Designers under-bill for three specific things: revision rounds past what was agreed, extended usage rights the client assumed were included, and source files handed over out of politeness. All three are worth real money and all three are invisible unless your invoice makes them visible.
This template puts them on the page.
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Key takeaways
| Line item | How to phrase it | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Core design work | Deliverable + concept count + revision rounds included | Defines what ‘done’ means |
| Extra revisions | Round number, date requested, approver | Makes out-of-scope work undeniable |
| Usage rights | Media, territory, duration | A logo for local use is not a logo for global campaigns |
| Source files | Named formats (.ai, .psd, .fig) | Either bill it or state it’s included |
| Stock assets | Licence cost, passed through at cost | Client should own the licence, not you |
| Rush surcharge | % or flat, with the date it was requested | Only if agreed in advance |
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand identity — 3 concepts, 2 revision rounds (per proposal 12 Jul 2026) | 1 | €2,400 | €2,400 |
| Revision round 3 — requested by K. Weber, 26 Jul (beyond agreed scope) | 1 | €350 | €350 |
| Usage licence — worldwide, all media, perpetual | 1 | €600 | €600 |
| Source file handover (.ai, .svg, packaged fonts) | 1 | €250 | €250 |
| Stock photography licence (Getty #1284412) — at cost | 1 | €120 | €120 |
Notice that every potentially contentious line carries its own justification inside the description. That is the whole trick.
Your invoice, your branding
Add your logo and colours so the invoice looks like it came from a design business, not a spreadsheet.
A design fee pays for the work of designing. What the client may then do with the result is a separate question, and in most jurisdictions copyright stays with the creator unless assigned in writing.
Practically, price along three axes:
A social-only, one-country, one-year licence should not cost the same as a worldwide perpetual buyout. Put the terms on the invoice so there is a paper trail of what was actually bought.
If a design client goes quiet on an invoice, what to do when a client won’t pay covers escalation without burning the relationship.
Adjacent disciplines with their own quirks: web development, photography, video editing.
Either an hourly rate or a flat per-round fee set at roughly 10–15% of the project fee. Whichever you choose, state it in the proposal so the invoice line is a reminder rather than a surprise.
Only if it was agreed. Source files let the client (or a cheaper designer) modify your work indefinitely, which is why many studios price them separately or exclude them entirely.
In most jurisdictions, yes, until you assign it in writing. Work-for-hire arrangements and employment contracts are the main exceptions. If the client needs full ownership, that is a transfer to be priced and documented.
Avoid it. It incentivises volume over quality and effectively asks you to do speculative work. Quote a project fee with a defined concept count instead.
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