Freelance Invoice Template (Free) + How to Invoice Clients (2026)

Published Feb 9, 2026 · 8 min read

A good invoice is boring — and that’s the point. It removes ambiguity, sets expectations, and makes it easy for a client to pay you fast. Below you’ll get a clean freelance invoice template you can copy, plus a few small tweaks that can dramatically reduce late payments.

---

What every freelance invoice should include

Keep it simple. Clients shouldn’t have to guess what they’re paying for or when payment is due.

• Your business details: name, email, address (optional but helps with finance teams).
• Client details: company name + billing email/address.
• Invoice number: unique and consistent (e.g. INV-2026-001).
• Issue date + due date: never “Net 30” without a date attached.
• Line items: description, qty/hours, rate, amount.
• Subtotal + tax + total: clearly separated.
• Payment method: bank, Stripe, PayPal, etc.
• Payment terms: short and readable (1–3 lines).

Copy/paste invoice template (plain text)

This is a minimal template you can paste into an email if needed:

INVOICE (INV-2026-001)
From: Your Business Name
To: Client Company
Issue date: 2026-02-09
Due date: 2026-02-23

Items:
- Project work (milestone 1) — 1 × €500.00 = €500.00
- Consulting / calls — 2 × €150.00 = €300.00

Subtotal: €800.00
Tax (21%): €168.00
TOTAL: €968.00

Payment method: [bank / Stripe / PayPal]
Payment terms: please pay within the due date.

Pro tip: if you charge a deposit, label it clearly: “Deposit (50% upfront)”. Clients understand deposits. Confusion kills payment speed.

Deposits: the simplest late-payment prevention

If you’re doing project work (design/dev/marketing), ask for 25–50% upfront. Two reasons:

1. It filters unserious clients immediately.
2. It turns payment into a habit. Clients who pay once usually pay again.

Recommended payment terms (keep it short)

Pick one and stick to it:

• Net 7 (fast-moving startups)
• Net 14 (default)
• Net 30 (enterprise/slow finance teams — price accordingly)

Keep the terms readable. Something like:

Payment terms: net 14 (due by 2026-02-23). Late payments may pause work until balance is cleared.

How to follow up on an unpaid invoice (without being awkward)

Most late payments are not personal — they’re admin chaos. Use a calm, short follow-up sequence:

Follow-up #1 (1 day after due date)

Subject: invoice INV-2026-001 — quick check

Hey [Name] — quick check: invoice INV-2026-001 was due yesterday. 
Can you confirm when it’s scheduled to be paid?

Thanks,
[Your name]

Follow-up #2 (3–5 days after due date)

Subject: invoice INV-2026-001 — payment status

Hi [Name] — following up on invoice INV-2026-001.
If there’s anything needed to process payment (PO, vendor form, updated details), tell me and I’ll send it today.

Best,
[Your name]

Follow-up #3 (7–10 days after due date)

Subject: invoice INV-2026-001 — pausing work until cleared

Hi [Name] — invoice INV-2026-001 is now 10 days overdue.
Per our terms, I’m pausing work until the balance is cleared.
Please confirm payment date so we can continue.

Thanks,
[Your name]

---

Make invoicing boring (so freelancing stays fun)

Clean invoices + clear terms + deposits = fewer payment headaches. Don’t overcomplicate it — just be consistent.