How to set up milestone billing as a freelance designer
Split your fee into milestones that unlock each stage of the project — so you never start, or deliver, unpaid.
The Wuilder team 7 min read
Most payment problems in design work come from one moment: the work moved forward before the money did. Milestone billing fixes that by tying each payment to a stage of the project.
What milestone billing is
Instead of one invoice at the end (or a vague "half now, half later"), you split the fee into milestones, and each milestone is required before a specific stage:
| Split | Before Kickoff | Before Core Creation | Before final files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 / 50 | 50% | — | 50% |
| 50 / 25 / 25 | 50% | 25% | 25% |
| 100% upfront | 100% | — | — |
The rule is simple: a stage doesn't open until its payment is confirmed.
Choosing a split
- 50 / 50 suits short projects (a logo, a landing page). The deposit covers your time; the final files cover the rest.
- 50 / 25 / 25 suits longer projects with a clear design phase. The middle payment protects you before the heaviest work.
- 100% upfront works for small, fixed-scope jobs and repeat clients.
Tip: put the split in your agreement. When the client signs, they're agreeing to the gates, not just the price.
When each invoice should go out
- When the client signs — the upfront milestone.
- When you start the design work — the Core Creation milestone, if you have one.
- When you send the final files — the last milestone. The client can see the file list, but downloads unlock after payment.
"I paid" isn't paid
Clients will click a payment link and assume it's done. Treat the click as a heads-up, not proof: check that the money arrived, then unlock the next stage.
Doing this in Wuilder
Pick a split when you create the project and Wuilder sends each milestone invoice at the right moment. When a client clicks Pay Now, it shows up on your overview with a Verify button; verifying unlocks the next stage for them instantly.
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