Net 30 explained, and how to actually get paid in 30 days
Net 30 is a promise to pay in 30 days. Most customers treat it as a suggestion. Here's how to make it stick.
- Net 30 means the full amount is due 30 days after the invoice date, not after the customer reads it.
- Bigger customers expect net 30; smaller jobs should be due on receipt or net 7.
- The average net 30 invoice is paid in 40 to 50 days. Reminders before and right after the due date pull that back under 35.
- "2/10 net 30" (2% off if paid in 10 days) works well for cash-strapped businesses and costs less than waiting.
What net 30 means
"Net 30" on an invoice means the full ("net") amount is due 30 days after the invoice date. Net 15, net 45 and net 60 work the same way. "Due on receipt" means the day they get it.
Two things trip people up. The clock starts on the invoice date, not the day the customer opens it, so invoice promptly. And "30 days" is calendar days, weekends included, unless your terms say otherwise.
Net 30 vs the alternatives
- Due on receipt. Best for one-off jobs and consumers. No reason a homeowner needs a month to pay for a repair.
- Net 7 / net 15. Good middle ground for small B2B jobs and recurring services.
- Net 30. The business default. Expected by larger customers with accounts-payable processes.
- Net 60 / net 90. Big-company terms. Only accept them if the volume justifies financing their cash flow.
- 2/10 net 30. Full amount in 30 days, or 2% off if paid within 10. Costs you 2% but often gets paid in a week.
Who should offer net 30
Offer net 30 when the customer is a business with an AP process, the job is large enough that a month of credit is reasonable, and you can afford to wait. Don't offer it to new customers on their first job, to consumers, or on anything under a few hundred dollars. Ask for a deposit on anything over a few thousand.
Why net 30 becomes net 45
Nobody decides to pay late. The invoice arrives, it's filed for "end of month", end of month is busy, and it gets paid in the next run. Average days-to-pay on net 30 terms sits around 40 to 50 for small suppliers. The fix isn't shorter terms (customers ignore those too). It's reminders.
The schedule that makes net 30 pay on day 30
- Day 0. Send the invoice the day the work finishes, with a payment link, to the person who actually pays.
- Day 27. A heads-up: "invoice #2207 is due Friday". This is the single most effective message you can send.
- Day 31. A nudge by text or WhatsApp.
- Day 34. Email with the invoice attached.
- Day 37. A short polite call.
- Day 44. Final reminder.
Do this on every invoice and your average lands under 35 days. Do it by hand and you'll stop after the second week; that's what Invoice AI automates.
Writing net 30 on the invoice
Spell it out. "Payment due within 30 days of invoice date (by Oct 15)" beats "Net 30". Put the due date in the subject line of the email. State any late fee in the quote and the invoice, in plain words, and keep it within your state's limit.
Getting paid faster than net 30
- Ask for a deposit before starting.
- Invoice in stages on long jobs.
- Offer a card link; card payments clear days faster than cheques.
- Offer 2/10 net 30 to customers who always pay late.
- Send the day-27 heads-up. Every time.
Questions people ask
What does net 30 mean on an invoice?
The full amount is due 30 calendar days after the invoice date. Day 31 is overdue.
Does net 30 start from the invoice date or delivery?
From the invoice date, unless your terms say otherwise. Invoice the day you finish so the clock starts straight away.
What is 2/10 net 30?
A 2% discount if paid within 10 days; otherwise the full amount in 30. It's a cheap way to get paid early from slow customers.
Should a small business offer net 30?
To business customers on jobs of a reasonable size, yes. For consumers, one-off repairs and small amounts, use due on receipt or net 7.