Net 30

Net 30 means payment is due 30 days after the invoice is issued. Net 15 and Net 60 work the same way with different numbers.

Why brands use it

Larger companies run payment cycles, and their finance team pays approved invoices in batches. It is rarely personal and almost never a comment on your work.

It does mean the clock starts when you invoice, not when you deliver. Waiting three weeks to send the invoice on a Net 30 deal turns it into Net 51 without anyone deciding to.

What to do about it

• Invoice the day you deliver. The single most effective thing available.
• Agree terms in writing before the work, including what happens if it goes past due.
• Know who actually pays. The marketing contact who hired you is usually not the person who releases the money, and an invoice sent only to them can sit for weeks.
• Chase on a schedule rather than when you happen to remember. Politely, at three days, two weeks and a month.

In plain language

If you are writing terms for a creator audience rather than a finance team, "within 30 days" reads better than "Net 30" and means the same thing.