Billing from your terminal
Create invoices, manage bills, record payments, and generate reports — all from the command line. Perfect for automation, scripting, and AI-powered workflows.
$ curl -fsSL https://billingnow.com/cli/install.sh | bashInstallation
Install the BillingNow CLI in seconds. Works on macOS and Linux with Node.js 18 or higher.
Run the installer
The installer downloads the CLI and sets up everything automatically.
$ curl -fsSL https://billingnow.com/cli/install.sh | bashAdd to PATH (if prompted)
If the installer shows a PATH warning, add this line to your shell profile:
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"Then restart your terminal or run source ~/.zshrc (or ~/.bashrc).
Authenticate
Log in to connect the CLI to your BillingNow account. This opens your browser for secure OAuth authentication.
$ bn loginVerify installation
Check that everything is working by viewing your current user:
$ bn whoamiRequirements
- Node.js 18 or higher
- macOS or Linux (Windows via WSL)
- curl or wget
- BillingNow account
Alternative: API Key Login
For CI/CD or headless environments, authenticate with an API key:
$ bn login --key YOUR_API_KEYGenerate API keys from Settings in your BillingNow dashboard.
Command Reference
Complete list of available commands. All commands support -f json for machine-readable output.
Invoices
bn invoice listList all invoices
bn invoice list --status sentFilter by status
bn invoice get <id>Get invoice details
bn invoice find INV-001Find by number or ID
bn invoice create --relation <id> --items '[{"name":"Service","quantity":1,"netPrice":100}]'Create new invoice
bn invoice update <id> --due-date 2025-02-28Update invoice
bn invoice status <id> sentChange status
bn invoice delete <id>Delete invoice
bn invoice generate-number <relation-id>Generate invoice number
AI Agent Integration
Use the BillingNow CLI skill with Claude Code or any AI agent that supports custom skills. Let AI manage your invoices through natural language.
Natural Language
Ask AI to create invoices, check payment status, or generate reports in plain English.
Automatic Execution
AI translates your requests into CLI commands and executes them automatically.
Smart Context
The skill provides command documentation so AI knows exactly how to help.
Example Prompts
You say:
"Create an invoice for Acme Inc for 10 hours of consulting at $150/hour"
You say:
"Show me all unpaid invoices from this month"
You say:
"Record a $500 payment for invoice INV-042"
You say:
"Generate a sales report for Q4 2024"
Setup for Claude Code
The skill is automatically available when you install the CLI:
$ bn skill statusThe skill provides Claude Code with all command documentation, so it knows how to create invoices, manage bills, record payments, and more.
bn invoice createbn payment createbn reporting sales