A freelance contract should cover 11 things: the parties and scope, the deliverables, the timeline, payment terms with a deposit, a late fee, revision rounds, who owns the work, confidentiality, termination with a kill fee, a liability cap, and both signatures before work begins. Two plain pages are enough. This is general information, not legal advice, so have a lawyer check your template once. Before paying for any tool that sends it, run a real job through our free trial checklist.
What a freelance contract is (and is not)
A freelance contract is the plan you and the client agreed to, written down: what you deliver, when you get paid and what happens if plans change. Freelance agreement, freelance contract and independent contractor agreement are the same document for this checklist. It is not a proposal, which sells the work, and it is not a scope of work, which details it, though it should match both.
This guide is a checklist to build or review a contract, not a contract template and not legal advice. Laws differ by country and state, and the clause wording below is illustrative example text for a fictional design project. A contract also is not about distrust; without one, every question becomes your word against theirs, usually by text, late at night. If a client sends you their own contract, use the same checklist to review it before you sign.
How we evaluated this guide
The 11 clauses come from the usual points where freelance projects go wrong: unclear scope, late payment, endless revisions, cancellation and ownership. The tool section compares four products by reading their own pages. Each criterion was checked on the date shown.
- Ownership law. We read 17 U.S.C. §§ 201 and 204 on copyright.gov to confirm that a transfer of copyright must be in writing and signed. Other countries differ.
- Plan price of the entry plan that lists contracts. US dollars, monthly billing, yearly rate noted. Workspace369, Moxie, Bonsai and HoneyBook were read on 2026-10-25.
- How the contract is sent. What each plan’s own page says about templates, proposals, deposits and signing, with the Workspace369 contract docs last read on 2026-10-08.
- Seats and trial terms. Included users on the entry plan and the free trial length each vendor states, read on the dates above.
What we did not test. We did not sign up for or send a contract through any of these tools, and we did not test how well a signature holds up in any country. We have no customer ratings to report. We are not lawyers and did not review any contract wording for a jurisdiction. Vendors change plans without notice, so check the sources before you buy.
Freelance contract checklist: 11 clauses
| # | Clause | What it settles | The risk without it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parties and scope | Who is hiring whom, and the project in one sentence | Nobody knows who does what |
| 2 | Deliverables | Exactly what they get, and what is not included | Endless extras |
| 3 | Timeline | Key dates, and how fast the client gives feedback | Their delays land on you |
| 4 | Payment terms and deposit | Amounts, due dates, triggers and how they pay | Working unpaid |
| 5 | Late fees | What is charged and when it starts | Paid whenever |
| 6 | Revisions | How many rounds, what a round is, the rate for extras | Unpaid extra rounds |
| 7 | Ownership (IP) | What transfers to the client, and when | Used, never paid |
| 8 | Confidentiality | What stays private, both ways, and for how long | Leaked plans |
| 9 | Termination and kill fee | How either side can end it, and what is paid | Cancelled, unpaid |
| 10 | Liability | The most you could owe | A claim bigger than the job |
| 11 | Signatures | Both parties sign and date it before work begins | No proof of a deal |
What to include, clause by clause
Each clause below has what to write and an example line for a fictional project: Ava Lin Design creating a brand identity for Reed Coffee Co. Change the names, numbers and dates to yours.
Clause 1. Parties and scope
Use full business names and addresses, not just first names. Name your contact and who can approve the work, and add one line saying you work as an independent contractor, not an employee. Then describe the project in one sentence, in the words the client would use.
Ava Lin Design (the Designer) will create a brand identity for Reed Coffee Co. (the Client).
Clause 2. Deliverables
List exactly what the client gets, down to the file types, and what is not included: printing, stock photos or a website, for example. If it isn’t written down, it is open for debate. If you have a detailed scope of work or an accepted proposal, attach it and make sure both documents match.
Three logo concepts, one brand guide, and final files in SVG and PNG. Printing, stock photos and website work are not included.
Clause 3. Timeline and feedback dates
Your dates depend on theirs. Tie each deadline to the client’s feedback arriving on time, and say the schedule moves if it doesn’t. Start the clock only when the deposit and the signed contract are in. Say what happens if you are late too: fair terms go both ways.
Concepts by November 6. The Client gives feedback within 5 business days. If feedback arrives later, later dates move by the same number of days.
Clause 4. Payment terms and deposit
Spell out the amounts, the due dates, what triggers each payment and how the client pays. Size the deposit to cover your first stage of work, such as half the fee, and write down that no deposit means no start date. Name the currency, list any costs you pass on (printing, travel) and say whether they need approval first.
A 50% deposit starts the work. The balance is due 14 days after delivery. All amounts are in US dollars. Costs passed on to the Client need the Client’s approval first.
Clause 5. Late fees
State what is charged and when it applies. A flat fee is the simplest to explain. Some places limit late fees, so check the rules where you work. The point isn’t the money; it is a clear reason to pay on time. Repeat the fee in your invoice terms, so it is never a surprise: the invoice goes out, it falls due, a reminder goes out, then the fee applies.
Invoices unpaid 14 days after the due date add a $50 late fee.
Clause 6. Revisions
Set the number of rounds, such as two, and the rate for extra rounds. Define a round as one set of feedback, sent together; without that, one round turns into twenty small emails. Quote extra rounds before you start them, not on the final invoice. Two rounds of revisions don’t cover a new page or a new logo: that is new work, with a new quote.
Two rounds of revisions are included. A round is one set of feedback sent together. Extra rounds are billed at $95 an hour, quoted before work starts.
Clause 7. Ownership and IP transfer on payment
In the US, copyright in a work belongs first to the person who creates it, and a transfer of copyright ownership only counts if it is in writing and signed by the owner of the rights (17 U.S.C. §§ 201(a) and 204(a)). So spell out what transfers and when, usually once you are paid in full. Keep the right to show the work in your portfolio, and say so. Some freelancers keep ownership and grant the client a license instead; say which one you mean. Other countries have different rules, so check locally.
Ownership of the final files passes to the Client once paid in full. The Designer may show the work in their portfolio.
Clause 8. Confidentiality
Say what is private and how long it stays private. Keep it mutual: you protect their plans, they protect your methods and prices. Give it a time limit, such as two years after the project ends. Bigger clients may send their own NDA; read it before you sign.
Both sides keep the other’s private business information confidential for two years after the project ends.
Clause 9. Termination and kill fee
Say how either side can end the agreement: the notice period, what is paid for work done, and the kill fee. A kill fee pays for the time you blocked out and the work you turned down. Finished work gets paid either way; the kill fee covers part of what is left. A kill fee agreed up front is much easier to ask for than one you raise after a cancellation.
Either side can end this agreement with 14 days’ written notice. Finished work is paid, plus a kill fee of 25% of the remaining fee for work not yet done.
Clause 10. Liability
Cap the most you could owe, for example the fees paid under the agreement. It protects you from a claim far bigger than the job. Add that delays caused by the client, and events outside your control, aren’t on you. Two more lines are worth adding here: which country’s or state’s law applies, and how you will settle a dispute. These are the clauses most worth a lawyer’s look.
The Designer’s total liability is capped at the fees paid under this agreement. The Designer is not responsible for delays caused by the Client or by events outside the Designer’s control.
Clause 11. Signatures
Both of you sign and date the contract before any work begins. A contract signed after the work starts is a contract signed too late. Keep a signed copy each; a signed PDF beats a handshake every time. Signing online through a link is common; for anything unusual, check the rules where you work.
Signed and dated by both parties before any work begins.
How a kill fee works
Here is the termination clause above applied to an illustrative $4,000 project with a 50% deposit:
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Project fee | $4,000 |
| Deposit paid at the start | $2,000 |
| Work finished when the client cancels | $2,800 |
| Still owed for finished work ($2,800 − $2,000) | $800 |
| Remaining fee for work not yet done ($4,000 − $2,800) | $1,200 |
| Kill fee at 25% of the remaining fee | $300 |
| Final invoice ($800 + $300) | $1,100 |
The finished work is paid in full and the kill fee compensates for the weeks you had reserved. Without the clause, the final invoice is a negotiation.
Using a freelance contract template
Starting from a free template online is fine, as long as you check it against this checklist first:
- Does it have a kill fee, ownership that passes on payment and a limit on revisions? Add any that are missing.
- Does it fit your country? A template from another country can get key terms wrong for you.
- Does it fit your kind of work and how you get paid? Deposit, milestones, hourly or monthly.
- Have a lawyer review it once, then reuse it for every client, changing only the project details.
Reviewing a client’s contract
When a bigger client sends their own agreement, read it against the same 11 points. Look hardest at four lines:
- When ownership transfers. On signing, or on payment?
- Revisions. Is there a limit, or can they ask for changes indefinitely?
- Payment terms. When is each invoice due, and what triggers it?
- Liability. Is there a cap, and who carries the risk of client-side delays?
Ask for changes in writing before you sign.
Freelance contract mistakes
- Starting before it is signed. The signature comes first, then the deposit, then the work.
- Vague deliverables. “Brand design” invites debate; “three logo concepts and a brand guide” doesn’t.
- No deposit. You carry all the risk of a cancelled project.
- A template you never read. Check every clause against this list before the first client signs it.
- Changing the deal by email and never updating the contract. If the scope changes, put it in writing and both agree to it.
Review your contract once a year, on the same day you review your rates.
Before you send: freelance contract checklist
- Full business names, your contact and who approves the work.
- Deliverables down to file types, plus a “not included” line, matching your proposal or scope.
- Dates tied to the client’s feedback, with work starting after the deposit and signature.
- Deposit, balance, due dates, currency and pass-through costs.
- A late fee you have checked against local rules.
- Revision rounds, what counts as a round and the rate for extras.
- Ownership passing on full payment, plus your portfolio rights.
- Mutual confidentiality with a time limit.
- Notice period, payment for finished work and a kill fee.
- A liability cap, governing law and how disputes are settled.
- Both signatures and dates, before any work begins.
The best tools for sending a freelance contract in 2026
The wording is yours; a tool only stores the template and collects the signatures. The order follows documented fit for a solo freelancer who wants the contract tied to the proposal, the deposit and the invoice. It is not a ranking by price. Have a lawyer check your template whichever tool you use.
1. Workspace369, best for freelancers who want the contract attached to the proposal and deposit
Our #1 pick is Workspace369. Contracts are on every plan, starting with Cadet at $29 a month ($23.25 a month billed yearly), per its pricing page and contract docs. Save your contract as a template, with merge fields that fill in the client’s details, or upload a PDF instead. The client signs through a link, reminders go out by email on their own, a history lists each event with its time, and everyone gets the completed copy by email.
The case for ranking it first is the chain around the contract. You can attach a contract to a proposal, so when the client accepts the proposal the contract goes out and they continue straight to signing. Deposit on acceptance, invoices and time tracking are on every plan too, so the deposit clause in your contract maps to a setting in the same account.
The limits to plan around: Cadet has one seat and up to 3 active email workflows. Texting starts on Voyager at $74 a month for two seats, and extra seats are $10 a month from Voyager. Cadet through Commander start with a 14-day free trial (card required).
Best for: freelancers who want one record from proposal to signed contract to paid deposit. Workspace369 contract docs
2. Moxie, best for the lowest monthly price
Moxie is the cheapest paid plan here that lists contracts. Starter is $12 a month ($10 billed yearly), and its page lists “Proposals, quotes & contracts” beside invoicing and payments, time tracking, client management, a sales pipeline and basic accounting. Pro, $25 a month ($20 yearly), adds the white-labeled client portal, client request management, workflow automations and integrations. Teams is $40 a month and allows up to five team members. The page we read advertises a 14-day free trial.
The plan page is short, so it takes minutes to see what the entry plan includes. The limit is that Pro is where the client portal and automations start, so a freelancer who wants clients to sign and pay through a branded portal should price Pro at $25, not Starter. Teams stops at five members, so a larger studio needs a different product. Our pricing guide can help you decide what the contract should say about fees.
Best for: solo freelancers who want contracts, proposals and invoices for the lowest bill. Moxie pricing
3. Bonsai, best for freelancers who bill by the hour
Bonsai lists contracts on Essentials, which is $25 per user a month ($19 billed yearly). Essentials adds invoices, payments, proposals, contracts, forms, scheduling, the client portal and expenses. Basic is $15 per user ($9 yearly) and covers time tracking, tasks and a CRM, but its page does not list contracts, invoices or the portal. Premium is $39 ($29 yearly) and adds project insights and a deals pipeline.
For a solo freelancer the fair comparison is Essentials, not Basic. Time entries lead into invoices, which suits hourly work, and the contract can sit in the same account. The limits are per-user pricing, so a second person doubles the bill, and a 7-day free trial, the shortest here, so plan your test before you start it. The page lists no free tier. Our Bonsai review goes through the tiers.
Best for: hourly freelancers who want time entries, invoices and contracts under one login. Bonsai pricing
4. HoneyBook, best for creative booking with templates
HoneyBook lists contracts, a client portal, HoneyBook AI, two live lead forms and a scheduler for one session type on its cheapest plan. Starter is $36 a month ($29 billed yearly). Essentials, $59 ($49 yearly), adds the full scheduler, automations, text reminders and up to two team members. HoneyBook states a 30-day free trial on its own FAQ.
It is built for people who book a client, send the paperwork, take a retainer and deliver weeks later, such as photographers, planners and designers. Its template gallery is a strong starting point. The limits are price and fit: Starter is the highest entry price in this guide, and Starter reminders are email-only. A freelancer billing by the hour or running a short project should price Moxie or Bonsai alongside it. Our HoneyBook review covers the decision.
Best for: creative freelancers who sell packages with a repeatable booking flow. HoneyBook pricing
Side-by-side comparison
Prices are US dollars for one person on monthly billing, from vendor pages read on 2026-10-25.
| Tool | Plan that lists contracts | Best for | Key gate | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workspace369 | Cadet $29 (1 seat) | Contract attached to proposal and deposit | Texting and shared inbox start on Voyager | Cadet: 1 seat, 3 active workflows |
| Moxie | Starter $12 | The lowest bill | Client portal and automations start on Pro | Teams caps at five members |
| Bonsai | Essentials $25 per user | Hourly billing | Contracts, invoices and portal need Essentials | Per-user pricing; 7-day trial |
| HoneyBook | Starter $36 | Creative booking with templates | Automations and SMS reminders start on Essentials | Highest entry price here |
Which tool fits your use case
| If you are… | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A solo freelancer who wants the lowest bill | Moxie Starter, $12 | Contracts, proposals and invoices on the entry plan |
| Someone who wants proposal, contract and deposit linked | Workspace369 Cadet, $29 | Contract attaches to the proposal; deposit on acceptance |
| A freelancer billing by the hour | Bonsai Essentials, $25 | Time entries lead into invoices; contracts included |
| A photographer or designer selling packages | HoneyBook Starter, $36 | Templates and a booking flow built for creative services |
| Someone with one or two clients a year | A reviewed PDF template | A signed PDF and a copy each is enough; skip a new tool |
| Planning to add a second person soon | Workspace369 Voyager, $74 | Two seats and a shared inbox; extra seats $10 a month |
Frequently asked questions
What should be included in a freelance contract?
Eleven clauses: the parties and scope, deliverables, the timeline and feedback dates, payment terms and a deposit, late fees, revisions, ownership of the work, confidentiality, termination and a kill fee, a liability cap, and both signatures. This is general information, not legal advice; check your contract with a lawyer where you work.
Do freelancers need a contract for every client?
Yes, including friends and repeat clients. A short contract settles what you deliver, when you get paid and what happens if plans change, before any of those become arguments. Two plain pages are enough.
What is a kill fee in a freelance contract?
A payment the client owes if they cancel the project, on top of paying for the work already finished. It compensates for the time you reserved and the work you turned down. One way to set it is a share of the fee for the work not yet done, such as 25%.
Who owns the work in a freelance contract?
Whatever the contract says. In the US, copyright belongs first to the person who creates the work, and a transfer of ownership is only valid in writing and signed (sections 201 and 204 of the Copyright Act). This checklist transfers ownership of the final files once you are paid in full and keeps your portfolio rights; some freelancers grant a license instead.
Is a freelance agreement the same as an independent contractor agreement?
For this checklist, yes: freelance contract, freelance agreement and independent contractor agreement describe the same document. Include a line saying you work as an independent contractor, not an employee, and check local rules on worker status with a lawyer.
Can I use a free freelance contract template?
Yes, if you check it first. Make sure it has a kill fee, ownership that passes on payment and a revision limit, and that it fits your country, your kind of work and how you get paid. Have a lawyer review it once, then reuse it.
Which tool is cheapest for sending a freelance contract?
Among the paid plans here, Moxie Starter at $12 a month ($10 billed yearly) lists contracts on its entry plan. Workspace369 Cadet is $29, Bonsai Essentials is $25 per user and HoneyBook Starter is $36, all on monthly billing.
How do I send a freelance contract for a client to sign?
Send it before any work begins, as a PDF or through a tool that collects signatures through a link, and keep a signed copy each. In Workspace369, contracts are on every plan from $29 a month: the client signs through a link and everyone gets the completed copy by email.
Next step: test the contract on one real project
Take your last client project and write its contract against the 11 clauses above, then send it through whichever tool you are considering. If the Workspace369 plans fit your work, you can start the 14-day free trial and try the proposal, contract and deposit chain on one real job.
