Good payment terms do not need to sound like a legal department wrote them. They need to answer the questions that create disputes: how much is due, when it is due, what triggers the invoice, which currency applies, and what happens when the project changes.
1. Simple 50/50 Project
“A 50% deposit is due when this proposal is signed. The remaining 50% is due after final approval and before delivery of production files.”
Best for short, fixed-scope projects where one final delivery has clear value.
2. Smaller Upfront Deposit
“A 30% deposit reserves the project start date. The remaining 70% is due within seven calendar days of final delivery.”
Use this when the client has a formal accounts-payable process but you still need commitment before scheduling the work.
3. Three Milestones
“Payments are due in three stages: 40% on signing, 30% on approval of the first milestone, and 30% before launch or final handover.”
Name the milestone precisely in the scope. “Halfway complete” is difficult to prove; “homepage design approved” is much clearer.
4. Monthly Retainer
“The monthly retainer is invoiced in advance on the first business day of each month and is due within seven days. Work for the month begins after payment.”
5. Payment Due on Receipt
“This invoice is due on receipt. Delivery is scheduled after payment is confirmed.”
Use this only when the client has agreed to it before the invoice arrives. Otherwise it can feel like a surprise.
6. Net 7, Net 14, or Net 30
“Invoices are due within 14 calendar days of the invoice date.”
Choose a period that matches the client’s payment process and your cash-flow needs. Larger companies may require more time, so ask during discovery.
7. Currency
“All prices and invoices are stated in USD. Payment must be sent in USD unless both parties agree otherwise in writing.”
8. Transfer and Conversion Fees
“The client is responsible for intermediary bank, card, and currency-conversion fees so that the full invoiced amount is received.”
Check whether this arrangement is allowed by your provider and applicable rules before using it.
9. Late Payment
“If an invoice becomes overdue, work may pause until the account is current. Any late fee will be limited to the amount permitted by applicable law and shown on the invoice.”
A clear right to pause is often more useful than an aggressive penalty you never intend to enforce.
10. Scope Changes
“Requests outside the approved scope require written approval of the additional fee and timeline before the work begins.”
11. Cancellation
“If the project is cancelled, the client will pay for work completed through the cancellation date. The initial deposit is applied to that balance.”
12. Ownership After Payment
“Final deliverables and the agreed usage rights transfer after all project invoices are paid in full.”
How to Use These Examples
Choose only the clauses that fit your engagement and rewrite them in the language you actually use with clients. Keep the commercial terms close to the pricing section so they are hard to miss. For high-value or unusual projects, have a qualified professional in your jurisdiction review your agreement.