Get paid before you buy the materials.
A deposit invoice bills part of a job before the work starts. It shows the full job total, the amount due today, and the balance left to pay on completion — so your client knows exactly what they owe now and what is still coming. Set the deposit below as a percentage or a fixed amount and the balance is worked out for you.
Percentage or fixed deposit · balance shown automatically · no signup
Why tradies take a deposit — A deposit covers your materials before you are out of pocket, and it filters out clients who were never going to pay. 10-50% up front is normal for trade and creative work; 50% is standard when you are buying materials in advance.
Your business name and tax number, then who the job is for. These appear at the top of the invoice exactly as they would on a normal one.
Enter every line item for the full job. A deposit invoice that only lists 'deposit' gives the client nothing to check and is the most common reason they query it.
Choose a percentage (30% is common) or a fixed amount. The invoice then shows the total, the deposit due now, and the remaining balance on completion.
Download the PDF, or share a link and get an email the moment your client opens it. Add your bank details or PayID so they can pay without card fees.
Build a deposit invoice in under a minute, download the PDF free, and get paid straight into your bank account with no transaction fee from us.
Create a deposit invoiceA deposit invoice is an invoice that asks for part of the job total up front, before the work is done. It states the full price, the deposit due now, and the balance payable later. It is a real invoice — not a quote — so the deposit amount is legally payable once the client accepts it.
Between 10% and 50% is normal. Ask for closer to 50% when you are buying materials up front or the job runs over several weeks, and closer to 10-25% for short jobs or new clients who are nervous. For very large jobs, staged progress billing usually works better than one big deposit.
In Australia, GST is generally payable on a deposit at the time it is applied to the price of the job, and a deposit invoice should show GST on the amount being charged. Rules differ by country and by whether the deposit is a security deposit or a part payment, so check with your accountant or tax authority for your situation.
Yes. When the work is finished you send a final invoice for the remaining balance, referencing the deposit already paid so the client can see it has been credited. In InvoiceSonic you can enter the deposit under 'Amount already paid' on the final invoice and the balance updates automatically.
No. A proforma invoice is a preliminary document that is not a demand for payment and does not go in your accounts. A deposit invoice is a genuine tax invoice for the deposit amount, and it is recorded as income when paid.