Contracts: A Guide to Long-Term Freelance Partnerships
Contracts aren’t the most thrilling topic, but they are essential. They prevent misunderstandings, set expectations, and create stability for both freelancers and clients. They turn “wait, was I supposed to do that?” moments into “yep, it’s right here in the contract” clarity.
And on Sisu Talents, we’ve built contract tools that are simple, transparent, and tailored to long-term collaboration from our own experience and mistakes we might have done in the past ourselves as freelancers. Let’s walk through how they work and how to use them without losing your mind.
Why bother with contracts anyway?
Simple: they protect everyone involved.
For freelancers, contracts mean stable income, clear expectations, and the confidence to say “actually, that’s not in the scope” without feeling like a jerk.
For clients, contracts mean reliable access to talent, predictable costs, and knowing your freelancer has actually reserved time for your work.
Plus, when things are written down, there’s way less room for the “I thought you meant…” conversations that make everyone want to crawl under their desk.
How Sisu Talents contracts work
Creating a contract on Sisu is free. Ending one is free. Starting a new one is free. You only pay the usual 5% service fee for weeks where work is actually logged.
We strongly encourage using long-term contracts whenever the workflow is regular. If you’re working together every week, why not make it official?
One thing to know up front: for now, contracts are always started by the freelancer. The client reaches out first, you both agree in Messages, and then the freelancer sends the contract offer for the client to accept.
For freelancers: Contracts provide income stability. You know what’s coming and you can plan your life.
For clients: You get a guaranteed spot on your freelancer’s schedule. No more “sorry, I’m fully booked this week” messages when you really need them.
Contract types
Most contracts on Sisu track hours. But we also support per-word contracts for writers because sometimes that makes more sense than watching the clock tick.
Need something else? Tell us! We’ll add more contract types if people actually need them. We’re not here to force you into boxes that don’t fit.
What needs to be in your contract
Here’s where people usually mess up: they assume too much.
Define the actual work
This is the big one. Write down exactly what’s included in the work. Then write down what’s NOT included.
Why both? Because assumptions kill relationships.
Your freelancer might think “social media management” means scheduling posts. You might think it includes creating graphics, writing captions, responding to comments, and analyzing metrics.
See the problem?
Do this:
- List specific tasks that are included
- List tasks that are definitely NOT included
- When in doubt, add it to the list
Example (for a content writer):
Included:
- Writing 2 blog posts per week (1,500-2,000 words each)
- One round of revisions per post
- Basic SEO optimization (keywords, meta descriptions)
Not included:
- Graphic design for featured images
- Social media promotion
- Uploading to CMS (unless specifically added)
Now everyone knows what’s what.
Set the workload expectations
Sisu allows you to set:
- Minimum guaranteed weekly hours or words
- Estimated weekly workload
Why would you do this?
As a client: You need someone available for at least 10 hours per week. Setting a minimum guarantees they’re holding that time for you, not filling it with other projects.
As a freelancer: You’re blocking out 15 hours per week for this client. If they only give you 3 hours of work, you’re missing out on other opportunities. A minimum protects your income.
How it works: If you set a €15/hour rate with a 5-hour minimum, the client gets invoiced €75 per week minimum – whether 5 hours get logged or not.
Fair? Yep. The freelancer reserved the time. The client benefits from having them available.
Important: If you set minimum hours or words, you MUST include a termination notice period (1-4 weeks). This isn’t bureaucracy, it’s protection. Freelancers need time to find new work. Clients need time for handovers. And the minimum keeps applying right through the notice period, so income stays steady until the very end. Everyone wins.
Agree on availability
On Sisu, you can (and should) set expected work days and working hours in your contract.
These aren’t rigid rules, you’re not clocking in and out. But they set clear expectations:
- When can the client expect responses?
- When is the freelancer completely off?
- What’s the overlap for meetings?
Example: “Available Monday-Thursday, 9 AM – 5 PM CET. Not available Fridays or weekends.”
Now the client knows not to send urgent requests Friday afternoon expecting same-day turnarounds. And the freelancer knows their weekends are sacred.
This is how you avoid burnout and resentment. Set boundaries. Respect them.
The stuff nobody tells you about contracts
Rates should make sense for both of you
If you’re a freelancer and your rate barely covers your costs, you’ll burn out or quit. If you’re a client and you’re paying way above market rate, you’ll resent the arrangement.
Do your research, talk openly about budget and find a number that works.
Communication is everything
Even the best contract cannot compensate for poor communication.
- Clients: Provide materials promptly and give clear feedback.
- Freelancers: Keep clients informed, track work accurately, and speak up early if issues arise.
One important habit for both sides: keep your messages, files and deliveries inside Sisu Talents. If a dispute ever comes up, only on-platform communication counts as proof, so chats or files that live in WhatsApp, email or a private doc can’t be used to back you up.
Hint: Are you bad at tracking the hours? You can use the Sisu Talents Pomodoro tool to track hours. You can even use the task manager to track hours for a specific project!
Things change, and that’s okay
Projects evolve. Workloads shift. Someone gets promoted or changes roles. When the contract doesn’t fit anymore, talk about it. Adjust it. End it if you need to.
Contracts aren’t prison sentences, they’re frameworks for the projec. And if the framework stops working, you should change it.
On Sisu Talents, there are no penalties for ending contracts. If it’s time to move on, move on. Do it professionally, give proper notice if you’ve agreed to one, and everyone walks away okay.
Red flags to watch for
For freelancers:
- Client wants unlimited revisions (define a number)
- Vague scope like “various marketing tasks”
- No mention of payment terms or timelines
- Constant “quick favors” outside the contract
- Demanding availability 24/7
For clients:
- Freelancer won’t commit to any deadlines
- Unclear about what they actually deliver
- Lots of excuses before work even starts
- Unwilling to sign any contract at all
- Disappears for days without explanation
Trust your gut. If something feels off, it probably is.
What makes Sisu contracts different
Most platforms make contracts complicated or expensive. They charge you to start them, penalize you for ending them, or bury the features in pro plans.
We don’t do that.
Contracts are free to create and free to end. You pay the 5% service fee on the work that’s actually logged, that’s it. No hidden costs. No gotchas.
Why? Because we want you to actually use contracts when they make sense. Not avoid them because the platform makes it painful.
We also built in the work-life balance stuff (expected hours, work days) because we genuinely believe freelancing should be sustainable. You’re not a machine. You’re a person who needs boundaries.
Getting started
Ready to set up your first contract? Remember the flow: the client and freelancer agree in Messages, then the freelancer sends the offer and the client accepts it. (Clients, you’ll just need at least one active payment method on file to accept.)
If you’re a freelancer: How to propose a contract to a customer
If you’re a client: How to get a contract started with a freelancer
Full contract terms here.
Final thoughts
A well-written contract is the foundation of a healthy working relationship. It should:
- Set clear expectations
- Protect both parties
- Make life easier, not harder
- Allow for flexibility when things change
Bad contracts:
- Are vague about scope
- Leave out important details
- Create more confusion than clarity
- Feel like punishment for asking questions
So take the 20 minutes to set one up properly. Write down what you’re actually doing. Agree on availability. Set minimum hours if it makes sense. Add a notice period if you need one.
Your future self will thank you when there’s a question about scope and you can just… check the contract.
And if you have questions or suggestions about how Sisu contracts work, tell us. We’re always listening. We built this for you, not for some abstract idea of what freelancers “should” need.
Let’s create contracts that work well for everyone.