The terms you will actually see
| Term | Meaning | Where it shows up |
|---|---|---|
| Due on receipt | Payable immediately | Small deals, first-time brands, your own terms |
| Net 15 | 15 days | Direct brand deals, smaller companies |
| Net 30 | 30 days | The default in most creator contracts |
| Net 45 / Net 60 | 45 or 60 days | Large advertisers and agency intermediaries |
| 2/10 Net 30 | 2% off if paid within 10 days, otherwise 30 | Rare in creator work, common in B2B |
Net 60 through an agency is not automatically bad faith — it often reflects the agency's own terms with the advertiser. It is still sixty days of your cash funding someone else's campaign, and it is a reason to ask for a larger deposit rather than a reason to walk.
The clock: the part that actually decides when you get paid
"Net 30" with no anchor is not a term. These three anchors can sit six weeks apart on the same deal.
| Anchor | Clock starts | Risk to you |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice date | The day you invoice | Lowest — you control it. Invoice on delivery. |
| Delivery / acceptance | When the brand signs off | Medium — "acceptance" can drift through revision rounds |
| Publication date | When the content goes live | Highest — a campaign delay is now your cash-flow problem |
Deposits
A 50% deposit before work starts is the working convention in creator contracts, with the balance on Net 30. It is not a sign of distrust — it is the standard way a freelancer is not financing a company's marketing budget. Deposits also do most of the work of screening: a brand that will not pay half up front for a $1,200 video is telling you something useful early.
Late payment is regulated in more places than creators expect
Several US jurisdictions now require a written contract with freelancers and set a statutory payment deadline when the contract does not name one. The pattern is consistent: pay by the date in the contract, and if no date is stated, within 30 days of completing the work.
| Law | In force | Applies from | Deadline if no date stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York — Freelance Isn't Free Act (statewide) | 20 May 2024 | $800 | 30 days after completion |
| California — Freelance Worker Protection Act (SB 988) | 1 Jan 2025 | $250 | 30 days after completion |
| Illinois — Freelance Worker Protection Act | 1 Jul 2024 | $500 | 30 days after completion |
The New York threshold counts a single contract or the total of contracts with the same party over the preceding 120 days; Illinois measures $500 of value within a 120-day period. All three require the agreement in writing, and California requires the hiring party to keep a signed copy for at least four years. Several cities, including Los Angeles, Seattle and Minneapolis, have their own ordinances.
What to put in your own terms
- Deposit: 50% on signature, before any work begins.
- Balance: Net 30 from invoice date, invoiced on delivery of the final asset.
- Late fee: 1.5% per month on overdue balances — mainly so the brand's finance team has a reason to prioritise you.
- Kill fee: what you keep if the campaign is cancelled after you have started. 50% is common; 100% after delivery.
- Written agreement required before work starts. In several states this is the law, and everywhere else it is what makes the rest of the list enforceable.
Why it belongs on your public page
Payment terms are one of the three chips a brand sees on an Ampya page before they write to you, and one of the nine fields that travel with every inquiry. Brands with Net 60 procurement find out before they draft the brief, not after you have shot the video — which is the difference between a negotiation and an argument.
Questions creators ask
What does Net 30 mean?
Net 30 means the full invoice amount is due within 30 days. In creator contracts the important detail is what the 30 days run from — invoice date, delivery and acceptance, or publication — because those can be several weeks apart.
Is Net 30 normal for brand deals?
Yes, Net 30 is the most common term in creator contracts, usually alongside a deposit before work starts. Net 45 or Net 60 appears with large advertisers and agencies, which typically reflects their own payment cycles.
Can I ask for a deposit?
Yes, and it is standard. A 50% deposit on signature with the balance on Net 30 is the working convention. It also screens out brands that were never in a position to pay.
What can I do if a brand pays late?
Start with the invoice trail and a written reminder citing the contract term. Several US states — New York, California and Illinois among them — require written freelance contracts and set a 30-day statutory deadline when none is stated, with remedies for non-payment. Which applies depends on the parties and the jurisdiction, so take specific advice.
Should Net 30 start from invoice or from publication?
From the invoice, and invoice on delivery. A publication trigger hands your payment date to someone else's campaign calendar, so a two-month launch delay becomes your cash-flow problem rather than theirs.