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Global Freelance Payment Delay Index

How long freelancers and small businesses typically wait to get paid, ranked by market. A compiled index of payment terms, days paid beyond terms, and the share of invoices settled late — built from public payment-practices benchmarks.

Last reviewed: July 2026

avg. days to get paid (index)

Germany

fastest — ~28 days

Greece

slowest — ~90 days

This is a compiled, illustrative index for comparing markets — not a primary survey of freelancers. Figures are directional estimates drawn from public payment-practices benchmarks and will vary by industry, client size, and contract. See the methodology below and confirm specifics with the linked sources.

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Greece

SevereEurope

90days to get paid

60d term + 30d late

~55% of invoices paid late

Italy

SevereEurope

80days to get paid

60d term + 20d late

~52% of invoices paid late

Spain

SevereEurope

70days to get paid

55d term + 15d late

~48% of invoices paid late

China

SevereAsia-Pacific

70days to get paid

45d term + 25d late

~55% of invoices paid late

India

SevereAsia-Pacific

65days to get paid

45d term + 20d late

~55% of invoices paid late

United Arab Emirates

SevereMiddle East & Africa

65days to get paid

45d term + 20d late

~50% of invoices paid late

France

SlowEurope

52days to get paid

40d term + 12d late

~45% of invoices paid late

Mexico

SlowAmericas

50days to get paid

30d term + 20d late

~50% of invoices paid late

United States

ModerateAmericas

44days to get paid

30d term + 14d late

~49% of invoices paid late

#10

Brazil

ModerateAmericas

43days to get paid

28d term + 15d late

~45% of invoices paid late

#11

United Kingdom

ModerateEurope

42days to get paid

30d term + 12d late

~50% of invoices paid late

#12

Australia

ModerateAsia-Pacific

42days to get paid

30d term + 12d late

~45% of invoices paid late

#13

Canada

ModerateAmericas

40days to get paid

30d term + 10d late

~40% of invoices paid late

#14

Sweden

ModerateEurope

32days to get paid

27d term + 5d late

~33% of invoices paid late

#15

Netherlands

ModerateEurope

31days to get paid

25d term + 6d late

~35% of invoices paid late

#16

Germany

FastEurope

28days to get paid

20d term + 8d late

~40% of invoices paid late

Methodology

Each market is described by three estimates: the typical agreed payment term (in days), the average days paid beyond terms (DBT), and the share of invoices paid late. The headline ranking metric, "days to get paid", is simply the typical term plus the days beyond terms — an estimate of the real wait from issuing an invoice to receiving cash.

Markets are grouped into bands by that effective wait: Fast (≤30 days), Moderate (31–45), Slow (46–60), and Severe (60+).

Values are compiled and normalised from publicly reported payment-practices research rather than measured directly, so treat them as directional comparisons. We review and update the index periodically.

Sources

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