Firefly III
Firefly III's develop builds continue into October 21, still with no changelog.
Comparison · Finance
InvoicePlane vs InvoiceShelf
A side-by-side editorial comparison of InvoicePlane and InvoiceShelf — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Shared themes:invoicingself-hosted
InvoicePlane vs InvoiceShelf: at a glance
What is InvoicePlane?
InvoicePlane's 1.7.2 is a mass security remediation, still working through its release candidates.
InvoicePlane is a self-hosted PHP invoicing and quoting application. The 1.7.2 line, now at its second release candidate, is dominated by security remediation: roughly thirty researchers are credited across the beta and RC notes for responsibly disclosed vulnerabilities, with severity, CVSS and GHSA advisories held back until the final release. The RC also warns that installations running custom invoice and quote templates must take manual steps before upgrading.
What is InvoiceShelf?
InvoiceShelf 3.0 alphas let Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor draft and send invoices.
InvoiceShelf is pushing 3.0 through public alphas at a rate of several a week, each marked not for production. Alpha.5 added an MCP server so AI assistants can read, draft and send documents with the connecting user's permissions. Later alphas add role presets, user administration for the super admin, official modules on managed installs and a Docker image that runs on a read-only filesystem, alongside a steady stream of security fixes.
InvoicePlane vs InvoiceShelf: editorial side-by-side
InvoicePlane
5.0FINANCE
InvoicePlane's 1.7.2 is a mass security remediation, still working through its release candidates.
◆ Current state
InvoicePlane is a self-hosted PHP invoicing and quoting application. The 1.7.2 line, now at its second release candidate, is dominated by security remediation: roughly thirty researchers are credited across the beta and RC notes for responsibly disclosed vulnerabilities, with severity, CVSS and GHSA advisories held back until the final release. The RC also warns that installations running custom invoice and quote templates must take manual steps before upgrading.
◆ Where it's heading
The project has spent this cycle absorbing an unusually large volume of external vulnerability reports while simultaneously modernising the platform — PHP 8.2 compatibility arrived on the 1.7.0 branch, and Stripe and PayPal were reintroduced at 1.7.2 beta 1 after having been absent. The decision to withhold advisory details until 1.7.2 goes final is a deliberate disclosure posture, meaning the true scope of what these releases fix is not yet public. Release notes here are dominated by hashes and contributor credits rather than change detail.
◆ Prediction
The final 1.7.2 release and the simultaneous publication of the security advisories are the clear next step, given RC 2 is described as working toward it. Whether further RCs intervene depends on what testing surfaces.
InvoiceShelf
6.3FINANCE
InvoiceShelf 3.0 alphas let Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor draft and send invoices.
◆ Current state
InvoiceShelf is pushing 3.0 through public alphas at a rate of several a week, each marked not for production. Alpha.5 added an MCP server so AI assistants can read, draft and send documents with the connecting user's permissions. Later alphas add role presets, user administration for the super admin, official modules on managed installs and a Docker image that runs on a read-only filesystem, alongside a steady stream of security fixes.
◆ Where it's heading
3.0 is turning a single-company invoicing app into something a hosting provider can run for many customers: role presets across companies, provider-controlled module installs, a separate customer-portal host and a locked-down container. The security fixes (guessable document links, SSRF through mail settings, a setup token that acted as super-admin) show the multi-tenant hardening is still catching up with the feature work.
◆ Prediction
Expect more alphas that close security issues and fill out hosted-provider controls before a beta; the entries show no beta date.
Alternatives to InvoicePlane and InvoiceShelf
Other Finance products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either InvoicePlane or InvoiceShelf.
Stigg
Stigg shows card brand and wallet type on payment methods as its billing reach widens.
Shift4
Shift4 posts Gift Card & Loyalty 26.2.1 notes in three languages ahead of an October 21 release.
GOAT.tax
GOAT.tax adds Form 6765 Section G reporting for large R&D credit filers.
Kill Bill
Kill Bill keeps two release lines alive with small invoice-template changes.
Zluri
Zluri is turning SaaS management into identity governance, and Segregation of Duties is the pivot.
See all InvoicePlane alternatives → · See all InvoiceShelf alternatives →
Recent activity from InvoicePlane and InvoiceShelf
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 27d agoInvoiceShelf3.0 alpha.10: owners install official modules on managed hosts
- 27d agoInvoiceShelf3.0 alpha.9: role presets and admin user management
- 28d agoInvoiceShelf3.0 alpha.8: SSRF fixes and a read-only, host-ready Docker image
- 29d agoInvoiceShelf3.0 alpha.7: PDF font folder and signed-out redirect fixes
- 29d agoInvoiceShelf3.0 alpha.6: fixes that blocked fresh installs and restarts
- 29d agoInvoiceShelf3.0 alpha.5: AI assistants connect over MCP ⚡
- 2mo agoInvoicePlane1.7.2 RC 2, with a manual step for custom templates
- 2mo agoInvoicePlane1.7.2 RC 1 consolidates disclosed vulnerability fixes
- 6mo agoInvoicePlane1.7.2 beta reintroduces Stripe and PayPal alongside security fixes
- 10mo agoInvoicePlane1.7.0 beta adds PHP 8.2+ compatibility
- 10mo agoInvoicePlane1.6.4 beta adds Venmo, named footers, recurring invoice ordering
- 1y agoInvoicePlane1.6.3 RC 2 fixes VAT calculation and recurring invoice payment methods
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between InvoicePlane and InvoiceShelf?
Both compete on the same themes — invoicing, self-hosted — within Finance. InvoiceShelf is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is InvoicePlane better than InvoiceShelf?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. InvoiceShelf is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Finance products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to InvoicePlane?
Top InvoicePlane alternatives in Finance are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "InvoicePlane alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/invoiceplane for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to InvoiceShelf?
Top InvoiceShelf alternatives in Finance are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "InvoiceShelf alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/invoiceshelf for the full list with editorial commentary on each.