{"id":2246,"date":"2026-10-26T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solidgigs.com\/blog\/?p=2246"},"modified":"2026-11-07T10:19:22","modified_gmt":"2026-11-07T17:19:22","slug":"kill-fee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/solidgigs.com\/blog\/kill-fee\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Kill Fee? A Freelancer&#8217;s Guide (+ Sample Clause)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;ve blocked off three weeks for a client&#8217;s website copy. You&#8217;ve turned down two other projects to make room. Then, halfway through, you get the email: &#8220;We&#8217;ve decided to go in a different direction.&#8221; No more project, and maybe no more paycheck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s exactly the situation a <strong>kill fee<\/strong> is designed for. A kill fee is a payment a client agrees to make if they cancel a project after it&#8217;s started (or after you&#8217;ve reserved time for it). It covers the work you&#8217;ve already done and the income you gave up by saying yes to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this guide, you&#8217;ll learn how kill fees work, what percentage to charge, how to write a kill fee clause into your contract, and how to bring it up with clients without making things awkward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-a-kill-fee\">What Is a Kill Fee?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A kill fee is a pre-agreed cancellation payment. If a client &#8220;kills&#8221; a project before it&#8217;s finished, they pay you a set amount, usually a percentage of the total project fee, instead of paying nothing or paying only for hours you can prove.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The term comes from magazine and newspaper publishing. Editors would commission a freelance article, and if they decided not to run it, they&#8217;d pay the writer a fraction of the agreed fee. Today, kill fees show up across almost every freelance field: design, development, photography, video, marketing, consulting and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A kill fee isn&#8217;t a penalty, and it isn&#8217;t the client &#8220;punishing&#8221; themselves. It&#8217;s compensation for three very real costs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Work already completed.<\/strong> Research, drafts, concepts and calls all take time, even if nothing gets delivered.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Opportunity cost.<\/strong> You likely turned down other work to keep space open for this project.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Scheduling disruption.<\/strong> A sudden gap in your calendar is hard to fill on short notice, especially mid-month.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-freelancers-need-a-kill-fee\">Why Freelancers Need a Kill Fee<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Employees get paid for their time whether or not a project ships. Freelancers don&#8217;t have that safety net. Without a kill fee, a cancellation can leave you arguing over what you&#8217;re &#8220;owed,&#8221; often with a client who&#8217;s already mentally moved on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A clear kill fee clause helps you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Protect your income<\/strong> when projects get cut because of budget changes, leadership shake-ups or shifting priorities (most of which have nothing to do with you).<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Avoid uncomfortable negotiations<\/strong> after the fact, because the number was agreed on before anyone was upset.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Filter out unserious clients.<\/strong> Clients who balk at any cancellation terms are sometimes signaling that they expect to change their minds.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Look more professional.<\/strong> Established freelancers and agencies use cancellation terms. Including one shows you run a real business.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-much-should-a-kill-fee\">How Much Should a Kill Fee Be?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There&#8217;s no legal standard, so the right kill fee depends on your industry, the project size and how much of your schedule the project takes up. That said, most freelancers land in a predictable range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Kill Fee Percentages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>25%\u201350% of the total fee:<\/strong> The most common range, especially for writing, design and creative work.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>50%\u2013100%:<\/strong> Reasonable when the project is nearly finished, or when you&#8217;ve reserved a large, fixed block of time (like an event photography date).<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>100% of completed work, plus a percentage of the remainder:<\/strong> A popular hybrid for larger projects. The client pays in full for everything done so far, plus something like 20%\u201325% of the unfinished balance to cover lost time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use a Tiered Kill Fee Based on Timing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A single flat percentage is simple, but a tiered kill fee is often fairer for both sides. The later a client cancels, the more of your time they&#8217;ve used and the harder it is to replace. Here&#8217;s an example structure you could adapt:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Cancelled before work begins:<\/strong> Deposit is kept (for example, 25%).<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Cancelled after work begins but before the first deliverable:<\/strong> 50% of the project fee.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Cancelled after the first deliverable or draft:<\/strong> 75% of the project fee.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Cancelled after final delivery is submitted:<\/strong> 100% of the project fee.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Factors That Should Push Your Kill Fee Higher<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You&#8217;ve blocked a fixed date or time window that&#8217;s hard to rebook.<\/li>\n\n<li>You&#8217;ve bought materials, software, stock assets or travel for the project.<\/li>\n\n<li>The project is a large share of your monthly income.<\/li>\n\n<li>You&#8217;re declining other offers because of this commitment.<\/li>\n\n<li>The client is new, so you have no track record with them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-write-a-kill-fee\">How to Write a Kill Fee Clause<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A kill fee only protects you if it&#8217;s in writing. A vague line like &#8220;a cancellation fee may apply&#8221; won&#8217;t help much if a client pushes back. A strong kill fee clause answers these questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What counts as a cancellation?<\/strong> Define it as written notice from the client ending the project before completion. Make it clear that pausing for longer than a set period (say, 30 days) also counts.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>How much is owed, and when?<\/strong> State the percentage or tier structure and the payment due date (for example, within 14 days of the cancellation notice).<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>What happens to the deposit?<\/strong> Say whether it&#8217;s credited toward the kill fee or kept in addition to it.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Who owns the work?<\/strong> Usually, the client gets rights to the completed work only after the kill fee is paid in full. Until then, you keep ownership.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Are expenses reimbursed?<\/strong> Include any non-refundable costs you&#8217;ve already paid on the client&#8217;s behalf.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sample Kill Fee Clause<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s a plain-English example you can adapt (run it past a lawyer if the project is large or you&#8217;re unsure about your local laws):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cancellation and Kill Fee. Either party may cancel this project with written notice. If the Client cancels after the project start date, the Client will pay a kill fee based on the stage of the project at the time of cancellation: 50% of the total project fee if no deliverables have been submitted, or 75% if one or more deliverables have been submitted, plus any non-refundable expenses already incurred. The initial deposit will be credited toward this amount. The kill fee is due within 14 days of the cancellation notice. Ownership of any completed work transfers to the Client only after the kill fee is paid in full.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re putting together a full contract, it&#8217;s also worth reviewing <a href=\"https:\/\/solidgigs.com\/blog\/8-legal-steps-to-protect-your-consulting-work\/\">these legal steps to protect your consulting work<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"kill-fees-vs-deposits-whats-the\">Kill Fees vs. Deposits: What&#8217;s the Difference?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Deposits and kill fees work best as a team, but they aren&#8217;t the same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A deposit<\/strong> is paid up front, before work starts. It secures your time and reduces your risk from day one.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>A kill fee<\/strong> is owed only if the project is cancelled. It scales with how far along the project is.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The safest setup for most freelancers is both: a non-refundable deposit (often 25%\u201350%) to reserve the project, and a kill fee clause that kicks in if the client cancels later. Just be clear about whether the deposit counts toward the kill fee so there&#8217;s no confusion. Strong <a href=\"https:\/\/solidgigs.com\/blog\/freelance-payment-terms-to-get-paid\/\">freelance payment terms<\/a> make all of this easier to enforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-bring-up-a-kill\">How to Bring Up a Kill Fee With Clients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many freelancers skip the kill fee because they&#8217;re worried it&#8217;ll scare clients off. In practice, most professional clients have seen cancellation terms before. How you frame it matters more than whether you include it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Present It as Standard Practice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don&#8217;t apologize for it or bury it. Mention it calmly as part of your normal terms: &#8220;My contracts include a standard cancellation clause so we&#8217;re both covered if plans change.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Explain the &#8220;Why&#8221; in One Sentence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clients respond better when they understand the reasoning. Something like: &#8220;Because I reserve time exclusively for your project and turn down other work, the kill fee covers that time if the project ends early.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Be Flexible on Terms, Not on Having One<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a client pushes back, negotiate the percentage or timing instead of dropping the clause altogether. You could lower the early-stage percentage, add a longer notice period, or credit the deposit toward the fee. That way you stay protected while showing good faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Separate Cancellations From Disputes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some clients worry a kill fee means they&#8217;ll have to pay for bad work. Reassure them that the kill fee applies when they choose to end the project, not when there&#8217;s a quality problem. Your revision policy and scope cover that. (If scope keeps growing instead, that&#8217;s a different problem, and one your contract should also address.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-to-do-when-a-client\">What to Do When a Client Cancels a Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the cancellation email lands, stay calm and professional. How you handle it can keep the door open for future work, even if this project is over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Reply quickly and graciously.<\/strong> Thank them for letting you know and confirm you&#8217;ve received the cancellation.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Reference the contract.<\/strong> Point to the cancellation clause and note which stage the project was in.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Send a clear invoice.<\/strong> List the kill fee, any expenses and any deposit credit, with the due date from your contract.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Stop work right away.<\/strong> Don&#8217;t keep working on a project that&#8217;s officially cancelled unless the client asks you to wrap something up (and agrees to pay for it).<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Hand over completed work after payment.<\/strong> Deliver files once the kill fee clears, as your contract states.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Follow up if payment is late.<\/strong> Use friendly but firm reminders. These <a href=\"https:\/\/solidgigs.com\/blog\/6-highly-effective-email-templates-for-chasing-payments\/\">email templates for chasing payments<\/a> can help.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What If You Don&#8217;t Have a Kill Fee Clause?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If there&#8217;s nothing in writing, you can still ask. Calculate the hours you&#8217;ve spent and any costs, then send a polite note asking to be paid for work completed. Many clients will agree, especially if you&#8217;ve been easy to work with. Just treat it as a lesson: add a kill fee clause to every contract going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"common-kill-fee-mistakes-to-avoid\">Common Kill Fee Mistakes to Avoid<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Relying on verbal agreements.<\/strong> If it&#8217;s not in the signed contract or proposal, it&#8217;s hard to enforce.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Using vague language.<\/strong> &#8220;A fee may apply&#8221; invites an argument. Spell out the percentage and timing.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Forgetting expenses.<\/strong> Non-refundable costs you&#8217;ve paid should be reimbursed on top of the kill fee.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Waiting too long to invoice.<\/strong> Send the kill fee invoice within a day or two of the cancellation, while it&#8217;s fresh.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Releasing work before you&#8217;re paid.<\/strong> Keep final files until the kill fee is settled.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Forgetting it&#8217;s taxable.<\/strong> In the U.S., kill fees and kept deposits are business income, so record them like any other payment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"keep-your-pipeline-full-so-cancellations\">Keep Your Pipeline Full So Cancellations Hurt Less<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even with a solid kill fee, a cancelled project leaves a gap in your schedule. The best long-term protection is having more than one or two clients in the pipeline at any time, so a single cancellation is an inconvenience instead of a crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If finding new leads takes up too much of your week, <a href=\"https:\/\/solidgigs.com\/\">SolidGigs<\/a> sends you a curated list of the best freelance gigs every week, so you can spend less time searching and more time doing paid work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"kill-fee-faqs\">Kill Fee FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is a kill fee legally enforceable?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Generally, yes, as long as it&#8217;s clearly written into a contract both parties agreed to and the amount is reasonable compared to your actual losses. Laws vary by location, so for high-value projects, it&#8217;s worth having a lawyer review your contract. (This isn&#8217;t legal advice.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a typical kill fee percentage?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most freelancers charge 25%\u201350% of the total project fee. Kill fees can go up to 100% if the project is nearly complete or the client reserved a fixed date you can&#8217;t easily rebook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I get to keep the work if a client pays a kill fee?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It depends on your contract. Most kill fee clauses transfer ownership of completed work to the client once the fee is paid. If you want to keep the rights (for example, to pitch an article elsewhere), say so clearly in the contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is a kill fee the same as a cancellation fee?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They&#8217;re very similar. &#8220;Kill fee&#8221; is the traditional term in publishing and creative work, while &#8220;cancellation fee&#8221; is more common in service businesses. Both describe a payment owed when a client ends an agreement early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should I charge a kill fee on small projects?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For quick, low-cost jobs, a non-refundable deposit or payment up front may be simpler than a full kill fee clause. Once a project takes more than a few days or blocks off meaningful time on your calendar, a kill fee is worth including.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"final-thoughts-on-kill-fees\">Final Thoughts on Kill Fees<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Projects get cancelled for all kinds of reasons, and most of them have nothing to do with the quality of your work. A kill fee makes sure those cancellations don&#8217;t come out of your pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start by adding a simple, tiered kill fee clause to your next contract, pair it with a deposit, and practice explaining it in one calm sentence. In 2026, it&#8217;s one of the easiest ways to make your freelance income more predictable, and most good clients will respect you more for having it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is a kill fee? Learn how much to charge when a client cancels, how to write a kill fee clause (with a sample), and how to bring it up with clients.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76,"featured_media":2301,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-clients","category-money"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Is a Kill Fee? A Freelancer&#039;s Guide (+ Sample Clause) - SolidGigs Blog for Freelancers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/solidgigs.com\/blog\/kill-fee\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is a Kill Fee? A Freelancer&#039;s Guide (+ Sample Clause) - SolidGigs Blog for Freelancers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What is a kill fee? Learn how much to charge when a client cancels, how to write a kill fee clause (with a sample), and how to bring it up with clients.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/solidgigs.com\/blog\/kill-fee\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SolidGigs Blog for Freelancers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-26T11:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-11-07T17:19:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/solidgigs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kill-fee.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Zoe Santoro\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Zoe Santoro\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/solidgigs.com\\\/blog\\\/kill-fee\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/solidgigs.com\\\/blog\\\/kill-fee\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Zoe Santoro\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/solidgigs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/46a9132171cce954d1091deca193fadc\"},\"headline\":\"What Is a Kill Fee? 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