How much deposit should a freelancer ask for?

By SoloWOS teamPublished October 18, 2026

IN SHORT

Most freelancers ask for 25% to 50% upfront. 50% is common for projects under about $10,000, 25% to 30% with milestones suits larger ones, and 100% upfront fits small jobs under $500 or new clients with no history. Put the percentage, what it covers and whether it's refundable in the proposal the client accepts.

Prices and limits as of October 26, 2026.

Key takeaways

On a $4,800 project, a 50% deposit caps the unpaid work you can ever have at $2,400; 25% leaves $3,600 at risk.
"Non-refundable" isn't magic: a deposit that far exceeds the work done or the cost of cancelling can be challenged as a penalty.
Under the cash method most freelancers use, a deposit is income when you receive it, not when the project ends.
Send the deposit invoice the moment the client accepts, and don't start until it's paid.

The pay-on-time guide says to take a deposit. This post, part of our getting paid series, answers the next questions: how much, how to word it, and how to ask without sounding like you don't trust the client.

Deposit size by project size and risk

Our recommendation, not a legal rule. Raise the deposit for new clients and for work you can't reuse if they cancel.
Project	Deposit	Then
Under $500, or a new client with no history	100% upfront	Nothing left to chase
$500 to $10,000	50%	Balance on delivery, before final files
$10,000 to $30,000	30% to 40%	Milestone payments for the rest
Over $30,000 or longer than 3 months	20% to 25%	Monthly or milestone billing
Rush job or work blocking your calendar	50% or more	The deposit pays for the slot you hold
Sessions, calls, shoots	Full price or deposit at booking	Charge when they book, not after

Worked example: $4,800 at 25%, 50% and 100%

WORKED EXAMPLE

Cash at risk on a $4,800 website

The project runs 6 weeks. With 25% upfront you receive $1,200 and are owed $3,600 at launch: if the client disappears in week 5, you've done about $4,000 of work for $1,200. With 50% upfront you receive $2,400 and the most you can lose is $2,400. With 100% upfront you risk nothing, but few clients accept that on a $4,800 project with someone new. A 50% deposit plus a balance due before you hand over final files is the usual middle ground. To build the quote itself, the project cost calculator turns hours and expenses into a price.

Deposit vs retainer vs prepayment

Three words clients use for money upfront. Use the one that matches what the payment buys.
Term	What it pays for	What happens to it
Deposit	The start of a defined project	Credited against the project total
Retainer (ongoing)	Access or a bank of hours each month	Used up each period; see the retainer guide
Prepayment	The whole job, in advance	Fully credited; nothing due at the end

In a contract, "retainer" can mean either an advance against fees or a fee just for being available. Say which you mean. The retainer billing guide covers monthly retainers.

Refundable or non-refundable?

Calling a deposit non-refundable doesn't guarantee you keep it. Courts generally enforce a fixed amount owed on cancellation as liquidated damages only if it's a reasonable estimate of your actual loss; an amount far beyond it can be treated as an unenforceable penalty. A 50% deposit on a project the client cancels on day 2 is easier to challenge than one where you've already done 40% of the work. Safer wording ties the deposit to what it covers: booking your time, the discovery work, and work done to date.

Deposit clause

DEPOSIT. A deposit of [50]% of the project fee ($[amount]) is due before work starts. The deposit reserves my time for the dates in this proposal and pays for the discovery and planning phase, and is credited toward the project fee.

If you cancel after paying the deposit, I'll keep the portion that covers work done and time reserved through the cancellation date, at [$X per hour / the milestone rates above], up to the full deposit. Any unused balance of the deposit is refunded within [14] days.

The remaining [50]% ($[amount]) is due [on delivery, before final files are released / per the milestone schedule].

How to ask for the deposit

Don't apologize for it. A deposit is standard and clients who've hired freelancers before expect one. Put it in the proposal's price section so it's agreed before anyone signs, then send the invoice the moment they accept.

Deposit request email

Subject: Deposit invoice to start [project]

Hi [Name],

Thanks for accepting the proposal. I've blocked [start date] to [end date] for your project.

Here's the deposit invoice for [50]% ($[amount]): [link]. You can pay by card or bank transfer. As soon as it's paid I'll send the kickoff questionnaire and we'll start on [date].

The balance of $[amount] is due [on delivery]. Let me know if your finance team needs anything else on the invoice, like a PO number.

[Your name]

When a client pushes back on the deposit

Some clients, usually larger companies, say their policy is to pay only after delivery. Before you drop the deposit, offer a version that fits their process: a smaller first milestone billed after a short discovery phase, a signed purchase order before you start, or net 15 instead of net 30 on each milestone. Individuals who balk at 50% often accept 30% plus a booked start date. If a client won't pay anything upfront and has no track record, the deposit is doing its job by showing you the risk early; price that risk in or decline the project.

Taxes: when a deposit counts as income

Most freelancers use the cash method of accounting, where income counts in the year you actually or constructively receive it (IRS Publication 538). A deposit received in December 2026 for a project finished in January 2027 is 2026 income. If you refund part of it later, that reduces income in the year you refund it. Accrual-method businesses follow different rules; ask your accountant if that's you.

Laws that touch deposits

New York's Freelance Isn't Free Act (jobs of $800 or more) and California's SB 988 (jobs of $250 or more) require a written contract that states the rate and method of payment and when you'll be paid, so write the deposit and the balance date into it. For larger projects, split the balance into milestone payments instead of one big final invoice.

In SoloWOS

In Proposals, fill in the optional Deposit field with the percent you ask for upfront (or write "50% deposit" in the terms and SoloWOS reads it). Once the client accepts online, the proposal page offers "Invoice the deposit" and later "Invoice the remaining" share, each with the amounts split from the total and the line items filled in. Clients pay by card from the invoice link through your Stripe account. Solo includes 20 proposals and 50 invoices a month.

Questions

Is 50% upfront normal for freelancers?

Yes, for projects under about $10,000 it's the most common split: 50% to start, 50% on delivery. For larger or longer projects, a smaller deposit plus milestone payments keeps the amount at risk similar without asking for a large sum on day one.

Can I keep a non-refundable deposit if the client cancels?

Often, if the amount reasonably reflects the work done and the time you reserved. A deposit that's far larger than your actual loss may be treated as a penalty and refunded. Tie the clause to what the deposit covers and refund any unused balance.

Should I start work before the deposit clears?

No. Starting before payment turns the deposit into just another invoice to chase. Schedule the kickoff for the day after the payment is due, and move the start date if it isn't paid.

How do I show the deposit on the final invoice?

List the full project fee, then a line "Less deposit received (invoice 2026-014)" with the deposit as a negative amount, so the total is the balance due. The client's accounts team can then match both payments to the project.

Sources

Facts checked against these sources on October 18, 2026. Rules and amounts change, so confirm them at the source before you file or sign.

Last reviewed: October 18, 2026

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