The short answer
For a solo NDIS support worker who invoices their own shifts, Sparks Scribe is our pick for NDIS-coded invoicing: every shift line carries the NDIS support item code and rate, it handles weekday, evening, weekend and public holiday variants, travel by the kilometre, expenses, and custom codes for services outside standard pricing, and it outputs a PDF to send to the participant, plan manager or coordinator. The one real reason it is our pick: NDIS-coded invoicing is included from the $15 Essentials plan, not gated behind a higher tier or a team licence minimum. Honest caveat: you set your own rates, and Scribe does not apply NDIS price limits on your behalf. (We make Sparks Scribe, so read our verdict knowing that and check every competitor claim against the vendor's own pages.)
NDIS-coded invoicing is where the admin gets fiddly. It is not enough to write "3 hours of support, $200". A plan manager or the NDIA needs the right support item code on the line, the correct rate for the day and time you worked, travel handled as its own item, expenses itemised, and a clean PDF they can pay against. Get a code wrong and the claim can bounce back to you.
This guide compares six apps by name on that exact job: Sparks Scribe, EasyAs, Astalty, ShiftCare, Bugal and Visualcare. One thing up front: we make one of these apps. Sparks Scribe is our product, built in Australia by Sparks Support Pty Ltd. Every competitor price and feature claim below was collected from each product's public pages in July 2026. Where we could not verify something, we say so plainly instead of guessing.
What makes an invoice "NDIS-coded"?
When people say "NDIS-coded invoicing" they usually mean an invoice that does six things, not one. We scored every app on all six:
- The support item code and rate on each line. Every line carries the correct NDIS support item number and the rate that goes with it, so the claim matches the catalogue.
- Day and time rate variants. Weekday, evening, weekend and public holiday supports are different item numbers at different rates. The right one has to land on the line for the shift you actually worked.
- Travel. Provider travel time and the per-kilometre non-labour cost are separate items from the support hours, and they need their own codes.
- Expenses. Agreed out-of-pocket costs need to appear on the invoice, itemised.
- Custom codes. Sometimes a service sits outside standard pricing and you need to add your own code and rate.
- A PDF to the plan manager. The finished invoice has to leave the app as something you can send to the participant, plan manager or coordinator.
How we compared these apps
We looked at each app through the eyes of one person invoicing their own shifts, and asked five questions:
- Does the code and rate land on the line automatically, or do you type it in every time?
- Does it handle the day and time variants, so a Saturday evening shift is coded and priced differently from a Tuesday morning one?
- Can it put travel and expenses on the invoice as their own items, the way the NDIS expects?
- Can you add a custom code when a support falls outside standard pricing?
- What does one person actually pay to get coded invoicing, once licence minimums and gated tiers are counted?
Everything was checked against each vendor's public pages in July 2026; prices and features change, so confirm before you decide.
1. Sparks Scribe: coded invoicing included from the entry plan
Full disclosure first: this is our product, built for independent NDIS support workers rather than agencies. On the invoicing side, the builder is deliberately simple. You pick a client, pick a date range, and add the available shifts. Each shift line already carries its NDIS support item code and rate, so you are not looking codes up by hand. Because the app knows when the shift was worked, it applies the right day or time variant: weekday, evening, weekend or public holiday.
Travel is a single toggle. Select Add Travel and a travel code plus the distance in kilometres appears on the invoice as its own line. There is an Add Expense option for agreed out-of-pocket costs, and custom NDIS support codes for services that sit outside standard pricing. The finished invoice comes out as a PDF you send to the participant, plan manager or coordinator. On the Vault plan ($20) there is also Xero sync.
The honest caveat, because it matters: you set your own rates, and Scribe applies the right code and rate for the day and time worked. It does not apply the NDIS price-guide caps on your behalf, so checking your rates against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements is still your job. For our approach to the AI features that touch notes, see our AI use statement.
On the record: a 5.0 rating on the Australian App Store, more than 90,000 shifts booked through the platform, data stored in Australia, and a 14-day free trial with every feature unlocked and no card required.
Our verdict: the most complete coded-invoicing setup for one person here, and it is on the $15 entry plan rather than a higher tier. The trade is that Scribe leaves the price-cap checking to you and does not do PRODA bulk upload.
2. EasyAs: invoicing-only, every item number pre-loaded
EasyAs, the NDIS invoicing product from EasyAs Provider Invoicing Pty Ltd at easyasinvoicing.com.au, does one job: NDIS invoicing. Its site says every NDIS item number and support comes pre-loaded and auto-updates with the latest NDIS pricing. Because the NDIS catalogue uses separate item numbers for weekday, evening, weekend and public holiday supports, pre-loading every item number means those day and time variants are there to select.
EasyAs also states that it identifies which claim types can be invoiced for each item number, including travel, travel kilometres, non-face-to-face, report writing, short-notice cancellation and telehealth. Pricing is by invoice volume rather than per user, starting at $19.95 a month on their website ($19.99 via in-app purchase). What we could not verify from their public pages (July 2026): whether you can add a custom code for a service outside standard pricing, and whether prices include GST. There is no free trial published on their site or store listings, and EasyAs's privacy policy states that personal information may be transferred to countries outside Australia, including the United States and European Union.
Our verdict: an invoicing-only tool that covers the codes, day and time variants and travel, but only the invoice. It does not write your shift notes, and its data can leave Australia.
3. Astalty: coded invoicing with PRODA bulk upload, priced per seat
Astalty is a platform for NDIS support coordinators and providers, and it handles the whole invoicing chain: creating and sending invoices, uploading to PRODA and reconciling payments. Astalty says it updates your charge items when new NDIS Pricing Arrangements take effect, and it splits the workflow by funding type. NDIA-managed claims generate a formatted CSV bulk upload file for the PRODA portal; plan-managed and self-managed participants get a PDF invoice.
For a solo worker the economics are the sticking point. The standard seat is $64 per user per month, and the restricted support-worker profile is $30, with e-signatures charged at $1 each on top. We could not verify from Astalty's public pages (July 2026) how it handles day and time rate variants, travel per kilometre, or a general expense line for a single support worker, so confirm those if they matter to you.
Our verdict: Astalty offers PRODA bulk upload (a CSV file for NDIA-managed claims), but it is built and priced for coordination and provider work rather than one person's shifts.
4. ShiftCare: price books and travel per km, invoicing gated to Professional
ShiftCare is a care management platform built for agencies. On coding, it lets you import NDIS Price Agreements and Support Catalogues as Price Books. The support item number sits in the Reference Number column of the price book and appears in the description on the invoice. Its price books also include a Travel Per Km field to set the per-kilometre provider travel rate and a Travel Reference Number for the travel item, so travel can be coded and charged separately.
The problem for independents is the pricing floor. ShiftCare charges per licence with a minimum of five licences on every plan, even if you are the only user, and invoicing requires the Professional plan, which works out at $65 to $75 a month excluding GST for one person, depending on billing. You pay as if you had a team of five for a team that does not exist. We have written a full Sparks Scribe vs ShiftCare comparison.
Our verdict: the price-book and travel-per-km setup handles coding, but the coded invoice you came for sits behind the Professional plan and a five-licence minimum, so one person pays team money.
5. Bugal: built-in NDIS code selection, free plan capped at two invoices
Bugal is a platform for Australian independents. Its public pages describe invoicing with built-in NDIS code selection, and its feature list includes expense tracking alongside client management, service agreements, shift management and shift notes. It lists a free-forever plan capped at two invoices a month and a 30-day trial; invoicing beyond that cap needs the paid Solo plan at $35 a month, more than double Sparks Scribe's $15 entry plan.
What we could not verify from Bugal's public pages (July 2026): how it handles the day and time rate variants, whether travel is coded per kilometre, whether you can add a custom code, whether prices include GST, and whether it produces a PDF or runs as a native mobile app (Bugal describes itself as a web-based, mobile-first platform, with no App Store or Google Play listing mentioned).
Our verdict: code selection and expense tracking are there, but the detail of variants, travel and output is not spelled out publicly, and the free plan's two-invoice cap is tight for a working week.
6. Visualcare: enterprise platform, invoicing routed through Xero
Visualcare is an end-to-end platform for Australian aged care and NDIS provider organisations. It describes award-aware rostering, payroll and claims, and it sends finalised rostered data to Xero for invoicing, with travel routes and mileage handled on the rostering side. It is built for agencies and larger providers, not for a single support worker, and it does not publish pricing; you request a demo.
Because invoicing runs through Xero rather than as a standalone coded-invoice builder, we could not verify from Visualcare's public pages (July 2026) how a solo worker would add a custom code, or produce a plan-manager PDF directly, without the surrounding rostering and payroll setup.
Our verdict: a platform for provider organisations, but the wrong shape and scale for one person who just needs a coded invoice out the door.
The comparison at a glance
Collected from public pages in July 2026. "Not verified" means we could not confirm the detail from official public pages and chose not to guess.
| App | Code + rate on each line | Day/time variants | Travel (per km) | Expenses | Custom codes | PDF to plan manager | Price for coded invoicing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparks Scribe | Yes, on every shift line | Yes: weekday, evening, weekend, public holiday | Yes: travel code + km via Add Travel | Yes: Add Expense | Yes: custom NDIS codes | Yes: PDF to participant, plan manager or coordinator | $15/month incl GST (entry plan) |
| EasyAs | Yes: every NDIS item number pre-loaded, auto-updated | Yes: day/time bands are separate item numbers, all pre-loaded | Travel and travel kms identified per item number | Not verified as a general expense line | Not verified | Creates NDIS invoices | $19.95/month website ($19.99 in-app), by volume; GST not stated |
| Astalty | Yes: charge items, auto-updated on new pricing | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Yes: PDF for plan/self-managed; CSV bulk upload for NDIA-managed | $30/month support-worker profile ($64 standard seat) |
| ShiftCare | Yes: price books, item number in Reference Number, shows on invoice | Item numbers available in imported price books | Yes: Travel Per Km rate + Travel Reference Number | Not verified | Price books are user-editable | PDF invoicing | Needs Professional; $65 to $75/month ex GST for one person, min 5 licences |
| Bugal | Yes: built-in NDIS code selection | Not verified | Not verified | Yes: expense tracking listed | Not verified | Not verified (web-based platform) | Free (2 invoices/month cap) or Solo $35/month (GST not stated) |
| Visualcare | Rostered data routed to Xero for invoicing | Award-aware rostering | Travel routes and mileage on rostering side | Not verified | Not verified | Via Xero | No public pricing (request a demo); enterprise/agency |
All details collected from each vendor's public pages in July 2026 and simplified for comparison; prices and plans change, so check the vendor's own pages before deciding. "Not verified" means we could not confirm the detail from official public pages and chose not to guess.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app for NDIS-coded invoicing?
For a solo NDIS support worker who invoices their own shifts, Sparks Scribe is our pick: every shift line carries the NDIS support item code and rate, it handles weekday, evening, weekend and public holiday variants, travel by the kilometre, expenses, and custom codes for services outside standard pricing, and it outputs a PDF to send to the participant, plan manager or coordinator. The reason it is our pick is that NDIS-coded invoicing is included from the $15 Essentials plan, not gated behind a higher tier or a team licence minimum. Honest caveat: you set your own rates, and Scribe does not apply NDIS price limits on your behalf. EasyAs is an invoicing-only product, Astalty and ShiftCare are priced for coordination and team work, Bugal caps invoices on its free plan, and Visualcare is an enterprise platform with no public pricing. We make Sparks Scribe.
What is an NDIS support item code on an invoice?
An NDIS support item code (also called a support item number) is a code from the NDIS support catalogue that identifies the exact support delivered and its price band. Plan managers and the NDIA match a claim to the code, so the code on each invoice line has to be correct or the claim can be rejected. Apps like Sparks Scribe put the support item code and rate on each shift line for you when you build the invoice.
Which apps handle weekday, evening, weekend and public holiday rates?
Sparks Scribe applies the right variant (weekday, evening, weekend or public holiday) for the day and time the shift was worked. The NDIS catalogue itself uses separate item numbers for these bands, so tools that pre-load every NDIS item number (EasyAs) or import the catalogue as price books (ShiftCare) make the day and time item numbers available to select. We could not verify automatic day and time selection for Astalty, Bugal or Visualcare from their public pages (July 2026).
How do I put travel on an NDIS invoice?
Provider travel time and the per-kilometre non-labour cost are separate line items from the support hours. In Sparks Scribe you select Add Travel and a travel code plus distance in kilometres appears on the invoice. ShiftCare has a Travel Per Km rate and a Travel Reference Number in its price books. EasyAs identifies travel and travel kilometres per item number. Always confirm travel is agreed in the service agreement before you claim it.
Can I add expenses to an NDIS invoice?
Sparks Scribe has an Add Expense option on the invoice. Bugal lists expense tracking as a feature. We could not verify a general expense line for Astalty, EasyAs, ShiftCare or Visualcare from their public pages (July 2026), so check with the vendor if this matters to you.
What if my service does not have a standard NDIS code?
Sparks Scribe lets you create custom NDIS support codes for services outside standard pricing, so a non-standard support still lands on the invoice with a code and rate. We could not verify custom non-standard codes for EasyAs, Astalty, Bugal or Visualcare from their public pages (July 2026).
Do these apps send a PDF to the plan manager?
Sparks Scribe outputs a PDF that you send to the participant, plan manager or coordinator. Astalty sends PDF invoices to plan-managed and self-managed participants and generates a CSV bulk upload file for NDIA-managed claims through PRODA. EasyAs creates NDIS invoices. Visualcare routes finalised rostered data to Xero for invoicing. Check each vendor for the exact output before you commit.
Does Sparks Scribe apply NDIS price limits for me?
No. You set your own rates in Sparks Scribe, and it applies the right code and rate for the day and time you worked, but it does not apply NDIS price-guide caps on your behalf. You are responsible for checking your rates against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits.
Is NDIS-coded invoicing included on the cheapest plan?
With Sparks Scribe, yes, NDIS-coded invoicing is included from the $15 a month Essentials plan (GST inclusive). With ShiftCare, invoicing requires the Professional plan and every plan has a five-licence minimum, which works out at $65 to $75 a month excluding GST for one person, depending on billing. EasyAs is an invoicing-only product from $19.95 a month on its website ($19.99 via in-app purchase). Bugal's free plan is capped at two invoices a month, and its Solo plan is $35 a month.
Where is my client data stored with these apps?
It varies, so check each vendor's privacy policy before entering client information. Sparks Scribe stores its data in Australia. EasyAs's privacy policy states that personal information may be transferred to countries outside Australia, including the United States and European Union. We have not verified the hosting locations of Astalty, ShiftCare, Bugal or Visualcare, so ask before you commit.