Quote vs Invoice in Australia: What's the Difference (and When to Send Each)

A quote is the offer you make before a job. An invoice is the bill you send after it. Here is when to send each, what Australian tradies put on them, and where GST fits.

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Quote vs invoice: the short answer

A quote asks the customer to say yes. An invoice asks them to pay. Most jobs need both, and the numbers should match unless something changed.

Topic	Quote	Invoice
TopicWhen you send it	QuoteBefore the work starts	InvoiceAfter the work is done, or at an agreed stage
TopicWhat it does	QuoteOffers a price and scope so the customer can say yes	InvoiceAsks for payment and records the sale
TopicDates that matter	QuoteAn expiry date, the last day the offer stands	InvoiceAn issue date and a due date
TopicGST	QuoteIf you are registered, show GST or say the price includes it	InvoiceA GST-registered seller issues a tax invoice that shows the GST
TopicDeposit	QuoteAsk for it here, as a percentage or a fixed amount	InvoiceShow what has been paid and what is left

When to send a quote first

A quote is worth the few minutes whenever your customer cannot guess the price. That is most jobs bigger than a call-out: a bathroom, a deck, a repaint, a rewire.

The scope could grow

Write down what is in and what is out, so extra work does not become an argument.

You buy materials first

A deposit on the quote lets you order materials without carrying the cost.

The customer is comparing

A clear written price is easy to compare and easy to say yes to.

For small repeat jobs, where the customer already knows your rate, you can invoice when the work is done. A quote is a business choice, not a tax document.

For bigger building jobs, state rules can add licence thresholds and deposit limits. Our builder and landscaper pages set them out state by state. Whether you also need a written contract depends on your state and the job, so ask your state regulator before you quote a large one.

What a quote should include

The Australian Government's business.gov.au lists what a written quote should carry. Here is that list in plain order.

Who it is from and for

Your business name, ABN and contact details, and the customer's name and contact details.

What you will do

A clear description of the work or service. Say what is not included as well.

The price

Itemised costs and the total. Include GST if it applies, and say whether the price already has it in.

Variations

Any variations or revisions you have already talked about, so nobody forgets them later.

Payment terms

The due date, any late payment penalty and your preferred payment method. If you want a deposit, put the amount or percentage here.

Timing

Work start and finish dates, and the date the quote expires.

Acceptance

Space for the customer's acceptance, with their signature and date.

Source: business.gov.au, Prepare quotes, checked 7 October 2026. The lines about what is not included and about a deposit are our additions.

What an invoice must include in Australia

An invoice asks for payment. For a GST-registered business it is usually a tax invoice, and the ATO sets what goes on it. The rules step up with the size of the sale.

Over A$82.50

A GST-registered seller gives a tax invoice for a taxable sale of more than A$82.50 including GST. It carries the words tax invoice, your business name and ABN, the date, a short description of what you sold with quantity and price, and the GST amount.

A$1,000 or more

The tax invoice also needs the buyer's identity or ABN.

If a customer asks

You have 28 days to give them a tax invoice.

Not registered for GST

Send a plain invoice. Do not charge GST and do not call it a tax invoice.

Checked against business.gov.au, How to invoice on 7 October 2026. For your own situation, check ato.gov.au. Our tax invoice requirements page has the full checklist, and the ABN invoicing guide covers the ABN.

Quote or estimate: say which one you mean

A quote is a price you stand behind. An estimate is a best guess. Customers do not always know the difference, so label the document and say what could move the price.

business.gov.au says that if a customer accepts your quote, it becomes a legally binding contract (Prepare quotes, checked 7 October 2026).

If the price depends on something you cannot see yet, such as what is behind a wall, say so on the quote. If you are only giving a rough figure, write Estimate at the top and say what the range depends on.

Check the official guidance

How the law treats an estimate, and what your state requires for your type of work, differs from place to place. Read the official guidance before you rely on either, at business.gov.au and your state's fair trading office. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Deposits and progress payments: how a quote becomes an invoice

On a job with a deposit, one price runs through three documents. Keep the numbers the same all the way and nobody has to ask where an amount came from.

Quote with a deposit

Put the deposit on the quote as a percentage or a fixed amount, and show the balance that follows.

Customer accepts

Once they say yes, the price, scope and deposit are agreed. Keep the accepted quote with the job.

Invoice for the deposit

Ask for the deposit before you start. The invoice shows the deposit and what is still to pay.

Progress payments and the final invoice

On a long job, split the price into stages and invoice at each one. The final invoice shows what has been paid and what is left.

Check your state's limit on deposits for building work before you ask for one. The builder and landscaper pages cover it. If you are GST registered, ask your accountant how GST on a deposit is reported under your accounting method.

Quote to invoice in Invio

Invio keeps the quote, the deposit and the invoice in one chain, so you type the job once.

QU-0042Accepted

TotalA$4,400.00

Deposit to get startedA$1,320.00

Convert to invoice, check it, send it

INV-0107Sent

TotalA$4,400.00

Deposit due nowA$1,320.00

Sample numbers for one job, for illustration.

Create and send quotes

Build a quote with line items, a deposit and an expiry date, then email it to your customer. Quotes are on every plan, including the free one.

Convert in one click

When the customer accepts, convert the quote into an invoice. The line items, notes, deposit and currency come across as a draft to check before you send it.

The deposit comes with it

A percentage or fixed deposit on the quote is on the invoice too. Your customer can pay it by card when you have card payments switched on.

Expiry looks after itself

A sent quote past its expiry date becomes Expired overnight. Your customer can still accept up to the end of the expiry day.

Fix it and send it again

A declined or expired quote can be edited and sent again. Change the price or the dates, give an expired quote a new expiry date, then send it.

A late yes still counts

A quote that expired before the customer said yes can still be converted into an invoice.

Request a Quote widget

On the Growth plan, a Request a Quote form on your own website turns each enquiry into a draft quote. See the lead widget guide.

See what each plan includes on the pricing page.

Quote vs invoice questions

Common questions from Australian tradies and sole traders about quotes and invoices.

Do I need to send a quote before an invoice?

Not as a tax step: the tax rules are about invoices. A quote is still worth sending when the price is hard to guess, the scope could grow or you want a deposit. Bigger building work can bring state rules, so check with your state regulator.

Is a quote legally binding in Australia?

business.gov.au says that if a customer accepts your quote, it becomes a legally binding contract. So say what the price covers, what could change it and how long the quote stands. For anything large or unusual, ask a professional.

Can I turn a quote into an invoice?

Yes. Carry the line items across at the same prices, then add the invoice number, issue date and due date. In Invio you convert an accepted quote with one click, and the deposit comes with it.

Does a quote need GST on it?

If you are registered for GST, show the GST on the quote or say the price includes it. A quote is not a tax invoice, so the tax invoice rules apply to the invoice you send later. If you are not registered, do not add GST.

How long should a quote stay valid?

Put an expiry date on every quote and choose a window that matches how fast your costs and diary change. In Invio your customer can accept up to the end of that day.

Quote it, then invoice it in Invio

Send a quote, convert it when it is accepted, then send the invoice. Free to start.