Free Resources / Freelance Contracts / Web Designer

Web Designer Contract Template

For web designers taking on website projects. The problems that stall web projects are predictable: clients who don't deliver content, launches that get held up by payment, and "can you just fix this one thing" requests six months later.

Web design projects have a structure that makes the generic contract inadequate. You're often waiting on the client for content (copy, images, product information) and when that content is late, your timeline slips through no fault of yours. You're also handing over a functional asset at the end, which raises questions about who maintains it, who owns the hosting, and what "done" actually means. This contract answers all of those questions upfront.

What's included

• Project scope: number of pages, functionality, platform, and what's explicitly not included (custom development, SEO, copywriting, photography)
• Milestone-based payments: deposit before work begins, mid-project payment, and final payment before launch, with work pausing if any milestone is missed
• Content delivery deadline: client must deliver all copy, images, and assets by a set date; delays caused by missing content push the timeline and may trigger an extension fee
• Launch hold clause: site will not go live until final payment is received in full
• Post-launch bug fix period: defined window for fixing build errors at no charge, after which support is billed separately
• Hosting and domain: what Contractor is and is not responsible for; which accounts Client must maintain in their own name
• Third-party services: subscriptions, plugins, and tools the client is responsible for licensing
• IP ownership: custom design elements transfer to Client on full payment; platform themes and plugins remain subject to their own licenses
• Kill fee: what you're owed if the project is cancelled mid-build

For more on contracts and how to protect yourself in project-based work, read the guide to freelance contracts.

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