Blog
Notes on getting paid.
Invoicing, billing and running a small business — practical advice from the team building BillGrid.
What to Do When a Client Won't Pay
New York has recovered more than $3.5 million for unpaid freelancers since 2017. The path from a polite nudge to small claims court, with the laws that help in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.
Read the postHow to Ask Clients for a Deposit
There's no research behind "ask for half up front." What the rules do say about how much to take, when you can keep it, and when it counts as income.
Read the postNet 30 or Net 15? How to Choose Your Payment Terms
55% of businesses on net 30 terms have overdue invoices, against 26% of those asking for payment on receipt. What each term means, what the law assumes, and how to choose.
Read the postEstimate, Quote or Proposal: Which Should You Send?
To a client the words sound alike; to consumer law they often aren't. What an estimate, a quote and a proposal each promise, what to put in them, and when to send which.
Read the postHow to Invoice International Clients
A card from abroad can nearly double your card fees. Which currency to bill in, when VAT or GST applies to services, and a checklist for invoicing clients in other countries.
Read the postPayment Reminder Emails That Get Invoices Paid
59% of U.S. small businesses have an invoice more than 30 days overdue. Six reminder emails to copy, when to send each, and what the research says actually gets clients to pay.
Read the postHow to Invoice for Hourly Work
People who estimate their hours from memory overstate them by 5-10%. How to keep honest time records, round and describe work fairly, and turn a timesheet into an invoice.
Read the postThe New BillGrid
Every BillGrid account has moved to a rebuilt app with its clients, invoices and history intact. A tour of the new design, the new features and what now works differently.
Read the postYour Invoices, on Your Calendar
59% of small businesses are waiting on an overdue invoice. We rebuilt Google Calendar sync so every due date sits on your calendar and shows whether you've been paid.
Read the postHow to Create a Professional Invoice
Roughly half of all invoices are still processed by hand. Here's what the data says about why that gets you paid slower, plus the checklist and the incoming e-invoicing rules worth knowing about.
Read the postWhy Freelancers Are Ditching Spreadsheets for Online Billing
76.4 million Americans now freelance, and most are still billing out of a spreadsheet. Here's what the data says that actually costs them.
Read the postChoosing an Online Invoicing Tool: The Checklist That Matters
44% of accounting-software buyers regret their choice, the highest rate of any software category surveyed. This checklist helps you avoid joining them.
Read the postLate Payments Are a $17,500 Problem: How to Fight Back
More than half of small businesses are currently owed money by a late-paying client. Here's what the research says about late fees, what the law now requires in several states, and how to actually get paid.
Read the postIs Online Invoicing Actually Green?
560 billion invoices are issued worldwide each year, and only a fifth are electronic. What the carbon-footprint research actually says, including the parts that flatter no one.
Read the postWhy More Agencies Are Ditching Project Invoices for Retainers
Retainers are now the primary billing model for 78% of agencies, up from 64% just three years ago. Here's what the numbers say about why -- and what it takes to bill that way.
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