Net payment terms · Video
Net payment terms in video: what is normal
Video terms should be short (Net-15 to Net-30) because the freelancer has already paid crew and vendors out of pocket.
Typical range
Net-15 to Net-30 on final delivery, with the deposit having already covered pre-production. Many video freelancers invoice the balance due on delivery of final files.
Off-market
Net-60+ on a project where the freelancer fronted crew, gear, and location costs. The freelancer has already paid vendors and is now waiting two months to be reimbursed.
One-line fix
"The balance is due on delivery of final files, Net-15. Late amounts accrue a 1.5% monthly fee." Front-load with a deposit that covers all third-party spend.
What we see
Video freelancers carry real out-of-pocket costs before delivery: crew day rates, rentals, locations, insurance. By the time an invoice goes out, the freelancer has often already paid those vendors from their own account. A long net window means financing not just their own time but their whole production supply chain.
This is why the deposit and the net terms have to be designed together. A deposit that covers all third-party spend means the balance owed at delivery is largely the freelancer's own margin, and a short net window on that balance is entirely reasonable. Net-15 on delivery is a common and defensible ask.
The worst structure is a small deposit paired with Net-60 on the balance. That leaves the freelancer having paid the crew, delivered the work, and waiting two months to recover both their costs and their fee. If a client insists on long terms, the correct response is a larger deposit, so the exposure is smaller.
Paste your actual contract into our free scanner and see exactly how its net payment terms compares.
Check a contract freeNo signup. Results in under 15 seconds.