Free Standard Freelancer Contract

Many times, people won’t think about getting a free standard freelancer contract. This is especially true for people who are new to freelancing. The excitement of having a paying client that is interested in your work can be pretty exciting the first time or two that you work for someone. The last thing most people think about is adding additional paperwork like a contract to the mix for someone willing to pay you. That’s why we have a free contract for you here in PDF format that you can download and use for free. 

What are the Dangers of Not Having a Freelancer Contract? 

Most clients that you work for will pay for the service that you are providing without many or any issues. These folks won’t insist on a freelancing contract.In my experience; however, there’s always that one. That one person who wants one more thing to be done that they didn’t ask you for up front. Of course, they will want it for the original quoted cost of the contract and will just give you fits. If you don’t have a freelance contract in place, then you are leaving yourself (and your business) open to non-payment and potential legal problems. 

What is the Purpose of a Standard Freelancer Contract? 

If you get right down to it, the purpose of a standard freelancer contract is to define the exact work that needs to be completed in a given timeframe. It also lays out how much is going to be paid for the work, by what medium, and when. Most people will work these details over the phone, text, and / or email. Having a contract provides a medium to bring all of the information together in one place. They help get rid of the potential for confusion and also help both sides budget more effectively. 

What if Your Client Refuses to Sign a Freelance Contract with You? 

So, this should give you pause to think about if you should continue the planned work with the individual or company. If you are new to freelancing, then I would recommend that you lean to being more conservative early to avoid getting scammed. Once you have been around for a while and learned which freelance tasks demand a contract and which you can get away without one, then you might not give it a second thought. I always liked to think of the pain threshold of my lost time if someone failed to pay me for work I did for them. 

Free Standard Freelancer Contract in PDF

Here’s a free standard freelancer contract for you in PDF format. You can download, print, and share it as you deem fit. As you get used to using contracts for your freelance work, you’ll probably want to start modifying this template in Google Docs or Word to better fit yourself and your client base.