Free copywriting invoice template you can download and customize

Per-word rates vary by channel and skill level. Blog and SEO content typically pays $0.10–$0.50/word for newer writers and $0.50–$1.50+/word for established ones. Email and sales copy pays more — $1.00–$3.00+/word is normal for experienced direct-response copywriters because the copy is tied to revenue. Per-word rates favor short-form work; for projects over 2,000 words, most copywriters switch to per-project pricing because the per-word rate effectively penalizes editing and rewrites.

Per project, almost always — once you have enough portfolio work to estimate scope reliably. Hourly billing punishes you for getting faster: a copywriter who writes a blog post in 2 hours instead of 6 earns less for the same deliverable. Per-project pricing decouples income from time, which is the entire reason to specialize as a writer. Use hourly only for strategy work, content audits, or vague open-ended engagements where the deliverable cannot be defined upfront.

Yes, but how you bill it depends on the project. For per-project work, build research time into the flat fee — clients dislike seeing 'research: 4 hours' as a separate line because it feels like padding. For hourly work, log research as separate line items. For interview-heavy projects (case studies, thought leadership pieces, white papers), bill interview time as its own line at your standard rate. Always specify in the contract what's included so you can defend the line item if questioned.

Most copywriting retainers use a fixed monthly fee for a defined scope: 'X blog posts/month' or 'Y emails plus Z social posts/month.' On the invoice, list the retainer as a single line item ('Monthly content retainer — April 2026, 4 blog posts at 1,500 words') with the fixed fee. Bill overages as separate lines at your standard per-piece or hourly rate. Include 'hours used vs. included' if it's a time-based retainer — clients renew at higher rates when they can see exactly what they got for their money.

Don't agree to it. Unlimited revisions is the single biggest source of unpaid hours in copywriting. Standard practice is to include 1–2 rounds of revisions in the project price, then bill additional rounds at your hourly rate ($75–$200/hr typical). State this on the invoice and in the contract. If a client pushes for unlimited revisions, raise the project price 30–50% and call it a 'revision-inclusive package' — that's how senior copywriters protect themselves while saying yes.

Yes, and most professional copywriting contracts include one. Standard kill fees are 25–50% of the project price if canceled before delivery, 100% if canceled after delivery. State the kill-fee terms on the original invoice or in the contract. If you took a deposit (recommended for projects over $2,000), the deposit usually equals the kill fee — meaning the client cannot recover it even if they cancel. This protects against ghost clients and last-minute scope changes.

Yes — completely free, no signup required. Fill in the form, customize the line items, and download a professional PDF. If you want invoices generated automatically from your tracked writing time (with deliverables, word counts, and rates already populated), Clockout does that on the free plan.