Glossary · Payment terms
Net 15
Net 15 means the full invoice amount is due within 15 days of the invoice date, with no discount for paying early.
“Net” means the full amount, with no deduction; “15” is the number of days the customer has to pay, usually counted from the invoice date. An invoice dated 1 June on net 15 terms is due on 16 June.
Net 15 is common for small jobs, freelancers and new customers whose payment record you don’t know yet. It halves the credit you extend compared with net 30, which matters most when one late customer can strain your cash.
Large companies often can’t pay that fast: their accounts-payable teams run payments weekly or monthly, and approvals take time. If a customer agrees to net 15, check that their process can actually meet it, or you will be chasing invoices that were never going to arrive on time.
Example
A freelance developer bills €2,400 on 1 June, net 15. Payment is due on 16 June. Under net 30, the same invoice would not be due until 1 July.