Payment terms, Skonto and default interest: pricing time itself

How long should payment terms be?

In Austria, 14 days is common for small businesses, 30 days for larger clients. In B2B, the legal default without agreement is 30 days.

Skonto — a discount for speed

Typically "2% within 10 days". Worth it? Annualised, 2% for ~20 days earlier payment is roughly 36% p.a. — cheaper than an overdraft if liquidity is tight; an unnecessary giveaway if your cash flow is healthy.

Default interest

• B2B: base rate + 9.2 percentage points by law, plus a €40 collection fee.
• B2C: the general 4% statutory rate.

In practice

1. State terms clearly: "Zahlbar binnen 14 Tagen netto".
2. Make paying easy (QR code!) — most delays are convenience-driven.
3. Remind immediately and politely — automation keeps you consistent.

In Billtree, terms are per-customer defaults, reminders run automatically, and every invoice carries a QR.