Split a project fee
Change any number and the result updates as you type.
After the deposit
Deposit invoice
$3,600.00
Then 2 payments of $2,700.00 each.
Remaining balance$5,400.00
Per milestone$2,700.00
Schedule total$9,000.00
Everything stays in your browser. Nothing is sent or saved.
How to use the deposit and milestone calculator
- Enter the total project fee you agreed.
- Set how many milestone payments follow the deposit.
- Slide the deposit to the share you want before work begins, in steps of 5%.
- Copy the deposit and each milestone payment into your proposal and contract, with the deliverable each one is due on.
How the deposit and milestone calculator works
The deposit is a percentage of the fee. Whatever is left is split evenly across the milestones, with any leftover cent on the final payment, so the deposit plus every payment always comes back to the fee you quoted.
Depositproject fee × deposit %
Each milestone(project fee − deposit) ÷ number of milestones
Tie each milestone to something both sides can see: a first draft, an approved design, the launch. A payment due on a bare date invites the question of what the money was for; one tied to a deliverable answers it before anyone asks.
- Deposit before work begins
- $3,600
- Remaining balance
- $5,400
- Two milestone payments
- 2 × $2,700
- Schedule total
- $9,000
If the client stops after the first milestone, you’ve been paid $6,300, 70% of the fee, for the work delivered so far.
Deposit and milestone calculator FAQ
How much deposit should I ask for?
25–50% is common for freelance projects. A larger deposit suits short projects, new clients and work with costs you pay up front; a smaller one can make sense for a long-standing client on a long project.
Should the deposit cover my costs?
Ideally, yes. If the project needs printing, licenses or subcontractors you pay for before the client pays you, ask for at least that much up front, so you never fund the client’s project yourself. The markup and margin calculator prices those costs.
Is a deposit refundable?
Only if your contract says so. Many freelancers make it non-refundable, because it reserves time in their calendar. Write that into the agreement: the freelance contract template has a deposit clause.
How many milestones should a project have?
One payment per natural stage: two or three for most projects, more for anything longer than a few months. Fewer, larger payments mean less admin; more, smaller ones keep cash flowing.
When should I send the deposit invoice?
As soon as the proposal is accepted, and before any work starts: the freelance proposal template names the deposit invoice as the next step. Then invoice each milestone the day it’s delivered.
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