If you build websites for clients, you need a contract. But where do you find one you can rely on?

That’s a question every freelancer and agency has to answer eventually—and there are more options (and opinions) than ever.

Some go the DIY route. Others hire an attorney. And then there’s a third option that’s becoming more common among web pros: using a purpose-built, vetted contract system like MonsterContracts.

Each path has pros and cons. Here’s how they compare—and why we believe MonsterContracts is the best foundation for real-world client work.

Option 1: The “Plain Language” Contract

At first glance, this seems like the safest bet: a short, friendly, easy-to-read agreement. It might include a few bullet points about deliverables, a payment schedule, and a paragraph or two about revisions.

Pros:

• Easy to write
• Easy to read
• Doesn’t scare off non-technical clients

Cons:

• Leaves major holes around project delays, client responsibilities, or scope creep
• Lacks legal structure or enforceability
• Doesn’t address technical realities like browser testing, accessibility, or data privacy
• Offers little protection if things go sideways

For simple one-off projects, it might be enough. But once the stakes rise, or when projects become complex, this kind of contract quickly falls apart.

Option 2: Attorney-Written Contracts

Some business owners go the traditional route: hire a local attorney to draft a custom contract from scratch.

Pros:

• Written by a legal professional
• Likely enforceable in your jurisdiction
• Can be tailored to your business if you’re willing to invest in revisions

Cons:

• Often full of legalese that only other lawyers understand
• Typically lacks detailed coverage of technical and process-related issues
• Extremely expensive to create and update

We’ve reviewed many of these over the years. They often sound impressive—but they don’t reflect the way web projects actually unfold. And the cost to get them just right can easily run into the thousands.

Option 3: MonsterContracts

We built MonsterContracts because we’ve lived through plenty of bad client experiences. Over the last 30 years, we’ve worked with lots of different kinds of clients, and every section of our contract comes from real-world experience.

Pros:

• Written in plain, professional language clients can understand
• Covers everything from browser testing and delays to accessibility, privacy laws, and ongoing care plans
• Refined over decades of web work
• Reviewed annually by licensed attorneys
• Designed for real web projects, not just legal theory
• Customizable for your tech stack and services

Once you customize it for your business, we recommend you have your local attorney review it to ensure it fits your jurisdiction. But that’s a lot cheaper than starting from a blank page.

Cons:

• Currently only available in English
• Requires a small investment of time to customize for your workflow (but it’s worth it)

The Bottom Line

Most web professionals don’t need a 20-page legal document filled with Latin phrases. And they definitely don’t need a vague, feel-good contract that collapses the first time a client ghosts.

You need something in the middle: legally sound, clearly written, and built to handle the messy realities of client work.

That’s what MonsterContracts is for.

And that’s why hundreds of freelancers and agencies use it to protect their business—and build trust with their clients—every single day.