What payment terms do freelance developers usually use?
Milestone-based payments are standard: an upfront deposit of 25 to 50 percent, then payments tied to delivered, testable milestones. This protects both sides. Be wary of 100 percent upfront, and equally of developers who ask for nothing, since both signal inexperience.
Answered by
Ijaz Khan, Senior Full Stack Developer
4+ years shipping production SaaS, AI products and scalable backends for clients worldwide. Available for freelance projects and full-time roles.