Guide
Install invoicing software on shared hosting.
No VPS needed. No command line. A standard cPanel hosting plan is enough. Here is how to set it up.
Last updated: June 4, 2026
What you need.
Step by step.
Create a database
In cPanel, go to MySQL Databases. Create a new database and a new user. Assign the user to the database with all privileges. Write down the database name, username, and password. If using SQLite, skip this step.
Upload the files
Upload the zip file to your hosting account using File Manager or FTP. Extract it to a directory (e.g., /home/youraccount/invoicescript/). The directory should contain the public/ folder and the application files.
Point your domain
In cPanel, go to Domains or Subdomains. Point your domain (or subdomain) to the public/ directory of the uploaded application. For example: /home/youraccount/invoicescript/public.
Set PHP version
In cPanel, go to PHP Version or MultiPHP Manager. Set PHP 8.4 for your domain. Enable required extensions if they are not enabled by default: BCMath, Ctype, JSON, Mbstring, OpenSSL, PDO, Tokenizer, XML.
Run the web installer
Visit your domain in a browser. The web installer will check requirements, ask for database credentials, create the database tables, and set up your admin account. Follow the steps, and you are done.
Set up a cron job
In cPanel, go to Cron Jobs. Add a single cron job that runs every minute: php /home/youraccount/invoicescript/artisan schedule:run. This handles automated reminders, recurring invoices, and scheduled backups.
Tips.
Use HTTPS
Most hosting providers include free SSL certificates (Let's Encrypt). Enable HTTPS for your invoicing subdomain. You are handling financial data; encryption is not optional.
Use a subdomain
Install on a subdomain like invoices.yourdomain.com rather than a subdirectory. This avoids .htaccess conflicts with your main website and keeps the application isolated.
SQLite for simplicity
If your hosting supports SQLite (most do), use it. No database server to manage, no credentials to configure. The database is a single file. Backups are simpler. For most freelancers and small businesses, SQLite handles the load easily.
Set up backups
Configure the built-in backup system after installation. Schedule automatic backups and download them regularly. Your invoicing data is your financial records. Losing them is not recoverable.
Shared hosting ready
No VPS required.
PHP + SQLite or MySQL. No Redis, no Node.js. Deploy on any cPanel hosting.