Are these contract templates free?

Yes. Making, signing, sharing and downloading all three agreements is free, and none of it needs an account.

Which agreement do I need first?

An NDA if the client wants to share something private before anything is agreed; otherwise the freelance contract, before the work starts. Each later project with the same client then gets a statement of work.

Do I need a different contract for each kind of work?

No. The freelance contract works for design, writing, development, photography or consulting: you describe the work and list its deliverables in your own words, and the terms that matter, the fee, the payment period and who owns the work, stay the same.

What's the difference between a contract and an agreement?

In business use, little: once both sides sign it, an agreement is a contract. Agreement is simply the more common word in titles, as in service agreement or non-disclosure agreement.

Can I write a contract myself?

Yes. Two people or businesses can write and sign a contract without a lawyer. A template saves you the drafting: its terms have been written by lawyers already, so you only fill in your deal.

Can I print the agreement?

Yes. Download the PDF and print it; anything you've left empty prints as a line to fill in by hand.

Can I make a contract without a company?

Yes. You can sign as an individual, under your own name. When the work is done, Ruul can also invoice your client for it without a company of your own.

Can the contract include a late fee or a kill fee?

Yes, the service agreement can: a late fee of 1%, 1.5% or 2% a month on an unpaid invoice, and a kill fee of 25% or 50% of the fees left if the client cancels. Choose them on the step after the payment.

How do I sign the agreement online?

You sign first, on the last step: draw your signature or type your name. Then share the link. The other side reads the agreement on their own page, adds the details you left for them, signs and emails the signed link back to you. Either of you can download the PDF with both signatures.

Can I edit the agreement in Word or Google Docs?

Yes. Download it as a Word file and change any part of it in Word, Google Docs or Pages. The Word file comes without signatures: to sign the agreement online, sign it here and share the link.

Is the signed agreement stored anywhere?

Not on a server. The agreement and the signatures travel in the link itself. Your agreements also stay in My contracts, in this browser only, and clearing your browsing data deletes them. Download the signed PDF and keep it with the signed link.

Which country's law should the agreement use?

Usually the law where one of you is based, and the courts of that place. If you and the client are in different countries, agree on one before you sign: a dispute is far easier when the agreement already says where it goes.

Is this legal advice?

No. The generator gives you a solid starting point on standard terms written by lawyers, but it doesn't know your situation. For anything unusual, or a large project, have a lawyer where you or your client are based read it first.

Free Contract Templates & Generator for Freelancers

ConfidentialSA-2026-0142

Service Agreement

On Common Paper’s Professional Services Agreement, Version 1.1

Parties

This Service Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made between:

(1)Your name, of Your address (the “Service Provider”, and the “Provider” under the Standard Terms); and
(2)Client’s name, of Client’s address (the “Client”, and the “Customer” under the Standard Terms).

1.Services

The Service Provider will provide the following services to the Client (the “Services”): Description of the services

In the course of the Services, the Service Provider will deliver the following (the “Deliverables”):

List of deliverables

The Services start on the Effective Date and run until the Deliverables are delivered (the “SOW Term”).

2.Fees and Payment

The Client will pay the Service Provider Amount for the Services (the “Fees”).

The Service Provider will invoice once, when the Deliverables are delivered (the “Invoice Period”), and the Client will pay each invoice within fourteen (14) days of its date (the “Payment Period”).

3.Ownership and Publicity

Each Deliverable becomes the Client’s property once its Fees are paid in full (the “Time of Assignment”); until then, it remains the Service Provider’s. The Service Provider may name the Client and show the work in its portfolio and marketing (the “Publicity Rights”).

4.Liability, Law and Disputes

Except where the Standard Terms provide otherwise, each party’s total liability under this Agreement is limited to the fees paid or payable to the Service Provider in the twelve (12) months before the claim (the “General Cap Amount”). This Agreement is governed by the laws of Country or state (the “Governing Law”), and any dispute arising from it will be heard by Courts (the “Chosen Courts”).

5.Standard Terms

This Agreement starts on the date of the last signature below (the “Effective Date”). It is made up of this document, which also serves as its Statement of Work 1, and Common Paper’s Professional Services Agreement Standard Terms, Version 1.1, published at commonpaper.com/standards/professional-services-agreement/1.1 (the “Standard Terms”), which set out the parties’ obligations in full and form part of this Agreement. Where this document and the Standard Terms differ, this document controls, and notices under this Agreement go to the email address beneath each party’s signature.

	When	What it settles	Also called
NDA	Before you see the details	What stays confidential, and for how long	Non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement
Freelance contract	Before the work starts	Scope, fee, payment period, ownership, law	Service agreement, independent contractor agreement
Statement of work	Each new project after that	That project's services, deliverables, dates and fee	SOW

	A blank template	This generator
How you fill it	By hand, in Word or Google Docs	One question at a time, with the agreement filling in beside it
What's missing	Whatever you overlook	Listed on the last step, before you sign
Signing	Print, sign and scan, or a separate e-signature service	Online, both sides, from a link
Editing later	Any word	Any word, in the Word file
Cost	Often free	Free, with no account

Service Agreement

Parties

1.Services

2.Fees and Payment

3.Ownership and Publicity

4.Liability, Law and Disputes

5.Standard Terms

Use the example?

Which agreement does a freelancer need?

What each agreement is for

How the three fit together

How to make a contract online in four steps

What you get, for free

Contract template or contract generator?

One contract for every kind of freelance work

Edit it in Word or Google Docs

Why these are built on standard terms

What these templates don't do

After it's signed

Questions about contract templates