AGREEMENTS

How to Write a Client Agreement (With Free Template)

A client agreement is the single most important document in your freelance business. It protects you when things go wrong, sets clear expectations before work starts, and signals to clients that you are a professional worth taking seriously.

May 2026·7 min read

Why most freelancers skip agreements — and regret it

The most common reason freelancers skip agreements is that it feels awkward. You have a good vibe with the client, the project sounds exciting, and asking them to sign something feels like you do not trust them.

But the clients who ghost you, demand endless revisions, or refuse to pay are rarely the ones who felt sketchy from the start. They are often the friendly ones who seemed easy to work with — until they were not.

A signed agreement does not mean you distrust the client. It means you are a professional. Most serious clients expect it and respect it.

What a client agreement should include

A solid freelance client agreement does not need to be 20 pages of legal jargon. It needs to cover these seven things clearly:

1. Scope of work

Be specific about exactly what you are delivering. Vague scopes lead to scope creep. Instead of "social media management," write "10 Instagram posts per month, scheduled and published, with captions. Does not include stories, reels, or paid ads."

2. Timeline and deliverables

When will the work be delivered? Are there milestones? What happens if the client delays providing feedback or assets? Define the timeline and what is expected from both sides.

3. Payment terms

How much, when, and how. Include the total amount, deposit requirements, payment schedule, and what happens if payment is late. A late payment fee (e.g. 5% per 30 days) is worth including — even if you never enforce it, it signals that you take payment seriously.

4. Revision policy

How many rounds of revisions are included? What counts as a revision vs a new request? Without this, clients can ask for changes forever and technically be within scope.

5. Ownership and intellectual property

Who owns the work? Typically ownership transfers to the client upon full payment. Make this explicit. Also clarify whether you can use the work in your portfolio.

6. Termination clause

What happens if either party wants to end the project early? How much notice is required? What portion of payment is owed for work completed to that point?

7. Confidentiality

If you will have access to sensitive business information, include a basic confidentiality clause. This is especially important when working with startups or businesses in competitive industries.

Free client agreement template

Here is a simple template you can adapt for your own work. Replace the bracketed sections with your details.

CLIENT AGREEMENT TEMPLATE
Parties
This agreement is between [Your Name / Business Name] ("Service Provider") and [Client Name / Business Name] ("Client").
Scope of Work
The Service Provider agrees to deliver the following: [Describe exactly what you are delivering in specific, measurable terms].
Timeline
Work will begin on [Start Date] and be completed by [End Date], subject to timely receipt of materials from the Client.
Payment
The total fee is [Amount]. A deposit of [X]% is due before work begins. The remaining balance is due upon delivery. Invoices unpaid after 14 days incur a 5% late fee.
Revisions
This agreement includes [X] rounds of revisions. Additional revisions will be billed at [Hourly Rate] per hour.
Ownership
Full ownership of deliverables transfers to the Client upon receipt of final payment. The Service Provider retains the right to display the work in their portfolio.
Termination
Either party may terminate this agreement with 7 days written notice. The Client will be invoiced for all work completed to the termination date.
Confidentiality
Both parties agree to keep confidential any proprietary information shared during this engagement.
Signatures
Service Provider: _________________ Date: _________
Client: _________________ Date: _________

How to send agreements without the awkwardness

The easiest way to present a client agreement is to make it feel like a normal part of your onboarding process. When a client says yes to working together, your response is simply:

“Great, I will send over the agreement and invoice now. Once both are sorted we can get started.”

That is it. No apology, no over-explaining. Most clients sign within 24 hours without a word about it.

Tools like Becflow let you send the agreement and invoice together with a single link. The client signs the agreement, clicks through to the invoice, and pays — all in one flow. No chasing, no back and forth.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Being too vague about scope. If the agreement says "website design" without specifics, the client can reasonably expect unlimited pages and revisions.
  • No payment terms. If you do not specify when payment is due, you have no grounds to chase it.
  • Starting work before signing. This is the most common mistake. Once you start, you have already signalled that the agreement is optional.
  • Using a template without reading it. Templates are starting points. Make sure every clause actually applies to your situation.
  • Not keeping a copy. Store signed agreements somewhere accessible. If a dispute ever comes up, you want to be able to pull it up immediately.

The fastest way to get agreements signed

Emailing a PDF and waiting for a signed scan back is slow and annoying for everyone. E-signature tools solve this — the client clicks a link, types their name, and it is done in under a minute.

Becflow has e-signatures built in. You write or generate the agreement, send the link, and the client signs digitally. The whole thing is timestamped and stored automatically. No PDFs, no scanning, no waiting.

Send your first agreement in minutes

Use AI to generate it, send it with a link, get it signed. Then send the invoice. All in one place.

Start free trial →