Signing an NDA is normal
Clients share unreleased products, customer data and strategy with freelancers. An NDA just formalises that you'll keep it private. Signing one is routine; signing a badly written one is the problem.
Mutual or one-way?
A one-way NDA protects only the client's information. A mutual NDA protects both sides, useful when you share your own methods, pricing or code. If you're pitching an idea to a client, ask for mutual.
Clauses to push back on
- No time limit: 2-5 years is standard for most business information.
- A definition of "confidential" that covers everything, including things you already knew or that are public.
- A hidden non-compete: an NDA shouldn't stop you working in your industry.
- No portfolio carve-out: agree what you can show and when.
The free contract red flags checker scans pasted clauses for these patterns.
Need one yourself?
The NDA generator builds a mutual or one-way NDA in a minute; templates: mutual, one-way. Draft it now with Clinch: describe the job in a sentence, get a clean draft, send one link. Your client signs from their phone without an account, and the deposit is paid in the same step.