German clients pay more reliably than in many neighbouring markets, but not faster because they are friendlier: they pay because the process is clear. Your job is to make it clear.
Usual payment terms
14 days is common with smaller clients, 30 days with companies, occasionally longer with agencies waiting on their own client. State the term on the invoice as a specific date, not as "payable within 30 days": a date gets entered, a term gets interpreted.
The three protections
1. Half upfront with new clients
Standard practice and accepted if you raise it calmly and early.
2. No raw file before the balance
Watermarked preview, clean file after payment. The most effective lever there is.
3. Written terms
Deliverable, revisions, rights, deadline. Five lines are enough, and in Germany they are almost always read.
When payment does not come
In order: a friendly reminder the day after the due date, a written reminder a week later with the invoice attached, then a formal demand with a deadline. Once a client is in default you can claim late payment interest and the usual recovery costs, which you announce in the second reminder.
In practice the most common cause is mundane: the invoice sat with the wrong person, or a purchase order number was missing. So ask every company client two things before delivering: which address the invoice goes to and whether it needs a purchase order number.
The structural solution
On a marketplace the brand's money is held at the order, before you shoot. You deliver, the brand approves, the payment is released. No chasing, no outstanding balance.
On UGC MATCH that is how it works, and you keep 90% of the package price.
Keep reading
- How to Get Found by Brands Instead of Chasing Them in Germany
- Getting Comfortable on Camera for UGC in Germany
- How to Get Your First UGC Clients in Germany
- Using UGC in Paid Ads in Germany
- The complete UGC guide for Germany
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Frequently asked questions
How much upfront is usual?
50% with new clients, payment on delivery with regulars.
What to do about late payment?
Remind, then formally demand. Announce late payment interest rather than staying silent about it.
Why does an invoice sit unpaid?
Usually because it reached the wrong person or lacked a purchase order number.
Do you need a contract?
Five lines accepted in writing are enough in most cases.
