Template guide

Freelance web design contract template

Web projects stall for the same reasons: content arrives late, "one more page" appears, and nobody agreed who pays for hosting. A good contract settles all of it up front.

What to include

1. Pages, features and platform. List the pages, key features, the platform (WordPress, Webflow, Shopify) and what's out of scope, such as copywriting or SEO.
2. Content deadlines. When the client delivers copy and images, and what happens to the timeline if they're late.
3. Revision rounds. How many rounds of design and build changes are included, and the rate for more.
4. Payment milestones. For example 40% deposit, 30% at design approval, 30% before launch. Never launch with a balance outstanding.
5. Hosting, domains and third-party costs. Who pays for and owns hosting, domains, themes, plugins and fonts.
6. Access and handover. Logins, admin rights and training at launch.
7. Ownership and licences. The client owns the site once paid; third-party assets stay under their own licences.
8. Support after launch. A short bug-fix window, then maintenance on a separate plan.

Mistakes to avoid

• Launching before the final payment
• Building before content arrives
• Paying for plugins or fonts on your own account
• No end date for "small tweaks"

Example wording you can adapt

Plain-English wording for the clauses people most often leave vague. Change the bracketed details to fit how you work.

Content. The Client will supply final text, images and logins by [date]. If content is late, the launch date moves by at least the same amount, and work may be rescheduled around other projects.

Revisions. The fee includes [2] rounds of design changes and [1] round of build changes. Further changes are billed at $[rate] per hour after approval.

Final payment. The final payment is due before the site goes live. The Designer will transfer full admin access once the balance is paid.

Third-party costs. Hosting, domains, plugins, themes and fonts are purchased on the Client's own accounts and remain subject to their licences.

Structuring the project

Split the build into stages the client has to approve: sitemap, design, build, then launch. Tying each payment to one of those stages keeps cash flowing, and gives you a natural moment to catch scope changes before they become rebuilds.

Decide early who writes the copy. If it's the client, set the deadline before design starts. If it's you, price it separately. Waiting on content is one of the most common reasons web projects drag on for months.

Offer a maintenance plan at handover instead of an open promise of support. A short bug-fix window followed by a clear monthly price turns "small tweaks" from an unpaid habit into recurring income.

Skip the blank page

Every point above is already written into our template, with highlighted fields to fill in and a PDF copy to send. Edit it in Word, Google Docs or Pages.

Questions

What should a web design contract include?

Scope (pages and features), content deadlines, revisions, payment milestones, hosting and third-party costs, access and handover, ownership and post-launch support.

How much deposit should a web designer take?

Many take 30-50% upfront and split the rest across milestones, with the final payment before launch.

Who owns the website after it's built?

Usually the client once paid in full, while themes, plugins and fonts remain under their own licences.

Is there a short version for small jobs?

Yes. The Client-Ready Kit includes a one-page short-form agreement as well as the full contract.

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