Web Development Invoice Example with Annotated Line Items

Sample web development invoice

This is an illustrative launch invoice from a fictional San Francisco studio. The rates are the studio's own, not a market benchmark.

The arithmetic: $3,200 + (32 × $165 = $5,280) + (24 × $175 = $4,200) + (8 × $140 = $1,120) + $18 + $240 = $14,058. The deposit was 35% of the $14,000 estimate in the proposal ($14,000 × 0.35 = $4,900), so the balance is $14,058 − $4,900 = $9,158. This example assumes no sales tax applies, which is not true everywhere (see below).

Payment Terms: Net 15. 35% deposit invoiced at kickoff; balance due at launch. Wire transfer or ACH preferred.

Notes: Staging site available at staging.bloomfloralsupply.com for review. Includes 30 days of post-launch bug fixes. Ongoing maintenance available at $150/hr.

Field-by-field breakdown

• From: Agency or freelancer business name, address and billing email.
• To: Client's business and the project owner or decision-maker.
• Project reference: Link to the original proposal so both parties know what scope is being billed.
• Line items by phase: Separating design, front-end, back-end and QA shows the client where the time went.
• Third-party costs: Domain and hosting are pass-through costs. Keep the accounts in the client's name where you can, bill any amount you paid at cost and quote the receipt number. The registrant of a domain is responsible for it under the registrar agreement (ICANN: registrant benefits and responsibilities), which is one reason the client should be the registrant.
• Deposit: The deposit was billed on its own invoice, so this invoice shows it under the total and asks for the balance.
• Post-launch support: Note what is included (30 days of bug fixes) and what costs extra (ongoing maintenance).

How the rates on this invoice were set

There is no reliable public price list for web development, so this example does not include a "typical rates" table. Our web design pricing guide shows how to build a project price from estimated hours and your own rate floor.

For context only, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $92,650 for web developers in May 2025; 18% of web developers are self-employed, and the wage figures exclude them (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Web Developers and Digital Designers). A freelance rate also has to cover benefits, tools and unbilled time.

Variations

• Fixed price vs. hourly: Fixed-price invoices bill by milestone (for example "Design phase: 30% of $20,000 = $6,000"); hourly invoices list actual time.
• Retainer / maintenance: A monthly care-plan line for updates, security patches and minor edits.
• With tax: Some states tax website development or digital services. See the Washington example below.
• International: State the currency, check whether VAT or GST applies in the client's country, and include SWIFT/IBAN details for wire transfers.

Tips for web development invoicing

1. Bill at milestones (design approval, staging approval, launch) rather than waiting until the end.
2. Log hours with descriptions so clients can see what each block of time covered.
3. Separate third-party costs from your labor so clients see your actual rate clearly.
4. State the post-launch support period in your notes so both sides know where it ends.

Step-by-step: build a web dev invoice that accounts payable can approve

1. Match invoice line items to your statement of work. If the SOW lists Discovery, Design, Development, QA and Launch, use those phase names on the invoice so the client can check one against the other.
2. Reference the client's PO number when it has one. Many larger businesses match invoices to purchase orders, so put the PO number near the top.
3. Itemize retainer hours separately from project work. "Maintenance retainer (March 2026)" and "Custom integration build (PO 12346)" may go to different approvers; separate invoices are often easier.
4. Reference receipts for third-party costs. Hosting, domains, API fees and plugin licences you paid for should be billed at cost with the receipt number, and you can send the receipts by email alongside the invoice.
5. Send milestone invoices when the milestone is signed off, not at month-end, and include the sign-off date.

Worked example: the same project for a Washington client

From October 1, 2025, Washington treats custom website development services (the design, development and support of a website, including website consulting and training) as retail sales subject to sales tax, under ESSB 5814. The Washington Department of Revenue's guidance excludes hosting and domain registration from that category (Washington DOR: custom website development).

If Bloom were a Washington business and the sale were sourced there, the taxable development work and the untaxed pass-through costs would split like this, using an example 10% combined rate:

Look up the actual rate for the location the sale is sourced to; Washington's combined rates vary by city and county. This is general information, not tax advice. Last reviewed: October 28, 2026.

Building this invoice in InvoiceQuickly

• Line items with quantity × unit price, so hours by phase and each pass-through cost get their own line.
• One tax percentage per invoice, added on top of the subtotal after any discount. For a Washington client, put the taxable development work and the untaxed hosting and domain costs on separate invoices.
• No negative lines and no deposit field. Unit prices cannot be negative, so bill the deposit as its own invoice, or record it as a partial payment on the launch invoice; partial payments are tracked on every plan.
• Pro ($9/month) adds email delivery, estimates the client can accept in a private portal, payment links through your own Stripe or PayPal account, and recurring schedules for care plans. The recurring form creates one line item with no tax and 30-day terms.

It does not track time, manage hosting or domain renewals, or attach receipts to invoices. Start from the web developer invoice template or the web design invoice template, and see how to invoice as a web developer for the full staged process.

Frequently asked questions

Should I charge for revisions during development?

Include a set number of revision rounds in your scope. Beyond that, bill hourly or per change at a rate stated in the contract and on the invoice.

How do I handle scope creep mid-project?

Issue a numbered change order with the new work and price, and get written approval before you start. On a fixed-fee project, add it as a new milestone or line rather than folding it into an existing one, and reference the change order number on the invoice.

Do I charge sales tax on web development?

It depends on the state. Washington has taxed custom website development since October 1, 2025, excluding hosting and domain registration. Other states treat website services, software and digital products in different ways, so check your state's guidance before adding tax, and see the sales tax nexus guide if you sell into several states.

Should I bill hourly or fixed-fee for custom development?

Fixed fees suit projects with documented requirements; hourly suits discovery, maintenance and work where the scope keeps moving. Many developers combine the two: a fixed price for the build and hourly support afterwards.

What deposit should I ask for from new clients?

It is a policy you set in your contract. Many developers take a deposit at kickoff that covers discovery and early design work, and some larger clients will not pay deposits at all, in which case more milestones can help.

How do I bill for hosting and infrastructure?

Either have the client pay the provider directly on its own account, pass the cost through at cost with a receipt, or offer a "managed hosting" line at a fixed monthly price that includes your management time. Say which one you use in the contract.

What about ongoing maintenance after launch?

Quote a monthly maintenance retainer or care plan separately, with the hours or tasks it covers and the rate for extra work. Many developers bill it at the start of the month for the coming month.

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Start from the web developer invoice template, or create a free InvoiceQuickly account and send your first launch invoice.