Agree the money before you start
Almost every freelance invoicing problem begins before the invoice does. Price, scope, payment terms and what happens if the brief changes should all be in writing — a proposal, a quotation or an email — before the first hour is worked. An invoice cannot fix an agreement that was never made.
Match the invoice to how you priced the work
- Hourly: hours and rate on the line, grouped by task rather than by session.
- Fixed fee: one line for the deliverable, referencing the proposal number.
- Milestones: one invoice per milestone, stating which of how many.
- Retainer: a monthly line naming the period and the included capacity.
- Day rate: days, rate, and the dates worked in the detail line.
The freelancer invoicing page works through each model with examples.
Take a deposit
For a new client or a project of any length, ask for a third before you start. It covers your exposure if the project stalls, and it tells you early whether the client’s payment process actually functions. Invoice the deposit separately and deduct it on the final invoice.
Need the invoice now? The free invoice creator does the arithmetic and downloads a PDF. No signup.
Handle scope creep on the invoice, not in your head
When a client asks for something outside the agreed scope, say at the time that it is additional and what it will cost — then put it on the invoice as its own line, referencing the date it was approved. Absorbing extras silently and resenting it later is the most reliable way to end a good client relationship.
Getting through the client’s process
Ask who pays invoices
At kick-off, not at invoice time.
Ask whether a purchase order is required
If so, get it before you invoice.
Complete supplier onboarding early
With larger clients this can take weeks.
Match the wording on the PO
Mismatched descriptions stall in matching.
Send to accounts, copy your contact
Both need to see it.
Working internationally
- Agree the currency in advance and invoice in it.
- Say who bears transfer fees — otherwise you receive less than you invoiced.
- Include whatever your own tax rules require for cross-border supplies, and check whether the client needs your tax details for withholding purposes.
- Allow for longer bank clearing when setting the due date.
Chasing without burning the relationship
Treat it as routine administration, because that is what it almost always is. A short reminder just after the due date, a second a week later, then a call to accounts payable. Keep it factual. If a client is repeatedly late, change the structure — a bigger deposit, staged payments, or payment before final delivery — rather than sending sharper emails.
Invoice & Quotation Generator for AndroidInvoice a client from wherever you happen to be working.
Install free
Questions
Do freelancers need to charge tax?
It depends on whether you are registered for VAT, GST or sales tax where you live, and sometimes on where your client is based. If you are registered, your number goes on the invoice and tax is shown separately. Confirm your position with your tax authority.
How much deposit should a freelancer ask for?
A third is common for project work, more for a new client or where you are buying something in. The point is to be exposed to less than the whole fee if the project stalls.
What payment terms should a freelancer use?
Net 14 as a default; Net 30 with larger clients. Treat anything longer as financing and price it accordingly.
What if a client refuses to pay?
Establish first whether it is a dispute or a process failure — a missing PO number is far more common than a refusal. Put your position in writing with a clear deadline, and keep every message factual and dated in case it escalates.
Keep reading
Make the document: invoice creator · receipt maker · quotation maker · waybill maker · Word templates