Create a clear freelance or independent contractor service agreement. Set the scope, choose how you get paid, decide who owns the work, and add the protections that fit the job.
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A service agreement is the contract behind freelance and contractor work. It records what you are being hired to do, how and when you get paid, who owns the finished work, and how either side can walk away. For freelancers it is the difference between a handshake and a deal you can actually enforce.
Clients use it too: it confirms the scope they are paying for, the ownership they are getting, and the protections they need around confidentiality and liability.
Start with a specific scope — vague descriptions are where disputes begin. Then nail down payment: the amount, the structure (fixed, hourly, or retainer), when invoices are due, and whether a deposit is required.
Cover ownership of the work, confidentiality, and a limitation of liability so a single project can't expose you to outsized claims. Finally, set out how the agreement can be ended and which jurisdiction's law applies.
The fastest way to improve cash flow is to ask for a deposit before work starts, especially on fixed-fee projects. Clear invoice terms set expectations, and a late-payment interest clause gives clients a reason to pay on time.
This generator lets you add all three with a click, and the payment section of your agreement updates to match.
Each section is written in clear language. Optional clauses can be switched on or off when you generate the document.
Defines exactly what work is being done. A clear, specific scope is your best protection against disputes and unpaid extra work.
How long the agreement lasts. Here, until the work is finished and accepted.
How long the agreement lasts. Here, until a fixed end date.
How long the agreement lasts. Here, it runs until someone ends it.
What the client pays and when. Here, a single fixed price for the whole project.
What the client pays and when. Here, an hourly rate billed against time worked.
What the client pays and when. Here, a recurring monthly retainer paid in advance.
An upfront payment before work begins, which reduces your risk of not being paid.
The client pays back reasonable costs you run up for the project, with approval and receipts.
Overdue invoices start accruing interest, which encourages prompt payment.
Makes clear you are a contractor, not an employee — so you handle your own taxes and the client avoids employment obligations.
Who owns the finished work. Here, ownership transfers to the client once they have paid in full; you keep your pre-existing tools.
Who owns the finished work. Here, you keep ownership and grant the client a license to use it.
Each side promises to keep the other's private information secret.
Neither side may poach the other's staff or contractors for a year after the work.
You promise the work will be done professionally, but make no other guarantees.
Caps how much either party can be sued for — usually no more than the fees paid. This protects you from outsized claims.
How either side can end the agreement, and what gets paid when they do. Work done up to that point is still owed.
Sets which place's laws apply and where any dispute would be handled.
Standard wrap-up terms: this is the whole agreement, changes must be in writing, force majeure, and it can be signed electronically.
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