How to Stamp PAID on an Invoice PDF
By StampAPDF · Updated · How we write guides
Open your invoice in the free Stamp & Sign tool, choose a built-in red, blue, or black PAID stamp, and place it beside the total. Download a new PDF after checking the mark. No image upload, printing, or account is needed for the built-in stamps. You can also download the free PAID stamp PNGs for other applications.
This guide is for freelancers, bookkeepers, and small business owners who send or receive invoices as PDFs and want a clean, consistent way to mark them settled.
Step 1: Choose a built-in or custom stamp
Download a free red, blue, or black PAID stamp PNG. Each has a transparent background and is free to use on business documents. These same three stamps are ready to use inside the editor, so you can skip downloading a PNG. For a custom mark, use one of these options:
- Type it: open any image editor (even PowerPoint or Canva), type PAID in a bold red font inside a rounded rectangle border, rotate it about 15°, and export as PNG.
- Photograph your real rubber stamp: stamp it on white paper and take a photo — instantly matches your existing paper workflow.
- Customize a template: add a payment date or reference to one of our PNGs in your image editor before saving it to the library.
For a full recipe — typeface, border, angle, and a date line — see PAID stamp for PDF: free downloads and customization.
Red is the standard color for PAID stamps for a reason — it's instantly recognizable in a stack of documents and survives black-and-white printing as a dark, obvious mark.
Step 2: Open the invoice and select your stamp
Open the Stamp & Sign tool, choose your invoice PDF, and select a built-in stamp. For a custom image, expand Your saved images (optional) and use Add image (saved online). This uploads the image for reuse in the same browser; the invoice itself stays on your device. Keep the PNG as a backup: clearing cookies or switching devices starts a separate library.
Step 3: Stamp the invoice
- Choose the invoice PDF from your device. The PDF is opened locally.
- Select your PAID stamp above the preview or in the sidebar.
- Tap blank space near the total or invoice number, or use Place in center and move the stamp.
- Use the corner handle or Stamp width slider to resize it. Arrow keys on a selected mark and the movement buttons provide precise placement.
- Click Download stamped PDF.
Check the downloaded copy
Open the downloaded PDF and check the stamped page at its normal reading orientation, especially if the invoice contains landscape or rotated pages. The stamp should be where the preview showed it, and totals, tax details, and payment references should remain readable. Keep the original invoice alongside the stamped copy.
If something does not load
A saved-library error does not prevent you from using the built-in PAID stamps. Use Retry loading saved images to recover your custom library. If a PDF will not open, try an unencrypted copy saved from the application that created it. If an export fails, your marks stay in the editor so you can retry before choosing a different PDF.
Build a consistent system
The stamp is most useful when it's part of a routine. A simple one that works for a lot of small businesses:
- Keep two folders: Invoices — outstanding and Invoices — paid.
- When money arrives, stamp the PDF, save the stamped copy into the paid folder with the payment date in the filename (e.g. invoice-042-paid-2026-07-08.pdf).
- Send the stamped copy as a payment acknowledgement when appropriate for your workflow. The mark itself does not verify payment or replace a receipt your process requires.
Beyond PAID, the same library can hold RECEIVED, APPROVED, COPY, and OVERDUE stamps — one click each. And if you need to mark every page of a longer document rather than one spot, use the watermark tool instead.
Bookkeeping hygiene that saves arguments
- Stamp after payment is actually cleared, not when the transfer is merely initiated.
- Keep the unstamped invoice PDF in your records; the stamped copy is a separate payment acknowledgement.
- If your accountant wants a monthly pack, merge the stamped invoices in date order at month end and add page numbers.
Need a signature image as well?
Owner-approvals on the same PDF can use a signature PNG from the signature generator. Place PAID near the total and the signature on the approval line — two library images, one download.
Frequently asked questions
▸Where should the PAID stamp go on an invoice?
Place it in blank space near the invoice total or invoice number. Keep amounts, dates, line items, and payment references readable. Drag and resize the stamp before downloading, then open the exported PDF to check it.
▸What information should a PAID stamp include?
At minimum the word PAID. Many businesses add the payment date and method, e.g. 'PAID — 8 July 2026, bank transfer'. If you include the date, save a base stamp and add the date as a second smaller stamp, or make a fresh stamp image per batch.
▸Can I stamp many invoices quickly?
You can reuse one saved image across invoices. Open each PDF separately, select the saved stamp, place it, and download. There is no batch invoice processing: each document needs its own placement and review.
▸Is my invoice uploaded anywhere?
The invoice PDF is opened, edited, and exported locally in your browser. A stamp or signature image you add to the reusable library is uploaded and stored separately. You can delete saved images from the library; follow your organization's document-handling rules.