Motion Graphics Invoice Template (Pricing + Example)
Motion graphics invoice template for animators: bill per second or per project, handle revisions and deposits, and copy a worked example with clear totals.
Quick answer: A motion graphics invoice template is an invoice for animators and motion designers that lists the project stages (script, styleframes, animatic, animation, final delivery), the pricing basis (per project, per second or per hour), revision rounds, deposits already paid and any licensed assets, and ends with a clear balance due and payment terms.
Motion graphics projects run in stages, and money problems usually start when the invoice does not follow those stages. A client approves styleframes, then asks for a new color palette after the animation is rendered, and suddenly a two-week job takes six. A well-built invoice ties every payment to a milestone and every extra to a change. This guide covers what to include, how per-second and project pricing translate to invoice lines, a worked example and mistakes to avoid.
What is a motion graphics invoice?
A motion graphics invoice is a bill from a motion designer, animator or studio to a client for animated video work: explainer videos, logo stings, title sequences, social ads, UI animations or broadcast graphics. It sits between a video editing invoice and a graphic design invoice: it has design deliverables and usage questions like design work, and time-based production like video.
How to price motion graphics: per second, per project or hourly
| Method | How it works | Best for | Invoice wording example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per second (or per minute) | Finished duration multiplied by a complexity-based rate | Explainers and ads with clear length | "60-sec 2D explainer, 60 sec at $X/sec" |
| Per project | Fixed fee for defined deliverables and revisions | Logo animations, social packs, title sequences | "Logo animation package, 3 versions" |
| Hourly or day rate | Time billed against a timesheet | Agency bookings, ongoing edits, unclear scope | "Motion design, 3 days at $X/day" |
| Retainer | Monthly fee for a set amount of capacity | Brands needing regular social content | "October content retainer, up to 20 hrs" |
Complexity drives price more than length: simple kinetic type takes far less time per second than character animation or 3D. Rates vary widely by market and experience, so this guide does not quote a universal rate. Use your own target hourly rate and a time estimate per stage, then convert to a project fee. Our guide on value-based pricing explains when to price on outcome instead of hours.
What to include on a motion graphics invoice template
- Your name or studio, contact info, tax ID if registered, and logo
- Client company, contact, and PO or project code
- Invoice number, issue date and calendar due date
- Project title, deliverable list, durations and formats (for example 16:9, 9:16 and 1:1 versions)
- Milestone being billed (deposit, styleframes, animatic, final)
- Revision rounds included and any extra rounds billed
- Pass-through costs: stock footage, music, fonts, voice over
- Usage or license summary and whether source files are included
- Previous payments credited and balance due
Motion graphics invoice example (milestone billing)
A freelance motion designer quotes a 90-second 2D explainer for a SaaS company at $6,300, billed in three milestones: 40% deposit, 30% on animatic approval, 30% on final delivery. Below is the final invoice, after the client added a vertical cut-down and one extra revision round. Figures are illustrative.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90-sec 2D explainer "How Ledgerly Works", final milestone (30% of $6,300) | 1 | $1,890.00 | $1,890.00 |
| Change order: 15-sec 9:16 social cut-down | 1 | $650.00 | $650.00 |
| Extra revision round on final animation (hours) | 4 | $85.00 | $340.00 |
| Licensed music track, standard web license (pass-through) | 1 | $49.00 | $49.00 |
| Voice over talent fee (pass-through, invoice attached) | 1 | $400.00 | $400.00 |
| Subtotal | $3,329.00 | ||
| Sales tax | $0.00 | ||
| Total due by Nov 28, 2026 | $3,329.00 | ||
The full project picture: deposit invoice $2,520 (40%), animatic invoice $1,890 (30%), and this final invoice $3,329. Total paid across the project is $7,739: the original $6,300 plus $650 for the cut-down, $340 for extra revisions and $449 in pass-through costs. Listing the milestone percentage on each invoice keeps the client's finance team on the same page.
How to bill a motion graphics project in 7 steps
- Write a scope and quote that lists deliverables, durations, formats, revision rounds per stage and the milestone schedule. A statement of work works well here.
- Send a deposit invoice before storyboarding. See how a deposit invoice is laid out.
- Get written approval at each stage: script, styleframes, animatic, final. Approval emails are your evidence if scope is questioned.
- Log changes as change orders with a price before you do the work. Our guide to scope creep and change orders has templates.
- Invoice each milestone on approval using the free invoice generator, crediting prior payments.
- Attach pass-through receipts for music, stock and voice talent.
- Deliver final files after the final payment clears, or deliver watermarked previews until then, as your contract allows.
Revisions, rights and source files
How to limit revisions without upsetting clients
Explain early that changes get more expensive as the project moves forward. A color change at styleframes takes minutes; the same change after animation can mean re-rendering every scene. Put the included rounds per stage in your quote, and when the client exceeds them, bill extra rounds hourly with a short description on the invoice.
Usage rights and copyright
Under US law, a freelancer generally owns the copyright in work they create unless it is transferred in a signed writing or qualifies as a work made for hire. Parts of an audiovisual work are one of the categories that can be commissioned as work made for hire, but only with a written agreement signed by both parties, according to the U.S. Copyright Office's Circular 30. If you transfer rights or hand over source files, price it and state it in the contract. This is general information, not legal advice.
Cancellation and kill fees
If a client stops the project midway, a kill fee clause lets you invoice the stages completed plus non-refundable costs. Milestone billing makes this simple, because each stage already has a value.
How to estimate a motion graphics fee before you invoice
Your invoice is only as good as the quote behind it. A simple way to build a project fee is to estimate hours per stage, multiply by your target rate, then add a buffer for feedback and rendering. Here is an illustrative estimate for the 90-second explainer above, at a target rate of $85 per hour:
| Stage | Estimated hours | Cost at $85/hr |
|---|---|---|
| Script review and storyboard | 8 | $680 |
| Styleframes (3 frames, 2 rounds) | 12 | $1,020 |
| Animatic | 10 | $850 |
| Animation and sound sync | 32 | $2,720 |
| Final revisions, renders and exports | 8 | $680 |
| Total | 70 | $5,950 |
Rounded up with a small contingency, that becomes the $6,300 fixed fee. Dividing $6,300 by 90 seconds gives an effective rate of $70 per finished second, which is the figure you might quote next time a client asks for per-second pricing on similar work. If the client later asks for 120 seconds, you already know the extra 30 seconds will add roughly a third of the animation hours, so you can price the change order with confidence.
Keep your estimate spreadsheet after the project. Comparing estimated hours to actual hours across several jobs is the fastest way to find out whether your per-second rates are profitable or whether certain stages, often revisions, are quietly eating your margin.
Common motion graphics invoice mistakes
- Invoicing the whole fee at the end. A cancelled six-week project can leave you with nothing. Use milestones.
- Not pricing aspect ratio versions. 9:16 and 1:1 cuts are new layouts, not exports. Quote them.
- Absorbing asset costs. Music, stock and fonts are real expenses; pass them through.
- Doing change requests before pricing them. Quote first, then work.
- Silent source file handover. Project files have value; charge for them if requested.
- No running balance. Show deposit and milestone credits so the client can follow the total.
Motion graphics invoice checklist
- Milestone and percentage being billed
- Deliverables with durations and aspect ratios
- Revision rounds used and extras billed
- Change orders listed separately
- Pass-through costs with license types
- Rights and source file status in the notes
- Prior payments credited and due date shown
If you are building a freelance animation career, our guide on how to become a freelance video editor covers client finding and portfolio tips that apply to motion work too.
A clear motion graphics invoice template keeps milestone payments flowing and makes extra work easy to bill. Use our free invoice generator to create yours: no sign-up, it builds the PDF in your browser, and you can download and send it as soon as each stage is approved. You can also browse ready layouts on our invoice templates page.
Frequently asked questions
How do motion graphics designers usually charge?
Most charge per project for defined pieces such as explainer videos, logo animations or social ad packs, often derived from a per-second or per-minute estimate. Hourly or day rates are common for agency in-house bookings and open-ended work. Per-project pricing with clear milestones and a revision limit is usually easiest for clients to approve and for you to invoice.
What is per-second pricing in animation?
Per-second pricing multiplies the finished duration of an animation by a rate per second that reflects complexity, such as simple kinetic typography versus character animation or 3D. It is a quick way to quote explainer videos. On the invoice, show the duration and the rate so the client can see how the total was reached, and treat changes in length as a change order.
How much deposit should I take for a motion graphics project?
Many motion designers ask for 30% to 50% upfront before storyboarding begins, with the rest split across milestones such as styleframes, animatic and final delivery. A deposit covers your time if the client cancels early and confirms they are committed. Bill it as its own invoice and credit it on later invoices so the running balance is easy to follow.
How many revisions should a motion graphics quote include?
Two rounds of revisions per stage is a common default: two at styleframes, two at animatic and one or two at final animation. Changes are cheaper early, so explain that revisions to storyboards cost far less than changes after animation is rendered. Bill extra rounds at your hourly rate and list them as separate invoice lines.
Should I charge for stock assets, fonts and music?
Yes, if the project needs licensed stock footage, music, fonts or plugins bought specifically for it. Bill them as pass-through costs at cost or with a stated markup, and note which license was purchased and in whose name. Clients often need the license in their own name for broadcast or paid ads, so agree on this early.
Who owns the project files in motion graphics work?
It depends on your contract. Many designers deliver final rendered files and grant usage rights, but keep source project files such as After Effects or Cinema 4D files unless the client pays extra for them. If the client needs source files or a full copyright transfer, price it as a separate line item and put the transfer in a signed agreement.
What if the client cancels a motion graphics project halfway?
A good contract includes a cancellation or kill fee that pays you for work done to date, typically tied to the milestones reached. Invoice the completed stages plus any non-refundable costs, credit the deposit, and state that no rights transfer for unused work unless agreed. Clear milestones make this calculation simple and hard to dispute.
Can I invoice in a foreign currency for international clients?
Yes. Many motion designers bill overseas agencies in USD, EUR or GBP. State the currency clearly next to every amount, agree who pays transfer fees, and list the payment method details. For tax and bookkeeping, record the amount in your home currency on the date you receive payment, following your local tax authority's rules.
Invoice Creator Editorial Team
Guides on invoicing, cash flow and small-business finance from Invoice Creator, operated by Next Software Development Company. Content is reviewed for accuracy against the fields our own invoice generator produces.
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