Web development invoice template for milestones and launch
Choose the build milestone, website design, development sprint or maintenance version and see it filled in. Bill milestones, change requests and third-party costs, then download a PDF, Excel or Word file.
Choose a version of the web development invoice
Each version opens in the online maker with its own line items and payment terms, and downloads as an editable Excel or Word file. Example amounts are hypothetical, not market rates.
Website build milestone
A milestone share of the build fee, third-party licences at cost and approved change requests on separate lines.
- Milestone [n] of [total]: [milestone], [share] of [build fee]
- Third-party licence, at cost: [item]
- Approved change request [number]: [description], hours
Website design
Page and template counts, revision rounds beyond those included, platform scope and asset licences. Recurring maintenance goes on a separate invoice.
- Sitemap and wireframes ([n] pages)
- Page designs: [n] templates applied to [n] pages, desktop and mobile ([platform])
- Revision round beyond the [n] included, hours
- Stock images and font licence, at cost
Development sprint (hourly)
Sprint hours for features, bug fixes and maintenance on separate lines, with the release reference and third-party costs at cost.
- Sprint [n] ([dates]): feature development, release [version], hours
- Bug fixes and maintenance, same period, hours
- Third-party costs at cost: [service] (invoice attached)
Fill in your web development invoice
Edit any line, set your tax rate (0% is fine) and download a PDF. Line amounts, tax and the balance due calculate as you type. Version: Website build milestone.
Tax starts at 0%. Enter the rate that applies to you, or leave it at 0 if you do not charge sales tax or VAT.
For example a deposit. The PDF then shows the balance due.
- Nothing is saved on our side. Download the PDF before you leave the page.
- Amounts print with a $ sign. If you bill in another currency, say so in the notes.
- Prefer to edit offline? Download this starting point as Excel (.xlsx) or Word (.docx).
A web development invoice usually bills a milestone, plus approved change requests and third-party costs such as themes and plugins. Hosting and maintenance belong on their own recurring invoice. The sections below cover what to include, how to split payments and common mistakes.
What the web development invoice covers
What you can do with this template, and what it does not do.
Build milestone version
Bills a milestone as a share of the build fee (0.4 x $12,000), a third-party licence at cost and an approved change request in hours.
Design, sprint and maintenance versions
Website design (pages, templates, revision rounds, platform and asset licences), development sprint (feature vs maintenance hours, release reference, third-party costs) and monthly maintenance kept separate from the build.
Third-party costs
Bill themes, plugins, APIs and stock assets as separate lines, at cost or with your stated markup.
Hosting and domains
Keep recurring hosting and domain fees apart from one-off build fees, with the renewal date in the description.
Handover terms
Use the terms field to say when admin access and code ownership transfer, as set out in your contract.
PDF, Excel or Word
Set your tax rate (0% is fine) and download a PDF, or any version as an editable .xlsx or .docx.
How to fill in your web development invoice
- Business Information: Your name or company name, address, phone, email, and website.
- Client details: Client company name, billing address, contact person, phone, and email.
- Project Reference: Project name, contract/SOW reference, or PO number.
- Invoice Period: The billing period or milestone this invoice covers.
- Service Description: Detailed description: pages built, features developed, bugs fixed.
- Hours Worked: If hourly: dates, tasks, hours per day, and total hours.
- Rate: Hourly, daily, project, or milestone rate as agreed.
- Deliverables: Specific deliverables: pages, features, documentation, training.
- Hosting/Domain: If handling: hosting setup, domain registration, or ongoing fees.
- Third-Party Costs: Themes, plugins, APIs, stock images, with documentation.
- Subtotal, Taxes, Total: Clear breakdown of development fees, expenses, taxes, and total.
- Payment terms: Due date, accepted payment methods, and wire/payment details.
- Track Time Accurately: Log all billable hours with task descriptions. Essential for hourly and profitability tracking.
- Invoice at Milestones: For project work, tie payments to deliverables: design approval, development, launch.
- Detail Your Work: Describe pages built, features developed, bugs fixed. Show value delivered.
- Separate Development and Hosting: Itemize hosting, domains, and ongoing maintenance separately.
- Document Third-Party Costs: Bill for themes, plugins, and services with documentation.
- Get Paid Before Launch: Collect final payment before site goes live or credentials are transferred.
- Clarify Ownership: Reference code and design ownership terms from your contract.
- Bill for Maintenance Separately: Ongoing maintenance should be a separate retainer or hourly engagement.
- Track Scope Changes: Document and bill for out-of-scope requests.
- Maintain Project Records: Keep records of requirements, deliverables, and communications.
Web project prices range from a few hundred dollars to six figures, so build the quote from scope and invoice in the same structure.
Price components to itemize:
- Discovery and design: sitemap, wireframes, page designs
- Build: by milestone or by sprint
- Testing and launch: QA, migration, go-live
- Change requests: approved additions, priced separately
- Third-party costs: themes, plugins, APIs, stock assets
- Ongoing: hosting, domains, maintenance, billed monthly or yearly
Worked example (hypothetical):
- Site build quoted at $10,000: 40% at kickoff ($4,000), 30% at design approval ($3,000), 30% before launch ($3,000)
- Approved change request (booking form): 6 hours at $110 = $660
- Premium plugin licence bought for the client: $99 at cost
- Final invoice: $3,000 + $660 + $99 = $3,759
Recurring costs: keep hosting and maintenance on their own invoice so the client can renew them without reopening the project.
These are common options to agree with the client, not rules. Whatever you choose belongs in the contract first; the invoice repeats it.
Build projects:
- A deposit at kickoff, a payment at design approval or mid-build, and the balance before launch
- Example: 40% / 30% / 30% of the build fee
When invoices are due:
- Net 15 or Net 30 from the invoice date are common choices
Launch and handover:
- Whether launch, admin access and code ownership wait for final payment
Change requests:
- Approved in writing and billed as separate lines
Maintenance and hosting:
- A separate monthly invoice, billed in advance
Late payment:
- Late fees or interest only if the contract includes them and local law allows
- Launching Before Payment: Agree in the contract whether launch and credential handover wait for final payment, then follow it.
- Vague Project Descriptions: Detail pages built, features developed, and work completed.
- No Milestone Structure: For projects, tie payments to deliverables. Don't bill only at the end.
- Mixing Development and Hosting: Separate development fees from ongoing hosting and maintenance.
- Scope Creep Without Billing: Document and bill for out-of-scope requests. Don't absorb them.
- Poor Time Tracking: Track time accurately, even for fixed-fee projects.
- Missing Third-Party Costs: Bill for themes, plugins, and services. Don't absorb client costs.
- No Contract Reference: Reference your agreement. Ties invoice to scope and terms.
- Unclear Ownership Terms: Reference code and design ownership from your contract.
- Weak Collections: Follow up on late payments. Take site offline if necessary.
Web development invoice: frequently asked questions
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