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Build · Template 19 of 40

Freelance Developer Agreement

Use it when commissioning code (and you need to own it).

Not sure it is the right one? Read Employee, worker or contractor? Picking the right contract.

  • About 5 pages
  • 12 drafting notes in the margin
  • 11 clauses
  • Word (.docx)
  • England and Wales
  • Updated November 2026

What is in it

  1. Definitions
  2. The Services
  3. Fees and payment
  4. Ownership of the Code
  5. Handover
  6. Security and data
  7. Confidentiality
  8. Independence
  9. Liability
  10. Term and termination
  11. General

Plus a schedule of the commercial details and signature blocks where the document needs them.

Read the opening

The first part of the template, as it reads in Word. Blanks are shown as lines; the drafting notes sit in the margin of the file.

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT

This Software Development Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made on ____________________ (the “Effective Date”) between:

(1) ____________________ LTD, a company registered in England and Wales (registration number ____________) whose registered office is at ______________________________________________ (the “Company”); and

(2) ____________________, a company registered in England and Wales (registration number ____________) whose registered office is at ______________________________________________ / an individual of ______________________________________________ (delete as appropriate) (the “Developer”).

The Parties agree as follows:

1. Definitions

“Business Day”: a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday in England.

“Confidential Information”: has the meaning given in clause 7.1.

“Data Protection Legislation”: the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and all other applicable laws relating to the processing of personal data.

“Intellectual Property Rights”: patents, rights to inventions, copyright and related rights, moral rights, trade marks, business names and domain names, rights in get-up, goodwill, rights in designs, rights in computer software, database rights, rights in confidential information (including know-how and trade secrets) and all other intellectual property rights, whether registered or unregistered, anywhere in the world.

How it works

  1. Pay by card. The download starts at once and the link keeps working.
  2. Open the Word file. Fill in the blanks, pick the options marked with boxes, read each note in the margin.
  3. Delete the notes and the notice box, then sign. Or send it to us for a fixed-fee check first.

Word template

£39 Instant download

One-off. No account needed. No VAT to add. Stripe emails a receipt you can use as an invoice.

Or fill it in online (platform plan)
  • Drafted by a solicitor for England and Wales
  • Drafting notes explain every choice
  • Instant download, link works again later
  • Last updated November 2026
  • £50 off a fixed-fee review once filled in (from £99)

Need more than one?

Complete template library, £299

All 40 documents, with the index and guide.