Freelance Contract Checker

Read the client contract before it reads you.

Paste the agreement or statement of work a client sent. The page checks the text for the common ways a contract costs a freelancer money: slow or conditional payment, no deposit, unlimited revisions, work assigned before you are paid, an IP clause wider than the project, a non-compete, cancellation with no pay for work done, and uncapped indemnity. For each one it tells you what to ask for.

The text is read in this browser tab and never leaves your device. It reads wording with fixed rules; it is not a lawyer and does not decide whether a contract is fair or enforceable.

1. The contract

Choose a text file …or paste the contract text

2. What you know about the deal

All optional. Leave blank what you do not know.

Project fee, dollars

Longest wait for payment you accept, days

Client name

Project name

Paste the contract, then click Check the contract.

What it checks, and what it leaves to you

Getting paid: payment later than you want, pay-when-paid, no deposit or milestones, no late fee or right to pause work.
Ownership: assignment or work-for-hire before payment, an IP clause wider than the project, no portfolio right.
Scope: unlimited or unstated revisions, no change-order process, no acceptance step.
Ending it: termination at any time with no pay for work done, one-sided termination.
Restrictions and risk: non-compete, non-solicit, uncapped indemnity, no liability cap, absolute warranties, open-ended confidentiality, terms that read like employment.
Not decided: whether the contract is fair or enforceable where you live, who is liable, tax status, and whether you should sign. It reads text and cannot see your negotiation.

Common questions

What should a freelance contract include?

The fee and when it is due, a deposit or milestone payments, a clear scope with a limited number of revisions, a change-order process, ownership of the work passing only on full payment, a kill fee or payment for work done if the client cancels, and a cap on your liability.

Who owns the work I deliver as a freelancer?

It depends on the contract. Without a written assignment you usually keep copyright in what you create, and a work-made-for-hire or assignment clause moves it to the client. Make the transfer effective only on full payment and keep your pre-existing tools and templates.

How many revisions should a freelance contract allow?

Commonly two rounds, with a round defined as one consolidated set of feedback. Anything beyond that is billed hourly under a change order. Unlimited or until-satisfied revisions turn a fixed fee into unpaid work.

Is net 60 or net 90 payment normal for freelancers?

Large companies often ask for it, but it is negotiable. Freelancers commonly ask for net 15 to net 30, or a deposit and milestone invoices so the client never owes the whole fee at once.

Should I sign a non-compete as a freelancer?

Usually not. A freelancer needs several clients, and a non-compete or exclusivity clause can remove most of the market. If a client insists, limit it to a named competitor, for the project term only, and charge for it.

Does this tell me whether the contract is enforceable or fair?

No. It reads the text with fixed rules and says what each finding means and what to ask for. Enforceability depends on your state and country and on facts the text does not show. Have an attorney review anything that matters.

Is my contract uploaded anywhere?

No. The text is read in your browser and nothing is sent; a test in the code asserts there are no network calls.