Free Startup Legal Templates (US)

Skip the blank page. These 20 Startups (US) templates give you a real starting point you can tailor in minutes. Open any for a free preview, then sign up to read it in full, edit, negotiate, and e-sign, all in GitLaw.

Finance & Investment

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FeaturedUS
SAFE: Discount, no Valuation Cap (US) by Y Combinator
This Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) provides an investor with the right to future shares in a company based on a specified Discount Rate, without a valuation cap. It is designed for early-stage startup funding in the United States.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
Featured
SAFE: Valuation Cap, No Discount (US) by Y Combinator
This Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) provides an investor with the right to future shares in a company based on a fixed post-money valuation cap without a discount rate. It converts the purchase amount into equity during a future financing round or entitles the investor to proceeds during a liquidity event.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
Featured
Equity Agreement for Service (EASE Agreement) by Founder Institute
This agreement establishes a professional relationship between a startup company and a service provider who is compensated with equity rather than cash. It includes standard protections for intellectual property and confidentiality alongside a specific framework for calculating equity based on the company's growth stage.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
FeaturedGeneral
Term sheet by Common Paper
Outline the initial terms of a business deal with this non-binding term sheet. It sets a framework for negotiating a Definitive Agreement while including legally binding confidentiality protections for both parties.
Updated 13 Aug 2026

Employment

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Employment Agreement (US) by OLL
This employment agreement establishes a formal at-will relationship between a US-based employer and an employee. It includes sections for base salary or hourly compensation, intellectual property assignments, and post-employment restrictive covenants.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
FeaturedEuropean Union
Privacy Policy by Mozilla
This privacy policy template establishes how a company collects, uses, and protects personal information across its products and services. It defines personal information, outlines data collection methods like crash reports or browser checks, and specifies conditions for sharing data with third parties or government entities.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
FeaturedUS
Independent Contractor Agreement by Common Paper
This agreement establishes a framework for an independent contractor to provide services to a company under a specific Statement of Work. It covers intellectual property ownership, confidentiality, and non-solicitation obligations while explicitly excluding an employment relationship.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
Remote Work Policy (US) by OLL
This remote and hybrid work policy establishes eligibility, location requirements, and expense reimbursement rules for a US workforce. It includes specific compliance modules for California, Illinois, New York, Connecticut, and Delaware, while maintaining the at-will nature of employment.
Updated 21 Aug 2026

Commercial Contracts

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Partnership Agreement by Common Paper
This partnership agreement enables two parties to engage in mutual promotional activities and referral sharing. It features a customizable cover page to define obligations, payment schedules, and brand licensing rights.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
FeaturedGeneral
Letter of Intent by Common Paper
This non-binding letter of intent outlines a preliminary agreement for a Provider to supply a Product to a Customer. It establishes basic terms for product functionality, fees, and launch dates while including a legally binding confidentiality provision.
Updated 13 Aug 2026

Policies

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FeaturedUS
Github Terms Github Community Guidelines (GitHub)
This document outlines behavioral expectations and interaction rules for users of a collaborative software hosting platform. It defines principles for respectful communication, tools for project moderation, and potential enforcement actions for policy violations.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
Employee Handbook (US) by OLL
This employee handbook outlines workplace policies for US-based employees, covering federal standards for at-will employment, equal opportunity, and wage and hour classifications. It includes modular sections for remote work, AI tool usage, and anti-harassment reporting procedures.
Updated 31 Jul 2026

20 free Startups (US) templates · Sign up to start with any one.

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FeaturedUS
Acceptable Use Policy by Mozilla
This policy defines prohibited activities for users of a company's digital services and products. It establishes clear boundaries against illegal acts, harassment, malware distribution, and intellectual property infringement while reserving the right to suspend users who violate these terms.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
FeaturedUS
Terms of Service (ToS) (Basecamp)
This agreement establishes the terms for accessing a company's software products, websites, and applications. It defines user responsibilities, payment obligations for paid plans, and the company's right to terminate accounts for abuse or policy violations.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
FeaturedGeneral
Software License Agreement with AI Addendum by Common Paper
This software license allows customers to install and use a provider's software for specific business purposes while incorporating specialized terms for artificial intelligence services. It includes a comprehensive Order Form and an AI Addendum to manage model training, training data categories, and output ownership.
Updated 13 Aug 2026

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Startups (UK)
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Frequently asked questions

A template isn't binding on its own - like any contract, it becomes binding once it's properly completed and signed. Templates in our curated library are professionally drafted for US or UK law; review any template before you sign it.

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Templates in our curated library are professionally drafted for US or UK law. The wider library comes from the GitLaw community and public sources - a solid starting point, but check any template fits your situation before you rely on it.

Mostly US and UK law. Some templates use general commercial terms that work across jurisdictions, and many note which law they're written for.

It depends on the situation. Templates work well for routine business agreements. For anything involving significant money, complex IP, employment, or areas you're unsure about, it's worth getting professional advice before you sign. GitLaw provides templates and tools, not legal advice.

Open any template in GitLaw and describe the change you want in the chat — 'make clause 4 mutual' or 'add a 30-day notice period', for example. GitLaw drafts the revised language and shows it as a suggested edit. You accept, reject, or keep editing from there.

Yes. Upload a Word, PDF, or Markdown file and GitLaw will open it in the editor. You can review, edit, or chat with GitLaw about it the same way you would with any template from the library.

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