Social media invoice
A social media manager invoice that separates fees from ad spend
The single most important thing on a social media invoice is the line between your fee and the client's ad spend. Mix them and your income looks four times bigger than it is, your tax gets complicated, and the client cannot see what they actually paid you.
This page shows a monthly retainer laid out properly: management fee, content produced, community hours, and pass-through spend on its own line.
No signup · Free PDF download.
What to put on it
- The month and the channels covered: “September 2026 — Instagram, LinkedIn”.
- The management retainer as one line, with what it includes.
- Content produced as counted lines: “12 static posts”, “4 short-form videos”.
- Community management hours if they are billed separately from the retainer.
- Paid media handled as a separate line, clearly labelled, never merged into the fee.
- Tools you bought for the client — a scheduler seat, a stock subscription — at cost.
Ad spend: bill it separately or not at all
There are two clean options. Either the client pays the platform directly with their own card and your invoice never mentions spend, or you front the spend and invoice it as a clearly labelled pass-through line at cost, with your management percentage as its own separate line.
What is not clean is one line called “September social” that quietly contains both. If you front spend, keep the platform receipts; your accountant will want them, and so will the client's.
Pricing the retainer so it survives scope creep
State what the retainer includes as counted deliverables, not as “content”. Twelve posts is a number; “regular posting” is an opinion. When a client asks for a launch week on top, the extra becomes an obvious additional line rather than an awkward conversation.
Reporting is work too. If you produce a monthly report or attend a review call, list it. A line worth zero that shows included work is better than invisible work.
Using the generator
Open the example below, rename the channels, adjust the counts and rates, and download the PDF. Tax, discounts and your own payment details are all available without an account.
A worked example
- From
- Tolu Adeyemi, social
- To
- Harper & Vine
- Number
- INV-0121
- Period
- September 2026 — Instagram, LinkedIn
- Issued
- 30 Sep 2026
- Due
- 14 Oct 2026 (Net 14)
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social media management retainer, September | 1 | $1,400.00 | $1,400.00 |
| Static posts produced (12 included) | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Short-form video, additional to retainer | 4 | $150.00 | $600.00 |
| Community management, 6 h at 55 | 6 | $55.00 | $330.00 |
| Paid media spend, September (pass-through, at cost) | 1 | $900.00 | $900.00 |
- Subtotal
- $3,230.00
- Total
- $3,230.00
Ad spend is its own labelled line at cost. The management fee above it is what the client paid you.
Questions
Should ad spend be on my invoice at all?
Only if you paid it. If the client's card is on the ad account, leave it off entirely — it is not your revenue. If you fronted it, invoice it at cost on its own labelled line.
How do I charge a percentage of ad spend?
Add it as a separate line — “Media management, 15% of 900” — with the amount worked out. The invoice shows a number; the percentage belongs in the description so the client can check it.
What if the client wants a big campaign mid-month?
Invoice it as additional lines on the same monthly invoice, or as a separate invoice if the payment terms differ. Do not silently absorb it into the retainer.
Does Invoira post to social platforms or track campaigns?
No. It is an invoice generator: it formats what you type and produces a PDF.
Related
- Marketing consultant invoiceA marketing consultant invoice for strategy, advisory and workshops
- Agency invoice templateAn agency invoice for retainers, phases and pass-through costs
- Virtual assistant invoiceA virtual assistant invoice for hours, retainers and expenses
- Open the generatorStart typing your invoice. No account, free PDF.
- Invoira homeThe three layouts, and what an account adds.
Your turn
Turn this example into your invoice.
The line items are already there. Change the client, work, rates and dates, then download the PDF.
Updated 2026-09-20. Invoira formats what you enter; it does not give tax or legal advice.