Getting paid is the least glamorous part of UGC and the one that causes the most trouble. In Spain the problem is rarely that the client does not want to pay: it is that nobody put in writing when, how and against what payment happens.

The payment methods that are actually used

  • Bank transfer: the standard with companies and agencies. Against an invoice, with an agreed term.
  • Bizum: convenient and instant, widely used for small jobs and with individuals or micro businesses. It does not replace the invoice.
  • Gateways and marketplaces: when you work with foreign clients or through a platform that handles collection.

The practical rule: the bigger the client, the slower and more formal the payment route. An agency pays by transfer at thirty days. A neighbourhood shop sends you a Bizum the same day.

The terms you will meet

With brands and agencies, payment thirty days from the invoice is common, and sixty is not unusual in large groups. That is not bad faith: it is their administrative circuit.

What you can negotiate is the starting point. Having the clock run from delivery rather than from an open ended approval completely changes your cash flow.

The deposit, your best protection

For a new client, the formula that works best is fifty per cent up front and the rest on delivery. It filters out the ones who were never going to pay and covers your production time.

With recurring clients you can relax it and move to monthly invoicing. With international clients you do not know, keep it.

What must be in writing

You do not need a twenty page contract. You need an email or an accepted quote that states:

  • What is delivered: number of pieces, duration, formats, language.
  • How many rounds of changes are included and what an extra one costs.
  • Where the material may be used and for how long.
  • Price, applicable taxes and payment date.
  • What happens if the project is cancelled after filming.

Ninety per cent of payment disputes come from one of those five lines being missing.

When the client is late

First, a polite reminder with the invoice attached and the due date highlighted. Second, a phone call, which works far better than email number four. Third, a written notice that work in progress is being paused.

And one difficult but healthy decision: do not hand over final high quality files until the agreed payment is made. Sending watermarked versions for review is normal practice, not distrust.

Where to go next

Getting paid well is a skill separate from filming well, and it is learned before you need it. Our guide on how to become a UGC creator places this piece within the whole craft.