How Much Deposit Should a Freelancer Require? (The Case for 50%)

Yes, you should require a deposit. No, it's not awkward. Every professional services business on earth bills before work begins, and the deposit is the single most effective client-screening device ever invented.

Pair it with a statement of work and you prevent most of the non-payment ladder before it starts. Red-flag clients announce themselves here first.

The standard: 50%

Fifty percent on signing, fifty percent on delivery is the freelance standard for good reason. It's large enough that the client is committed, small enough that it doesn't feel like full prepayment, and it means the worst-case non-payment scenario costs you half the project, not all of it.

When to adjust:

Small projects (< $500): 100% up front. The admin of two invoices exceeds the risk protection.
Large projects (> $10K): milestone-based — e.g., 40/30/30 — so neither side carries the full exposure.
New clients with any red flags: never below 50%, and consider milestone billing even on mid-size work.
Long-trusted clients: you can relax — but relax deliberately, not by drift.

The clause

Payment schedule. 50% of the project fee is due on signing and is
non-refundable, reserving the project timeline. The remaining 50% is due
on final delivery. Final files and assets transfer on receipt of final
payment. Work does not begin until the deposit is received.

"Non-refundable" and "work does not begin" are the load-bearing phrases. The first protects your calendar against cancellations; the second removes the ambiguity that lets projects start on promises. Put this next to the rest of the scope clauses.

The screening effect nobody talks about

The deposit's real value isn't the money — it's the information. A client who balks at a standard deposit is telling you, for free and in advance, exactly how the final invoice conversation will go. Clients who pay deposits promptly almost never become payment problems. The ones who negotiate against it, delay it, or promise it's "coming Monday" are showing you the future. Believe them.

Making it frictionless

Deposits fail when paying them is annoying. The proposal should arrive with the deposit amount computed and a payment link attached — one click from "yes" to "booked." That's the flow Stria builds in: proposals carry deposit defaults, checkout happens through your connected Stripe account, and the project timeline starts when the money does. Stria never holds the funds — the charge is on your account.

See how it fits the rest of the product at getstria.com, or start a 14-day trial when you are ready to send the next proposal with a deposit link attached.

Frequently asked questions

How much deposit should a freelancer require?

Fifty percent on signing and fifty percent on delivery is the freelance standard for good reason: large enough that the client is committed, small enough that it does not feel like full prepayment, and it means the worst-case non-payment scenario costs you half the project, not all of it. Adjust for small jobs (100% up front), large jobs (milestones), and new clients with red flags (never below 50%).

Should freelance deposits be non-refundable?

Yes — say so in writing. "Non-refundable" protects your calendar against cancellations; "work does not begin until the deposit is received" removes the ambiguity that lets projects start on promises. Both phrases are load-bearing in a payment schedule clause.

Do deposits help filter bad clients?

The deposit's real value is often the information. A client who balks at a standard deposit is telling you how the final invoice conversation will go. Clients who pay promptly almost never become payment problems. The ones who negotiate against it, delay it, or promise it is "coming Monday" are showing you the future.

How does Stria handle freelance deposits?

Proposals can carry deposit defaults, checkout happens through your connected Stripe account, and the project timeline can start when the money does. That removes friction so paying the deposit is one click from yes to booked. Start free when you want that flow; Stria never holds the money — charges go to your Stripe account.