Master Services Agreement for Mobile App Developers: What to Include (Customizable Template)

Independent Contractor
Master Services Agreement
Small Business
5 min read
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Introduction

As a Mobile App Developer, having a clear Master Services Agreement (MSA) is crucial for navigating multi-phase projects smoothly, managing approvals, and ensuring seamless handoffs. This agreement serves as your roadmap, outlining the terms of your partnership with clients. With a well-structured MSA, you can focus on what you do best—building amazing apps. Customize your Master Services Agreement now.

Legal Terms: What Matters Most for Mobile App Developers

Intellectual Property Ownership

  • Make it clear that you retain ownership of the work until full payment is received. This protects your creative output and ensures you are compensated for your hard work.
  • Include a clause preventing clients from using your work product for feeding into AI models. This safeguards your intellectual property (IP) and originality.
  • Attribution is essential — clarify when and how you'll be credited in public materials, ensuring that your contributions are recognized.

Revision Limits, Acceptance, and Payment Milestones

  • Set clear limits on the number of revisions included in the project scope. This prevents prolonged back-and-forth and helps you manage your time effectively.
  • Define acceptance criteria to ensure that both you and your client know when a deliverable is considered complete, avoiding any confusion.
  • Establish a milestone payment schedule that aligns with your project phases, ensuring that you receive timely compensation as work progresses.

Scope Creep and Change Orders

  • Clearly outline triggers for change orders so both parties understand when a project scope is changing. This includes client requests that could affect your timeline or resources.
  • Offer pricing guidance for modifications to help clients anticipate additional costs and manage their budgets effectively.
  • Include language addressing how changes in scope will impact project timelines to keep everyone on the same page.

Other Helpful Clauses for Mobile App Developers

  • Consider including a portfolio rights clause that allows you to showcase your completed projects. This helps attract future clients and promotes your work.
  • A limitation of liability clause can protect you from potential claims related to your work. This should define the extent of your financial responsibility in case of mishaps.

How Counsel Club Helps

Counsel Club re-imagines legal for startups, freelancers, and creative entrepreneurs. Our platform allows you to search for lawyer-drafted forms for startups, freelancers, content creators, and other creative entrepreneurs. Our platform guides you through modifications, both to the contract and the scope of work. Counsel Club has the most sophisticated drafting tool on the market, and it was designed and developed by lawyers. If you want more help, reach out to a Counsel Club lawyer through our Concierge program. Our legal agent, Amicus, was trained on proprietary legal data to be your best legal assistant. Finally, legal for today, that is fast, protective, and cost-effective.

Questions to Ask Amicus

  • What are my rights regarding the IP created during a project?
  • How should I handle revision requests that extend beyond the original agreement?
  • What should I include in the milestone payments to ensure timely compensation?

Closing CTA

Ready to protect your work and business with a robust Master Services Agreement? Don't forget to pair it with statements of work (SOWs) for even better clarity. Customize your Master Services Agreement now.

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