Writing Freelance Contracts is the Worst. This Free Tool Can Help

Freelancers, life just got a little bit easier.

You probably know this dance: After 16 rounds of back-and-forth emails, you and a potential client agree to seal the deal and get to work.

One of two things happens:

They say they’ll send you a contract. You sigh in relief but know the contract will, at least initially, be written in their favor.

Or they’ll say, “Can you send us a contract?” which leads you to stay up until 1 a.m. revising that contract template you faked your way through making a year ago. It works, but you know it’s the least-professional aspect of your freelance career.

Now you can stop Googling “freelance contract template help please now desperate” and use this instead: The Freelancers Union’s new contract builder.

A Free Way to Write Freelance Contracts? Yes, Please!

This isn’t the first time the Freelancers Union has offered a contract template.

It first debuted a contract creator tool in 2011, around the time the freelance economy was seeing recession-fueled rapid growth.

But this souped-up version is nearly fool proof — and it’s pretty, to boot.

To create your contract, you’ll input your information, details about your client, the scope of work, and the pay rate.

You can choose options like whether the work you create will belong to you or the client, or if you charge late-payment fees (you should, by the way).

When you’re satisfied with the document, you can either download it as a PDF or email it to your client.

The contract builder was designed to comply with the Freelance Isn’t Free Act, which the Freelancers Union pushed for to ensure timely payment for work delivered.

The Act goes into effect in New York City in May, “meaning anyone entering into a freelance agreement paying over $800 needs to have a contract – it’s the law!” Freelancer’s Union contributor Laura Murphy explains.

And.Co built the tech side, which allows you to toggle clauses or create your own, as well as facilitate e-signing for you and your client.

You have enough other stuff to worry about as a freelancer: setting and raising your rates, managing irregular income, figuring out your taxes, and dealing with red-flag or deadbeat clients.

Contracts? Now it’s no sweat.

Your Turn: How do you develop contracts for your freelance projects? Will you use this tool?

Lisa Rowan is a writer and producer at The Penny Hoarder.