Web developer invoice template
Development projects bill in stages, and the invoice should say which stage this is: “Milestone 2 of 3 — checkout flow complete per statement of work.” The builder below is preset for milestone billing; for retainers and support work, switch the line to a month reference (“Maintenance retainer — July”) and keep everything else.
It’s a small irony of the field that most developers send invoices through some SaaS that uploads their client list to a third party. This one is a static page — the PDF is generated by your own browser, your rates stay on your machine, and you can verify that in the Network tab. You’re the one audience that will actually check.
Preset: development milestone invoice
How it works
- Open this page — the invoice builder is already set up for “Web developer invoice template”.
- Fill in your details, the client, and your line items. The preview updates as you type.
- Everything is computed on your own device — totals, tax, the PDF itself. Nothing is uploaded.
- Click “Download PDF” and send the invoice to your client. Your details stay saved on this device for next time.
Pass-through costs: bill them at cost, visibly
Client projects accumulate third-party costs — hosting, domains, a paid plugin, an API tier. The clean pattern is separate lines at actual cost (“Domain renewal, example.com — $14.99”), with your judgment about them already priced into your rate. Marked-up pass-throughs read as padding the moment a client sees the vendor’s public price, and that impression outlives the project. If you genuinely manage infrastructure, bill that as what it is: a management line, not a hidden margin.
Better still, put recurring services in the client’s own accounts from day one and keep them off your invoices entirely. You avoid becoming their unpaid billing department, and the handover at project end is one credential transfer instead of a migration.
Good to know
- Tie every milestone line to the statement of work by name — accounts-payable teams approve what they can match to a document they already have.
- For deposits (commonly a third to a half up front on fixed-price projects), invoice the deposit itself, then show it in “amount paid” on later invoices so the running balance is always visible.
- Freelancing for US companies? From 2026 they file a 1099-NEC for you only past $2,000/year paid — details and what it changes on the 1099 contractor page.
Frequently asked questions
Should I invoice per milestone or monthly?
Fixed-scope projects: per milestone, because payment then tracks delivery and a stalled project stops costing you. Ongoing work: monthly, in arrears, with the month named on the line. The worst option is one invoice at the end of a long project — that’s an interest-free loan with extra risk.
How do I handle scope changes on a fixed-price job?
A change-order line on the next invoice (“Change order #2 — added multi-language support, per email 12 June”), at the rate your contract sets for out-of-scope work. The reference to a written agreement is what makes it collectable; the invoice just executes it.
Do developers charge sales tax in the US?
Custom development is a non-taxed professional service in most states — but a few states tax services broadly, and prewritten/packaged software sales are commonly taxable, which can matter if you sell licenses or productized tools alongside custom work. State specifics are in our sales-tax guide.