Free Web Development Agreement Template

WEB DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT

This Agreement is made on [DATE] between [DEVELOPER NAME / BUSINESS], [ADDRESS] ("Developer"), and [CLIENT LEGAL NAME], [ADDRESS] ("Client").

1. PROJECT. Developer will design and develop [DESCRIBE, e.g., a responsive marketing website with up to [NUMBER] page templates, a CMS and contact forms / a web application with the features in Exhibit A] ("Project"), based on the specifications in Exhibit A.

2. MILESTONES AND FEES.
| Milestone | Deliverable | Fee | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deposit / kickoff | $[AMOUNT] | On signing |
| 2 | Design approval | $[AMOUNT] | On acceptance |
| 3 | Development complete on staging | $[AMOUNT] | On acceptance |
| 4 | Launch | $[AMOUNT] | On launch |
Invoices are due within [15] days. Late amounts accrue [1]% per month or the maximum allowed by law, if lower. Developer may pause work while invoices are overdue by more than [10] days.

3. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES. Client will provide content, brand assets, access credentials, third-party accounts and timely feedback from a single approver. Delays by Client extend the schedule.

4. ACCEPTANCE TESTING. Developer will deliver each milestone to a staging environment. Client will test within [7] business days against the specifications and report defects in writing. Developer will fix defects that cause non-conformance with the specifications and resubmit. A milestone is accepted if Client does not report defects in time or uses it in production.

5. CHANGE ORDERS. Features, pages or changes not in Exhibit A require a written change order with the added fee and timeline.

6. BROWSERS, DEVICES AND ACCESSIBILITY. The Project will support the current and previous major versions of [Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge] and common mobile screen sizes. [Developer will build to [WCAG 2.1 AA] accessibility guidelines for templates it creates; Client is responsible for the accessibility of content it adds.]

7. HOSTING AND THIRD-PARTY SERVICES. Client will own and pay for hosting, domains and third-party services in Client's name. Developer is not responsible for outages or changes in third-party services.

8. OPEN SOURCE AND THIRD-PARTY COMPONENTS. The Project may include open-source and third-party components, which are licensed under their own terms. Developer will not use components whose licences would require Client to publish its proprietary code without Client's approval.

9. OWNERSHIP. On full payment, Developer assigns to Client all rights in the custom code, designs and content created specifically for the Project. Developer retains its pre-existing code, frameworks, libraries and tools ("Developer Tools") and grants Client a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free licence to use, modify and maintain Developer Tools incorporated in the Project as part of it. Developer will deliver source code and credentials at launch after payment.

10. WARRANTY. For [30/60] days after launch, Developer will fix, at no charge, defects that cause the Project not to conform to the specifications. This warranty does not cover changes by Client or third parties, hosting issues, or third-party updates.

11. SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE [OPTIONAL]. After the warranty period, Developer will provide [updates, security patches and up to [NUMBER] hours of changes per month] for $[AMOUNT] per month under a separate support plan.

12. SECURITY AND DATA. Developer will follow reasonable security practices during development. If the Project collects personal data, Client is responsible for its privacy policy and legal compliance, and the parties will agree data processing terms where Developer accesses personal data.

13. PORTFOLIO. Developer may show the Project in its portfolio after launch.

14. LIABILITY. Except for breach of confidentiality or willful misconduct, neither party is liable for indirect or consequential damages, including lost profits or data, and Developer's total liability is limited to the fees paid under this Agreement.

15. TERMINATION. Either party may terminate on [14] days' written notice. Client will pay for work completed to the termination date [plus [PERCENT]% of the next unpaid milestone]. On payment, Developer will deliver work completed to date.

16. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement is governed by the laws of [STATE].

GENERAL PROVISIONS
(a) Notices. Notices must be in writing and sent to the addresses or emails above (or as later updated by notice). Email notice is effective when sent, unless the sender receives a delivery failure message.
(b) Entire agreement. This agreement, with any schedules and exhibits, is the entire agreement between the parties on its subject and replaces all prior discussions and agreements on that subject.
(c) Amendments and waivers. Changes must be in writing and signed by both parties. A failure or delay in enforcing any term is not a waiver of it.
(d) Severability. If any provision is found unenforceable, it will be limited to the minimum extent necessary and the rest of this agreement will remain in effect.
(e) Assignment. Neither party may assign this agreement without the other party's written consent, except to a successor in a merger or sale of substantially all of its business, on notice.
(f) Relationship. Nothing in this agreement creates a partnership, joint venture or agency relationship unless expressly stated.
(g) Counterparts and electronic signatures. This agreement may be signed in counterparts and by electronic signature, each of which is an original and together form one agreement.
(h) Independent advice. Each party has had the opportunity to review this agreement with its own legal counsel and signs it voluntarily.

DEVELOPER: ____________________  Date: __________
CLIENT: _______________________  Name/Title: ______________  Date: __________

EXHIBIT A: Specifications, pages and features

---
This free template is provided by ClauseAudit for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Have it reviewed before use. Replace all [BRACKETED] placeholders.