The biggest update to Contract Killer since Contract Killer
When I first shared my Contract Killer in 2008, I had no idea so many people would use it. It became the most visited page on my website. After being free for thirteen years, in 2021 Contract Killer became a paid-for template. Now, there’s an update, the biggest since 2008.
For the past month, I’ve been asking for suggestions from people who use Contract Killer regularly and studying the many additions people have made to their own versions. I’ve also noted the changes I make most frequently for my own projects. I’ve poured all that back into Contract Killer.
Updated content
Contract Killer still uses the same clear language it always has. And it’s still easily customisable to suit your business and clients. But times change, so I updated almost all of the sections, including:
- Overview: Added milestones
- Confidentiality: Updated with clearer language
- Intellectual property: Updated responsibilities
- Intellectual property: Added options for copyright ownership
- Payments: Added information about payment for third-party services
- Revisions: Added how to view work in progress
- Revisions: Added information on feedback sessions
In several sections there are also now ‘and/or’ boilerplate options and content suggestions.
New sections
Many users asked for entirely new sections, and I was only too happy to oblige. I added a new section on cancellation, which explains how a client can cancel a contract. It also explains how a designer or developer can cancel if their client deliberately acts in a manner that they feel is incompatible with a working relationship. Finally, it now includes a clause on a kill fee, which a client must pay to compensate for lost opportunities if they cancel or delay a project.
There’s a brand new section on communications which sets out how quickly both sides should respond to emails and how projects will be rescheduled if a client fails to respond within a specified number of days.
I included a new section on non-exclusivity which clarifies that a designer or developer can work with other clients, even within the same sector.
One of the biggest updates is a new section on progressive enhancement in relation to browser testing. It explains how progressive enhancement creates a solid baseline experience and that products and websites may look visually different across browsers and platforms.
Finally, there’s a section on support which clarifies the bug fixing period immediately after launch and a placeholder for ongoing maintenance and support contracts.
Same price
This updated and new content makes Contract Killer even better value, but I’m keeping the price the same. It’s £10.99 for just the contract template in HTML, Markdown, Pages, PDF, and Word formats. However, the best value is the updated Contract Killer + GDPR policy + NDA bundle, which costs just £15.99 and saves over £20. Plus, there’s a 50%-off upgrade discount for my newsletter subscribers.