Payment terms and deposits for freelance developers
Typical terms: Day-rate contracts invoiced weekly or monthly, 14–30 days. Fixed-price projects by milestone.
Deposits: For fixed-price projects, 25–50% upfront. For contracts, short invoicing cycles instead.
Agree your terms in writing before you start. The late payment clause generator writes them for you.
What to include on a freelance developer's invoice
Specific to your work
- Dates worked and days or hours, matching any timesheet the client approves.
- Purchase order or contract reference — larger clients reject invoices without one.
- If you work through a limited company, its registered name and number (and VAT number if registered).
Every UK invoice needs
- Your name or business name, address and contact details — and if you're a limited company, its registered name and number.
- The client's name and address (for a company, its exact registered name — check it here).
- A unique, sequential invoice number, and the invoice date.
- A clear description of the work, the date(s) supplied and the amount for each item.
- The total, the due date and how to pay (bank details or a payment link).
- If you're VAT-registered: your VAT number, the VAT rate and amount — use the VAT calculator.