Copywriters write marketing and sales content for businesses: website pages, email sequences, ads, landing pages, product descriptions, and long-form pieces like case studies and white papers. Most work solo as freelancers or run small studios, and bill per project, per word, per hour, or on monthly retainers. Invoices need to show exactly which deliverables were written, how many revision rounds were included, and what usage rights transfer to the client.
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Most copywriters price by the project because clients want a known number and because the value of a sales page or email sequence has little to do with word count. Flat project fees are usually built from an estimated hour count multiplied by a target hourly rate, plus research and revision time. Per-word pricing is common for blog posts, articles, and content marketing, typically a few cents to a dollar or more per word depending on topic complexity. Hourly billing shows up for editing, rewrites, strategy calls, and work with unclear scope. Retainers are common for ongoing email, blog, or ad copy, billed monthly for a set number of deliverables or hours. Many writers add a rush fee (often 25-50%) for short turnarounds, charge extra for additional revision rounds beyond what is in the contract, and bill separately for stock images, research tools, or paid interviews if those are passed through. Deposits of 25-50% up front are standard on larger projects.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Blog post or article (800-1,500 words) | per post | $150-600 |
| Website page (home, about, service page) | per page | $250-1,000 |
| Sales or landing page (long-form) | flat fee | $800-3,500 |
| Email sequence (welcome or nurture, 3-5 emails) | per sequence | $500-2,000 |
| Case study or white paper | per piece | $500-2,500 |
| Product descriptions | per description | $15-60 |
| Editing, rewrites, and strategy calls | per hour | $50-150 |
| Monthly content retainer | per month | $1,000-4,000 |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website copy: home page, about page, and 3 service pages (includes brand voice review and 2 rounds of revisions) | 5 pages | $400.00 | $2,000.00 |
| Welcome email sequence (4 emails, subject lines and preview text included) | 1 sequence | $900.00 | $900.00 |
| Discovery call and competitor review | 2 hours | $90.00 | $180.00 |
| Additional revision round requested after final approval | 1.5 hours | $90.00 | $135.00 |
| Total | $3,215.00 | ||
Notes: Deposit of $1,500 received on project start has been applied. Balance due within 14 days of invoice date. Copyright and usage rights transfer to the client upon payment in full. Late balances are subject to a 1.5% monthly fee. Payment accepted by ACH, check, or card.
Clients often forget what was in scope. Listing each page, email, or article ties the charge to something they can open and review.
Scope creep is the most common billing dispute in copywriting. Showing how many rounds were included and which were extra justifies add-on charges.
Many contracts transfer copyright only after full payment. Stating this on the invoice reinforces that the client owns the work once the balance is paid.
Marketing teams and agencies route invoices through accounts payable, and a missing PO or project code can hold payment for weeks.
Shows the client exactly what was already paid so the remaining amount is not questioned.
Rush fees, paid interviews, stock images, or subscriptions should be visible and not buried in the project fee, so they are not mistaken for padding.
Dates of draft delivery and client approval back up the due date and help if the client goes quiet after the work is done.
Copywriters commonly collect 25-50% up front on new projects, with the balance due on final delivery or within 7-30 days of invoice. Net 15 and net 30 are the norm with businesses, and larger companies or agencies may insist on net 45 or net 60 through their payables process, so confirm this before you start. Retainers are typically billed at the start of the month, not the end. Late fees of 1-1.5% per month are common if stated in the contract; check your state's rules on interest. Payment is usually by ACH, check, or card, and some writers add a small surcharge for card payments where permitted. Many writers hold final files or publishing rights until the balance is paid.
State how many rounds are included, what counts as a round, and the hourly rate for extra rounds. Rewriting the brief halfway through is a new project, not a revision.
A 50% deposit on projects under a few thousand dollars, or 25-33% milestone payments on larger ones, protects you against clients who disappear after seeing drafts.
If payment depends on the client signing off, slow reviewers can stall your income. Set a due date tied to delivery of the first draft or to a fixed number of days after, with a window for feedback.
Discovery calls, messaging workshops, and competitor research take real time. Bill them as their own line or include them clearly in the project fee so they are not treated as free.
Bill the retainer at the start of the month, and say what happens to unused deliverables. Most writers do not roll them over unless the contract says so.
Per project works best for web pages, sales pages, and email sequences because it ties the price to the outcome. Per word suits articles and blog content where length is the main variable. Hourly is best for editing, rewrites, and open-ended work. Whichever you choose, estimate your hours privately to make sure the fee meets your target hourly rate.
That is set by your contract. Many freelance writers transfer copyright or grant a license only after payment in full, and in the US, work by an independent contractor is generally not work-made-for-hire unless a written agreement says so. Put the terms in the contract and mention them on the invoice.
Yes, if you state it in your quote or contract before the work begins. Many copywriters add 25-50% for turnarounds well below their normal schedule. List it as a separate line item on the invoice.
It depends on the state. Some states tax certain digital or advertising services, and many do not tax professional writing services at all. Check your state's department of revenue or ask an accountant, and only add tax to the invoice if it applies to you.
Point to the revision limit in your contract and offer to do additional rounds at your hourly rate. Invoice the extra time as a separate line so the original project fee stays clean.
Send a Copywriter estimate for approval, then turn it into an invoice when the work is done.
Copywriter estimate template