Software Development Contract: Essential Terms & Red Flags

About to sign a software development contract? One missing clause could cost you ownership of your own software, trap you with a non-performing vendor, or expose you to unlimited liability. This guide breaks down exactly what should be in your software development contract, what red flags to watch for, and how to protect yourself.

Expert Guidance By: Savas Tutumlu, Co-Founder & CTO
Experience: MIT-trained | 10+ years | Negotiated 200+ software development contracts
Reading time: 15 minutes

Disclaimer: This guide provides general information based on industry experience. For your specific situation, consult with a qualified attorney. Software contracts can have significant legal and financial implications.

The 10 Essential Contract Clauses

Every software development contract should include these ten clauses. Missing even one creates serious risk:

1. Scope of Work (SOW)

What it is: Detailed description of exactly what will be delivered.

Must include:

• Specific features and functionality
• Technical requirements (platforms, integrations, performance specs)
• Deliverables (source code, documentation, deployment support)
• What's explicitly OUT of scope
• Acceptance criteria (how you'll determine if work is complete)

Red flag: Vague language like "build a mobile app" or "develop a website." Vagueness leads to disputes when your expectations don't match what's delivered.

Example good SOW clause:
"Developer will create a native iOS mobile application including: user registration and authentication, product catalog with search and filtering (minimum 10,000 products), shopping cart and checkout with Stripe payment integration, order history and tracking, push notifications for order updates. Application must support iOS 16+ and achieve 4.0+ star rating in TestFlight beta testing."

2. Intellectual Property Ownership

What it is: Who owns the code, designs, and documentation when the project is done.

Must include:

• Work for Hire clause: All custom work becomes client property
• Upon final payment clause: IP transfers when you pay the final invoice
• Pre-existing IP exclusion: Developer keeps rights to their code libraries/frameworks brought to the project
• Third-party licenses: Disclosure of all open-source or licensed components

Critical: If contract doesn't explicitly assign IP to you, developer may retain ownership or joint ownership. You could end up paying $100K+ for software you don't actually own.

Example good IP clause:
"All work product created specifically for this project, including but not limited to source code, designs, documentation, and databases, shall be considered 'work made for hire' under U.S. Copyright Law. Upon receipt of final payment, Developer assigns all right, title, and interest in the work product to Client. Developer retains ownership of pre-existing code libraries and frameworks that are generally available."

3. Payment Terms

What it is: When, how much, and under what conditions you pay.

Recommended structure:

• 20-30% deposit upon contract signing (shows commitment, funds initial work)
• 40-50% in 2-3 milestone payments (tied to completed features you can verify)
• 20-30% upon final delivery and acceptance (ensures quality before final payment)

Red flags:

• 100% payment upfront (no incentive to finish)
• 100% payment at end (developer assumes all risk, many won't accept this)
• Hourly billing with no cap (budget uncertainty)

4. Timeline and Milestones

What it is: Project schedule with specific deliverable dates.

Must include:

• Start date: When work begins
• Milestone dates: When each major deliverable is due
• Final delivery date: Project completion deadline
• Client responsibilities: Your deadlines (providing content, feedback, approvals)
• Delay consequences: What happens if either party causes delays

Important: Timeline should account for YOUR responsibilities too. If developer needs feedback in 2 business days but you take 2 weeks, you can't penalize them for delay.

Milestone	Deliverable	Due Date	Payment
M1: Design	UI/UX mockups approved	Week 4	20%
M2: Core Features	User auth, product catalog	Week 10	30%
M3: Checkout	Cart, payment integration	Week 14	25%
M4: Final Delivery	Testing, deployment, training	Week 18	25%

5. Change Request Process

What it is: How to handle scope changes and additions during the project.

Must include:

• Definition of change: What qualifies as a change vs. included work vs. bug fix
• Request process: Written change request required
• Estimation process: Developer provides time/cost estimate within 2-5 business days
• Approval required: Client must approve in writing before work begins
• Pricing: Hourly rate for changes (often 10-20% premium)
• Timeline impact: Changes extend delivery dates proportionally

Why this matters: Without a change process, EVERY disagreement becomes "that was supposed to be included" vs "that's obviously a change." Recipe for disputes, bad feelings, and project failure.

6. Warranty and Support

What it is: Developer's guarantee that software works as specified.

Must include:

• Warranty period: 30-90 days typical
• What's covered: Bugs/defects present at delivery, software not meeting specifications
• What's NOT covered: New features, changes to requirements, issues caused by third-party services, problems from client modifications
• Response times: Critical bugs fixed within 24-48 hours, minor bugs within 5-10 business days
• Post-warranty support: Ongoing maintenance rates and terms

Red flag: "As-is" delivery with no warranty. Professional developers stand behind their work.

7. Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure

What it is: Protection of sensitive business information.

Must include:

• Mutual NDA: Both parties protect each other's confidential information
• Definition of confidential info: Trade secrets, business processes, customer data, source code, pricing
• Exclusions: Public information, independently developed, legally compelled disclosure
• Duration: 2-5 years typical, perpetual for trade secrets
• Return of materials: Developer returns/destroys confidential info after project

8. Representations and Warranties

What it is: Developer's promises about the software and their rights to create it.

Must include:

• No IP infringement: Developer owns or has licensed all code, not violating third-party rights
• No malicious code: No backdoors, viruses, or intentional vulnerabilities
• Professional standards: Work performed with industry best practices
• Authority to contract: Developer has legal authority to enter agreement
• No conflicts: Work doesn't violate other agreements developer has

Why this matters: If developer used stolen code, YOU could face the lawsuit. These clauses give you legal recourse against developer.

9. Termination Rights

What it is: How either party can end the contract.

Must include three types:

A) Termination for Cause:

• Either party can terminate immediately for material breach
• Breaching party gets 7-14 day cure period to fix issue
• Examples: non-payment, missed milestones by 30+ days, quality substantially below standards

B) Termination for Convenience:

• Client can terminate anytime with 30-day notice
• Pay for all work completed to date
• Plus termination fee (10-25% of remaining contract value)

C) Upon termination:

• Client receives all work product completed to date
• Source code and documentation delivered
• Client owns IP for work paid for
• Both parties return confidential information

Never sign a contract without termination rights. If developer is underperforming or the project isn't viable, you need an exit strategy.

10. Indemnification and Liability

What it is: Who pays if something goes wrong or someone gets sued.

Developer indemnifies client for:

• IP infringement (if they used stolen code)
• Breach of confidentiality
• Violations of law in the software
• Negligence or willful misconduct

Liability caps:

• Total liability typically capped at 1-2x contract value
• Exceptions: IP infringement, confidentiality breaches, willful misconduct (no cap)

Fixed-Price vs. Time-and-Materials Contracts

Two primary contract structures, each with tradeoffs (for detailed cost analysis, see our software development pricing guide):

Fixed-Price Contracts

How it works: Total cost agreed upfront ($75K for entire project). Scope locked—changes trigger change orders.

Pros: Budget certainty, risk transferred to developer, easy to approve internally.

Cons: Typically 10-20% premium, changes are expensive (3-5x normal rate), incentive to cut corners.

Best for: Well-defined projects with stable requirements.

Time-and-Materials Contracts

How it works: Hourly or monthly rate ($125/hour). Bill for actual time spent. Scope can evolve.

Pros: Maximum flexibility, only pay for work performed, works when requirements aren't fully defined.

Cons: Budget uncertainty, requires more oversight.

Best for: Startup MVPs, exploratory projects, ongoing development.

Protection: Not-to-Exceed (NTE) Cap
Hybrid approach: Time-and-materials billing with maximum budget cap. Best of both worlds—flexibility with budget protection.

Example: "$125/hour not-to-exceed $150K without written approval for additional funding."

Contract Red Flags to Avoid

Critical Red Flags - Walk Away From:

1. No IP ownership clause: You could pay $200K and not own the software
2. 100% payment upfront: Zero incentive to complete project
3. No deliverables defined: When is project actually "done"?
4. No termination rights: Locked in even with terrible performance
5. Unlimited liability: One bug could expose you to multi-million dollar lawsuits
6. Vague scope: Sets up expensive disputes over what's "included"
7. No warranties: Developer takes zero responsibility for quality
8. Foreign choice of law: Expensive/impossible to enforce in foreign courts
9. "Developer retains all rights": You're licensing, not owning
10. Automatic renewal: Contract auto-renews with penalty to cancel

Contract Negotiation Tips

1. Everything is negotiable (except fundamental ethics/law). First draft favors whoever wrote it. Push back on unreasonable terms.

2. Don't negotiate via redlines only. Hop on a call, discuss each party's concerns, find middle ground. Saves weeks of document ping-pong.

3. Get it in writing. Verbal promises don't matter. If developer says "we'll include that feature," it goes in the SOW or it doesn't happen.

4. Have attorney review before signing. $1,500-$3,000 legal review can save you $50K+ in disputes. Worth it for any project over $25K.

5. Test the termination clause. Ask "if I need to fire you in month 2, what happens?" Response tells you if they're confident or planning to trap you.

6. Request insurance certificates. Don't just trust contract language—verify they actually have the insurance policies.

The Stratagem Systems Approach

Our contract philosophy: Transparent, fair, protects both parties.

What we always include:

• Complete IP transfer: You own everything we build for you
• Clear payment milestones: Tied to features you can verify
• 90-day warranty: We fix any bugs present at delivery
• Transparent change process: Written estimate before any additional work
• Termination for convenience: You can exit anytime (with fair wind-down)
• $2M liability insurance: Protection for your peace of mind

Ready to Start Your Project?

At Stratagem Systems, we believe good contracts lead to successful projects. We'll never pressure you to sign quickly or slip in unfavorable terms. (For guidance on selecting the right development partner, see our comprehensive guide on how to choose a software development company.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should own the intellectual property in a software development contract?

The client should own ALL custom code, designs, and documentation created specifically for their project. Contract must include 'Work for Hire' clause stating all deliverables are client property upon final payment. Developer retains rights to: pre-existing code libraries they bring to project, general knowledge/techniques, and open-source components. Get explicit IP assignment in writing—verbal promises don't hold up.

What payment structure is best for software development contracts?

Milestone-based payments balance risk for both parties. Typical structure: 20-30% upfront deposit (shows client commitment), 40-50% in 2-3 milestone payments (tied to completed features), 20-30% upon final delivery and acceptance. Avoid: 100% upfront (gives developer no incentive to finish), 100% at end (developer assumes all financial risk), hourly with no cap (creates budget uncertainty).

How should change requests be handled in the contract?

Contract must define: 1) What constitutes a change (vs bug fix or included work), 2) Change request process (written request, developer provides time/cost estimate, client approves before work starts), 3) Pricing for changes (hourly rate, typically 10-20% premium over base rate), 4) Timeline impact (changes extend delivery dates), 5) Minor changes policy (small tweaks under 2 hours might be included). Without clear change process, expect disputes and budget overruns.

What termination clauses should be in a software development contract?

Both parties need termination rights: 'Termination for Cause' (either party can terminate immediately if other breaches contract—non-payment, missed deadlines, quality issues—with 7-14 day cure period), 'Termination for Convenience' (client can terminate anytime with 30-day notice, pays for work completed plus termination fee of 10-25% of remaining contract), and 'Mutual Termination' (both parties agree to end project). Upon termination: client receives all work completed to date, source code, documentation. Never sign contract without termination rights.

What are the biggest red flags in software development contracts?

Run from contracts with: 1) No IP ownership clause (developer retains rights to your custom software), 2) Pay 100% upfront (no incentive to complete project), 3) No deliverables/milestones defined (when is project actually done?), 4) No termination rights (you're locked in even with poor performance), 5) Unlimited liability (one bug could bankrupt you), 6) Vague scope (sets up expensive change order disputes), 7) No warranties (developer takes no responsibility for quality), 8) Choice of law in foreign country (expensive to enforce). Review contracts with attorney before signing.