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Guide · Freelancer pricing
Name your price vs fixed invoice
Some freelancers quote a fixed project fee on the invoice. Others invite the client to “name your price,” tip, or pay what they can. Both can be honest — they solve different problems and need different invoice wording.
Quick side-by-side
| Fixed invoice | Name-your-price / pay-what-you-want | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount due | You set it; client pays that number | You suggest a range or floor; client chooses |
| Best for | Scoped projects, B2B, repeat retainers | Creative tips, community work, sliding-scale offers |
| Cash predictability | High if the client pays on time | Variable — plan for lows |
| Invoice clarity | Line items + total due | Suggested amount, minimum, and how to pay |
| Client expectation | “This is the bill” | “You choose within my rules” |
Pricing strategy is business preference — not tax, legal, or accounting advice.
When a fixed invoice is the better default
- The scope is clear (deliverables, rounds of revision, timeline)
- The client is a company that needs a PO-friendly amount due
- You need predictable cash for rent, taxes, and tools
- You are comparing yourself to market rates, not asking for charity
- Late payment is already a risk — fuzzy totals make follow-up harder
A fixed Excel invoice usually shows description, quantity or hours, rate, line total, and amount due. Yellow input cells for your numbers; gray cells for the math.
When name-your-price can make sense
- Optional tips after a free or low-cost deliverable
- Sliding-scale community work where you publish a suggested range
- Early portfolio projects where a floor protects you but the ceiling is open
- Digital products or workshops where “pay what you want” is the marketing model
Even then, write the rules on the invoice: suggested amount, minimum (if any), what is included, and payment methods. “Whatever you feel” with no floor often trains clients to underpay.
How to word each on the invoice
- Fixed: “Website redesign — fixed project fee” → one line, clear amount due, payment terms (e.g. Net 14)
- Fixed + extras: Base fee as one line; optional add-ons as separate lines so the total stays readable
- Name-your-price: “Suggested: $X–$Y · Minimum: $Z · Pay via …” in the notes or description; put the client’s chosen amount in the amount field when they confirm
- Hybrid: Fixed deposit on invoice #1; name-your-price tip line only after delivery — never mix unclear totals with a hard due date
Practical rule of thumb
Use fixed when the client expects a bill and you need the money. Use name-your-price only when you can afford variance and you still publish a suggested range or minimum. Either way, the spreadsheet should make the amount due obvious — fuzzy pricing is a conversation; the invoice is the record.