Guides for freelancers

A step-by-step guide to writing a freelance invoice: what goes in each field, a full worked example, and the small mistakes that delay payment.

9 min read

The details an invoice needs in the US, UK, EU, Germany, Canada and Australia: numbers, dates, tax IDs, VAT and GST lines, and required notes.

9 min read

How to number invoices as a freelancer: sequential formats that work, series per year or client, gaps and mistakes, and when you need a credit note.

6 min read

Invoicing a client in another country: which currency to bill in, exchange rates, reverse charge VAT, bank fees and what the invoice needs to show.

6 min read

How to bill hours on an invoice: what to log, rounding, how much detail to show, caps and not-to-exceed amounts, with a worked example.

6 min read

A pro forma invoice is a preliminary bill sent before the real invoice. What it is for, how it differs from a quote, how to mark it, and when a freelancer needs one.

6 min read

What net 15, net 30, due on receipt and 2/10 net 30 mean, which terms suit freelance work, deposits and milestones, and the law on late payment.

7 min read

A follow-up sequence for overdue invoices, from the polite nudge to the final notice, with payment reminder emails to copy and what to do next.

7 min read

How much deposit to ask for, refundable or not, what the deposit invoice should say, and how the final invoice deducts it. Worked example included.

7 min read

How to invoice a monthly freelance retainer: bill in advance, unused hours, overage, a worked example and wording you can copy.

6 min read

What separates a proposal, an estimate, a quote and an invoice, when a freelancer sends each one, and how they connect on a real project.

7 min read

What a freelance quote should contain, section by section, with a full example, the lines that prevent scope creep, and how to follow up.

7 min read

Work out the day rate your business needs, turn it into a project price with an estimate and a buffer, and choose between hourly, daily and fixed fees.

7 min read

The clauses a freelance contract needs: scope, revisions, payment, late fees, kill fee, usage rights, confidentiality, termination and liability. Not legal advice.

6 min read

What a statement of work is, how it differs from a proposal and a contract, the sections it needs, and a full example SOW for a 3D job.

7 min read

How to get a proposal e-signed: one clear price, an expiry date, signing order, the audit trail, and what the law says about electronic signatures.

6 min read

A client onboarding checklist for freelancers: billing details, PO numbers, tax IDs, approvers, access, files and the kickoff, in order.

6 min read

Four project kickoff templates to copy: the kickoff email, a call agenda, what you need from the client, and the first week update.

6 min read

Track a fixed project budget against the hours you spend: budget in hours, burn rate, percent spent against percent done, and when to warn the client.

6 min read

Where freelance work comes from: former employers, referrals, agencies, outreach, marketplaces and your own site, with what to send and when.

7 min read