Freelance contract templates for businesses hiring contractors and freelancers issuing their own agreements. Add merge fields, generate a completed Word document in seconds, and keep every version in one shared workspace.
Freelance Contract
This Freelance Contract (the "Agreement") is entered into on [Effective date] by and between [Client legal name], a [e.g. limited company] with its principal place of business at [Client address] (the "Client"), and [Freelancer name or company name] of [Freelancer address] (the "Freelancer"). The Client and the Freelancer are each a "Party" and together the "Parties".
Services and Deliverables
Services
The Client engages the Freelancer to perform the following services (the "Services"):
[What the Freelancer will do]
Deliverables
The Freelancer will deliver the following (the "Deliverables"):
[One deliverable per line, with its format — e.g. Six blog articles of 1,200 words each, delivered as Word files]
Each Deliverable must meet the specification agreed between the Parties. The Freelancer will tell the Client promptly of anything likely to affect the quality or timing of a Deliverable.
Timeline
Work starts on [Start date]. All Deliverables must be completed and delivered by [Delivery deadline]. If the Client asks for changes that extend the scope of work, the timeline will be adjusted by written agreement.
Fees and Payment
Project fee
The Client will pay the Freelancer a total fee of [Currency and amount — e.g. EUR 4,000] (the "Project Fee") for the Services.
Payment schedule
The Project Fee is payable as follows:
- [Percent due on signing — e.g. 30]% on signature of this Agreement; and
- the balance on [When the balance is due — e.g. delivery and acceptance of the final Deliverables].
Invoicing and expenses
Invoices are payable within [Days — e.g. 30] days of the invoice date. Expenses the Client has approved in advance are reimbursed within the same period on presentation of receipts. Amounts unpaid by the due date accrue interest at [Percent per month — e.g. 1.5]% per month on the outstanding balance.
Revisions
The Project Fee includes up to [Rounds of revisions included — e.g. 2] rounds of revisions per Deliverable. Further revisions will be quoted and agreed in writing before the work starts.
Intellectual Property
Assignment
On receipt of the Project Fee in full, the Freelancer assigns to the Client all rights, title and interest in the Deliverables, including all intellectual property rights.
Warranty
The Freelancer warrants that the Deliverables are original work and that the Client's use of them will not infringe any third party's rights.
Background IP
The Freelancer retains all rights in pre-existing tools, templates and methodologies developed independently of this Agreement (the "Background IP"), and grants the Client a non-exclusive, perpetual licence to use any Background IP incorporated in the Deliverables.
Independent Contractor
The Freelancer is an independent contractor. Nothing in this Agreement creates an employment, partnership or agency relationship between the Parties. The Freelancer is solely responsible for all taxes and statutory obligations arising from this engagement.
Confidentiality
The Freelancer will keep confidential all non-public information received from the Client in connection with this Agreement and use it solely to perform the Services. This obligation survives completion or termination of the Agreement.
Termination
Termination for convenience
The Client may terminate this Agreement for convenience on [Days of notice — e.g. 7] days' written notice, and will pay the Freelancer for all work completed up to the termination date.
Termination for breach
Either Party may terminate this Agreement immediately by written notice if the other Party commits a material breach and fails to remedy it within [Days to remedy a breach — e.g. 7] days of written notice.
Governing Law
This Agreement is governed by the laws of [Jurisdiction — e.g. England and Wales].
Entire Agreement
This Agreement is the entire agreement between the Parties on its subject matter and supersedes all prior discussions and representations. Any amendment must be in writing and signed by both Parties.
| [[Client Name]] | [[Freelancer Name]] |
| Signature: ___________________________ | Signature: ___________________________ |
| Name: [Signatory name] | Name: [[Freelancer Name]] |
| Title: [Signatory job title] | Date: ________________________________ |
| Date: ________________________________ |
This Freelance Contract (the "Agreement") is entered into on Effective date by and between Client legal name, a e.g. limited company with its principal place of business at Client address (the "Client"), and Freelancer name or company name of Freelancer address (the "Freelancer"). The Client and the Freelancer are each a "Party" and together the "Parties".
The Client engages the Freelancer to perform the following services (the "Services"):
What the Freelancer will do
The Freelancer will deliver the following (the "Deliverables"):
One deliverable per line, with its format — e.g. Six blog articles of 1,200 words each, delivered as Word files
Each Deliverable must meet the specification agreed between the Parties. The Freelancer will tell the Client promptly of anything likely to affect the quality or timing of a Deliverable.
Work starts on Start date. All Deliverables must be completed and delivered by Delivery deadline. If the Client asks for changes that extend the scope of work, the timeline will be adjusted by written agreement.
The Client will pay the Freelancer a total fee of Currency and amount — e.g. EUR 4,000 (the "Project Fee") for the Services.
The Project Fee is payable as follows:
- Percent due on signing — e.g. 30% on signature of this Agreement; and
- the balance on When the balance is due — e.g. delivery and acceptance of the final Deliverables.
Invoices are payable within Days — e.g. 30 days of the invoice date. Expenses the Client has approved in advance are reimbursed within the same period on presentation of receipts. Amounts unpaid by the due date accrue interest at Percent per month — e.g. 1.5% per month on the outstanding balance.
The Project Fee includes up to Rounds of revisions included — e.g. 2 rounds of revisions per Deliverable. Further revisions will be quoted and agreed in writing before the work starts.
On receipt of the Project Fee in full, the Freelancer assigns to the Client all rights, title and interest in the Deliverables, including all intellectual property rights.
The Freelancer warrants that the Deliverables are original work and that the Client's use of them will not infringe any third party's rights.
The Freelancer retains all rights in pre-existing tools, templates and methodologies developed independently of this Agreement (the "Background IP"), and grants the Client a non-exclusive, perpetual licence to use any Background IP incorporated in the Deliverables.
The Freelancer is an independent contractor. Nothing in this Agreement creates an employment, partnership or agency relationship between the Parties. The Freelancer is solely responsible for all taxes and statutory obligations arising from this engagement.
The Freelancer will keep confidential all non-public information received from the Client in connection with this Agreement and use it solely to perform the Services. This obligation survives completion or termination of the Agreement.
The Client may terminate this Agreement for convenience on Days of notice — e.g. 7 days' written notice, and will pay the Freelancer for all work completed up to the termination date.
Either Party may terminate this Agreement immediately by written notice if the other Party commits a material breach and fails to remedy it within Days to remedy a breach — e.g. 7 days of written notice.
This Agreement is governed by the laws of Jurisdiction — e.g. England and Wales.
This Agreement is the entire agreement between the Parties on its subject matter and supersedes all prior discussions and representations. Any amendment must be in writing and signed by both Parties.
| =[Client Name] | =[Freelancer Name] |
| Signature: ___________________________ | Signature: ___________________________ |
| Name: Signatory name | Name: =[Freelancer Name] |
| Title: Signatory job title | Date: ________________________________ |
| Date: ________________________________ |
Freelance Contract
This Freelance Contract (the "Agreement") is entered into on [Effective date] by and between [Your name or trading name] of [Your address] (the "Freelancer"), and [Client legal name], a [e.g. limited company] with its principal place of business at [Client address] (the "Client"). The Freelancer and the Client are each a "Party" and together the "Parties".
Project and Scope of Work
Services
The Freelancer will provide the following services to the Client (the "Services"):
[What you will do]
Deliverables
The Freelancer will deliver the following (the "Deliverables"):
[One deliverable per line, with its format — e.g. Logo in vector and PNG formats]
Variations
Any work outside the scope described above is a variation. Variations must be requested in writing and confirmed with a separate fee quote before the additional work starts.
Timeline
The project starts on [Start date]. The estimated completion date is [Estimated completion date], subject to the Client providing materials, feedback and approvals on time. Delays caused by the Client extend the timeline accordingly.
Fees and Payment
Project fee
The total fee for the Services is [Currency and amount — e.g. EUR 3,000] (the "Project Fee").
Payment schedule
- A non-refundable deposit of [Percent due before work starts — e.g. 50]% of the Project Fee is due before work starts.
- The balance is due on [When the balance is due — e.g. approval of the final Deliverables].
Invoice terms
Invoices are payable within [Days — e.g. 14] days of the invoice date. Late payments incur interest at [Percent per month — e.g. 1.5]% per month on the outstanding balance from the due date until payment is received.
Release of files
Final files and Deliverables are released to the Client only on receipt of the Project Fee in full.
Revisions
The Project Fee includes [Rounds of revisions included — e.g. 2] rounds of revisions. A revision round is a single consolidated set of changes submitted in writing after delivery of a Deliverable. Further revision rounds are charged at [Rate — e.g. EUR 80 per hour]. Revisions are limited to the scope of the original brief; a change of brief or direction after work has started is a variation.
Cancellation
If the Client cancels or abandons the project after work has started, the following cancellation fees apply:
- cancellation before [The first milestone — e.g. delivery of the first draft]: [Percent of the Project Fee — e.g. 25]% of the Project Fee;
- cancellation after [[Stage 1]] but before final delivery: [Percent of the Project Fee — e.g. 50]% of the Project Fee.
The deposit is applied toward any cancellation fee owed.
Intellectual Property
Assignment on payment
All rights in the Deliverables transfer to the Client on receipt of the Project Fee in full. Until then, the Freelancer retains all intellectual property rights in the work produced under this Agreement.
Portfolio rights
The Freelancer may show the completed Deliverables in their portfolio, website and promotional materials, unless the Client asks in writing that specific work remain confidential.
Independent Contractor
The Freelancer is an independent contractor and not an employee of the Client, and is responsible for their own taxes, insurance and statutory obligations.
Confidentiality
The Freelancer will keep confidential any non-public, commercially sensitive information provided by the Client during the engagement and will not disclose it to third parties without the Client's consent.
Termination
Either Party may terminate this Agreement on [Days of notice — e.g. 7] days' written notice. If the Client terminates, the Cancellation clause applies and the deposit is retained. If the Freelancer terminates, the Freelancer will refund the part of the deposit attributable to work not yet started.
Governing Law
This Agreement is governed by the laws of [Jurisdiction — e.g. England and Wales].
Entire Agreement
This Agreement is the entire agreement between the Parties in connection with the Services and supersedes all prior communications and proposals. Any change must be agreed in writing by both Parties.
| [[Freelancer Name]] | [[Client Name]] |
| Signature: ___________________________ | Signature: ___________________________ |
| Date: ________________________________ | Name: [Signatory name] |
| Title: [Signatory job title] | |
| Date: ________________________________ |
This Freelance Contract (the "Agreement") is entered into on Effective date by and between Your name or trading name of Your address (the "Freelancer"), and Client legal name, a e.g. limited company with its principal place of business at Client address (the "Client"). The Freelancer and the Client are each a "Party" and together the "Parties".
The Freelancer will provide the following services to the Client (the "Services"):
What you will do
The Freelancer will deliver the following (the "Deliverables"):
One deliverable per line, with its format — e.g. Logo in vector and PNG formats
Any work outside the scope described above is a variation. Variations must be requested in writing and confirmed with a separate fee quote before the additional work starts.
The project starts on Start date. The estimated completion date is Estimated completion date, subject to the Client providing materials, feedback and approvals on time. Delays caused by the Client extend the timeline accordingly.
The total fee for the Services is Currency and amount — e.g. EUR 3,000 (the "Project Fee").
- A non-refundable deposit of Percent due before work starts — e.g. 50% of the Project Fee is due before work starts.
- The balance is due on When the balance is due — e.g. approval of the final Deliverables.
Invoices are payable within Days — e.g. 14 days of the invoice date. Late payments incur interest at Percent per month — e.g. 1.5% per month on the outstanding balance from the due date until payment is received.
Final files and Deliverables are released to the Client only on receipt of the Project Fee in full.
The Project Fee includes Rounds of revisions included — e.g. 2 rounds of revisions. A revision round is a single consolidated set of changes submitted in writing after delivery of a Deliverable. Further revision rounds are charged at Rate — e.g. EUR 80 per hour. Revisions are limited to the scope of the original brief; a change of brief or direction after work has started is a variation.
If the Client cancels or abandons the project after work has started, the following cancellation fees apply:
- cancellation before The first milestone — e.g. delivery of the first draft: Percent of the Project Fee — e.g. 25% of the Project Fee;
- cancellation after =[Stage 1] but before final delivery: Percent of the Project Fee — e.g. 50% of the Project Fee.
The deposit is applied toward any cancellation fee owed.
All rights in the Deliverables transfer to the Client on receipt of the Project Fee in full. Until then, the Freelancer retains all intellectual property rights in the work produced under this Agreement.
The Freelancer may show the completed Deliverables in their portfolio, website and promotional materials, unless the Client asks in writing that specific work remain confidential.
The Freelancer is an independent contractor and not an employee of the Client, and is responsible for their own taxes, insurance and statutory obligations.
The Freelancer will keep confidential any non-public, commercially sensitive information provided by the Client during the engagement and will not disclose it to third parties without the Client's consent.
Either Party may terminate this Agreement on Days of notice — e.g. 7 days' written notice. If the Client terminates, the Cancellation clause applies and the deposit is retained. If the Freelancer terminates, the Freelancer will refund the part of the deposit attributable to work not yet started.
This Agreement is governed by the laws of Jurisdiction — e.g. England and Wales.
This Agreement is the entire agreement between the Parties in connection with the Services and supersedes all prior communications and proposals. Any change must be agreed in writing by both Parties.
| =[Freelancer Name] | =[Client Name] |
| Signature: ___________________________ | Signature: ___________________________ |
| Date: ________________________________ | Name: Signatory name |
| Title: Signatory job title | |
| Date: ________________________________ |
These templates are a starting point. Have a legal professional review any agreement before signing.
What's included
Each template auto-populates the following fields when used in WordFields:
- Effective date, start date and delivery or completion date
- Client and freelancer names, entity type and addresses
- Description of services and list of deliverables
- Project fee, deposit percentage, when the balance is due, payment terms and late payment rate
- Number of included revision rounds, and the additional revision rate (freelancer-issued variant)
- Cancellation fee percentages and the stage they apply from (freelancer-issued variant)
- Notice and cure periods, and governing law
- Signatory names and titles
When to use
Client-Issued Freelance Contract: Use this template when your business regularly engages freelancers or independent contractors and needs a standard agreement it controls. The priority clauses for a client-issued contract are IP assignment — ensuring all deliverables transfer to the business on payment — and independent contractor status, which needs to be clearly documented to support correct tax classification. Operations and procurement teams that onboard multiple contractors each month benefit most from keeping this template in a shared WordFields workspace, so every engagement starts from the same approved version. This template pairs naturally with a non-disclosure agreement for engagements where the contractor will be exposed to sensitive information, and with a statement of work for larger or more complex project scopes. For formal employment relationships, the offer letter is the appropriate document instead.
Freelancer-Issued Contract: Use this template when you are the freelancer and want to issue your own agreement rather than accept a client's terms. The clauses that matter most here are the non-refundable deposit, the cancellation fee structure, the revision limit, and the provision that final files are released only on full payment — collectively, these are the four most common sources of unpaid or disputed fees in freelance work. The portfolio rights clause in clause 6.2 is also worth preserving: without it, completed work cannot be shown publicly even after delivery. Experienced freelancers issuing this template for every new client through WordFields ensure consistent terms across all engagements, regardless of who is onboarding them. If the relationship later needs to be wound down formally, the contract termination letter handles that step cleanly.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a freelance contract and an employment contract?
A freelance contract governs an independent contractor relationship — the freelancer is self-employed, controls how they work, is responsible for their own taxes, and may work for multiple clients. An employment contract creates an employer-employee relationship with obligations around salary, benefits, tax withholding, and statutory rights. Misclassifying an employee as a contractor carries significant legal and tax risk. If in doubt about classification, seek legal advice before issuing the contract.
What should be included in a freelance contract?
A freelance contract should include the parties' details, a description of the services and deliverables, the project timeline, fee and payment terms, a revision or change-order process, intellectual property ownership, confidentiality obligations, the independent contractor status of the freelancer, termination conditions, and governing law. The scope of work and IP ownership clauses are the most critical — both are common sources of disputes when left vague.
Who should issue the freelance contract — the client or the freelancer?
Either party can issue the contract, and both approaches are common in practice. Businesses hiring multiple contractors often issue a standard contract to maintain consistency and protect IP ownership. Experienced freelancers frequently issue their own contracts to control payment terms, revision limits, and kill fee provisions. Whichever party drafts the agreement tends to shape the terms in their favour — which is why reviewing any contract carefully before signing matters.
Who owns the work produced by a freelancer?
Ownership of deliverables depends on what the contract states. Without a written agreement, copyright in creative work may default to the creator — the freelancer — under most jurisdictions. A client-issued contract typically assigns all rights to the client upon full payment. A freelancer-issued contract may assign rights conditionally or retain a licence for portfolio use. This is one of the most important clauses to get right before work begins.
What is a kill fee in a freelance contract?
A kill fee is a cancellation charge paid to the freelancer if the client terminates the project after work has commenced. It compensates the freelancer for time spent and opportunity cost. Kill fees are typically expressed as a percentage of the total project fee — commonly 25–50% depending on how far the project had progressed. Including a kill fee clause in the contract sets clear expectations for both parties before any work begins.
How many revisions should be included in a freelance contract?
There is no universal standard — revision limits depend on the nature of the work and the agreement between the parties. Most freelance contracts for creative or design work specify two to three rounds of revisions within the project fee, with additional rounds billed at an agreed rate. Whatever the limit, it should be stated explicitly in the contract to prevent scope creep from consuming unpaid time.
How does WordFields help teams manage freelance contracts?
WordFields stores your freelance contract template in a shared workspace so every team member works from one approved version. Open the template, fill in the form — freelancer name, services, fee, payment terms, and project timeline — and download a completed Word document in seconds. No editing the source file, no version confusion, and no reformatting each time a new contractor is engaged.
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