Invoice templates
Marketing agency invoice template
Retainer line items broken out by channel — paid social, SEO, content and creative — not one lump "marketing services" total.
Preview
See the template as a client-facing document, then open the same starting point inside Hanko.
Signal & Co.
Marketing campaign
INVOICE
#INV-2026-042
Bill to
Northstar Group
Alex Morgan
Engagement details
What this is
A marketing agency invoice bills a client for a monthly retainer, a project, or both, itemized by channel or deliverable so the client can see what each part of the fee covers. It differs from a generic invoice mainly in how it's itemized — bundling everything into one line invites the question "what exactly did I pay for."
When to use it
- Billing a monthly retainer covering multiple channels
- Invoicing a one-off project (a campaign, a website refresh) separately from the retainer
- Billing ad spend or media costs separately from the management fee
What to include
Channel-by-channel line items
Break the retainer into its component services (paid social, SEO, content, email) rather than one total, so the client can map the invoice to the reporting conversation.
Billing period
Which month this invoice covers, especially for a recurring retainer.
Ad spend, if applicable
Kept as its own line, separate from the management fee, whether passed through at cost or marked up.
Retainer reference
A reference to the signed retainer agreement, so the scope backing the invoice is traceable.
Template text
Copy this into your own document, or open it directly as a branded starting point in Hanko. Bracketed text like [Client Name] is a placeholder to fill in.
Invoice
Invoice #: [INV-2026-XX]
Issue date: [Date] | Due date: [Date]
Billing period: [Month Year]
From / Bill to
[Your Agency Name] / [Client Company Name]
Retainer per Agreement dated [Date]
Line items
Description Amount
Paid Social Management $3,000
SEO Content Production (4 articles) $2,500
Campaign Creative $1,500
Email / Lifecycle Management $1,200
Monthly Reporting & Strategy Call included
Ad spend (if applicable)
Description Amount
Paid media spend (passed through at cost) $[amount]
Totals
Subtotal: $8,200
Tax (if applicable): $[amount]
Total due: $[amount]
Payment terms & methods
Due within [15] days. This invoice recurs monthly per the Retainer Agreement dated [Date].
Card, ACH, wire transfer [and stablecoin — USDC, if applicable].
How to customize it
- Match the channel line items to what's actually in the retainer scope, not a generic list
- Keep ad spend separate from the management fee whether you pass it through at cost or mark it up
- Reference the retainer agreement so scope is traceable if a client questions a line item
Common mistakes
- One "marketing services" line instead of itemizing by channel
- Ad spend bundled into the management fee, obscuring both numbers
- No reference to the governing retainer agreement
Frequently asked questions
Should ad spend be on the same invoice as the management fee?
It can be, but keep it as a separate line item — bundling it in makes both the management fee and the media cost harder for the client to evaluate.
How should a project fee be invoiced alongside a retainer?
As a separate invoice or a clearly separated section, since project work and the retainer usually have different payment terms and shouldn't be confused for scope creep on the retainer itself.
Running this whole industry's workflow
See how Hanko fits the complete client workflow for this industry, not just the invoice.
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