ThriveCart - How to issue invoices?

Sales platforms for digital creators are growing like mushrooms after rain. Beyond all-in-one ecosystems such as Kajabi or Teachable, "carts" are gaining increasing popularity -- software for finalizing transactions and managing payments. ThriveCart is one of the more recognizable solutions in this category. It works as an independent checkout that you can connect to your webinar, template shop, or course offering. Creators praise it for its sales funnel configuration capabilities and the lack of monthly fees with the basic license. If you run a business, however, the fundamental question becomes: how to properly issue VAT/GST invoices to avoid trouble with the tax authority and the growing e-invoicing requirements in your country? This article answers that question and complements previous publications about invoicing in Kajabi, showing the unique aspects of ThriveCart.

What is ThriveCart and what does it have to do with invoices?

ThriveCart is SaaS software designed for handling digital sales. It enables creating one-time offers, subscriptions, upsells, and order bumps, and integrates with the Stripe or PayPal payment processor. The tool has a built-in mechanism for sending purchase confirmations. After each successful transaction, the customer receives an email with a PDF invoice. Reviews highlight that ThriveCart automatically generates an "invoice receipt" containing the seller's and buyer's addresses along with brand graphics. Authors praise this automation because it saves time and makes customers feel more confident.

The invoice generated by ThriveCart is divided into sections: seller details (company, address, VAT number), buyer details, product description, net amount, VAT, and gross amount. In account settings, you can enter a custom numbering prefix (e.g., "TC/2025/"), add a company logo, and specify the currency. ThriveCart integrates with solutions for automatic sales tax calculation; in the Pro+ model, it allows downloading bulk invoices as a ZIP file, simplifying settlements. The standard package includes currency, language, and VAT rate settings -- allowing sales in over 100 countries with invoice appearance tailored to local requirements.

How ThriveCart handles invoices and taxes

In the basic scenario, ThriveCart sends the customer a PDF invoice after each purchase. The user can define numbering, fill in company details, and enable automatic invoice sending from the product settings level. For international transactions, the system automatically calculates the VAT rate based on the buyer's country and product type. This streamlines sales for those who do not want to configure external tax modules. ThriveCart also has a "Bulk Invoice Downloads" feature; under the Pro+ license, you can filter documents by time, product, or customer and download the entire package of invoices for tax settlements. This is useful during periodic reports -- the system sends a bulk PDF package by email, saving hours of work.

In the admin section, you can also enable "tax-inclusive pricing" mode, which presents the customer with a gross price including tax. Additionally, in the "Invoices & Languages" field, several invoice languages are available, allowing you to send documents in English or German while maintaining compliance with local law. Despite these conveniences, ThriveCart is an American platform and does not support electronic invoicing schemas -- more on this in the next section.

ThriveCart's limitations in the reality

Although ThriveCart automatically generates PDF invoices, the tool is not prepared for the growing requirements of e-invoicing regulations around the world. In an analysis aimed at EU creators, it was noted that ThriveCart generates PDF invoices with a VAT number, reverse charge logic, and customer data. However, the author points out that from 2026 onward, many countries are introducing mandatory structured invoicing (XML) and submission to national e-invoicing systems (for example Peppol in much of the EU, Factur-X in France, SdI in Italy, or KSeF in Poland). Standard PDF files may not meet these requirements, especially in B2B transactions. Therefore, the article recommends deactivating ThriveCart's native invoicing module and using external accounting software that ensures compliance with local law.

Another limitation is the lack of native integration with accounting systems such as InvoiceOcean, QuickBooks, or Xero. ThriveCart stores data on servers in the United States, which may be problematic in the context of GDPR and data localization requirements. Furthermore, the system is entirely in English, which for some entrepreneurs is a barrier. It should also be noted that the customer's tax ID / VAT number is neither verified nor required; for B2B sales, it must be collected manually, e.g., via the "Company VAT number" field in the checkout form.

Ways to issue an invoice from ThriveCart

1. Using built-in invoices (B2C only)

If you sell e-books or courses to individuals (B2C) and your sales volume is small, you can use ThriveCart's native feature. In the product settings, enable the automatic invoice option, enter your company details, and set a numbering prefix. Make sure the VAT/GST rates are correct for your country and apply reverse charge for sales to EU businesses if needed. Keep in mind, however, that the PDF invoice sent by ThriveCart will not be compatible with the upcoming structured e-invoicing requirements in many countries -- you will need to later transfer it to your accounting system.

2. Data export and import to InvoiceOcean

The second option is to download sales data from ThriveCart and import it into InvoiceOcean. This can be done in two ways:

1. Payment processor report: If you use Stripe, generate a payment report with transaction details (date, amount, currency, buyer email) and import it into InvoiceOcean, mapping columns to the appropriate fields.
2. Bulk Invoice Downloads: ThriveCart Pro+ users can download a PDF package of invoices for a given period. Although this set contains customer data, you still need to enter it into InvoiceOcean manually or via a script to generate invoices compliant with regulations.

This method works if sales volume is small and you have time for manual data transfer. The downside is the need for constant exchange rate updates, adding VAT numbers, and manually sending invoices.

3. Integration through automation tools

If your sales are growing and you want to automate the process, you can use n8n, Make, or Zapier. Each of these integrators allows creating a flow: "when a new order appears in ThriveCart, create an invoice in InvoiceOcean." Using the ThriveCart API, you can subscribe to order_created and order_payment_product events, retrieve order data, and then use the InvoiceOcean API to issue the document. When creating such a scenario, keep in mind the limitations: you must map fields yourself (first name, last name, email, tax ID / VAT number), ensure correct currency conversions, and test the flow with each platform update. n8n and Make require basic technical knowledge, and a higher number of transactions may generate costs for executed operations.

4. Dedicated Striptu.com integration

The simplest way to issue legally compliant invoices from ThriveCart is to use a dedicated integration such as striptu.com. This is a SaaS designed for creators that connects ThriveCart, Kajabi, and Stripe with InvoiceOcean. After each sale in ThriveCart, the tool automatically creates a VAT/GST invoice in InvoiceOcean, handles tax ID / VAT number transfer, recognizes subscriptions, and retrieves exchange rates. Unlike general integrators, striptu.com works immediately after connection and does not require building your own flows.

The user can also use the VAT number enforcement feature -- if the customer does not provide one, the system will prompt for completion before issuing the invoice. This ensures invoices are complete and data is compliant with e-invoicing requirements. This solution is paid, but predictable: you pay a monthly subscription and get sales automation plus compliance with law.

Challenges and practical tips

1. Collecting the VAT number. ThriveCart does not require customers to provide a tax ID. Set the "Company VAT number" field as mandatory for B2B offers and inform the buyer that without a VAT number, they will not receive a VAT invoice.
2. Exchange rates. When selling in a foreign currency, remember to convert revenue to your accounting currency using your central bank's official reference rate from the day preceding the sale. InvoiceOcean allows manually setting the rate when issuing an invoice.
3. GDPR and data localization. ThriveCart processes data outside the EU and requires a Data Processing Agreement (DPA). You can request such an agreement from ThriveCart support or transfer data to an accounting system as soon as possible after the sale.
4. E-invoicing. Many countries are phasing in mandatory structured invoices (XML) submitted to a national e-invoicing system (for example KSeF in Poland from 2026). ThriveCart does not support these standards, so prepare to transfer documents to InvoiceOcean or another system that has e-invoicing integration for your market.

Summary

ThriveCart is a convenient tool for handling sales and marketing funnels that offers automatic PDF invoice generation and advanced tax features. Thanks to bulk invoice downloads and numbering prefix settings, it simplifies life for course and digital product creators. However, in the context of law, its native invoicing module has limitations: it is not adapted to structured e-invoicing systems, does not verify VAT numbers, and operates on US-based servers. If you conduct B2B sales, consider disabling automatic invoicing in ThriveCart and using a dedicated tool that connects with InvoiceOcean and ensures compliance with local requirements. Options such as manual CSV import or integrators like n8n may work for smaller sales volumes, but as transaction numbers grow, a "plug and play" integration like striptu.com works best. This keeps your accounting in order, customers receive correct VAT invoices, and you maintain the comfort of working in your favorite sales system.