How to Invoice as a Copywriter: Rates, Terms and Templates

Copywriters bill words, pages, emails, and campaigns. Invoices should show asset types, rounds of revision included, and whether the client receives full rights or a limited licence—especially for ads and long-form sales pages. SEO briefs, tone guides, and legal disclaimers often arrive late—your invoice should still describe what was delivered so procurement sees the value even when the creative process felt messy.

Packaging variants (A/B subject lines, ad hooks) deserve separate quantities on the invoice so clients know what they can test. Naming and messaging architecture workshops often precede writing—if you bill them, separate strategy hours from drafting hours so finance sees two intentional purchases.

Typical rates

Per word, per page, flat per deliverable, or monthly retainer for always-on brands. Rush fees and interviews or research hours as their own lines. The Professional Writers’ Association of Canada rate chart (historically cited by writers) illustrates how organisations publish ranges—adapt to your niche and geography. Performance bonuses belong in contracts, not vague invoice lines, unless explicitly sold. Email sequences and SMS flows should list message counts separately from landing pages—automation teams budget per touchpoint, not per “campaign.” Brand voice guides sold as standalone docs should carry a word count or page count so procurement can file them like any other creative asset.

Payment terms

50% upfront on large website projects; Net 15–30 for agencies with credit approval; full payment before final handoff for riskier new clients. Late fees where allowed and disclosed. For ongoing retainers, invoice on the same calendar day each month—predictability beats surprise for both sides. See invoice payment terms. Kill fees for cancelled campaigns belong in the contract and on any partial invoice when you held calendar time.

What to include

Project or campaign name, each deliverable (e.g. “5× LinkedIn ads”, “3 landing sections”), word counts or page equivalents if you bill that way, revision round policy reference, licence summary (“usage: 12 months paid social”), expenses, tax, total, due date. Use how to write an invoice for complete headers and IDs. Character limits for paid search or SMS should appear beside each asset group when they constrained drafting time. Source interview hours billed separately from writing should name who was interviewed at high level (“PM + legal”) without breaking confidentiality.

Common mistakes

Unlimited revisions not capped—margin killer. Ghostwriting without NDA reference on internal records (invoice can stay high-level). Scope doubling mid-project—issue a revised estimate or addendum before billing the extra pages. Performance marketing promises in the copy but not in the contract—keep invoices tied to deliverables, not KPI guarantees, unless you sell that explicitly. Legal or compliance review loops billed as “extra rounds” when they were a separate workflow—split stakeholder review from creative revision in your SOW. Translation or localisation assumed included when you only quoted English copy. AI-assisted first drafts still need human edit time—if you bill differently when the client supplies a machine draft, name that scenario on the invoice so rates stay defensible.

Template link

Use the copywriting invoice template tailored to copy projects and revisions.

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