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Employment and contractors

Freelance contract template

Freelance contract: A freelance contract sets out the work a freelancer will do for a client, the price, the deadline, how revisions work and who owns the result.

Last reviewed 6 November 2026 · 7 clauses · General guidance, not legal advice

Fill in the terms and send it for e-signature in minutes.

Use this template free

When to use a freelance contract

  • Design, writing, video or development projects
  • Fixed-price work with milestones
  • Retainers billed monthly

Freelance contract template: clause-by-clause outline

Sample starting wording for each clause. Replace the text in [brackets] with your details.

  1. Project

    The Freelancer will deliver [deliverables] by [date] as described in the brief.

  2. Price and deposit

    The total fee is [amount]. [50]% is due on signing and the balance on delivery.

  3. Revisions

    The fee includes [2] rounds of revisions. Further changes are billed at [rate].

  4. Client inputs

    The Client will provide [content, access, feedback] within [3] working days of request.

  5. Ownership

    Ownership of final deliverables passes to the Client on full payment. The Freelancer may show the work in its portfolio unless agreed otherwise.

  6. Late payment

    Unpaid invoices carry interest at [1]% per month after the due date.

  7. Cancellation

    If the Client cancels, it pays for work done to date and the deposit is non-refundable.

What to check before you sign

  • Are deliverables and revision rounds specific?
  • Does ownership transfer only on full payment?
  • Is there a kill fee if the project is cancelled?

How to send a freelance contract for e-signature

  1. Start from the built-in template. Fill in the parties and terms; the contract and its plain-language review write themselves.
  2. Check it against your playbook. Points outside your positions are flagged, and approval rules route it to Legal when needed.
  3. Send it by email. Signers get a plain-language review and a secure link, sign on any device in the order you set, and can suggest changes as tracked changes.
  4. Keep the signed PDF. Everyone receives it with a certificate of completion, and key dates go to Upcoming with reminders.

Freelance contract template: frequently asked questions

Should freelancers take a deposit?

Yes. A 30–50% deposit is common and protects against cancellation and late payment.

Who owns the work a freelancer creates?

By default the creator often owns copyright. A contract should state when ownership transfers to the client.

Is an electronically signed freelance contract legally binding?

In most countries, yes. E-signatures are recognised for commercial contracts under laws such as the ESIGN Act (US), eIDAS (EU), the Electronic Communications Act (UK) and the Information Technology Act (India). econtracts.ai adds a certificate of completion with each signer’s identity check and a fingerprint of the signed content.

Can I get a freelance contract I received reviewed?

Yes. Upload it to econtracts.ai and you get a plain-language review: key dates, money and points to check, each quoting the clause it comes from.

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This outline is a starting point for discussion, not legal advice, and it is not a complete contract. Laws differ by country and sector; have a qualified lawyer review contracts that matter.