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Freelance Contract Template — Freelancer Agreement

Simple, fair freelance agreement with milestones, revisions, and payment terms. $9.99 PDF.

A freelance contract is a written agreement between a freelancer and a client that locks down the scope, schedule, and payment terms of a project before work begins. Unlike a traditional employment contract, a freelance agreement is built around deliverables and milestones rather than hours and salaries — making it the right fit for designers, writers, developers, photographers, and other independent creatives. A well-drafted freelance contract caps the number of revisions, defines who owns the final work, sets clear kill fees, and complies with the New York City Freelance Isn't Free Act, which requires a written contract for any freelance work worth $800 or more and entitles freelancers to double damages plus attorneys' fees if a client pays late.

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Why StubFast?

  • NYC Freelance Isn't Free Act compliant — required for any project worth $800+ in New York City
  • Milestone-based payment structure: get paid as you hit deliverables, not 90 days after the final invoice
  • Built-in revision cap (e.g., "2 rounds included") to stop scope creep before it eats your margin
  • Clear IP transfer clause — client owns the final work only after the final payment clears
  • Plain-English termination and kill-fee terms so both sides know exactly what happens if the project ends early

Common Use Cases

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    Graphic design — logos, brand identity, social media assets, illustrations
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    Writing & copywriting — blog posts, website copy, ghostwriting, technical writing
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    Web & app development — landing pages, WordPress sites, custom React builds, bug-fix retainers
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    Video editing — YouTube edits, wedding films, corporate explainers, social cutdowns
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    Photography — events, headshots, product shoots, real-estate photography
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    Marketing & SEO — paid-ad management, SEO audits, email campaigns, content strategy

1099 vs W-2 Classification

Freelancers are self-employed 1099 workers — but if the client controls your schedule, requires you to use their tools, and treats the engagement as ongoing employment, you may be misclassified. The IRS common-law test and California's ABC test both look beyond the contract label to the actual working relationship.

Read: Contractor vs Employee — the full classification guide →

What is a Freelance Contract?

A freelance contract is a written agreement between a freelancer and a client that locks down the scope, schedule, and payment terms of a project before work begins. Unlike a traditional employment contract, a freelance agreement is built around deliverables and milestones rather than hours and salaries — making it the right fit for designers, writers, developers, photographers, and other independent creatives. A well-drafted freelance contract caps the number of revisions, defines who owns the final work, sets clear kill fees, and complies with the New York City Freelance Isn't Free Act, which requires a written contract for any freelance work worth $800 or more and entitles freelancers to double damages plus attorneys' fees if a client pays late.

When you need this contract

  • Graphic design — logos, brand identity, social media assets, illustrations
  • Writing & copywriting — blog posts, website copy, ghostwriting, technical writing
  • Web & app development — landing pages, WordPress sites, custom React builds, bug-fix retainers
  • Video editing — YouTube edits, wedding films, corporate explainers, social cutdowns
  • Photography — events, headshots, product shoots, real-estate photography
  • Marketing & SEO — paid-ad management, SEO audits, email campaigns, content strategy

What this template includes

  • NYC Freelance Isn't Free Act compliant — required for any project worth $800+ in New York City
  • Milestone-based payment structure: get paid as you hit deliverables, not 90 days after the final invoice
  • Built-in revision cap (e.g., "2 rounds included") to stop scope creep before it eats your margin
  • Clear IP transfer clause — client owns the final work only after the final payment clears
  • Plain-English termination and kill-fee terms so both sides know exactly what happens if the project ends early

Related Pay Stub Generators

Independent Contractor AgreementConsulting AgreementService Agreement

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need a contract for small freelance projects?▼
Yes — and in New York City it's the law. The NYC Freelance Isn't Free Act requires a written contract for any freelance work worth $800 or more (including the value of multiple smaller projects with the same client over 120 days). Even outside NYC, a one-page written contract is what gives you the right to sue in small-claims court when a client refuses to pay.
What is the Freelance Isn't Free Act and does it apply to me?▼
The Freelance Isn't Free Act is a New York City law (and as of 2024, a New York State law) that protects freelancers who do work worth $800 or more. It requires a written contract, payment within 30 days (or by the date in the contract), and lets stiffed freelancers recover double damages plus attorneys' fees in court. It applies if either the freelancer or the client is in NYC/NY — so out-of-state freelancers working for a New York client are still covered.
How should I structure payment milestones?▼
The most common structures are 50/50 (half upfront, half on delivery) and 1/3-1/3-1/3 (deposit, midpoint, final). The key rule: never deliver final files before the final payment clears. Tie each milestone to a concrete deliverable the client has signed off on — that way disputes are about whether the work was done, not whether more work is owed.
How many revision rounds should I include?▼
Two rounds is the industry standard for design, writing, and video work. One round signals premium pricing; three or more invites endless tinkering. Always cap revisions in the contract and price additional rounds explicitly — a flat $100–$200 per extra round works for most small projects and stops "just one more tweak" from killing your margin.
Who owns the work after the project is done?▼
It depends on what you write into the contract. The freelancer-friendly default is "the client owns the final work upon full payment" — meaning if they ghost the last invoice, you still own the deliverables. "Work-for-hire" gives the client ownership from the moment of creation, which clients prefer but freelancers should charge a premium for. A license arrangement (freelancer keeps ownership, client gets usage rights) is common in photography and stock-style creative work.
What happens if the client cancels the project early?▼
A kill fee — typically the deposit plus a pro-rated portion of work already completed — protects you from losing money when a client pulls the plug. This contract treats any milestones already paid as non-refundable and entitles the freelancer to bill for partially completed work up to the next milestone. If the freelancer terminates, the client is owed back any unearned deposit.

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