Question 1

What is InvoiceShelf?

Accepted Answer

It's a self-hosted invoicing application for freelancers and small businesses, and a maintained fork of the Crater project.

Question 2

Does it need MySQL or PostgreSQL?

Accepted Answer

No — this deployment uses SQLite, pre-configured out of the box, so there's no separate database container to set up or credentials to manage. That makes it unusually easy to run and to back up compared with most business applications: the .

Question 3

Which port does it use and what's the login?

Accepted Answer

InvoiceShelf runs on host port 8193 (mapped from the container's 80). There's no default login — you complete a setup wizard on first visit that creates your admin account and captures your company details. Do that promptly so nobody else can claim the admin account on a reachable instance.

Question 4

Can I send invoices by email?

Accepted Answer

Yes, once you configure an SMTP provider in the application settings. InvoiceShelf itself doesn't deliver mail — you point it at an SMTP service, and it sends invoices and estimates to your clients through that. If emails aren't going out, an unconfigured or incorrect SMTP setup is the usual cause.

Question 5

How does it compare to Invoice Ninja?

Accepted Answer

Invoice Ninja is considerably more feature-rich — time tracking, recurring invoices, client portals, and deeper payment-gateway integrations — but it's a heavier application to run and learn.

💰 Setup InvoiceShelf — Simple Self-Hosted Invoicing

📦 Resources & Setup Scripts

Quick Install:

Tutorial Steps

1 Download the Script

2 Make it Executable

3 Run the Installer

4 Open the Web UI and Complete Setup

Ports Used

Overview

Why Use It

When You Need It

Who Should Use It

Real Use Cases

Main Features

How to Use After Installation

Security Best Practices

Ports and Firewall Notes

Backup and Maintenance

Common Mistakes

Troubleshooting

Alternatives

When Not to Use It

PrismaTechWork Professional Help

Frequently Asked Questions