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App Developer Invoice Template

On a fixed-price app project, each invoice bills one milestone of a price agreed before the work started, so it has to prove two things: that the milestone was delivered and accepted, and where the project stands against the contract. This template is built for that. Each invoice names the milestone and its share of the fixed price, records the build or release that was delivered and when the client accepted it, lists approved change orders as separate lines, and shows a running payment schedule: fixed price, change orders, invoiced to date, this invoice and the balance still to come. The milestone that covers store submission or production deployment says what was submitted and when, and the final invoice says when the warranty period ends and points to the clause that transfers the code on payment. It works for web apps, mobile apps and backends alike. If you bill by the sprint or by the hour, the mobile app developer template, built around sprint hours by platform, is the better fit. The download is an editable HTML file: fill it in your browser and print it or save it as PDF.

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Download the HTML file to edit its fields, then print or save as PDF. Totals are entered manually.

What This Template Includes

  • Contract or statement of work reference and fixed price
  • Milestone number, name and share of the fixed price
  • Deliverable: build number, release tag or environment URL
  • Acceptance: test window, date accepted and who accepted
  • Change orders: number, approval date and amount
  • Payment schedule: fixed price, change orders, invoiced to date, remaining
  • Store submission or production deployment date, if in this milestone
  • Warranty period: start, length and what it covers
  • Reimbursed third-party costs at cost, with receipts
  • IP transfer on final payment: contract clause reference
  • Client purchase order number, if the client uses one

How to Create Your App Developer Invoice

  1. 01

    Describe your work

    Type a plain English description of the services you provided, the client, and the amount.

  2. 02

    AI generates your invoice

    InvoiceQuickly's AI drafts the client, line items, dates, and totals for you to review before saving.

  3. 03

    Review, download, and send

    Check every detail, download the PDF, or use Pro to email the PDF directly to your client.

Recommended Payment Terms

Fixed-price app contracts are normally paid in milestones, each invoiced when its acceptance condition is met and due in 7 to 14 days. A typical schedule front-loads a smaller share for discovery and design, puts the largest share on a feature-complete build that passes acceptance testing, bills store submission or production deployment on submission rather than on store approval, and holds a final share until an agreed warranty period ends. Write the acceptance rule into the contract and quote it on the invoice, for example 'accepted in writing, or no written defect report within 5 business days of delivery', so a milestone cannot stall because nobody tested the build. Change orders are invoiced with the milestone they ship in, or on their own invoice if the client prefers, and never folded into the milestone line. If a client pays late, pause work on the next milestone as your contract allows rather than delivering further code on credit.

Need help writing payment terms? Read our guide to invoice payment terms for best practices and templates.

Tax Information

In the United States, whether custom software development is subject to sales tax depends on the state, and states can treat custom programming, prewritten software and hosted software differently. Check your state revenue department, and the client's state if you have nexus there, before adding a tax line. A US business that pays you $2,000 or more for services in 2026 generally reports it on Form 1099-NEC, so send Form W-9 with your first invoice. Outside the US, charge VAT or GST only if you are registered and the rules for your client's location require it. InvoiceQuickly applies one tax percentage to the whole invoice and copies saved tax IDs to new invoice PDFs. General information, not tax advice.

Industry context (2026)

Two dates outside a developer's control shape fixed-price app invoicing: how long a store takes to review a build, and how long the client takes to test it. The first is why milestones are commonly billed on submission. Apple's App Review page says it typically reviews at least 50% of submissions in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours, and that over 40% of unresolved issues relate to guideline 2.1, App Completeness. Google's Play Console Help says review for certain developer accounts can take up to seven days or longer in exceptional cases. The second is why an acceptance window belongs in the contract. Ownership is the third reason the final invoice matters: under US copyright law, code written by an independent contractor generally belongs to the contractor unless it is assigned in writing or qualifies as a work made for hire, which is why contracts usually transfer it on final payment (see the app developer invoicing guide). Store account fees and platform update requirements are covered on the mobile app developer template. Checked on 28 October 2026; general information, not legal advice.

Worked example

Worked example (hypothetical developer and client; the fixed price and the $130.00 change-order rate are the example's own contract figures, not market data). A two-person studio agrees to build a web app and iOS app for a property maintenance company for a fixed $48,000.00 under a statement of work dated 2 June 2026, in five milestones: M1 discovery and specification, 10% ($4,800.00); M2 designs approved, 15% ($7,200.00); M3 feature-complete beta accepted, 35% ($16,800.00); M4 App Store submission and production deployment, 25% ($12,000.00); M5 end of a 60-day warranty, 15% ($7,200.00). Change orders are billed at $130.00 an hour. M1 and M2 were invoiced and paid ($12,000.00). Build 0.9.3 is delivered to TestFlight and staging on 13 October; the client's acceptance window is five business days, two defects are reported and fixed in build 0.9.4, and the operations manager accepts it in writing on 21 October. Invoice INV-0047, dated 22 October 2026, due in 14 days: Line 1: M3, feature-complete beta, build 0.9.4, accepted 21 October, 35% of $48,000.00, 1 × $16,800.00. Line 2: CO-03, technician photo upload on job completion, approved 29 September, 15 hours × $130.00 = $1,950.00. Line 3: mapping API usage in September on the studio's account for testing, at cost, receipt attached, 1 × $38.40. Total $18,788.40. Notes: 'Payment schedule: fixed price $48,000.00 plus approved change orders $1,950.00 = $49,950.00. Invoiced to date including this invoice: $30,750.00 for milestones and change orders. Remaining: M4 $12,000.00 and M5 $7,200.00 = $19,200.00. Copyright transfers on payment in full under clause 11.' Check: $30,750.00 + $19,200.00 = $49,950.00, so the schedule reconciles to the contract plus change orders. The $38.40 reimbursement sits outside the schedule because it is a cost, not part of the price.

Common mistakes to avoid

Milestones nobody can verify

'Backend 70% complete' invites argument about the percentage. Use deliverables with a build number, environment or store submission the client can check.

No acceptance window

Without one, an invoice waits until the client gets round to testing. Agree a window and deemed acceptance in the contract and quote it on the invoice.

Change orders inside the milestone line

Adding $1,950.00 to the M3 line makes the fixed price look as if it changed. Bill each change order on its own numbered line with its approval date.

Billing on store approval

Approval can take days and depends on the store's review. Bill on submission and set out in the contract what rework after a rejection is included.

Handing over the code before the final payment

Transferring the repository and store ownership before the last invoice is paid removes your leverage. Tie the transfer to payment in full in the contract and repeat it in the final invoice notes.

Invoicing Tips

  • 1Tie every milestone to something the client can install or open: 'Build 0.9.3 on TestFlight and staging' can be checked; 'backend 70% complete' cannot.
  • 2Print the payment schedule on every invoice. A client who sees $12,000 invoiced, $18,750 on this invoice and $19,200 still to come rarely disputes where the project stands.
  • 3Bill store submission on submission. Apple says it typically reviews 90% of submissions in under 48 hours, but Google's Play Console Help says some accounts can wait up to seven days or longer, and neither outcome is in your control.
  • 4Give each change order a number and its own line with the approval date. The original fixed price then stays visibly unchanged.
  • 5Write the warranty end date on the final invoice and say what it covers: defects in delivered features, not new features or operating system updates after launch.
  • 6Bill reimbursed costs, such as a map or SMS API used on the client's behalf, at cost with the receipt, and move them to the client's own accounts as soon as you can.

Related Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I invoice a fixed-price app project?

Split the fixed price into milestones in the contract, each with a percentage, a deliverable and an acceptance rule. When a milestone is accepted, invoice its share, list any approved change orders on separate lines, and show the payment schedule: fixed price, invoiced to date, this invoice and what remains. The total of all milestone invoices should equal the fixed price plus approved change orders.

What milestones should an app development contract use?

Milestones the client can check: discovery and specification signed off, design approved, a feature-complete build that passes acceptance testing, store submission or production deployment, and the end of the warranty period. Put the largest share on the tested build and hold a smaller final share until the warranty ends.

What is acceptance testing in a software contract?

It is the agreed check that a delivered milestone works as specified, usually run by the client against the specification within a set window. Define the window, how defects are reported and what counts as acceptance, including deemed acceptance if no defects are reported in time, so the invoice has a clear trigger.

Should I invoice when the app is submitted or when it is approved?

On submission, if your contract says so. Store review time is outside your control: Apple says it typically reviews 90% of submissions in under 48 hours, while Google's Play Console Help says reviews for some accounts can take up to seven days or longer in exceptional cases. Say in the contract what rework after a rejection is included.

What does a warranty period on an app cover?

Whatever the contract says. A common approach is that defects in features you delivered are fixed free for an agreed period after launch, often 30 to 90 days, and that new features, design changes and operating system or SDK updates are billable. Holding the final milestone until the period ends gives the client a reason to report bugs promptly.

Is this different from the mobile app developer invoice template?

Yes. This template bills a fixed price in milestones, with acceptance, a payment schedule and a warranty. The mobile app developer template bills time and materials by sprint, with hours split by iOS, Android and backend. Use the one that matches your contract.

Can I create milestone invoices in InvoiceQuickly?

Yes, as ordinary invoices: one line for the milestone and one per change order, with the schedule in the notes. Pro estimates can be accepted by the client in a portal and converted into an invoice. InvoiceQuickly has no project or milestone tracking, so keep the schedule in your contract or project tool and copy it onto each invoice.