Statement of Work Template
for freelancers.
A clean SOW that lists scope, milestones, payment terms, and IP rights. Solo-practitioner version with simpler liability and IP terms.
Get the templateWhat's included
- Scope of services
- Milestones
- Deliverables
- Payment schedule
- IP rights
- Termination
- Confidentiality
Why this version
Solo-practitioner version with simpler liability and IP terms.
Adapted from contracts we've negotiated dozens of times.
How freelancers use this template.
For freelancers, SOW templates are simpler — solo-practitioner liability, simpler IP terms, less negotiation around kill fees. Freelancers often skip SOWs entirely (just an email scope) which causes 80% of payment disputes. The right freelance SOW is 2-3 pages, covers IP, payment, and kill fees, and gets signed before work starts.
freelancers-specific gotchas
- Skip the SOW = skip the work. Most disputes start here.
- Liability should be capped at engagement fee
- Kill fees 50% of remaining is fair for solo work
- Payment terms should be milestone-based
- Right to portfolio is yours unless explicitly waived
A freelancer uses a 2-page SOW for every engagement. Payment disputes drop from ~20% of engagements to <2%. Total time saved on collections per year: ~80 hours.
Common freelancers questions
Do I need a lawyer to review every SOW?
No. Once the template is reviewed once, reuse.
What if client wants their own contract?
Negotiate to use yours; if not, have a lawyer review theirs the first time.
Templates are starts.
If you want senior practitioners filling in this template for a specific freelancers engagement, brief us.
Brief us