← Back to resources

UGC contract template for creators

Fill in the details and see the contract take shape in real time. It covers what usually goes missing when a deal is closed over DMs: what you deliver, when you get paid, where the brand can use the content and for how long. It is a free reference template, not legal advice.

Step 1 of 5

The parties

Optional. E.g. “Spring launch”.

What to understand before signing

The questions that come up most when a creator closes their first collaboration in writing.

What is a UGC contract?

It is the agreement between a creator and a brand for content made for the brand to use: it sets out what gets delivered, when, how much is paid and — most importantly — where and for how long the brand can use that content. It differs from an influencer collaboration in that the content is not necessarily published on the creator's profile: it is produced for the brand to use.

Is this template legally valid?

An agreement signed by two parties with legal capacity is valid in most countries, and needs no notary or registration. That said, this template is a generic reference model: it does not account for the specifics of your country or your situation, and it is not legal advice. For high amounts or perpetual assignments, have a professional review it.

Do I need a contract if we already agreed over DMs?

A message thread can work as evidence, but it rarely covers what later causes conflict: how long the brand may use the content, whether it can run as paid ads, what happens if they ask for extra revisions, and when you get paid. A contract does not exist because you distrust the other side: it exists so both parties understand the same thing six months later, when nobody remembers the conversation.

What are usage rights and why do they matter so much?

They are the permission you give the brand to use your image and your content, and they usually weigh more on price than the format or the video length. A brand posting your video on its feed is not the same as running it as a paid ad for a year: the second gives them far more value and exposes your face far more. Defining scope is what separates a collaboration from an open-ended assignment.

Why does it cost more if the content runs as paid ads?

Because the brand stops depending on its own audience. With paid media, your face can reach millions of people who don't follow you, for months, in contexts you don't control. The content also becomes an advertising asset the brand amortises over time. That is why paid usage is priced separately from the content, and its term is agreed explicitly.

How long should the assignment last?

Between 3 and 12 months, renewable, is the most common. A perpetual assignment is not illegal, but it is the most expensive thing you can give: it means the brand can use your face forever, without paying you again and without you being able to ask them to take it down. If they ask for it, price it as what it is, not as a detail of the deal.

Should I accept exclusivity?

It depends on how much work it blocks and whether you are being paid for it. Exclusivity means you cannot make content for competing brands for a period. The problem is usually not the term but the category: "beverages" is much broader than "sugar-free sodas". If you accept, make sure the category is written down and as narrow as possible, and that it is reflected in the price.

Do I have to hand over the raw footage?

Only if it is agreed. Unedited material lets the brand rebuild the content, cut it differently and make new versions without you — that is, more uses for the same fee. There is nothing wrong with handing it over, but it is something you price; if the contract does not mention it, it usually ends up requested for free after delivery.

When should I get paid?

The healthy approach is to tie payment to content approval with a concrete term — 15 or 30 days is standard — and write down what happens if the brand does not respond. Without that, a brand that simply doesn't reply can leave payment in limbo indefinitely. That is why this template includes tacit approval: if there are no comments within 5 days, it counts as approved and the payment clock starts.

What if the brand refuses to sign anything?

It is a signal worth noting, though it is not always bad faith: many small brands have never worked with a contract. You can frame it as something that protects both sides, or at least ask for an email putting deliverables, fee, payment term and usage in writing. A clear email is far better than nothing.

Other calculators

%Engagement rate→◈Influencer rates→$UGC rates→◎CPM and budget→↗Campaign ROI→