How to Write a Freelance Proposal

The sections of a proposal
Worked example: a sample price breakdown

A freelance proposal is the document you send a prospective client to set out what you'll do for them, how, by when and for how much. Open with the client's goal, describe the work and the deliverables, list what's out of scope, give the timeline and the price with its payment schedule, explain how changes are handled, and end with how to accept. Send it before any contract is signed, so both of you are working from the same description of the work.

Billed publishes this page. This is general information, not legal advice. The proposal describes the work; the contract that follows sets the terms both sides sign, so ask a lawyer about anything legal.

The sections of a proposal

1. Summary

In a few sentences, restate the client's goal in their words and your recommended approach. Keep it about their outcome, not your background.

2. Your understanding of the problem

List what the client told you: deadlines, what isn't working now, constraints on budget or people. Ask the client to correct anything you got wrong before the work starts.

3. The work and the deliverables

Name each deliverable, its format and when it's delivered. Then list what's not included, such as ongoing maintenance, training beyond a set number of hours, or third-party licenses. Keep the out-of-scope list in writing, so you can point to it if requests grow beyond it. See how to handle scope creep.

4. Process and timeline

Break the work into phases with dates or week ranges, for example discovery, design or build, and delivery. List what the client must supply and when you need each item, such as feedback within a set number of business days or access to accounts, and what happens to the dates if those arrive late.

5. Price and payment terms

Put the price where the client can find it. State how it's built (fixed fee, hourly, or a mix), which costs pass through to the client and at what rate, and the payment schedule tied to phases. Show any optional extras separately so the main price is clear. If you plan to charge for late payment, check the rules where you and the client are, and ask a lawyer before adding it to your contract.

6. Revisions and changes

Say how many rounds of revisions the price covers, and how you'll price and approve anything beyond them, for example a written change order at your hourly rate.

7. Assumptions

List what you're assuming is true, such as existing brand assets or hosting already in place. If something is unknown, say so and offer a short discovery step to find out.

8. About you

One short paragraph: who you are and two or three relevant examples of your work, with links rather than a full biography.

9. Validity and next steps

Set an expiry date for the price, and explain how to accept: the contract to follow, the deposit to schedule the start, and who signs. See freelance contract essentials for what the contract itself covers.

Worked example: a sample price breakdown

The business and figures here are a sample, invented for this example.

A freelance designer proposes a brand and website project.

Price:

Discovery workshop and site audit: 6 hours × $95 = $570
Brand foundations (fixed fee): $1,800
Website build: 5 pages × $380 = $1,900
Stock image licenses, passed through at cost: $150
Total: $570 + $1,800 + $1,900 + $150 = $4,420

Optional, not included in the total: analytics setup, $300.

Payment schedule:

40% to start: 40% × $4,420 = $1,768
30% when the brand foundations are approved: 30% × $4,420 = $1,326
30% on delivery of the website: 30% × $4,420 = $1,326
Check: $1,768 + $1,326 + $1,326 = $4,420

Changes: two rounds of revisions per deliverable are included; further rounds are quoted by written change order at $95 an hour.

Validity: the price is valid for 14 days from the date of the proposal.

Price each part on its own line, so every cost is visible to the client. If the budget is tight, offer a smaller scope (for example, fewer pages) instead of a lower rate.

Sending and following up

Send it with a short email: a one-paragraph recap, what you're asking for (a decision by a date) and an offer to talk it through.
Follow up once or twice: ask whether they have questions, and if the validity date is close, offer to extend it.
Close the loop: if there's still no reply, say you're happy to pick it up when timing suits them.

See how to follow up on estimates for more on the follow-up step.

Proposal, estimate, quote or contract

A proposal explains the approach as well as the price. An estimate or quote focuses on the price for a defined scope. The contract sets the terms both sides sign. See estimate vs quote vs proposal and how to write a business proposal.

Where Billed fits

Billed publishes this page. Its estimating software page describes estimates, which can carry a proposal's price:

Line items: "save your product or service details for instant access in your estimates".
Branding: "Customize your estimates with your own logo".
Currency: "Easily create estimates in different currencies for each customer".
Attachments and notes: "Attach important files and images with your estimates" and "Add comments and important notes in your estimates for your client."
Sending and approval: "Send online estimates", "Share your online estimates with your clients via shareable public link", and "monitor estimate acceptance through the intuitive estimate dashboard".
After approval: "converting approved estimates into invoices with just a few clicks."
Records: "See complete history of an estimate from the moment it is created" and "Export your estimates to csv,excel or pdf files for external use."

The written parts of the proposal, such as the summary, process and assumptions, are a document you write yourself.

When this guide isn't for you

It's written for freelancers working alone and for small independent teams. If you're responding to a formal request for proposals with a required format, or bidding for government work, follow the buyer's instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a freelance proposal include?

A summary of the client's goal, your understanding of the problem, the deliverables and what's out of scope, the process and timeline, the price and payment schedule, how revisions and changes work, your assumptions, a short note about you, and the date the price expires and the steps to accept.

How do I show the price in a proposal?

Break it into lines, such as hours for discovery, a fixed fee for each phase and any pass-through costs, then give the total and a payment schedule tied to the phases. Show optional extras separately so they don't blur the main price.

What is the difference between a freelance proposal and a quote?

A quote gives the price for a defined scope. A proposal also explains the client's problem, your approach, the deliverables and the timeline, alongside the price.

Is a proposal the same as a contract?

Not necessarily. A proposal describes the work and the price so the client can decide, and the contract that follows sets the terms both sides sign. Whether a signed proposal also binds both sides turns on what it says and on local law, so ask a lawyer.

How long should a proposal's price be valid?

Choose a period that fits your schedule, for example 14 days, and write the expiry date in the proposal. After it passes, you can confirm or update the price before the client accepts.

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How to Write a Freelance Proposal: Sections, Pricing and Follow-Up