Free Quote Template for Freelancers & Businesses

A quote (also called a quotation or price estimate) is a document you send to a potential client before work begins. It states what you will deliver and at what price. Once the client accepts the quote, it becomes the basis for the final invoice.

• Quote → accepted by client → work begins → Invoice
• A quote is not a request for payment — an invoice is
• Quotes are often time-limited (e.g., "valid for 30 days")
• Some industries use "estimate" for approximate pricing and "quote" for fixed pricing — the documents look identical

invoicePrivate lets you create both quotes and invoices using the same editor. Switch the document label in settings.

A well-structured quote prevents misunderstandings and speeds up client approval. Include:

• Your business name, address, and contact details
• Client name and address
• Quote number and date issued
• Validity period — e.g., "This quote is valid for 30 days from the date above"
• Itemised list of deliverables — each line item with description, quantity, unit price, and line total
• Subtotal, applicable taxes (VAT/GST), and total
• Payment terms — deposit required, payment schedule, accepted methods
• Scope notes — what is and is not included, to prevent scope creep later

Once a client approves your quote, create the invoice using the same line items. This keeps the numbers consistent and gives the client an easy reference. Common approaches:

• Deposit invoice first: Issue a partial invoice (e.g., 50% upfront) when the quote is accepted, then a final invoice on completion
• Single invoice on completion: Common for short projects — reference the original quote number in the invoice notes
• Milestone invoices: For longer projects, split the quote total into phase-based invoices

In invoicePrivate, duplicate any document and change its type — your line items carry over automatically.

If you are VAT-registered, include VAT on your quotes at the same rate you will apply to the invoice. This avoids surprises at payment time. Key rules:

• EU businesses: Show the pre-tax subtotal, VAT rate, VAT amount, and total including VAT
• UK businesses: 20% standard VAT rate — show VAT on all client-facing quotes once registered
• US businesses: Sales tax is typically applied at the invoice stage, not the quote stage — but it is good practice to note "sales tax may apply" on the quote