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Accounting and invoicing for IT freelancers

Hourly rate, day rate, maintenance contract: IT freelancers bill by time and for clients in several countries. Saldiqo records your hours, writes the invoice from them and knows the reverse charge for clients in the EU.

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What comes up for IT freelancers

Billing by time

Hours and days have to go to the project, the client and the invoice. If you carry the time in your head, the month-end invoice is imprecise.

Recurring amounts

Maintenance and support contracts, hosting and licences run monthly or yearly. The invoice is the same every time.

Clients in several countries

A startup in Berlin, an agency in Vienna, a group in Amsterdam: different rules apply per client and country, and the invoice has to show that.

Subscriptions and tools

Cloud, developer tools, software, domains: running costs are many small invoices, often in foreign currency.

How Saldiqo helps

  • Time tracking with start and stopTime runs along, you assign it to client and project. The invoice line comes from it.
  • Invoice from recorded timeYou bundle open time per client into one invoice with a click.
  • Maintenance contract as a recurring invoiceMonthly flat fees and yearly licences are created by a recurring invoice on a fixed date.
  • Tax type for abroadFor businesses in other EU countries you choose reverse charge, and Saldiqo writes the note on the invoice. For other cases you clear with your tax adviser which tax type fits.
  • Receipts and paymentsPhotograph the receipt with your phone, upload the bank statement, and Saldiqo matches payments to invoices.

Typical invoice lines

Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.

  • Software development, 18 hours
  • Code review and architecture consulting, 4 hours
  • On-call retainer, October
  • Maintenance contract, October
  • Re-invoiced hosting and licences as per receipt
  • Travel costs at cost

Tax and invoicing in Malta

What applies to invoices in Malta, in short. As of October 2026.

VAT
Rates 18 %, 12 %, 7 % and 5 %. Malta has no zero rate in law. Exports, EU supplies, food and medicines are exempt with credit, which lets you reclaim input VAT. Exempt without credit does not.
Article 11 small undertakings
With up to €35,000 of domestic turnover a year you can be exempt under Article 11. The status ends on the day the limit is passed, and you still register with the VAT department. Saldiqo adds the exemption note and leaves VAT off.
Tax invoice or fiscal receipt
A tax invoice is issued only when the customer gives you a VAT number. Otherwise a fiscal receipt from an approved system is required. Saldiqo writes invoices. It is not a fiscal receipt system, and a Saldiqo PDF does not replace a fiscal receipt.
Invoice timing
Issue the invoice by the 15th of the following month, or when payment arrives if that comes first. Simplified invoices are allowed up to €100.
E-invoicing
There is no mandate. Public bodies accept e-invoices through Peppol (EN 16931). The tax authority plans e-invoicing and real-time reporting but has set no dates, and EU rules apply from 1 July 2030.
VAT returns
Returns are due by the 15th day of the second month after the period, with 7 extra days when you file and pay electronically. Article 11 businesses file a yearly declaration by 15 February. Saldiqo does not file returns.
Record keeping
VAT records for 6 years, income tax records for 9 years and company records for 10 years. Plan for 10 years.
Late payment
Interest on late business payments is 10.40 %, plus €40 compensation between businesses.
Languages
Use Saldiqo in English or Maltese and send invoices in either language.

Frequently asked questions

Can I track hours and turn them into an invoice?

Yes. Saldiqo has time tracking with start and stop, open time per client and the invoice from time.

How do I bill clients in other EU countries?

You choose the tax type on the invoice, for example reverse charge. Saldiqo adds the note. Which rule applies to the client, you clear with your tax adviser.

Is there a login for my tax adviser?

Yes. You invite your tax adviser with their own login. They see your figures without changing anything and can pull exports.

Do IT freelancers in Malta have to charge VAT?

If you are registered under Article 10, yes. Small undertakings under Article 11 with domestic turnover of up to €35,000 a year are exempt from charging VAT, but the status ends on the day the limit is passed.

Do IT freelancers in Malta need a fiscal receipt?

Sales to consumers need a fiscal receipt from an approved fiscal receipt system, and Article 11 businesses use one for all sales. Saldiqo is not such a system. It covers tax invoices to customers who give you their VAT number.

How long should IT freelancers keep invoices?

VAT records for 6 years, income tax records for 9 years and company records for 10 years, so plan for 10 years. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.

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Write invoices, match payments, collect receipts and send reminders: free and without a trial period.

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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.