Free calculator
Payment milestone calculator
Billing everything at the end means you carry the whole project on credit. Enter your fee, deposit and final payment to get a milestone schedule with exact amounts, ready to paste into your proposal. Runs in your browser, no signup.
| Payment | % | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DepositOn signing, before work starts | 30% | $1,800.00 |
| Milestone 1When milestone 1 is delivered and approved | 25% | $1,500.00 |
| Milestone 2When milestone 2 is delivered and approved | 25% | $1,500.00 |
| Final paymentOn final sign-off, before files and access are handed over | 20% | $1,200.00 |
Paste this into your proposal or contract
Payment schedule (total $6,000.00): - Deposit: $1,800.00 (30%), due on signing, before work starts. - Milestone 1: $1,500.00 (25%), due when milestone 1 is delivered and approved. - Milestone 2: $1,500.00 (25%), due when milestone 2 is delivered and approved. - Final payment: $1,200.00 (20%), due on final sign-off, before files and access are handed over. Each invoice is due within 7 days. Work on the next milestone starts once the previous invoice is paid. Requests outside the agreed scope are quoted separately as a change order.
How to use it
- Enter the total fee you quoted for the project.
- Set the upfront deposit the client pays before you start.
- Choose how many milestone payments you want in between, one per deliverable or phase.
- Set the final payment you hold back until the client signs off.
- Copy the schedule into your proposal or contract, and invoice each payment as its milestone is approved.
Not sure what to charge in the first place? Start with the project quote calculator, define each milestone in a statement of work, and use the project closeout checklist to collect the final payment.
Keep extras out of your milestones
ScopeLine stores the original deal, logs each extra request against it and turns them into change orders the client can approve from a link, no login needed. Free for 3 active projects, no card.
Start free on ScopeLineFAQ
- How much deposit should a freelancer ask for?
- Many freelancers ask for 25% to 50% upfront, and 50% is common for smaller projects. A deposit filters out clients who aren't committed and covers your time if the project stops early. Pick a number you can explain and keep it the same for every client.
- How does the calculator split the payments?
- It takes the deposit and final payment percentages you enter, then splits whatever is left evenly across the milestone payments. Amounts are rounded to the cent, and the last payment absorbs any rounding so the total always matches your fee.
- Why hold a final payment until sign-off?
- A final payment tied to written sign-off gives both sides a clear finish line. The client knows they approve the work before the last invoice, and you hand over final files and access once it is paid.
- What happens when the client asks for work outside the milestones?
- Treat it as a change order: price the extra work separately and get it approved before you start, instead of folding it into an existing milestone. That keeps each milestone tied to the scope it was quoted for.
- Is my data saved or sent anywhere?
- No. The calculator runs entirely in your browser and nothing you type is stored or sent to a server.
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