Can you sign it this way?
Freelance contracts signed before the work starts
Yes, a freelance contract can be signed electronically, and it should be signed before the work starts rather than after the first invoice is questioned. Electronic signatures on contracts are recognized under the federal ESIGN Act and state UETA laws. The practical part is making the signing so light that a client does it the same day: a link, two minutes, no account, no printer.
What to get in writing
- The deliverables, and what is explicitly excluded
- The number of revision rounds included, the single most common source of scope arguments
- The payment terms: deposit, milestones, due dates, and what happens when a payment is late
- Who owns the work on delivery, and when ownership transfers
- How changes are handled: a change order with a price, not a request in a thread
- Confidentiality, if you will see the client's customers, numbers or plans
How the client signs
They get an email or a text with a link. They open it, read the agreement, agree to sign electronically, sign, and tap finish. No account, no app, nothing to download. You are notified when they open it and when they sign, and reminders go out if they go quiet.
Set signing order so you countersign after the client does, and the completed, sealed copy goes to both of you at once.
What the record shows when scope creeps
The exact agreement the client saw, fingerprinted. Their consent, the time they signed, the device. A digital seal on the certified PDF so any later change shows in a PDF reader, and a verification code beside each signature that anyone can check at signathing.com/verify. When the fourth round of revisions is requested, the conversation is about the signed number of rounds, not about who remembers what.
Why a subscription is the wrong shape for this
Most freelancers send a few contracts a month at most, then three in one day when work lands. Per-user monthly pricing was built for sales teams. Signathing is free for people, funded by the paid side, the metered API for software and AI agents and the Signathing Business plan, so the cost of a contract is zero whether you send one a quarter or ten a week.
Common questions
- Does my client need an account?
- No. They sign from the link on any device. Only you have an account, and signing in is a six-digit code, not a password.
- Can I reuse my contract?
- Yes. Save it as a template. Each new client gets a copy with the fields already placed, or you post the template's direct link in your proposal.
- Can I get a deposit signed for at the same time?
- The agreement can state the deposit and its due date, and the signature records that the client agreed. Collecting the money is separate; a signature does not move funds.
- What if the client is in another country?
- The signing works anywhere. Which country's law governs the agreement is a clause in the contract and a question for a lawyer; ESIGN and UETA are US law.
- Is it really free?
- Yes. Unlimited documents, templates and direct links, no trial clock, no card.
General information, not legal advice. Laws change and their application depends on the specific facts. Consult a licensed attorney in your state about your own documents.
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