A payment term meaning the invoice is due in full 30 days after the invoice date. Net-15 and net-60 work the same way with different windows.
“Net-30” is a promise about when money moves: the client has 30 days from the invoice date to pay in full. It’s the default in much of corporate purchasing because it matches monthly accounting cycles — not because it’s good for the freelancer.
For independent sellers, net-30 means you’re floating a month of your client’s cash flow. It’s reasonable for established relationships with reliable payers; it’s risky as a default for new clients. Common protections: a deposit up front (30–50%), due-on-receipt terms for small projects, and late fees stated on the invoice itself.
For buyers, honoring stated terms is the cheapest reputation you’ll ever build. On payment-day, “the network that runs your business” runs on people who pay when they said they would.