How long does it typically take to get paid after sending an invoice?
How long does it take to get paid after sending an invoice — benchmarks by business type
Short answer
The average B2B invoice in the US is paid approximately 27–30 days after the invoice date, according to data from QuickBooks, Xero, and Atradius. But averages mask wide variation: freelancers and small B2B service businesses average 40–50 days; construction averages 60–75 days; government contractors average 45–60 days for state/local and 30 days for compliant federal invoices. B2C service businesses (e.g., home services, personal care) that accept card payments at time of service have DSOs under 5 days. The largest driver of payment speed is not industry — it is whether the business has an active follow-up process at all.
The QuickBooks Small Business Cash Flow Survey reports that among the small businesses it surveyed, invoices were paid on average 27 days after the invoice date. The Xero Small Business Insights report shows similar data across its user base. Atradius's Payment Practices Barometer for North America consistently finds that 45–50% of B2B invoice value is paid late in any given quarter, with average days late running 10–15 days beyond terms.
Industry benchmarks vary substantially. Professional services (accounting, consulting, legal): 30–45 days average actual payment. Marketing and creative agencies: 35–50 days. IT services and software development: 30–45 days. Construction and trades: 60–75 days, with significant tail risk from retainage and dispute-prone billing structures. Staffing and HR: 30–45 days. Healthcare billing to insurers: 45–90 days depending on payer. Government (federal): 30 days required by Prompt Payment Act; actual is 28–35 days for compliant invoices.
The most important variable is not industry — it is follow-up behavior. Businesses with an active follow-up process (reminder 3 days before due, call or personal email on day 1 past due, formal demand at day 14) consistently outperform their industry benchmarks by 10–20 days of DSO. Businesses with no follow-up process (relying on the client to pay without prompting) sit at the slow end of their industry range regardless of their terms.
Net payment terms have a smaller effect than most businesses expect. Moving from net-30 to net-15 does not typically cut DSO in half — it shifts the payment date the customer targets, but chronic late payers are late relative to any terms. The better lever is active follow-up within the first week past due, which converts late invoices to payments before they age past the 30-day mark.
Cash-flow planning implication: for any invoice above $1,000, model your receivable as 'expected to arrive in [terms + 14 days]' rather than exactly on the due date. This is the realistic planning window for the median B2B client. Reserve the exact-due-date expectation for the minority of clients with a consistent track record of on-time payment.