By Lee, founder of leodesign
For most freelance design projects, charge a deposit of 30–50% of the total fee before you start, with the balance due on delivery. Use 50% for new clients and small or mid-sized jobs, take 100% upfront for very small jobs or rush work, and split bigger projects into milestones so you are never far ahead of what you have been paid.
That is the short version. The rest of this guide covers how to pick a number, when to break the usual pattern, and the exact words to put in your contract and your emails.
Why a deposit matters for design work
A deposit does two jobs. First, it pays for the time you set aside. Once you book a project, you turn other work down, and the early stages (research, moodboards, first concepts) are real work even if the client walks away after seeing them.
Second, it tests commitment. A client who pays a deposit has made a decision. A client who argues about paying anything before seeing work is showing you how the final invoice is likely to go. You do not need to treat that as a red flag every time, but you should notice it.
Common deposit ranges and when to use each
There is no single correct percentage. Pick one based on project size, how well you know the client, and how much of the work happens before the first review.
30% deposit. Suits repeat clients with a good payment history, or larger projects where the rest is split across milestones anyway. It lowers the barrier to starting without leaving you exposed for long.
40% deposit. A middle ground. Useful when a client finds 50% hard to approve internally but you still want most of the early work covered.
50% deposit. The most common default for independent designers: half to start, half on delivery. It is simple for clients to budget, easy to explain, and caps your risk at half the fee. Use it for new clients and for most logo, packaging and brand identity jobs.
60% or more. Reasonable when most of the effort happens up front, such as concept-heavy identity work where the final stage is mainly file preparation, or when you must buy materials, stock or print proofs on the client's behalf.
When to take 100% upfront
Full payment before you start is normal, not rude, in a few situations:
- Very small jobs. A single social graphic, a business card update or a quick resize is not worth invoicing twice. Chasing a small balance costs more time than the job itself.
- Rush work. If a client needs something by tomorrow and you are rearranging your week, pay-in-full protects you.
- One-off clients you cannot easily reach later, such as overseas buyers found through a marketplace or social media.
- Clients who have paid late before. Moving them to upfront payment is a fair, unemotional fix.
If a client hesitates, offer a clear refund rule instead of dropping the requirement, for example: "If I can't deliver the agreed work, I'll refund the unused portion."
Splitting larger projects into milestones
For projects that run for weeks or months, one deposit and one final payment leaves a long unpaid gap in the middle. Milestones close it. Two common structures:
| Structure | Payments | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Thirds | 1/3 on signing, 1/3 at concept approval, 1/3 on final delivery | Brand identity, packaging ranges |
| Deposit + milestones | 30–50% on signing, then the balance split across named stages | Websites, multi-SKU packaging, campaigns |
Tie each milestone to something the client can see and approve: "concept approved", "dielines signed off", "final artwork delivered". Avoid vague triggers like "halfway through". Also add a time fallback, such as "or 30 days after the previous payment, whichever is sooner", so a project that stalls on the client's side does not stall your income.
How to word the deposit in your contract
Keep the clause short and specific. State the amount, when it is due, what happens to it if the project is cancelled, and that work starts only after it arrives. A sample you can adapt:
Payment. The total fee is [amount]. A deposit of [50]% ([amount]) is due on signing this agreement. Work begins once the deposit is received. The remaining balance of [amount] is due on delivery of the final files, before the final files are released. The deposit covers time reserved and work started, and is non-refundable if the Client cancels after work has begun. If the Designer cannot complete the project, the Designer will refund any portion of the fee for work not performed.
Whether a "non-refundable" deposit holds up depends on where you and your client are and on the circumstances, so treat this as practical wording rather than legal advice. If a project is large or the client is in another country, it is worth having a local professional review your terms.
If you want a starting point, the free design contract generator builds a contract with a deposit and payment clause you can edit.
How to ask for the deposit without it feeling awkward
State it as your standard process, not a request for a favour. Put it in your quote, repeat it in your contract and send the deposit invoice at the same time as the contract.
In your quote:
My standard terms are a 50% deposit to book the project, with the balance due on delivery. Once the deposit is in, I'll lock in your start date.
When the client asks to skip it:
I understand. The deposit is what lets me reserve the time and turn down other work for your project, so I apply it to every client. If 50% is difficult, I can do 30% now and split the rest across the concept and final stages.
When sending the invoice:
Here's the contract and the deposit invoice for [project]. As soon as both are done, I'll start on the research and send the first concepts by [date].
Offering a smaller deposit with more milestones is a better compromise than no deposit at all.
Don't forget the balance
The deposit is only half the job. Agree in advance that final files (editable source files, print-ready artwork, full-resolution exports) are released when the balance is paid, and put the due date on the balance invoice. If a client goes quiet after delivery, our guide on how to ask for final payment walks through a follow-up timeline.
Putting it into practice
Choose a default (50% works for most solo designers), write it into your contract and invoice the deposit separately from the balance so it is clear what is paid and what is still owed. A free designer invoice generator can produce both invoices.
I built Leostu after chasing final payments myself. When you create an order, it lets you pick a 30, 40, 50 or 60% deposit or pay-in-full, and it tracks the deposit and balance separately so you can see who still owes you. There is a free plan, and the details are on the pricing section.