that all about?

301
00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:28,360
So if you're a developer and you want to explore how Invoice Ninja works, without

302
00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:34,440
using real customer data, you can populate your database with some dummy data using

303
00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:35,680
the commands they provide.

304
00:12:35,680 --> 00:12:40,360
Think of it as a playground where you can experiment with different features, test

305
00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:45,760
out modifications, and generally get a feel for the code without any real world

306
00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:46,600
consequences.

307
00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:49,200
So it's a safe space to tinker and learn the ropes.

308
00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:49,800
Exactly.

309
00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:50,600
Before going live.

310
00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:51,440
Before going live.

311
00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:54,720
It's great that they've made it so easy for developers to get hands on with the

312
00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:55,400
platform.

313
00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:56,240
It is.

314
00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:59,640
Speaking of developers, what do they say about community contributions?

315
00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:04,720
They actively encourage developers to contribute back to the project by adding

316
00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:07,320
tests for any new features or changes they make.

317
00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:07,760
Got it.

318
00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:12,000
This focus on testing is a sign of a well-maintained project, and it shows

319
00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,560
they're committed to ensuring code quality and stability.

320
00:13:15,560 --> 00:13:17,480
That's a really positive sign.

321
00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:22,520
It means they're not just building software in a vacuum, but they're actively

322
00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:26,160
involving the community and fostering a collaborative environment.

323
00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:26,560
For sure.

324
00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:27,040
All right.

325
00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:31,240
Let's shift gears again and dive into some of the features that are specifically

326
00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:32,720
highlighted on their website.

327
00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:33,040
Sure.

328
00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:37,760
One thing that caught my eye was their emphasis on mobile and desktop apps.

329
00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:38,800
Right.

330
00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:43,000
They've clearly invested a lot in making Invoice Ninja accessible from anywhere.

331
00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:43,360
Yeah.

332
00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:48,760
They have dedicated apps for iOS and Android devices, as well as desktop

333
00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:51,960
applications for macOS, Windows, and even Linux.

334
00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:56,360
And they've made it super clear that these apps aren't just stripped down

335
00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:58,000
versions of the website.

336
00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:02,800
They work seamlessly with both the hosted and self-hosted versions of Invoice Ninja.

337
00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:03,480
That's right.

338
00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:05,880
Allowing you to manage your invoicing on the go.

339
00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:07,000
Exactly.

340
00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,760
It's all about flexibility and convenience.

341
00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:15,360
Whether you're at your desk, on a client visit, or even just relaxing on the couch.

342
00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:21,320
You can easily send invoices, track expenses, and manage your projects.

343
00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:25,680
Speaking of sending invoices, they talk a lot about how easy they make it

344
00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:27,320
for clients to pay online.

345
00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:28,240
They do.

346
00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:30,120
They seem really proud of that pay now button.

347
00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:30,480
Oh yeah.

348
00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,960
That pay now button is a game changer.

349
00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,400
It appears directly on the invoice.

350
00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:41,040
When you have a payment gateway connected, your clients can click it and pay their

351
00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:46,720
invoice with a single click without ever leaving the invoice media client portal.

352
00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:47,840
It's super convenient.

353
00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:50,640
That's going to make a huge difference in getting paid faster.

354
00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:51,280
For sure.

355
00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:55,680
No more waiting for checks in the mail or dealing with clunky bank transfers.

356
00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:56,320
Exactly.

357
00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:59,400
But let's break down those payment gateways for a moment, because I think

358
00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:04,600
this is something that can be confusing for people who are new to online invoicing.

359
00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:10,120
What exactly is a payment gateway and why are they so important?

360
00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:10,920
That's a great point.

361
00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:11,320
Yeah.

362
00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:15,760
A payment gateway is essentially a middleman that securely processes

363
00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:17,760
credit card and other online payments.

364
00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:18,160
Got it.

365
00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:22,840
It acts as a bridge between your client's bank and your business bank account,

366
00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,920
ensuring that the transaction is secure and reliable.

367
00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:32,120
So when a client clicks that pay now button, the payment gateway handles

368
00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:33,880
all the behind the scenes magic.

369
00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:34,320
Exactly.

370
00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:39,240
Of verifying their payment information, transferring the funds and making

371
00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:40,840
sure everything goes smoothly.

372
00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:41,280
That's right.

373
00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:46,720
And Invoice Ninja supports a wide range of payment gateways, including popular

374
00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:50,240
options like Stripe, PayPal, WePay, and many more.

375
00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:51,480
So you have a lot of choices.

376
00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:55,320
This gives you the flexibility to choose the gateway that best

377
00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,760
suits your needs and preferences.

378
00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:02,240
They also highlight the ability to create custom invoice designs.

379
00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:03,960
We touched on this earlier.

380
00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:04,240
Right.

381
00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:05,760
But it's worth emphasizing.

382
00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:10,760
They understand the importance of presenting a professional image to your clients.

383
00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:16,200
Even with the free plan, you can upload your logo, choose from different color

384
00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:20,000
schemes, and even customize the layout of your invoices.

385
00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:23,440
So you can create invoices that truly reflect your brand identity.

386
00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:24,080
Absolutely.

387
00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:26,680
Even if you're not ready to upgrade to a paid plan.

388
00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:27,560
Even if you're not.

389
00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:32,560
Now, one thing that wasn't explicitly mentioned on the website, but we gleaned

390
00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:40,000
from peeking at the GitHub repository is the concept of event listeners within

391
00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:40,720
the code base.

392
00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:42,880
This might sound a bit technical.

393
00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:47,160
It is a bit technical, but I think it's a fascinating insight into how Invoice

394
00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:48,480
Ninja works under the hood.

395
00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:49,480
You're absolutely right.

396
00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:49,840
Okay.

397
00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:54,640
Event listeners are a core part of the application's architecture.

398
00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:55,040
Okay.

399
00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:59,960
Think of them like little spies that are constantly watching for specific

400
00:16:59,960 --> 00:17:02,400
events to happen within the system.

401
00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:02,720
Okay.

402
00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:03,800
I like that analogy.

403
00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:08,840
So for example, when an invoice is created, an event listener could be

404
00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:13,560
triggered to automatically send a notification to the client or update

405
00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:14,480
your accounting software.

406
00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:15,240
Exactly.

407
00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:19,560
It's a really elegant way to build in flexibility and extensibility.

408
00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:24,640
Developers can leverage these event listeners to hook into various

409
00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:29,120
parts of the application and add custom functionality without having

410
00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:30,680
to modify the core code base.

411
00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:35,320
So even though it's not something that's directly user facing, it's a

412
00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:39,200
crucial part of what makes invoice Ninja so powerful and adaptable.

413
00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:40,000
Absolutely.

414
00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:40,560
Okay.

415
00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,680
We're nearing the end of part two, but I want to touch on one more

416
00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:47,040
thing before we wrap up those, uh, client portals.

417
00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,120
They mentioned on our website, what are those all about?

418
00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:53,080
Client portals are a great way to provide your clients with a dedicated

419
00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:58,040
space to interact with your business instead of just receiving invoices via

420
00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:03,960
email, they can log in to a secure portal and see all their invoices,

421
00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:08,640
payment history, and even any uploaded documents related to their projects.

422
00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,640
So it's like a central hub for all their interactions with your business.

423
00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:13,240
Pretty much.

424
00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:16,080
That sounds like it could save a lot of back and forth communication.

425
00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:16,760
It does.

426
00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:20,720
And it provides a more professional and organized experience for your clients.

427
00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:21,480
Absolutely.

428
00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,960
They even mentioned that clients can update their payment details on

429
00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:27,200
file right within the portal.

430
00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:30,960
Which is super helpful for those on recurring payment plans.

431
00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:31,520
Definitely.

432
00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:32,000
All right.

433
00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:33,640
That's a great place to pause for now.

434
00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:34,040
Okay.

435
00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:36,400
We've covered a lot of ground in this part.

436
00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:37,040
We have.

437
00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:42,200
From the nuts and bolts of the free plan to the automation capabilities and the

438
00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,240
technical details of self-hosting.

439
00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:49,720
We even dove into the world of payment gateways and explored those behind the

440
00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:53,920
scenes event listeners that make Invoice Ninja so flexible.

441
00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:55,840
It's a pretty impressive piece of software.

442
00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:57,560
Stay tuned for part three.

443
00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:01,480
Hi, we're, we'll wrap up our deep dive and offer some final thoughts on whether

444
00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:04,520
Invoice Ninja is the right invoicing solution for you.

445
00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,320
Welcome back to the deep dive.

446
00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:13,720
We've spent the last two parts really getting to know Invoice Ninja, exploring

447
00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:18,120
its features, digging into its code and I have to say I'm impressed.

448
00:19:18,120 --> 00:19:18,680
Me too.

449
00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:20,280
They've really thought of everything.

450
00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:20,800
Haven't they?

451
00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:25,200
It's clear they've listened closely to their users, the sheer range of features

452
00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:29,480
from the essentials to the highly advanced, it shows a deep understanding

453
00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:31,800
of what businesses actually need to thrive.

454
00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:32,320
Totally.

455
00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:37,600
And that balance they've struck between offering a powerful free plan while also

456
00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,960
tempting users with those enticing paid features, it's brilliant.

457
00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:42,520
It is.

458
00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:46,720
You can start small and scale up as your business grows without feeling pressured.

459
00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:47,600
Exactly.

460
00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:51,600
One of the things that stands out to me is their approach to self-hosting.

461
00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,480
It's not just an afterthought.

462
00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:59,600
They've put real effort into providing clear detailed instructions on GitHub,

463
00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:03,160
including quick setup commands and valuable insights for developers.

464
00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:03,640
For sure.

465
00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:04,200
Right.

466
00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:08,960
It's refreshing to see that level of transparency and support for the more

467
00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:13,480
technically inclined users, but for those who prefer a more hands-off approach,

468
00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:15,800
the hosted option is more than capable.

469
00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:16,640
Agreed.

470
00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:21,120
And we can't overlook the emphasis they've placed on accessibility with

471
00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:25,720
dedicated mobile and desktop apps for nearly every platform.

472
00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:26,120
Yeah.

473
00:20:26,120 --> 00:20:27,800
You're no longer tied to your desk.

474
00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:28,160
Right.

475
00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:32,120
You can manage your business from anywhere, which is a huge plus for

476
00:20:32,120 --> 00:20:35,200
freelancers and small business owners constantly on the move.

477
00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:38,440
I love that they've made it so seamless to switch between devices

478
00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:40,760
without sacrificing functionality.

479
00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:41,280
Very well done.

480
00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:43,920
But let's shift gears for a moment and talk about what this all

481
00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,160
means for you, the listener.

482
00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:50,080
Is Invoice Ninja the right fit for your business?

483
00:20:50,120 --> 00:20:51,600
That's the million dollar question, isn't it?

484
00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:52,160
It is.

485
00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:52,920
Let's break it down.

486
00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:53,520
All right.

487
00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:54,560
Time for some real talk.

488
00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:55,040
Okay.

489
00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:59,000
If you're a freelancer, tired of juggling spreadsheets or a small

490
00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:03,720
business owner struggling to keep track of invoices and payments, Invoice

491
00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:05,600
Ninja could be a game changer.

492
00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:06,160
It could be.

493
00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:11,320
That free plan gives you a solid foundation to get organized, send

494
00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:14,240
professional invoices and get paid faster.

495
00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:14,920
For sure.

496
00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:19,240
And if you find yourself needing more advanced features like automation,

497
00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:24,280
detailed reporting, or that super convenient banking integration, then

498
00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:27,640
the pro or enterprise plans are definitely worth exploring.

499
00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:28,240
Absolutely.

500
00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:32,160
It all comes down to your individual needs and how much you value those

501
00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:33,440
time-saving features.

502
00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:34,160
Exactly.

503
00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,400
And let's not forget our developer listeners.

504
00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:37,720
Yeah.

505
00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,720
The self-hosting option offers a fantastic opportunity to dive into a

506
00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:46,440
well-structured Laravel code base and maybe even contribute to the project.

507
00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:47,360
That's always a good thing.

508
00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:50,600
It's a chance to peek under the hood and see how a successful application is

509
00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:53,880
built, and who knows, maybe even learn a thing or two.

510
00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:54,400
For sure.

511
00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:56,480
Here's the final thought for you to ponder.

512
00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:01,000
Imagine a world where you spend less time on administrative tasks and more

513
00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:06,240
time doing what you love, whether that's coding, designing, writing, or

514
00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:07,760
building your dream business.

515
00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:12,960
Invoice Ninja can be that secret weapon that frees up your time and mental energy.

516
00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:14,080
It's a powerful tool.

517
00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:15,760
It's not just about invoicing.

518
00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:20,020
It's about streamlining your entire workflow and giving you back control of your

519
00:22:20,020 --> 00:22:20,400
time.

520
00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:22,440
Couldn't have said it better myself.

521
00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:28,120
So if any of this has resonated with you, head over to invoiceninja.com and check

522
00:22:28,120 --> 00:22:29,080
out their demo.

523
00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:29,720
Good idea.

524
00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,960
You might just discover that missing piece you've been searching for.

525
00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:33,800
Absolutely.

526
00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:35,640
Until next time, happy invoicing.