A freelance quote tells the client what they get, what it costs, how long it takes and how they pay. Put the price next to the work, say what is not included, give an end date for the offer and ask for a yes in writing. Use the same layout every time, and a quote takes ten minutes.
| Line | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| The job | Two sentences and a list of deliverables. It stops "I thought it included..." |
| The price | Each part priced, then the total, and VAT if you charge it |
| The terms | Start date, timeline, deposit, days to pay and the date the offer ends |
14 quotes and lines you can copy
Fourteen pieces of a quote, each for one situation. The sums are examples and add up exactly. Use your own prices. Replace every [BRACKET] with a real fact.
Jump to: A one-page quoteOptions, a cover email and what is not includedTerms, changes and replies
- A one-page quote for a fixed-price design jobSubject: Quote [NUMBER]: logo and brand sheetQuote [NUMBER] for [CLIENT]. Date: [DATE]. Valid until: [DATE]. The job: a logo and a one-page brand sheet for [BUSINESS]. Logo design, two concepts, two rounds of changes: £600 Brand sheet (colours, fonts, rules): £250 Total: £850 Not included: printing, a website, extra rounds of changes. Start: [DATE]. Finish: about [NUMBER] weeks after I have your answers. Payment: £[DEPOSIT] to start, the rest within [NUMBER] days of delivery. To accept, reply "yes" to this email.
- Hourly work, with a range and a capSubject: Quote [NUMBER]: [PROJECT], estimate and capI estimate [20] to [26] hours for [PROJECT]. At £[45] an hour that is £900 to £1,170. I will not go above £1,170 without asking you first. I will send my hours with each invoice. If you want a firmer number, I can quote a fixed price after [WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE].
- A monthly retainerSubject: Retainer quote: [SERVICE], per monthEach month I will give you [10] hours of [SERVICE] for £[50] an hour: £500 a month. Unused hours [DO NOT / DO] carry over. Work beyond [10] hours is quoted first. Billed on the [DAY] of each month. Either of us can stop with [NUMBER] days' notice in writing.
More examples, by situation
Options, a cover email and what is not included
- A quote with two optionsSubject: Quote [NUMBER]: two optionsOption A, basic: [WHAT IT INCLUDES], £400. Option B, fuller: everything in A, plus [EXTRA], £650. I suggest B, because [REAL REASON]. Both are valid until [DATE]. To accept, reply "A" or "B".
- The three-line email that goes with a quoteSubject: Quote for [PROJECT]Hi [NAME], thank you for the details on [PROJECT]. My quote is attached: [ONE-LINE SUMMARY AND TOTAL]. It is valid until [DATE]. If anything is unclear, tell me and I will change it.
- What is not included: a writing jobNot included: interviews, photos, posting to your site, more than [ONE] round of changes, any changes after sign-off.
- What is not included: a design jobNot included: print costs, stock images or fonts that need a licence (quoted separately), more than [TWO] rounds of changes, adapting the design to other sizes.
- What is not included: a web jobNot included: writing the text, photos, hosting, domain, updates after launch, any page beyond the [FIVE] listed.
Terms, changes and replies
- Payment terms: four versionsPick one. Deposit: £[AMOUNT] to start, the rest on delivery. Milestones: [30]% to start, [40]% at [MILESTONE], [30]% at the end. On delivery: the full amount within [NUMBER] days. Monthly: invoiced on the [DAY], due in [NUMBER] days.
- The offer date and the way to acceptThis quote is valid until [DATE]. To accept, reply "yes" to this email and I will send the deposit invoice. After [DATE] my price and dates may change.
- A revised quote after the brief changesSubject: Revised quote [NUMBER]: [PROJECT]Thank you for the changes. Compared with quote [OLD NUMBER]: we have added [WHAT] (£[AMOUNT]) and removed [WHAT] (-£[AMOUNT]). The new total is £[TOTAL]. The finish date moves to [DATE]. Reply "yes" and I will start on the changed work.
- When they ask "can you do it cheaper?"I can lower the price if we lower what is in it. Without [ITEM] the total is £[AMOUNT]. I keep my rate the same so the work stays at the standard you saw. Which option would you like?
- A follow-up three days after sendingSubject: Quote [NUMBER]: any questions?Hi [NAME], my quote for [PROJECT] went to you on [DAY]. Would it help if I changed something or talked it through? I can hold [DATES] for you until [DATE]. [ADD IF TRUE: THE DATES ARE REALLY HELD.]
- A quote with expenses listed apartSubject: Quote [NUMBER]: [PROJECT] and expensesFee for the work: £800. Expenses, at cost, receipts supplied: stock images £36, fonts £24, [TRAVEL IF ANY]. Total: £860 plus any travel. I will ask before any expense above £[AMOUNT]. Add VAT if you are registered.
Download these examples
The same text as this page, in one file, with the gaps ready to fill in.
What to avoid
- Showing a total you did not add up. Check every sum twice.
- A quote with no end date. Without one the price never runs out.
- Giving a price with no list of what it covers. Name the deliverables.
- Tax advice. Say "add VAT if you are registered" and nothing more.
- Legal wording about cancellation or liability. For a contract, see a lawyer.
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After the yes
The tool is free. It checks the invoice you send once the job is done.
Invoice Checker
What you give it: An invoice, yours or one you received, as text. It cannot read a picture or a scan.
What you get: Every line, the subtotal, the discount, the tax and the total worked out again, and every difference listed. It lists common fields that are missing and flags date, currency and rounding problems. No tax advice. Without a code tool it shows the sums by hand and says they need checking.
What goes in a quote for freelance work?
The job, the price for each part, the total, the start date, the timeline, the payment terms, what is not included and the date the offer ends.
Should a freelance quote include a deposit?
Many do. Put it in the quote and say it again when the client accepts. The deposit page has the emails.
What if the client wants to change the brief?
Send a revised quote that shows what changed and what it costs. The page has a template.
How do I send a quote in ten minutes?
Keep one layout and change the brackets: job, deliverables, price, dates, terms. The examples show the parts.
Questions people ask
What do I do with the [BRACKETS]?
Replace each one with a real fact. If you cannot, delete the line. Never leave a bracket in what you send.
What should a freelance quote include?
Your details and the client's, the job in two sentences, a list of deliverables, the price for each part, the total, the start date, the timeline, the payment terms, what is not included and the date the offer ends.
What is the difference between a quote and an estimate?
In plain use, a quote is a price you hold to and an estimate is your best guess, which may change. Say which one you are sending. We cite no law here.
How do I price a quote?
Either hours times your rate, or a fixed price for each deliverable, plus costs. Show the sum so the client can see it. Both are in the examples.
How long should a quote be valid?
Fourteen to thirty days is common. That is a choice, not a rule. Write the date.
Is there a Word version of this template?
Yes. The Download section on this page has the examples as a Word file.