How to Invoice Clients in Bitcoin Using Zaprite

Most businesses that want to accept Bitcoin hit the same wall: accounting nightmares, custody concerns, and the awkward dance of converting prices between BTC and fiat in real time. Zaprite, a non-custodial Bitcoin payments platform launched around 2022-2023, aims to solve these problems with a straightforward invoicing system that keeps you in control of your funds.

Here's how it works, what it costs, and whether it makes sense for your situation.

What Zaprite Actually Does

Zaprite lets businesses issue invoices and payment links that accept Bitcoin (both on-chain and Lightning) alongside fiat options like Stripe. The key distinction: Zaprite never touches your money. It connects to wallets you already control and simply facilitates the payment flow.

This non-custodial approach means you need to bring your own wallet infrastructure. That's a feature if you care about sovereignty over your funds; it's a friction point if you're new to Bitcoin and don't yet have a wallet set up.

Getting Started: Setup in Four Steps

Step 1: Create an account

Sign up with your email at Zaprite. You get a 30-day free trial before the $25/month fee kicks in (or $240/year if you pay annually for a 20% discount). This is a flat SaaS fee, not a percentage of transactions.

Step 2: Connect your wallet

This is where Zaprite's non-custodial nature becomes tangible. You'll need to connect a Bitcoin wallet using one of several methods:

• xpub keys from wallets like Sparrow or ColdCard (for on-chain payments)
• LND nodes for Lightning payments
• Custodial options like Strike or Blink if you prefer simplicity over full control
• Multisig setups through Unchained for higher security needs

As of January 2025, Zaprite also supports LifPay and even cash payment tracking for hybrid operations.

Step 3: Add your clients

Create contact records for your clients. This lets you track payment history and send invoices directly via email.

Step 4: Create your first invoice

Add line items with prices in your local fiat currency. Zaprite automatically converts to BTC at real-time exchange rates when the client views the invoice. You can toggle Bitcoin payments on or off and customize which payment methods you want to offer.

The Invoice Workflow

Once you send an invoice, it locks and can't be edited (so double-check before hitting send). Clients receive an email with a link to pay, and you can attach a PDF for their records.

The platform tracks invoice status (sent, viewed, paid) and notifies you via email when payment confirms, showing both the BTC amount received and its fiat equivalent at the time of payment. That last detail matters for accounting: you get precise cost basis tracking without manual calculations.

Recent Features Worth Knowing

Zaprite has evolved significantly through 2024-2025:

• Payment Links (added June 2024) work like invoices but can be reused, useful for recurring products or services with standard pricing
• Recurring invoices let you automate billing for subscription-style arrangements
• Fiat premiums allow you to encourage Bitcoin payments by offering better rates for BTC
• API and webhooks give developers integration options for custom workflows

The Tradeoffs

Zaprite isn't for everyone, and it's worth being honest about the limitations.

You need Bitcoin literacy. The non-custodial model requires understanding xpubs, Lightning nodes, or at minimum, how custodial wallets like Strike work. If you're a business owner who just wants to "accept Bitcoin" without learning the plumbing, this will feel like homework.

Bitcoin only. Zaprite is strictly a Bitcoin platform. No Ethereum, no stablecoins, no multi-crypto support. The company treats Bitcoin as money, not as one asset among many. Whether that's principled or limiting depends on your perspective.

Fixed monthly cost. The $25/month fee makes sense for businesses with regular invoicing volume. If you're only invoicing occasionally, the math might not work compared to percentage-based alternatives.

Is It Worth It?

For businesses already committed to accepting Bitcoin, Zaprite removes genuine friction. The real-time conversion, automatic accounting records, and non-custodial architecture solve problems that previously required spreadsheets, manual reconciliation, or trusting a third party with your funds.

The platform is particularly useful for service businesses (consultants, freelancers, agencies) where invoicing is the primary payment flow. The recent addition of Payment Links extends its usefulness to product-based businesses as well.

If you're testing the waters with Bitcoin payments, the 30-day trial gives you enough time to evaluate whether the workflow fits your business. Just be prepared to spend an hour or two connecting wallets and understanding the system before you send your first invoice.