Guide
When to require a 50% deposit on a brand deal
This page is not legal, tax, financial, or other professional advice. For a live deal, talk to a lawyer and a tax or finance specialist in your jurisdiction — BlueRateCard is not either.
Decision tree as cards
Start at the card that matches the deal in front of you. Do not average them into a vague “we usually do 50%.”
New brand (never paid you before)
Highest riskDefault to 100% platform payment hold or 50% cleared deposit + 50% held before the shoot day. Do not accept 50% now and Net-30 on the rest for a stranger. First deals are where invoices vanish.
Repeat brand (paid cleanly before)
Medium trust50% deposit on signature is fine; second 50% due on delivery date in writing. If they have been late twice, promote them back to a platform hold like a new brand — history beats vibes.
Agency-booked
Chain riskRequire clarity on who pays, then 50% from the payor before you hold the date. If they say “client hasn’t funded us,” that is not your cue to shoot — it is your cue to wait or use a brand-side platform payment hold.
Under $1,000 all-in
SimplifyTake 100% before production. Two payment events for a $700 package creates more Slack than cash. Small fees deserve simple cashflow.
Over $5,000 all-in
Protect the calendar50% alone is usually too thin unless the second half is already in a platform hold. Prefer 100% held, or 50% in your account + 50% held, plus a signed SOW. Kill-fee and licence-activation clauses matter at this size — have counsel glance at them.
What the 50% is actually buying
| Slice | Purpose | When it should clear | Failure mode if soft |
|---|---|---|---|
| First 50% | Holds your date, covers kill risk if they cancel mid-prepro | On signature / checkout — before moodboards eat a week | You block Friday for free while “finance reviews” |
| Second 50% | Pays for delivery and usage you already priced | Before shoot or on delivery day — not after their campaign report | AP “misses a cycle” and you wait 45–90 days |
If either half is only a Slack promise, you do not have a 50/50 deal — you have a maybe.
Worked calendar: $4,800 package
| Day | Event | Money | If soft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | SOW signed | $2,400 deposit clears | No moodboards until it clears |
| 5 | Brief locked | — | Do not burn unpaid revisions |
| 12 | Shoot day | $2,400 held or wire confirmed | Cancel/reschedule — do not film on a promise |
| 14 | Delivery | Release / second half due same day | No Net-45 after post on a new brand |
Same deal all-in platform hold day 0: $4,800 held, release on delivery. Cleaner than chasing half.
Scripts that keep the deposit non-negotiable
- “Deposit is how I reserve the shoot day — same as a studio hold.”
- “Happy to use a platform payment hold for 100% if your policy blocks deposits to creators.”
- “Under $1k I invoice 100% before filming; it keeps both sides simple.”
- “Over $5k I need the balance held before cameras, not Net-45 after go-live.”
- “If the second half is performance-based, that is a bonus line — not the content fee.”
Example math: $6,000 package. 50% = $3,000 now. If the remaining $3,000 sits on Net-45 after post and they delay approvals two weeks, you might see cash near day 60. A platform payment hold of $6,000 on day 0 with release on delivery keeps the same creative relationship without the float. Brands on BlueRateCard pay 5% (max $100) for that rail; you stay at 100% of rate.
When to walk instead of discount the deposit
Walking is rational when they refuse any prepayment, demand perpetual usage in the same breath, or cannot name a legal payor. Cutting your deposit to 20% “to be easy” trains the next brief. Offer structure (platform hold, shorter Net, smaller SKU) — not a charity haircut on risk.
Put the deposit rule on the rate card so the decision tree runs before the negotiation. New → platform hold. Repeat → 50/50 with teeth. Agency → payor clarity. Under $1k → 100%. Over $5k → held funds. Boring policy beats heroic chasing.
Related guides
Payment & recovery
Deposit decision questions
+How does a $4,800 package split on a calendar?
Day 0 signature: $2,400 deposit clears. Day 5: brief lock. Day 12 shoot only if the remaining $2,400 is in a platform payment hold or wire-confirmed — not “PO pending.” Delivery day is not when you invent the second invoice from scratch.
+When is a 50% deposit too weak for a first-time brand?
When the brand is new to you, the fee is above ~$3,000, or payment of the second half is “Net 45 after post.” Prefer 100% platform payment hold or 50% now + 50% held before you shoot — not 50% now + hope later.
+Should repeat clients still pay a deposit?
Yes on anything that blocks your calendar for more than a day. Loyalty can shorten Net terms or allow deposit-to-your-account instead of a platform hold; it should not mean $0 until after you deliver a $5,000 package.
+Do agencies usually accept 50% deposits on creator deals?
Serious ones do when it is on the rate card. Pushback often means their process assumes creator float. Offer a platform payment hold as the alternative: brand/agency funds 100%, you still only receive on delivery.
+How do I handle a deposit on a deal under $1,000?
Skip the split — take 100% before production. Splitting a $600 fee into two $300 chases costs more admin than the risk you are hedging.
+What should happen to the remaining 50% after I deliver?
It should already be in a platform payment hold or due on a calendar date tied to delivery (e.g. due on post day, not “after performance review”). If the second half is still “we’ll invoice internally,” you financed half the campaign.
Replace the second-half chase with a platform hold
BlueRateCard holds the full fee before you shoot. Creators stay free; brands pay 5% capped at $100. Waitlist if you want deposits without becoming a collections desk.