How to Invoice on Solana: Step by Step Guide.

Here's the deal: Invoicing on Solana is dead simple if you use a tool like Request Finance-it handles the blockchain magic so you don't have to code or mess with raw transactions. No more waiting days for payments or stupid high fees. You'll create on chain invoices payable in USDC or whatever on Solana, super cheap like ~0.000005 SOL per tx. I use this for freelance gigs all the time. Let's break it down.

Okay, you can't invoice without a wallet. Phantom's my go to-it's beginner friendly and pops up everywhere. Download it as a browser extension or app.

Here's how:

1. Grab Phantom from their site or app store. Avoid fakes, seriously.
2. Open it, hit "Create New Wallet." Boom, seed phrase pops up-write that down on paper, hide it. Never screenshot.
3. Confirm the phrase, set a password. Done. Your address is ready, looks like a long string starting with random letters.
4. Fund it with a tiny bit of SOL, like 0.01 SOL from an exchange like Kraken. Fees are nothing, like 0.000005 SOL per action.

Why Phantom? In my experience, it connects flawlessly to invoicing tools. Solflare's solid too if you stake, but start here. Test by sending 0.001 SOL to yourself. Feels instant, right?

Why Solana for invoicing? Quick reality check

Solana's nuts for this-thousands of tx per second, fees under a penny. Ethereum? Forget it, gas eats your lunch. I switched after one 50x fee spike. Clients pay in USDC on Solana, settles in seconds. No banks, no borders. But watch out: network congestion rarely spikes fees to 0.0001 SOL. Rare though.

The thing is, raw Solana dev is overkill for invoicing. Programs, accounts, instructions? That's for coders building dApps. You? Use Request Finance. It issues invoices on chain, tracks 'em, emails both sides. Pretty much plug and play.

Potential gotcha: Wrong network

People mess this up. Always double check you're on Solana mainnet, not devnet. Wallet shows it. Switch if needed.

Sign up for Request Finance-your invoicing HQ

Head to request.finance, sign up free. Takes 2 minutes. Link your email, maybe Google. No KYC for basics, but business stuff might need it later.

Once in, dashboard's clean. Left side: Get Paid module. That's your spot. I usually skip fancy setups first-jump right to creating.

Pro tip: They got a 30-day free trial. Use it. Why pay upfront?

Create your first invoice. Step by bloody step

Now the fun part. Logged in? Good.

1. Click "Get Paid" on the left, then "Create new invoice" on the right. Guided markers show progress-kinda hand holdy but nice.
2. Select your client. Add new if needed: name, email. They'll get notified automatically.
3. Pick currency. USD for the invoice, but pay in USDC on Solana. Click the ellipses for more options, hit "All networks," choose Solana. Boom.
4. Enter your Phantom address. Copy from wallet-double check, fat finger errors suck.
5. List services. "Web design: 5 hours @ $100/hr." Quantity, price, total. Add tax or discount if you want. Attach PDF contract? Easy button.
6. Frequency? One off or recurring. Set due date.
7. Hit "Create & Send." Invoice goes on chain. Both you and client get emails. Status: Awaiting Payment.

Takes under 2 minutes. First one I did, client paid same day. Fees? Negligible, like 0.000005 SOL to issue.

Common Invoice Fields	Example	Why Bother?
Client Info	John Doe, john@email.com	Auto notifies, tracks who owes what
Amount	$500 USD (pays USDC)	Shows fiat equiv, client loves that
Network/Coin	Solana/USDC	Fast, cheap-your edge
Wallet Address	Your Phantom addr	Where money lands. Verify!

See? Not rocket science. Customize with tags for accounting-helps at tax time.

Client side: How they pay (and what if they screw up)

They log in (or sign up quick), go to "Pay" module > Bills. Find your invoice-shows creation date, USDC on Solana.

1. Reconcile/approve from three dots.
2. Hit "Pay Now." Wallet pops-Phantom, whatever.
3. Approve tx. Seconds later, status flips to "Paid." You see it in dashboard.

Issues? If they pick wrong wallet, tx fails-retry costs another micro fee. Tell 'em: "Use Phantom, Solana mainnet, exact amount." Overpay? Rare, but Request handles splits.

In my experience, 90% pay smooth. Rest? Email link again. Dashboard tracks everything-one hub.

Track and manage like a boss

Dashboard's gold. All invoices at a glance: Awaiting, Paid, Overdue. Filter by client, date, status. Export CSV for QuickBooks? Yup.

Recurring? Set monthly, auto sends. I do this for retainers-saves nagging clients.

• Notifications: Email + in app. Turn on push for mobile.
• Refunds: If needed, manual from wallet. Rare.
• Multi currency: USDC, USDT, SOL. Client picks what suits.

What's next? Scale up. Add team members, API for auto invoicing. But start small.

Troubleshooting the crap that goes wrong

Honesty time: Shit happens.

Tx stuck? Solana's fast, but rare congestion. Wait 30 secs or retry. Fee ~0.000005 SOL.

Wallet not connecting? Refresh, check mainnet. Clear cache if desperate.

Client says "I paid!" Check explorer.solana.com-paste tx hash. Proof.

No SOL for fees? Buy 0.05 SOL upfront. Lasts months.

One time, client sent ETH by mistake. Swapped on Jupiter DEX, no biggie. Lesson: Spell it out in invoice notes.

Security don'ts

Never share seed phrase. 2FA on Request? Enable. Phishing emails fake invoices-verify URL.

Advanced moves: Beyond basic invoices

Got the basics? Level up.

Integrate with Zapier-auto invoice on Google Sheet update. Or use their API for custom apps. Fees same low.

Batch invoices? Dashboard lets you bulk send. Game changer for agencies.

Compare tools quick:

Tool	Pros	Cons	Fees
Request Finance	On chain, auto track, Solana native	Paid after trial	~0.3% + tx
Cryptomus	Business wallet, KYC quick	Less Solana focus	Variable
Raw Wallet Send	Free ish	No tracking, manual	0.000005 SOL

Request wins for me. Raw? Only for one offs. Copy address, send USDC via Phantom. But no invoice prettiness.

Fees breakdown-don't get nickeled

Solana's cheap, but know it:

• Issue invoice: ~0.000005 SOL
• Pay: Same + token transfer (negligible for USDC)
• Request cut: 0.3% on paid amount, post trial
• Swap if needed (Jupiter): 0.1-0.5% spread

Total for $1000 invoice? Under $4 all in. Ethereum? $20-100. Clients notice.

Buy SOL on ramps inside Phantom. Or bridge from ETH via deBridge-fast now.

Real talk: When to use this

Freelance? Perfect. Web3 gigs, international clients-USDC on Solana ignores forex BS. I invoiced a EU client last week, paid instant, no wires.

Scaling business? Recurrings + dashboard = passive income tracking.

But.. volatile prices. Invoice in USD equiv, they pay stablecoin. Locks value.

Taxes? Track in app exports. US folks, report as income. Easy.

Last tips before you run off

Test with $10 invoice to yourself. Feels real then.

Client hesitant? Share the YouTube tut-2 mins, shows it.

Questions? Hit their support. Responsive.

Go make money. Solana's waiting.