Free Freelance Invoice TemplateAdd hours, projects or a retainer, plus expenses, check the preview, then print the invoice or save it as a PDF. No sign-up, and nothing you type is uploaded.

How to make a freelance invoice

1. 1

   Add your details and the client

   Your name or business, email and logo, then the client’s company and the person who pays invoices.

2. 2

   List the work

   Hours at your rate, a fixed project fee, a monthly retainer or a milestone, each on its own line. Add expenses separately.

3. 3

   Set the due date and send it

   Pick terms such as Net 15 or Net 30, add a purchase order number if the client uses one, then print, save a PDF or email it.

A freelance invoice is a clear request for payment for the work you did. The same page works as a consulting invoice or a contractor invoice for a client who is not your employer.

What to put on a consulting invoice

• Your name or business, contact details and, if you use one, a payment reference
• The client’s company name and billing contact
• An invoice number, the date and the due date
• The project or period the invoice covers
• Hours and rate, project fees, retainer or milestones, each on its own line
• Expenses listed apart from your fees
• The total, any amount paid and the balance due, plus how to pay

Sample line items for freelancers and consultants

The sample invoice is an example layout only. Its rates and amounts are made up and are not a price guide. Set your own rates from your skills, costs and the market you work in.

• Hourly work: calls, research, writing, design, development
• Fixed project fee, or a milestone of a larger project
• Monthly retainer for an agreed amount of work
• Rush work or extra revisions, as a separate line
• Expenses such as stock images, software or travel
• A purchase order or project reference in the notes

How to price: hourly, project, retainer or milestone

Hourly billing suits work with an unclear scope: list hours so the client can follow. A project fee suits a clear deliverable. A retainer suits steady, ongoing work for a set monthly amount. Milestones split a larger project into smaller invoices tied to progress.

Use the same wording as in your proposal or agreement, so the client can match each line to what was agreed.

Tips for getting paid on time

• Invoice at the milestone or period end, not weeks later.
• Put the due date, your payment details and any reference number on the invoice.
• Ask for the right billing contact before you send it.
• Send a polite reminder the day after the due date, then follow up.
• Tax on freelance income and on invoices depends on where you live and work. Ask your tax adviser.