discussion Finvo - Invoice App built with Delphi 12 FMX, Horse & FireDAC

[kabiri 4]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been a long-time reader here, and I wanted to share a project I’ve built using Delphi 12 (Athens) to ask for some technical feedback.

The Project: It’s called Finvo, an offline invoicing software designed for freelancers.

The Tech Stack: I aimed to keep it robust and native, so I chose:

• Framework: FireMonkey (FMX).

• Database: SQLite via FireDAC (for zero-config local storage).

• Reporting: FastReport for generating invoice PDFs.

• Connectivity & Backend:

  • Client-side: Used RESTRequest4Delphi to handle license activation and retrieve license details.

  • Server-side: The backend REST API is built using Horse.

• UI/UX:

  • Used LiveBindings extensively for populating grids and tables.

  • Implemented a search feature using the standard TEdit combined with a Timer (to create a delay/debounce effect while typing).

  • Used ZigButton for custom styling.

• Platform: Currently targeting Windows. Although FMX is cross-platform, I don't own a Mac machine, so I haven't been able to compile or test the macOS version yet.

Development Strategy (MVP vs Perfectionism): I still have a backlog of features and reports that I plan to add. However, I decided to pause adding new features for now to focus on getting visibility and gathering real user feedback first. Honestly, I am not sure if this is the right strategy. Part of me thinks I should have been a "perfectionist" and included everything before the initial release, but I didn't want to code in a vacuum forever.

The Challenge: I am trying to prove that native desktop apps can still compete with web-based SaaS tools in 2025. I have managed to list the app on platforms like AlternativeTo, Product Hunt, Softpedia, Gumroad, G2, and SoftwareSuggest.

My Question for the Community: For those who develop desktop tools with Delphi:

1. Do you recommend the "Release Early, Release Often" approach for desktop apps, or should the first version be feature-complete?

2. Do you rely solely on the "Store" model (Microsoft Store), or do you find distributing independent binaries (Setup.exe) still viable for SEO and trust?

(Note: To respect the community rules regarding self-promotion, I have not included a direct link. However, if you are interested in the UI implementation, you can find "Finvo Invoice" via search engines or on the platforms mentioned above.)

I’d appreciate any feedback on the tech stack or the release strategy!

 

 

 

 

[corneliusdavid 292]

On 11/23/2025 at 9:17 AM, kabiri said:

offline invoicing software designed for freelancers.

First of all, you need to more narrowly define "freelancers". Are these developers?  Or marketers? Or AI consultants? Are they people you'd find on Fiverr or Guru.com or some other such site? Are they young or old?

 

If you want to hit all these markets, definitely making it cross-platform (Mac and PC) is a plus as there are many more people using Macs these days. However, the younger generation tend to live on their phones and do everything online so having a mobile option would be key to tap into their preferences. Us old codgers like to manage our own stuff on our own machines, so an offline invoicing program that doesn't require an expensive annual payroll module to be updated is a great sell. (Of course, these are over-generalizations.)

 

On 11/23/2025 at 9:17 AM, kabiri said:

Do you recommend the "Release Early, Release Often" approach for desktop apps, or should the first version be feature-complete?

In my opinion, when purchasing a program in this category that promises to solve several needs, it should definitely be feature-complete for the features you want to promote. Release updates to fix bugs as frequently as necessary without annoying the customer (couple times a month at the most) and then major updates to add features but putting something out that has known bugs or pretty big missing parts will kill your reputation unless you're giving away free beta versions to get people hooked and then a steep discount when version 1.0 is released. Also, releasing something with spots for features that are "coming soon" will worry potential customers about how realistic and timely those can be expected, especially for a new player in the market. This is made worse if there are other programs that already have these features--hard to convince someone to move to a new software that can't do as much as what they're currently using; you don't want to advertise your product as a competitor if it doesn't really compete yet.

 

On the other hand, you don't want to take months or years developing a product only to see the market shift and find your product irrelevant (this happened to me); of course, invoicing for freelancers isn't a market that is likely to go away any time soon.

 

On 11/23/2025 at 9:17 AM, kabiri said:

Do you rely solely on the "Store" model (Microsoft Store), or do you find distributing independent binaries (Setup.exe) still viable for SEO and trust?

For mobile devices, using the device's store app is essential, not so much on desktops. I never go looking in the Microsoft Store for apps, I search the internet first and if it happens to point me to the MS Store, then I go there to get it. You'll definitely need a code-signing key to help people trust your software; and you might need to get the more expensive "EV" version to increase trust. But otherwise, sending out a Setup.exe is something I still expect. Others may point out shifts in the industry but they're moving slowly.

 

Take all I say with a grain of salt; I have done very little commercial product development and marketing. Mostly what I have written here is my own opinion as a consumer (and former short-lived freelancer). There may be many other people with better and more relevant experience than I.

[Lars Fosdal 1987]

I would be reluctant to use invoicing system that I don't know if has been made to cater for the VAT, reporting and archiving rules of my country.
I would also need such a system to ensure that those rules are continuously kept up to date.

There are so many more things that go into such a system than just pretty UI and reports.

[Attila Kovacs 695]

@Lars Fosdal There are countries where there are practically no regulations at all. eBay, for example, hasn’t been persuadable for 20 years that the system should include a billing address as well. They simply don’t even understand what it is.

[Lars Fosdal 1987]

@Attila Kovacs /facepalm 
Other wrinkles are digitalization and requirements for supporting PEPPOL BIS electronic orders and invoices. Electronic invoicing will become mandatory in EU by 2030.

[Attila Kovacs 695]

1 minute ago, Lars Fosdal said:

Other wrinkles are digitalization and requirements for supporting PEPPOL BIS electronic orders and invoices. Electronic invoicing will become mandatory in EU by 2030.

Yeah, we talked about this the other day. I’ve implemented three different versions, but none of them can handle gross invoices, so here in Germany it’s only needed for B2B. As far as I remember, you have a version that can handle B2C as well.

[Lars Fosdal 1987]

3 minutes ago, Attila Kovacs said:

you have a version that can handle B2C as well

You remember correctly. Our EHF format (which is BIS compliant), supports B2B and B2G, but relatively recently B2C has been added, intended to eventually replace a local format eFaktura (eInvoice) that the banks use.

[kabiri 4]

@corneliusdavid
 

Thank you very much for your message and for the valuable guidance.

By “freelancers,” I mean anyone who works on a project basis — from developers to photographers who sell their photos, to people who design and sell 3D objects, as well as people like myself who work independently and provide services in exchange for payment.

My primary target age group has been middle-aged users.

Regarding features, my main goal has been to keep the software truly simple, lightweight, and non-confusing, so users can work with it easily and without frustration.

I completely agree with you about the first version being feature-complete — that is also my personal opinion. However, most of my friends say that I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist and that I should first see whether I can actually find a market, and then invest more time and energy into further development. At the moment, the only major feature I really plan to add is payment tracking and related reports.
 

At the moment, I have a demo version, but the number of invoices is very limited. I need to reduce these limitations and turn it from a strict demo into a proper trial (shareware-style) version.

As for installation, right now the software is distributed as a simple ZIP file.

 

Regarding taxes, my assumption is that many freelancers are not very strict or sensitive about tax payments. Still, the system allows setting a tax percentage per product on each invoice, but it does not connect directly to the tax authorities. My main target users are those who currently create their invoices using Excel or Word.

 

[kabiri 4]

On 11/27/2025 at 11:07 AM, Lars Fosdal said:

I would be reluctant to use invoicing system that I don't know if has been made to cater for the VAT, reporting and archiving rules of my country.
 I would also need such a system to ensure that those rules are continuously kept up to date.


There are so many more things that go into such a system than just pretty UI and reports.

One of the main challenges is tax handling. The software is not designed specifically for any single country, and each country has its own tax regulations.
At the moment, the application can accept a tax percentage when registering products and services and calculate the tax amount accordingly.
However, as part of my future development plans, I intend to add integrations with the tax systems of multiple countries.

[Bob Devine 13]

Check out Rob Walling on YouTube and here: https://microconf.com/

 

Don't be put off by the focus on SaaS - the business principles also apply to desktop software. It's just that nowadays most of the focus is on SaaS.

Edited yesterday at 11:33 AM by Bob Devine

[Lars Fosdal 1987]

@kabiri An installer can be made for free with Inno Setup. Easy to use.

TBH, to me personally - an invoicing system that doesn't do tax, archiving and reporting is about as good as using an Excel spreadsheet. 

I'm with Bob on SaaS. I also find that I install fewer and fewer apps on my PCs these days. They are almost all entirely cloud based, or support storage in the cloud - dev tools excluded.