Here’s what we learned from a new survey of 1,000+ customers who recently hired a freelancer or small business, commissioned by Invoice Simple and Stripe.
Hiring a freelancer or small business takes a lot of consideration. Every factor—from customer ratings to branding to pricing—is important. It’s a transaction, but it’s also a leap of trust.
For customers, smarter ways to pay are an important part of their decision-making criteria. A confusing invoice or clunky payment process can create doubt. However, a seamless, well-crafted invoice and payment experience builds reassurance in your business.
Great work gets you noticed. A smooth journey—from the first estimate to the final bill—helps you come across as polished, reliable, and credible.
To better understand how payment experiences influence trust, satisfaction, and hiring decisions, Invoice Simple, in partnership with Stripe, commissioned a national survey of 1,000+ people who recently hired a freelancer or small business. Here’s what we learned.
Modern Payment Options Get You Hired More
Accommodating, convenient invoicing makes it easier for customers to settle the invoice quickly and on their terms. In fact, over a third (38%) of customers are more likely to hire you if you offer digital or flexible payments.
Why Modern Payment Options Matter
While cash is the most common payment method at 51%, only 26% of people prefer it— indicating customers are missing the opportunity to check out the way they want.
- 63% say it’s important to be able to pay digitally via credit card, bank transfer, or digital wallet, instead of relying on old-school cash or checks.
- 45% cite credit cards and debit cards as their preferred payment method, with 20% preferring to pay via invoice links or online.
Paying Can Be Even More Modern
Flexible payments can also include options like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), which help customers manage larger expenses over time.
- 37% say they would be likely to use BNPL or short-term financing if offered.
- Among those likely to use it, 51% would consider BNPL for purchases between $500 – $2,000.
Key Takeaway:
Smarter invoices that support digital and adaptable payment options help you get hired. When you offer digital-first invoicing and payment options—including ways to split or extend payments—you align with how customers expect to pay. That convenience reduces friction, helps customers move forward, and makes it easier to choose you.
Professional Invoices Help You Charge With Confidence
Invoices aren’t just about getting paid—they shape how customers perceive your business.
When an invoice is detailed and professional, it conveys knowledge, care, and credibility:
- 85% say receiving a clear, professional invoice or estimate is important when deciding to hire.
- 59% would choose a more expensive business that provides clear, professional invoices.
- 81% say professional invoices increase their certainty that a business is competent and trustworthy.
Key Takeaway:
Documentation that feels polished and transparent shows customers you’re qualified. That outlook directly impacts what they’re willing to pay and makes it easier to justify higher rates and higher-value work. Using tools like an invoice generator helps standardize the experience, making it easy to create well-structured, transparent invoices in just a few clicks.
Smoother Payments Drive Repeat Business and Referrals
When invoicing feels effortless and payments are secure, it strengthens customer trust—driving repeat work and instilling peace of mind that they’re recommending a true businessperson.
- 68% say a professional, clear, and secure payment process increases their confidence that a freelancer or small business is legitimate and reliable.
- 81% say it’s important that their payments are handled through a secure digital platform.
Smarter, More Secure Payments Keep Customers Coming Back
The payment experience isn’t just operational—it can mean the difference between business growth or a one-star review.
- 56% are more likely to choose you for future projects when you offer an integrated digital payment experience.
- 66% are more likely to refer you when you provide an easy and secure digital payment experience.
Key Takeaway:
Straightforward, secure payment experiences build trust, while unprofessional ones can create doubt. That trust directly impacts whether customers hire you again or recommend you to others. Inconsistent or dated payment processes can create hesitation at the final step, and that’s why it’s important to deliver a simple, secure, and well-presented experience every time.
Where Payment Expectations Are Headed Next
Younger customers (ages 18 – 29) show how expectations around invoicing and payments are evolving.
Compared to all respondents in our survey, these customers place greater importance on versatile options.
- 77% say it’s important to be able to pay digitally rather than using cash or check (vs. 63% of all respondents).
- 51% are more likely to choose a business that offers digital or flexible payment—even if it costs more (vs. 38%).
- 59% are likely to use BNPL or short-term financing if offered (vs. 31%).
- 79% would be willing to pay more for clear, detailed, and professional invoices and estimates (vs. 59%).
Key Takeaway:
As expectations shift toward digital convenience, flexibility, and professionalism, the payment experience plays a bigger role in who customers choose to hire—and how much they’re willing to pay. Businesses that can offer up-to-date, integrated, and streamlined invoicing and payment options keep up with how customers want to handle payment today, setting themselves up to remain competitive over time.
Moving Forward
The data shows people expect a modern, put-together payment experience through digitized, no-nonsense invoicing when they hire freelancers and small businesses. And that expectation directly influences who they hire, how much they’re willing to pay, and whether they come back.
Invoice Simple gives you the tools to deliver that experience with professional estimates and invoices, integrated with payment options that meet today’s demands—powered by Stripe.
With Invoice Simple, you can:
- Spend less time on billing and more time running your business.
- Improve your cash flow with faster, more frequent payments.
- Present a more refined, consistent experience to customers.
- Retain more customers by making payments simple and seamless.
When every touchpoint feels polished, transparent, and easy, customers feel more assured in choosing you—and more likely to come back and sing your praises to others.
Don’t let outdated processes cost you jobs.
See how Invoice Simple can help you charge confidently, get hired faster, and earn more referrals.
