7 ways to get paid faster as a freelancer
The average freelance invoice is paid 23 days late. Most of that delay comes from friction you can remove.
1. Invoice the day the work ships
Every day you wait is a day added to the payment date.
2. Put a pay button on the invoice
Clients pay card invoices about twice as fast as bank-transfer invoices.
3. Automate the reminders
A reminder at 3, 7 and 14 days recovers most late invoices without a phone call.
4. Shorten your terms
Net 15 instead of net 30 halves the wait for clients who pay on the due date.
5. Ask for a deposit
A 30% deposit on new projects filters out clients who pay late.
6. Send recurring invoices for retainers
The same date every month becomes a habit for the client's accounts team.
7. Track who pays late
Adjust terms per client once you know their pattern.