WHEN do you pay?

[Adam Howard]

This is a simple and yet important question....

When do you pay for development (see poll)?

 

[Adam Howard]

Personally, I'm kind of in-between

• 1/2 during and 1/2 after
• After (working on your setup)

And this is from both points of views, as both a developer myself and also as someone who sometimes purchased work.

 

[Itworx4me]

Half to start and the other half when finished....

 

[Chris D]

As a developer, I ask for full payment toward the end of the project.

I feel more comfortable that way.

 

[MagnusB]

Depends on the size of the project and the sum of money. Usually for bigger projects, milestone payments seems to be the best way to operate, as it serves both interests.

 

[Walter]

Half to start and the other half when finished....

Me too. Please add this to the poll.

 

[borbole]

As a developer, I ask for full payment toward the end of the project.

I feel more comfortable that way.

What do you do say, when the client decides that he and/or she wants to back out from the deal on a big project that took you days, or even weeks to complete if you ask for full payment near the end?

As a developer, for small projects I usually ask to get paid at the end. But for larger projects I ask half upfront and the remaining half when the project is completed.

 

[Chris D]

Well, I'll possibly get stung in the future

And I've not done many large projects........

* Changes his payment policy *

 

[Sumo]

If it is a client I have done work for before and have never had an issue with I will do after I have completed it but before they get it. If it is a new client it will be half up front and the other half before they get it.

 

[Sadik B]

That poll makes little sense. Any large development project has milestones. Payments are made on each milestone completion. Start of project is also a milestone.

 

[kprojects]

For our hosting/design company, we will outsource some design projects if we're backlogged. We will show the project to one of the devs we have used in the past, they'll let us know how many hrs they would charge to complete it, they'll do the work and send us an invoice.
(so my vote is for after work is completed)

 

[BlackJacket]

When a Milestone has been reached.

 

[imlps]

I dislike developers who ask for full payment before the work and yet did not finish their work in the promised time frame.

 

[mike os]

i think a deposit of some sort is a useful way "of making it official"

if it is significant then stage payments should be at least an option

final payment on delivery of a working install unless the contract has a maintenance or bugfix clause attached

 

[petertdavis]

I've been ripped off by freelance developers, designers, etc, enough times that I'd need to have a decent level of trust in the individual before shelling out money up front. Either that, or it's such a small amount it doesn't matter.

 

[mike os]

additional

i would never pay more than 50% up front,

 

[Adam Howard]

I wouldn't know how a "Milestone" would work in a quoted price, when there could be dozens of milestones before completion.

X product = Y value

How would one equally divide that payment without knowing the future?


I've never worked on that business model and feel it leaves to much to chance and risk.

 

[Nasr]

vworker.com, anyone?

 

[Dan]

1/3 to get started, 1/3 upon first alpha, 1/3 upon completion.

 

[BGL]

When do you pay for development

Depends on the size of the project. Small projects, 50% to start, progress payment of 25% and final payment of 25% would be reasonable.

On a large project, 10% to start and then monthly progress payments based on the percentage of work done based on milestones.