Free freelance contract template

Independent contractor services agreement

Both need a free account, which includes five documents a month with no card. “Use this template” opens it in GSD with the signature fields already placed; the download gives you the blank document to use however you like.

When you would use it

Freelancers and small studios use this to replace the handshake. It states the deliverable, the rate, when invoices go out and when they are due, and confirms that the work transfers to the client on final payment. Sending it takes two minutes and it is the difference between a late invoice you can chase and one you cannot.

What the document says

This contract is between the client (customer) and the independent freelancer (provider) identified below. The freelancer will deliver the project described for the stated fee, starting on the agreed date.

What you fill in

Project e.g. Marketing website redesign
Deliverables e.g. 5-page site + style guide
Fee e.g. $3,500.00
Start date e.g. 2026-08-01

Who signs

Customer: signs first
Provider: signs after the customer

Terms included

The freelancer works as an independent contractor and controls how the work is performed. Work product transfers to the client on full payment. Either party may terminate with written notice; completed work is billed pro rata. The customer signs first; the provider countersigns.

Common questions

Is a contract signed electronically enforceable for freelance work?

In the United States, electronic signatures are recognised under the ESIGN Act and UETA for ordinary commercial agreements like this one. What matters is that both parties deliberately signed and that there is a record of it, which is what the audit trail is for.

Who signs first?

The client signs first and the freelancer countersigns. Both signatures land on the same PDF and both parties get the completed file.

Sending it for signature

Open the template in GSD, fill in your details, and enter the other party's email. They get a link and sign in their browser on any device (your signer needs no account and nothing to install), and both of you get the completed PDF with an audit trail recording every view and signature, plus a SHA-256 hash so any later change is detectable. Electronic signatures collected this way are intended to be legally binding under the U.S. ESIGN Act and UETA. See security & legal validity for the detail, and pricing for what it costs (the first five documents each month are free).

This template is a starting point, not legal advice. Read the terms and edit them to match how you work, and check that electronic signing suits your document type and jurisdiction before you rely on it.

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