Web projects go wrong in predictable ways: extra pages, extra revision rounds, late content from the client, and a fight over who owns the site. A web design contract is there to settle those four things before anyone opens Figma or writes a line of code.
Fill in our free web design contract template using the checklist below.
1. List the pages and deliverables
Name the pages, features, and platforms (desktop, mobile, CMS). "A website" is not a scope. "A five-page marketing site on WordPress, mobile-responsive, with a contact form" is.
2. Cap the revision rounds
State how many rounds of revisions are included and that further changes are billed separately. This is the clause that stops scope creep. Tie extra work to a written change request and a new fee or timeline.
3. Deposit, milestones, and late content
A deposit to start, then payments at milestones (design approval, launch) is standard. Also write that the client must supply text, images, and feedback by certain dates — and that delays on their side push the delivery date.
4. Say who owns the finished site
Clients usually expect to own the site after full payment. Designers usually keep pre-existing tools, themes, and libraries. Write both. If third-party licenses (fonts, stock, plugins) are needed, say who pays for them.
5. Sign before you start building
Send the contract with the proposal and get it signed — with the deposit — before you reserve the calendar. For advisory work rather than a build, use a consulting agreement; for a general client job that is not a website, use a service agreement.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice.