Approved e-invoicing platform: which one for a French micro-entrepreneur?

Several approved platforms offer a free plan that is enough for a micro-entrepreneur. The right choice mostly depends on 7 criteria, set out below.

Want to see first what an e-invoice looks like? The Factur-X reader shows in plain language what a received invoice contains, and the guide on the Factur-X invoice explains the format.

What is an approved e-invoicing platform in France?

An approved platform (plateforme agréée, PA; called “PDP” at the start of the reform) is an operator registered by the tax authorities. It does three things for you:

1. It receives e-invoices from your suppliers.
2. It issues your invoices to business clients, in a structured format (Factur-X, UBL or CII).
3. It sends to the tax authorities the data that must be sent (e-reporting): your sales to private individuals and abroad, and payment data.

The official list is published on impots.gouv.fr. In its 22 September 2026 version, it counts nearly 150 registered platforms. A platform missing from this list cannot play this role.

The e-invoicing timeline for a micro-entrepreneur

E-invoicing timeline for a micro-entrepreneur

Date	What changes for you
1 September 2026	You must be able to receive e-invoices, so you must have chosen a platform.
1 September 2027	You must issue your business-to-business invoices in electronic format and send your e-reporting data.

What if you are under the VAT exemption (franchise en base)? It still applies to you. The exemption frees you from charging VAT, but you remain a business subject to VAT. Both deadlines are tracked in the Radar, and the 2027 e-invoicing page sums up the reform.

7 criteria to choose an approved platform

1. Real cost. Check that the free plan includes all three functions: receiving, issuing and e-reporting. A free plan may be limited to receiving.
2. Official status. The platform must appear on the tax authorities’ list. Check it yourself on impots.gouv.fr.
3. The limits of the free plan: number of invoices a year, number of users, whether you must open a bank account.
4. Uploading invoices created elsewhere. If you want to keep your current tool, check that the platform accepts the import of a Factur-X invoice you generated yourself.
5. Your foreign clients. If you invoice outside France, check that the platform handles invoices in English, in foreign currency, and the e-reporting of these transactions.
6. Reversibility. Can you export all your invoices (PDF and XML) if you change platform? The Code de commerce requires traders to keep their supporting documents for 10 years (art. L123-22); whatever your activity, keep your invoices as long, with a copy outside the platform.
7. Useful extras: turnover declaration to the Urssaf (the social security body), a link with your bank (see which business bank account to choose), access for your accountant. These are advantages, not obligations.

Free approved platforms worth knowing

Offers read on the publishers’ websites on 6 October 2026. The five platforms appear on the official list of registered platforms (impots.gouv.fr, 22 September 2026 version). Offers change: check before signing up.

Five free plans from approved platforms, checked on 6 October 2026 (alphabetical order, no ranking)

Platform	Free plan	Main limit
Abby	Basique plan at €0: issuing, receiving and e-reporting included, unlimited quotes and invoices	First paid plan: Start, €5.40 a month on promotion (€9 without promotion)
Dougs	Invoicing software at €0 excl. VAT a month: issuing, receiving and e-reporting, unlimited sending	No limit announced by the publisher
Indy	Essentiel plan at €0: issuing, receiving and e-reporting included, unlimited quotes and invoices	Tax declarations are not in the free plan (Plus plan from €9 excl. VAT a month)
Pennylane	Free plan: issuing and receiving e-invoices	Reserved for micro-businesses; 1,200 invoices a year, 1 user. Otherwise, paid plans from €7 a month
Tiime	Free plan: unlimited sending and receiving of e-invoices, e-reporting, unlimited quotes and invoices	First paid plan: Initial, €9.99 excl. VAT a month

We noted what each publisher writes on its website; we did not open an account to test it. For all the other platforms, see the official list of approved platforms. To compare invoicing software beyond the platform, see our comparison of invoicing software.

Which platform for your profile

• You invoice little, in France: take a free plan that ticks criteria 1 to 3. You do not need more.
• You have clients abroad: criterion 5 is decisive. Test sending an invoice in English before you commit.
• You already have an invoicing tool you like: criterion 4 comes first. You can keep creating your invoices wherever you want, then upload them to the platform.

And your current invoicing tool?

An approved platform does not force you to give up your way of invoicing. The Clairsmith invoice generator produces Factur-X invoices (EN 16931 profile), one of the formats in the core set of the reform. If your platform accepts imports, you only need to upload the file. Before that, check that your template carries the required invoice details, including the four new ones.

Clairsmith is not an approved platform and does not send your invoices.

The 2027 e-invoicing checklist covers every step, including choosing the platform.

Common questions