Free Invoice Template for Freelancers
Create a professional freelance invoice in about a minute — hourly work, project fees, retainers, whatever you bill for. Fill it in, download the PDF, send it to your client. No account, no watermark on your details, completely free.
Free forever for basic PDFs. No account needed — we don't save anything you type here.
Invoice includes "Made with CreateCollect" footer
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What to put on a freelance invoice
Hourly work
List the hours and the rate on each line so the total is verifiable at a glance. Group by task or week rather than one opaque "services" line.
Project rate
For fixed-price work, one line with the agreed fee and a clear description of the deliverable. If the scope changed mid-project, the change is a new line — not a silent edit to the old one.
Milestones
Longer projects bill better in stages: a line per completed milestone, invoiced as each one is delivered and approved.
Expenses
Software seats, stock assets, travel — anything you agreed to pass through, itemized with receipts available on request.
Rush fees
If the client compressed your timeline, a rush fee (often 25–50% of the affected work) is a legitimate line item — provided it was agreed before you started the sprint.
Payment terms that work for freelance
For new clients, ask for a deposit before starting — 30–50% is typical — and keep the balance on delivery. Established clients usually move to invoicing on completion or monthly, with net 14 as a sensible default; net 30 is common with larger companies, so decide up front whether the job is worth the wait. Invoice immediately when the work ships, not at the end of the month — every day between delivery and invoice is a day added to your payment time. State a late fee in your terms and put it on the invoice itself, because terms a client never sees are terms that do not exist.
Common questions
What should a freelance invoice include?
Your name or business name and contact info, the client's details, an invoice number, description of work completed, hourly rates or project fees, any tax, the total, and payment terms with a due date.
Is this really free?
Yes — make and download as many PDF invoices as you like. If you want to email invoices, accept card payments, or send automatic reminders, that's what CreateCollect accounts are for (the free plan includes 2 full invoices a month).
Can clients pay this invoice online?
A downloaded PDF is just a document — clients pay you however you arrange. With a free CreateCollect account, your invoices come with a payment link so clients can pay by card and you get notified instantly.
Hourly or fixed price — what should the invoice show?
For hourly work, list hours and the rate per line so the math is visible. For fixed-price projects, one line with the agreed fee is enough — optionally broken into milestones. Avoid mixing the two on a single line; it makes the invoice hard to defend if questioned.
Can I add a late fee to a freelance invoice?
Yes, if your terms said so up front. A common approach is a flat fee or 1.5% per month after the due date. State it in the payment terms on the invoice — "Net 14. 1.5% monthly late fee applies after the due date" — so it is agreed in writing and visible.