Writing Freelance Contracts [ Guidelines, Steps ]

A contract is a legally binding document that is used when two parties go into an agreement, especially when it involves sales and other interactions where monetary values are involved. When creating a contract, you need to make sure that you will properly and precisely allocate details based on how you would like to present it to the businesses, clients, and other entities involved in the transaction.

In every business transaction, it is important that you create a formal written contract, especially when money is involved. Through a well-crafted contract, you can assure that your business is protected from any bad clients or disagreements that you may encounter in the future. If you need to create a contract, specifically a freelance contract, then you are on the right page. We have various freelance templates and samples that you can download should you need to create one. There are also other types of contracts available like an employment contract,  lease contract, and other types of contracts that you may need. Also, you can read more information about freelance contracts below.

Sample Contract for Videography Services

Software Development Contract Sample

Freelance Writer Contract Template

What Is a Freelance Contract?

Freelance workers or freelancers, as they are commonly called, are individuals who are self-employed. This means that they are individuals who do not work and are not employed at a particular company. Freelancers work with various clients to work on many different projects at the same time. Before a freelancer or independent contractor goes into an agreement with their clients, a freelance contract is necessary. A freelance contract is a formal document used by freelance workers. As with other types of contracts, a freelance contract includes the rights and responsibilities of both the freelancer and their clients, as well as the terms that both parties should follow to avoid breaching the contract.

Elements of a Freelance Contract

When creating a contract, specifically a freelance contract, it is important to remember that the elements present in a basic contract should also be included in a freelance contract. Below are the outline and the essential elements that every freelance contract has.

• Title – the title of the contract should specify the type of contract that you are creating as well as the names of both the freelancer and the client.
• Introduction – the introduction provides an overview or a summary of the contract being created, as well as its purpose.
• Project – this section includes a detailed description of the project, including the timeline, the format of the work, and other relevant details about the project that the freelancer will be working on.
• Schedule – a freelance contract clearly lays out the schedule of the project from the delivery of the first draft to the date of the finished output.
• Payment – this section of the freelance contract lists the payment schedules, the payment methods that a client can pay through, and other fees that a client needs to pay.
• Terms – the terms and conditions in a freelance contract contains the various provisions that dictate whether an individual is breaching the contract or not.
• Signature – this section is important in every contract since it indicates that both parties have agreed upon all the information and terms that the freelance contract contains. By signing the contract, both the freelancer and the client understands that they are legally liable should they breach any of the terms and clauses written in the document.

Freelance Agreement Sample

Sample Freelance Writing Contract

Independent Contractor Agreement Template

What Are the Steps in Creating a Freelance Contract?

A freelance contract is a useful document that is commonly used by individuals in various industries. These include freelance writers, photographers, graphic artists, bloggers, musicians, etc. If you are a freelance worker, you may need to create a freelance contract from scratch. To help you create your contract, the steps in creating one are as follows:

• The first step that you will need to do when creating your contract is to create an outline of the information you will be putting in your contract.
• To start, you can download from the freelance contract agreements, freelance photography contract templates, etc., that are available on this site in order for you to have a reference in formatting your document. You can also download the templates that we have here to make it easier for you when creating your contract.
• Create a title in your freelance contract. It is important that you specify the type of freelance contract that you are creating such as a photography contract, writers contract, etc.
• In the contract, write the names and other relevant information of the party doing the freelance work and their client/s. Include the address, contact information, and email address of both parties.
• Write a detailed description of the services that will be provided by the freelancers to the clients. It is necessary that you include the scope of work in order for the client to understand what to expect from the project and the tasks that you will be doing over the course of the project.
• If you are working on a project that requires technical work, it is important that you include in the contract, a project plan, and other relevant materials.
• Write the payment details in the contract. Clearly specify the rate or the amount that you will be charging per hour, the payment schedule, payment methods, and other fees that you will be charging to the client.
• Include in the contract that you will be working on the projects at the place and time that you choose.
• Write the project schedule by listing down the time frames of the different projects that you will be working on, from the start date to the expected finish date.
• Create the terms and conditions of the contract including the grounds for termination should the client fail to pay on time or if the freelancer fails to provide the output on the expected finish date.
• Specify in the freelance contract the copyrights of the finished output like the software, graphics, photos, etc.
• Create a confidentiality clause in your contract. Since there are certain pieces of information that need to be kept confidential between you and the client, it is important that a confidentiality clause is included to protect both parties.
• Write the date when the contract is created and effective.
• Include the signature of both the freelancer and the client. The signature means that both parties have agreed on all the information written in the contract and they fully understand their rights and responsibilities.

Clauses That Freelancers Need to Have in Their Contracts

In every contract, you will find various clauses that are important in order for your document to be effective. Although there are a number of clauses that are present in a contract, there are clauses that freelancers should never leave out in their contracts. Here are the essential clauses that need to be included in a freelance contract:

• Pricing – this clause is one of the important clauses in a contract. It is necessary that you clearly write in detail the pricing of the services that you are offering to your clients. List down the various rates such as the price you charge per hour, extra fees, etc.
• Payment – it is important that you include the payment schedule, the methods on how you will get paid, and the number of days a client is required to pay the amount after an invoice is sent.
• Kill Fee – the kill fee refers to the clause that protects freelancers should the client cancel the project. This ensures that the freelancer gets paid for the work that has already been done before the client has canceled.
• Revisions – when a client makes various changes to the work that has already been done by the freelancer, this clause states the number of revisions or rewrites that are allowed for a specific project.
• Copyrights – freelance photographers, writers, graphic artists, and other freelance industries provide various outputs, which mean that it should be clearly stated in the contract who has ownership of these materials. Usually, the freelancer holds ownership until the client has fully paid the amount.
• Deadline – every project should have a deadline, that’s why it is necessary that this is specified in the contract in order for both parties to agree on a set deadline for the project.

Freelance Photography Contract Template

Sample Freelance Writer Agreement

Freelance Project Agreement Template

Publisher Agreement Contract Template

Freelance Consultant Agreement Sample

Guidelines for Creating Freelance Contracts

We have collected a number of guidelines for creating freelance contracts. You can refer to the guidelines below when creating your own freelance contract.

• When creating a freelance contract, always ensure that you have your company’s name in the contract and not your own personal name.
• Always remember to clearly list down the scope of the work that you will be doing on a specific project.
• Ensure that anything involving money is clearly discussed and indicated in the freelance contract.
• Clearly outline the copyrights of the output or materials that you will be working on in the project.
• Keep your freelance contract simple but ensure that all the important aspects are detailed.
• Always include a surcharge rate for rush orders or projects that have earlier deadlines.

What Are the Benefits of Having a Contract?

The main purpose of creating contracts is to protect freelancers from several bad clients that they may encounter. This example is only one of the benefits that a freelance contract can provide. The benefits of having a freelance contract are as follows:

• One of the benefits that a freelance contract can have is that it not only protects the freelance worker but also their clients. A freelance contract contains terms wherein both parties can benefit.
• Through a contract, both parties can fully understand what to expect from the project. For example, a client will know what to expect from the finished product or output.
• The freelance contract is an important document used as a reference in the case of any misunderstanding or disagreement between both parties.
• A freelance contract will also make it easier for both the client and the freelancer since it sets the standards for the agreement.
• It allows for a better relationship between the freelancer and the client or customer since this document contains all the relevant and necessary information for both parties to achieve a common goal.

You can download from the available templates for freelance contracts in this article. There are also various types of contracts like proposal contracts, vehicle sales contracts, and other kinds of contracts that are available for download on this site should you need these types specifically.