Guides

Should you ask for a deposit or bill after the job?

Updated October 15, 2026

The question new business owners ask most is when to ask for the money. There's no single answer, but there is a simple way to decide.

Ask for a deposit when

• The job needs materials you have to buy first
• You'll hold a date for the customer, like an event or a shoot
• The customer is new to you
• The job is big or takes weeks

Common deposits are between a quarter and a half of the total. Pick what fits your business.

Bill after the job when

• The work is small
• You clean or serve the same customer every week or month
• The customer is a business that already pays on terms

How to word it

"To reserve your date, a 30% deposit is due when you book. The balance is due 7 days after the job." Say it before the work starts and put it on the invoice.

How Dunn helps

Send the deposit invoice when they book and the final invoice when the job is done, both from Dunn, each with a pay button. Payments go straight to your Stripe account. Dunn reminds your customer before each due date and adds the late fee you agreed on to the final bill.

Quick answers

Will a deposit scare customers off?
Some, and those are often the ones who would have paid late. Customers who are serious usually don't mind.

Is a deposit refundable?
Decide this ahead of time and write it down.

What about the balance?
Give it a clear due date and a late fee, just like any invoice.