Benchmark
The cancellation payment the freelancer keeps if the client walks away mid-project.
Typical range
25% at kickoff or on cancellation before real work begins; around 50% after concepts or drafts exist; 75-100% once final files are delivered.
Off-market
No kill fee clause at all, or a clause that only pays for hours the freelancer can itemize after the fact. Both leave the risk almost entirely with the designer.
Typical range
25% for cancellation before outline or first draft; 50% after a full draft; 100% once the piece has been delivered and taken through editorial rounds.
Off-market
"Payment on publication" language paired with no kill fee. If the client kills a piece before it runs, the writer is paid nothing, even for a completed and edited article.
Typical range
25-50% due on cancellation before shoot day, toward the higher end because pre-production is real work; 75-100% once footage has been captured or the edit is underway.
Off-market
A flat "20% cancellation fee at any stage" clause, which underpays the freelancer when a project is cancelled after the shoot but overpays when nothing has happened yet.
Typical range
50% if the brand cancels after signature but before content is produced; 100% once content has been created or delivered, whether or not it is ever posted.
Off-market
A clause letting the brand cancel any time before posting with no payment, even after the creator has scripted, filmed, and edited the content.
Typical range
The booking retainer (often 25-50%) is non-refundable on cancellation; a further tier of 50-100% applies for cancellations close to the shoot date, when the day can no longer be rebooked.
Off-market
A clause letting the client cancel any time with a full refund of the retainer, leaving the photographer with a blocked calendar date and no compensation.
Typical range
All completed and in-progress milestones are due on cancellation. Before real work, the deposit is retained; mid-milestone, that milestone is billed pro-rata or in full.
Off-market
A clause letting the client cancel any time and pay only for 'accepted' work, so a nearly finished milestone that has not been formally signed off is worth nothing.
Typical range
A notice period (often 2-4 weeks) paid in full on termination, plus fees for work already performed. Retainers are typically non-refundable for the current period.
Off-market
A clause letting the client terminate immediately with no notice pay, so a consultant who cleared their calendar for the engagement is left with a sudden gap and no compensation.