Simple freelance contract (one-page SOW)

When to use this

Anything over a one-off small gig. If the engagement has more than one deliverable, a deadline, or a payment over roughly one month of your average expenses, get it in writing before you start.

Why one page

Ten-page contracts get forwarded to legal and sit there for three weeks. A one-page SOW gets signed the same day. This template covers the six things that actually cause disputes — scope, deliverables, payment, IP, revisions, and out-of-scope work — and skips the rest.

When you need a real lawyer

This template is not legal advice. If the engagement is over a few thousand dollars a month, or involves sensitive data, NDAs, exclusivity, or a retainer longer than 3 months, pay a lawyer once for a proper version. You'll reuse it for years.

How to customize

Fill every [bracket].
The "kill fee" clause is non-negotiable — don't remove it. It's the difference between a client who respects your time and one who ghosts you three weeks in.
Revisions: two rounds is standard. If you quoted the project, two rounds is generous. More than two rounds means the scope was wrong, not that the work was wrong.
Signatures can be e-signatures (DocuSign, HelloSign, or even a signed PDF emailed back).

FREELANCE SERVICES AGREEMENT This agreement is between [Your full name or business name] ("Contractor") and [Client company name] ("Client"), effective [YYYY-MM-DD]. 1. SCOPE OF WORK Contractor will deliver the following: - [Deliverable 1 — be specific. E.g., "Homepage redesign: 1 desktop + 1 mobile layout, delivered as Figma file."] - [Deliverable 2] - [Deliverable 3] Work not listed above is out of scope. Out-of-scope work will be billed separately at [$XX/hr] or quoted as a new SOW. 2. TIMELINE Start date: [YYYY-MM-DD] Target delivery: [YYYY-MM-DD] Timeline assumes Client feedback within 3 business days per round. Delays in Client feedback extend the timeline day-for-day. 3. PAYMENT Total fee: [$X,XXX] [USD / PHP] - 50% deposit due before work begins: [$X,XXX] - 50% balance due on final delivery: [$X,XXX] (Alternate structure: milestone payments at [25% / 50% / 25%] tied to deliverables above.) Payment terms: Net 14 from invoice date. Late payments past 14 days incur a 1.5% monthly late fee. Work pauses if any invoice is more than 7 days overdue. 4. REVISIONS Fee includes up to two (2) rounds of revisions per deliverable. Additional rounds billed at [$XX/hr] or agreed in advance. 5. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Upon receipt of final payment, Contractor assigns all rights in the delivered work to Client. Until final payment is received, all work remains the property of Contractor. Contractor retains the right to display the finished work in a portfolio unless explicitly agreed otherwise in writing. 6. KILL FEE / TERMINATION Either party may terminate this agreement with 7 days' written notice. If Client terminates before completion, Client pays for all work delivered plus 25% of the remaining balance as a kill fee. Any deposit is non-refundable once work has started. 7. CONFIDENTIALITY Both parties agree to keep non-public information shared during this engagement confidential, both during and after the engagement. 8. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR Contractor is an independent contractor, not an employee. Contractor is responsible for their own taxes and benefits. 9. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY Contractor's total liability under this agreement is limited to the total fees paid by Client. 10. GOVERNING LAW This agreement is governed by the laws of [the Philippines / your jurisdiction]. SIGNED Contractor: ___________________________ Date: __________ [Your name] Client: _______________________________ Date: __________ [Client name, Title]

Simple freelance contract (one-page SOW)

When to use this

Why one page

When you need a real lawyer

How to customize

The template

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