Should I invoice hourly or by project?

Charge by project once you can estimate the work reliably — you keep the upside when you are fast. Hourly protects you when the scope is genuinely unknown. Many freelancers do both on one invoice, which this template handles.

What payment terms should a freelancer use?

Net 14 is the sensible default for solo work and is paid noticeably faster than Net 30. Larger companies will often insist on Net 30 or Net 60 regardless of what you put, so ask before you start rather than after.

Do I need to add tax?

It depends on your country, your registration status and where the client is. If you are registered for VAT, GST or sales tax you generally must show it as its own line. Enter your rate and the template does the rest.

What if a client does not pay?

Send a polite reminder the day after it falls due, then again at 7 and 14 days. Most late payment is administrative rather than deliberate. Having stated terms on the invoice is what makes the follow-up straightforward.

Should I put my home address on an invoice?

You need a business address, and for a sole trader that is often home. If that is uncomfortable, most countries let you use a registered office or mail-forwarding address, and many freelancers do exactly that. What you cannot do is omit an address entirely — an invoice without one is incomplete in most jurisdictions.

Invoice Builder › Freelancer

Invoice template for freelancers

Built for how freelancers actually bill: a mix of hourly work, fixed-price deliverables and the occasional expense, on one document your client's accounts team can process without asking questions.

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INVOICE

Invoice # Date Due PO / Ref

From

Bill to

Description	Qty / Hrs	Rate	Amount

Subtotal$0.00

Discount % $0.00

Tax % $0.00

Shipping

Total$0.00

Amount paid

Balance due$0.00

Notes

Terms & payment details

How to bill for freelancer work

Invoice the day you deliver

Not at month end. The willingness to pay fades with the memory of the work, and a 30-day term that starts two weeks late is really a 45-day term.

Bill deposits separately

A 50% deposit invoice up front and a balance invoice on delivery is standard and rarely questioned. It also caps what you can lose on a client who vanishes.

Put your payment details on the invoice

Every email asking how to pay you adds days. Bank details or a payment link belong in the terms box, on the document itself.

What belongs on a freelance invoice

Your legal or trading name — the one on your bank account, or the transfer bounces
Your tax number if you have one (UTR, ABN, EIN, VAT); many clients cannot pay without it
The client's registered company name, not your day-to-day contact's name
A purchase order or reference number if they issued one
The period or project the work covers, so it can be matched to a budget
Each deliverable on its own line, described the way the client refers to it
Payment terms and the exact method — account details or a payment link

Common questions

Should I invoice hourly or by project?: Charge by project once you can estimate the work reliably — you keep the upside when you are fast. Hourly protects you when the scope is genuinely unknown. Many freelancers do both on one invoice, which this template handles.
What payment terms should a freelancer use?: Net 14 is the sensible default for solo work and is paid noticeably faster than Net 30. Larger companies will often insist on Net 30 or Net 60 regardless of what you put, so ask before you start rather than after.
Do I need to add tax?: It depends on your country, your registration status and where the client is. If you are registered for VAT, GST or sales tax you generally must show it as its own line. Enter your rate and the template does the rest.
What if a client does not pay?: Send a polite reminder the day after it falls due, then again at 7 and 14 days. Most late payment is administrative rather than deliberate. Having stated terms on the invoice is what makes the follow-up straightforward.
Should I put my home address on an invoice?: You need a business address, and for a sole trader that is often home. If that is uncomfortable, most countries let you use a registered office or mail-forwarding address, and many freelancers do exactly that. What you cannot do is omit an address entirely — an invoice without one is incomplete in most jurisdictions.