Free Invoice Template for Copywriters

A strong copywriting invoice documents the deliverables clearly and protects you from scope creep disputes. Include:

• Project or deliverable name — e.g., "Homepage copy — 5 sections", "Email sequence — 6 emails"
• Word count or piece count if billing per word or per piece
• Rate and billing model — per word, per project, hourly, or monthly retainer
• Revision rounds included — cap revisions to prevent unlimited rewrites
• Rights and usage — are you transferring copyright or licencing the copy?
• Due date and payment terms

Per word: Works well for content marketing, blog posts, and editorial. Example: "1,500-word blog post @ £0.20/word = £300". Transparent and easy to audit.

Per project: Best for defined deliverables — a landing page, a sales email, an ad campaign. Quote a flat fee based on scope, not time. Specify exactly what's included: word count, number of concepts, revisions.

Monthly retainer: Fixed fee for ongoing copy needs — weekly emails, social captions, ad creative. Invoice at the start of each month before work begins.

Hourly: Reserve for consulting, copy audits, and strategy sessions where scope is unclear. Log time precisely and itemise it on the invoice.

Two common sources of invoice disputes for copywriters are revisions and last-minute requests.

• Revisions: State in your contract how many rounds are included (typically 1–2). For additional rounds, add a line item: "Extra revision round — 1h @ €90/h". Reference the revision policy in the invoice notes.
• Rush fees: A 25–50% surcharge for turnaround under 48 hours is standard. Add as a separate line item: "Rush delivery surcharge (24h turnaround) — €150". This discourages last-minute requests and compensates you fairly when they happen.
• Kill fees: If a project is cancelled after work has started, charge a kill fee (typically 25–50% of the project fee). Issue an invoice with the description "Kill fee — project cancelled per contract clause".

Copywriting services are taxable in most countries:

• EU copywriters: Standard VAT rates apply (19–22% depending on country). B2B cross-border EU invoices use reverse charge — include your VAT ID and the client's, and note "VAT reverse charge — Article 196 EU VAT Directive".
• UK copywriters: Register for VAT at £90,000 turnover. Standard rate (20%) applies to all copywriting services. Ghostwriting and editorial work is also standard-rated.
• US copywriters: Writing services are generally exempt from sales tax, but digital products and SaaS may be taxable in some states. Check your state's rules if you deliver content via a platform.