Invoice template for consultants
By the Billebly team · Published 24 February 2026 · Last updated 28 September 2026
Consulting engagements are billed a few different ways: hourly, fixed-fee per project, or a monthly retainer. The invoice should make clear which one applies so a client never has to ask what they're being charged for.
What to include
- Your business name, full address, and contact details
- Your VAT number and your business registration number, where your country requires it (for example, your KvK number in the Netherlands)
- The client's legal name and address and, if relevant, the specific engagement or SOW it relates to
- The client's VAT number, which you need for a business client in another EU country
- A sequential invoice number and the invoice date
- The billing basis: hours and rate, a fixed project fee, or a retainer period
- A short description of the work covered
- The VAT rate and amount, or "Reverse charge" if the client accounts for the VAT
- The total due and payment terms (e.g. net 14)
Example invoice
This one goes to a client in another EU country, so it's a reverse-charge invoice: no VAT is added, and the client's VAT number and a reverse-charge note take its place.
From: Reyes Strategy Consulting, Amsterdam, Netherlands
KvK: 23456789. VAT: NL234567891B01
To: North & Co. GmbH, Berlin, Germany
VAT: DE123456789
Invoice #: 0091. Date: 24 February 2026
| Description | Amount |
|---|---|
| Strategy engagement, February (18 hrs × €175) | €3,150.00 |
| VAT (reverse charge) | €0.00 |
| Total due | €3,150.00 |
Note: Reverse charge: VAT to be accounted for by the recipient.
Due: 10 March 2026 (payable online by card or bank transfer)
For a client in your own country, you'd charge VAT at your local rate instead and leave the reverse-charge note off.
Sending it with Billebly
Consultants often mix billing types across different clients: hourly for one, retainer for another. Billebly keeps tracked time, one-off invoices, and recurring retainers under the same client record, so switching between them doesn't mean switching tools. Each invoice ships with a hosted payment link, so a client can pay by card without you chasing a wire transfer.