Freelance contract template
One page, plain English. Fill in the blanks, copy or print, send it with your quote.
Last updated 14 October 2026
Who
What
Money
Rules
What a freelance contract must contain
Ten things. If one is missing, that is where the argument will be.
- Who. Both legal names and addresses. "Acme" is not a party; "Acme Studio Ltd, Berlin" is.
- The work. Specific enough that a stranger could tell whether it is done. Pages, features, formats, what is not included.
- Dates. Start, delivery, and what the delivery date depends on (receiving materials, feedback within X days).
- Price and model. Fixed, hourly or retainer, with the currency written out.
- Deposit. 30 to 50 percent before work starts. A client who will not pay a deposit is telling you something.
- Payment terms. Due within 7 or 14 days of the invoice, and a late fee if you want one. The fee must be here, before the invoice, or it does not count.
- Revisions. How many rounds are included and what an extra round costs.
- Ownership. The client owns the final work when fully paid, not before. You keep the right to show it.
- Cancellation. Notice period and what is owed for work done so far.
- Governing law. Which country's law applies. Usually yours.
The template, in full
This is what the generator produces, with the blanks shown. Copy it as it is if you prefer to fill it in by hand.
Before you send it
- Send it with the quote, not after the work starts. The deposit invoice goes out the same day.
- Email is fine. "Reply with 'agreed' and I will send the deposit invoice" is a signature in most countries. For bigger projects use a signing tool.
- Keep it on one page. Clients read one page. Nobody reads six.
- When the scope changes, write one line: "Adding X for Y, delivery moves to Z. Agreed?" That line is part of the contract.
Questions people ask
Do I need a lawyer for a freelance contract?
For a typical project under a few thousand in value, a clear one-page agreement both sides have agreed to in writing is enough and is what most freelancers use. Get a lawyer for large projects, equity or revenue-share deals, work with personal data at scale, or a client who sends you their own 20-page contract.
Is a contract agreed by email legally binding?
In most countries, yes: an offer, acceptance and the terms in writing are a contract, and an email saying "agreed" counts as acceptance. Keep the email thread. Some clients require a signed PDF for their own process; use a free e-signature tool then.
What if the client will not sign?
Ask what they object to; usually it is one clause, often the deposit or the late fee, and you can talk about it. If they refuse any written terms at all, that is your answer about how the payment will go.
Fixed price or hourly?
Fixed price when the scope is clear and you have done similar work before; you carry the risk, you keep the upside. Hourly when the scope is open or the client keeps changing it; report hours weekly so there are no surprises. Retainer for ongoing work: a set number of hours or deliverables each month, paid at the start of the month.
Who owns the work?
Write it down, because the default differs by country. The usual deal: the client owns the final deliverables once the invoice is paid in full; you keep your tools, templates and the right to show the work in your portfolio. Until it is paid, it is yours.
How much deposit should I ask for?
30 to 50 percent of a fixed price, or the first month of a retainer, before any work starts. For a new client, 50. For hourly work, a deposit equal to one or two weeks of estimated hours, held against the final invoice.
Keep going
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