Getting Paid for Brand Deals: The Payment Terms Every Creator Should Demand

Here's something most creators learn the hard way: most late payments are decided before you ever make the content. They're baked into the contract — or into the fact that there wasn't one.

Getting paid on time isn't about luck or chasing. It's about setting the right payment terms at the start. Get these few things in writing, and you'll spend far less time wondering where your money is.

Let's walk through the terms every creator should ask for — in plain English.

Start with the basics in writing

Before anything else, three things go in writing: the fee, the deliverables, and the due date. A text thread counts more than nothing, but a simple contract or even an email both sides agree to is what protects you.

If a brand won't put the number in writing, that's your first warning sign. You're not being difficult by asking — you're being professional. "This contract is non-negotiable" is almost always a myth, and "let's just keep it casual" usually works out worse for the creator.

Ask for a deposit (often 50% upfront)

A deposit is money you get before you start. The most common structure is 50% upfront, 50% on delivery.

Why it matters:

• It protects you if the brand ghosts after you've done the work.
• It filters out time-wasters — serious brands pay deposits all the time.
• It keeps your own cash flow healthy while you create.

Asking is simple: "I work with a 50% deposit to get started, and the balance on delivery." For exactly how to say it without feeling awkward, see why you should ask for 50% upfront.

Understand Net terms (and push for Net 30)

"Net terms" tell you how many days the brand has to pay after you invoice them.

Big companies love long Net terms because it helps their cash flow — at the cost of yours. Net 30 is the number to push for. If a brand insists on Net 60, you can agree — but consider charging a little more, because you're effectively giving them a loan.

Add a late fee — it's professional, not rude

A late fee is a small charge that kicks in if the brand pays after the due date. Something like "A 5% late fee applies to invoices paid more than 15 days past due" is completely normal in business.

It does two things: it gives the brand a reason to pay on time, and it gives you a polite, pre-agreed tool when you have to follow up. You're not begging — you're pointing at the terms you both signed.

When a payment does slip, you don't have to dread the email. We wrote the exact scripts: how to chase a late invoice without feeling awkward.

Ask for a kill fee on bigger projects

A kill fee is money you keep if the brand cancels after you've started. A common range is 25–50% of the total fee.

Imagine you've filmed and edited three videos, and the brand suddenly pulls the campaign. Without a kill fee, you could walk away with nothing. With one, you're paid for the work you already did. For anything beyond a quick one-off, ask for it.

The payment red flags to watch for

Some "deals" are really just risks in disguise. Be cautious when you see:

• "Paid in exposure." Exposure doesn't pay rent. If there's no budget, there's no deal (unless you decide the brand fit is worth it).
• No deposit, ever. Occasionally fine for tiny gifted deals, but a real budget should come with a real deposit.
• Net 90 with no flexibility. Three months is a long time to wait — price it in.
• A vague due date. "We'll pay after the campaign" with no date means never on a calendar. Pin it down.
• No contract at all. If it goes wrong, you have nothing to point to.

Spotting these early is half the battle — here are more contract red flags worth catching before you sign.

Put it all together

A creator-friendly deal has five money terms locked in before you start:

1. The fee, in writing.
2. A deposit (aim for 50% upfront).
3. A due date using Net terms (aim for Net 30).
4. A late fee if they miss it.
5. A kill fee if they cancel a bigger project.

That's it. You don't need a finance degree — you need these five things on paper.

This is the part BrandTreaty was built to handle. It reads each deal, pulls out the payment terms — deposit, Net days, late fee, kill fee — flags anything missing or one-sided, and reminds you when an invoice is due so nothing slips through. You do the creating. We help you get paid for it, on time.