What should a freelance contract include?

At minimum: precise deliverables, deadline, fee and payment schedule, revision limits, ownership terms, a kill fee, and the independent-contractor statement. This template covers all seven.

Deposit or milestone payments?

Under ~$2,000, a 50% deposit is standard. Larger projects: milestones (e.g., 30/40/30) keep cash flowing and cap everyone's risk.

Do freelance contracts hold up for remote international clients?

Generally yes, but enforcement across borders is expensive, which is why deposits and pause-work clauses matter more than lawsuit rights in practice.

Freelance Contract Template

A service agreement tuned for independent work: deposits, kill fees, revision limits, and the independent-contractor clause that protects both sides.

FREELANCE CONTRACT This Agreement is made on between ("Freelancer") and ("Client"). 1. PROJECT. Freelancer will deliver: by . 2. FEE & DEPOSIT. Total fee: . A non-refundable deposit of is due before work begins; the balance is due . 3. REVISIONS. The fee includes rounds of revisions. Further revisions are billed at /hour. 4. KILL FEE. If Client cancels after work begins, Client pays the deposit plus % of the remaining fee, and Freelancer delivers work completed to date. 5. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. Freelancer is an independent contractor, not an employee, responsible for their own taxes, insurance, tools, and hours. 6. OWNERSHIP. On full payment, deliverables belong to Client. Until then, they belong to Freelancer. Freelancer may display the work in their portfolio . 7. LATE PAYMENT. Invoices unpaid after days accrue % monthly interest, and Freelancer may pause ongoing work. 8. GOVERNING LAW. Governed by the laws of . SIGNED: _________________________ _________________________ Date: Date:

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Using this for something that matters?

This free freelance contract covers the standard situation. If real money, property, or an ongoing relationship rides on it, a professionally drafted version, or a quick attorney review of what you've filled in, costs little and removes the guesswork.

Ask any local attorney for a fixed-fee document review, most offer one.

How to use this template

Never skip the deposit, it filters unserious clients better than any contract clause.
Cap revisions in writing. 'Just one more tweak' is how fixed fees become hourly wages you never agreed to.
The portfolio clause is easy to forget and painful to lose, your best work is your marketing.

These templates are general forms for informational purposes, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using them. Laws vary by state and country, have a licensed attorney review any document before you rely on it.

Common questions

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