Website development contract: 12 things it should say

Most disputes between businesses and web agencies come from the same place: something that mattered was never written down. Before you sign, check the contract for these twelve points. It is a practical checklist from our side of the table. For anything legal, and on any large project, have a lawyer read the final version.

The twelve points

1. Scope, page by page. Every page, feature and integration listed. If something is not in the scope, assume it is not in the price.
2. What is not included. Copywriting, photography, product uploads, translation and ad spend are often excluded. Seeing them written down prevents surprises.
3. Milestones and dates. Each stage with a date, plus what you must deliver before it can start, such as content or approvals.
4. Payment schedule. Usually a deposit, then payments tied to milestones. Avoid paying everything upfront.
5. Feedback rounds. How many rounds of changes each stage includes, and what extra rounds cost.
6. Acceptance. How the site is approved: a test period, a checklist, and what counts as a bug versus a new request.
7. Ownership of code and designs. They should become yours once you pay in full, source files included.
8. Domain, hosting and accounts in your name. From day one. The agency can have access, but it should not be the owner. Our Hostinger guide shows how we set this up.
9. Speed, SEO and tracking basics. Page titles, a sitemap, Search Console and analytics set up before launch.
10. Support after launch. How long bug fixes are free, and the price of maintenance and small edits after that.
11. Change requests. How new ideas are priced and scheduled, so they don’t quietly move the launch date.
12. Handover. Logins, documentation and a short training session so your team can edit content.

Red flags

• A price with no written scope.
• The agency registers your domain in its own name.
• No mention of who owns the code.
• Unlimited revisions for a very low price. Something else will give.
• No dates anywhere.

Your side of the contract

A good contract also lists what the client owes: content by a set date, one person who approves, and feedback within an agreed number of days. Agencies miss deadlines, and so do clients waiting on internal approvals. Writing down both sides keeps the project honest. Our week-by-week website timeline shows where those dates usually fall.

Still choosing who to work with? Start with 12 questions to ask a web development company, then compare quotes using our website cost guide.

Questions we get

Is a quote by email enough?

For a small landing page it can be, if it lists the scope, price, dates and ownership. For anything bigger, ask for a contract or a signed proposal.

What if I want to change agency halfway?

The contract should say what you receive for the work already paid for: files, code and access. Without that clause, switching gets expensive.

Does Dark Media work with contracts?

Yes. Every project starts with a written proposal that lists the scope, milestones, price and ownership, sent within 48 hours of a free call. See our website development service for starting prices.