For freelancers

Contracts for freelancers

Freelancers often start work on an email and a handshake. Contracts.io turns the brief into a clear agreement with Lex, and your client signs it from one link.

Draft this with Lex

Free for the other side

Lex drafts it in Plain English beside the legal wording. Share one link; both sides agree and sign.

Templates freelancers use most

Client workFreelancer agreementA freelancer agreement sets the brief, deliverables, rate, rights and payment terms between a freelancer and a client.Read →HiringIndependent contractor agreementAn independent contractor agreement hires someone to do work as a business of their own, setting the work, pay, ownership and how the arrangement ends.Read →NDAs & IPMutual NDAA mutual NDA lets two businesses share confidential information both ways before a deal, and says what each side can do with it.Read →Client workStatement of workA statement of work sets the scope, deliverables, milestones and fees for one project under a wider services agreement.Read →Client workRetainer agreementA retainer agreement sets a monthly fee for a set amount of your time or availability, and what happens to unused hours.Read →Client workConsulting agreementA consulting agreement sets out advice and expertise you provide to a client, billed by the day, the month or the project.Read →

What goes in a freelance contract?

A freelance contract usually covers the scope of work, deadlines, fee and payment terms, who owns the finished work, confidentiality, and how either side can end the deal. Many also include a kill fee if the client cancels part way, and a limit on how many rounds of changes are included. Lex asks about each of these and drafts the agreement in Plain English.

When do freelancers usually get paid?

Common options are payment on receipt, net 14 or net 30, sometimes with a deposit up front. Larger projects are often split into milestones, with a payment at each stage. Many freelance contracts also say work can pause if an invoice is overdue. In the UK, statutory interest on late commercial debts is set under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.

Do I keep the rights to my work?

Only if the contract says so. Many freelance contracts transfer ownership of the final work to the client once it is paid for, while the freelancer keeps earlier material, tools and know-how. Some freelancers license the work instead, so the client can use it for agreed purposes. Portfolio rights are often written in too, so you can show the work after launch.

Frequently asked questions

Do freelancers need a contract?

Many freelancers use one for every job, because it records the scope, fee, deadlines and who owns the work. It gives both sides one place to check if something is unclear later.

Is a freelancer agreement the same as an independent contractor agreement?

They are very similar. "Independent contractor agreement" is more common in the US, and "freelancer agreement" is more common in the UK and creative work.

Does my client need a Contracts.io account?

No. You share one link, your client reads the agreement in Plain English, agrees and signs. It is free for them.

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