Purpose of a web design invoice
A web design invoice (or web development invoice) is your go-to document for showing a client the services you’re billing them for and how they can go about paying you. That’s the main purpose of all professional invoices, and this is no exception for freelance web designers and web developers. You have many hats to wear in your role and your invoice will need to clearly and accurately outline those services and their cost.
Note: Tired of admin and want to get back to designing beautiful websites? Sign up to Bonsai now for free and have your invoice template ready in minutes.
Eliminates errors
The best invoices are user-friendly and accessible. You want the person reading it to know exactly what’s going on and that means having all the information clear as day. You’re eliminating any errors that they could potentially make, which is super important when it comes to getting paid the right amount and on time.
Helps you bill correctly
You’re essentially listing out every service you’ve provided to your client over the course of the contract or web design project. As a designer, this could be a lot of different tasks that may vary in cost. In your invoice details, you’ll be able to show everything you’ve done, how many hours you spent doing it, and how much that costs.
Clarifies taxes
And the most exciting part of all–taxes! An invoice is also a useful tool to help you, as a web design business owner or freelancer, charge the right amount of sales tax. Some countries require you to charge additional tax, such as VAT or GST—this can go directly on your invoice for your client to see. You can also provide your tax information, should your client need to know it for their accounts.
Web design invoice template breakdown
At this point, you might be wondering what your invoice will actually look like. Below, we’ve gone ahead and broken down one for you and what it will include.
Acceptable payment methods
As a freelance web designer, you and your client may be living in different states or even countries. This is an increasing trait in the ever-growing web design industry, where boundaries extend as far as your internet connection does. Your website design invoice will include your payment methods, such as PayPal, Stripe, credit card, or direct bank transfer.
Terms and conditions
It’s a good idea to include an attached document to your web design invoice with all your terms and conditions around the payment. This is something that will help you should anything turn sour with a client—we’ve all been there before.
Suitable pay date
Web designers should always include the date expected to be paid—keep in mind, this is the date your client will pay you, not the due date that it should be in your account. Not only will it help you to get paid faster in the long run, but it will also combat late payments. It’s good to note that larger companies may take several weeks to process your payment, so always align with your client on your expected pay date.
Billing information
This will be a standard section in your web design invoice template that includes the total amount, any added tax, or even discounts. This is necessary information to steamroll your payment process and adds another level of professionalism to your itemized invoice template.
Name and contact details
Every invoice needs to include your name or business name, as well as your contact details. You’ll also need to add your client’s name and contact information parallel to yours.
Web design invoice template tips
Everybody likes tips, so we’ve included some pretty useful ones below. While these may not be necessary when creating custom invoices, they’ll certainly help towards getting paid faster and building a strong relationship with your client.
Set payment reminders
Sometimes clients just simply forget to process your payment—they are human after all and mistakes can happen. You can set yourself reminders using Google sheets or better yet, use accounting software like Bonsai to do it for you. Either way, sending reminders can help with your timely payments.
Be transparent
Sounds a little general, right? However, this is an important tip to note down. No one likes to be surprised when seeing something unexpected on an invoice, especially your client. Make sure every cost on your web design invoice is clearly labeled—this can include added sales tax or tracked expenses that will increase the total cost.
Web invoice design
This is an easy one for you. We all know that good design makes a difference. So, make sure your web design invoice template represents your brand and you as a designer. This is especially important when you send a recurring invoice.
Be flexible
It’s good to keep in your mind that every client is different, some will require or prefer you to add specific information to your invoice. Although this may not be part of your beautifully and strategically crafted web design invoice template PDF, to keep your client relationship healthy, you will need to change it to meet their needs.
Track your time
If you really want to impress your client, add a separate document with your tracked time spent on the project or for that month. This is helpful for your client to see what you were spending most of your time on, and will ultimately build trust between you and them.
Use simple language
This is especially important for web developers to note. Your client isn’t always going to know what Schema Markup is or what you mean by API—use laymen’s terms where you can and write acronyms out in full.
Include important documents
As we mentioned earlier, attaching your terms and conditions to your invoice will help guarantee you some legal protection. It’s also a good idea to attach other documents when you think it’s necessary—for example, your web design proposal or freelancer contract.
Creating a web design invoice is simple with Bonsai
Creating the perfect invoice has never been easier:
- Sign up to Bonsai for free
- Simply download a web design invoice template
- Start filling in the blanks and personalizing it
With a Bonsai account, you have unlimited access to our hub of professional invoice templates—all ready and waiting for you to use. They’re made by freelancers for freelancers, so you can be sure everything is there that’s needed for you to invoice correctly.
What’s best is that it’s easy to add your personal design and touches to it. As a web designer or developer, nothing is worse than having a document that doesn’t represent you, your business, or your brand.
Web design invoice FAQs
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions by web designers and developers.
How do I send a web design invoice?
There are a few ways to send an invoice:
- Paper
- Accounting software
There is some debate on whether it’s better to send paper or digital invoices, however, there are clear benefits when using automation. Automating your recurring invoices builds a habit, meaning that your client will expect your invoice at the same time every month and know they will need to pay it.
What is an invoice template for web design?
Web design invoice templates are essentially barebones invoices without specific information about all the services provided or all the details about a client. It will include your payment details, contact information, terms and conditions, and any other information that’s personal and isn’t likely to change.
The benefit of having a template is that it’s efficient and reliable. Without one, every time you bill a client you’ll need to create the invoice from scratch. Depending on how many clients you have or how busy you are, this could be time crucially needed elsewhere.
Can I use Google Docs to make an invoice?
It is possible to use Google Docs, Google Sheets, and even Microsoft Word to create your invoice—the benefit there is that Google Docs and Google Sheets are free. However, you’ll be spending a lot of time and effort creating these invoice types and run the risk of creating an invoice that isn’t well-designed and is missing crucial information. Using Bonsai is like using an invoice generator, you’ll have all the key information that’s necessary for an invoice, free, and at a click of a button.
How do I get more clients?
There are plenty of resources you can use to get more clients, including:
- Using external agencies
- Networking
- Focusing on a niche
- Building a website
Focusing on a niche is an important one to note down. There's a difference between getting more clients and getting better clients—for example, if you're a front-end web developer specializing in Vue.js for aviation companies, you're more likely to stand out to those clients who need your specialization.
Remember not to limit yourself to one channel—combine multiple channels as you search for new or better quality clients.
