Explainer for Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (Bonterms)
Updated 17 October 2025
This document serves as an explainer for the Bonterms Mutual NDA, a standard agreement designed to be balanced and open source. It outlines how the NDA is implemented using a Cover Page and highlights its benefits, such as streamlining negotiations. The explainer also provides resources and contact information for support.
Bonterms Mutual NDA Explainer
If you’re reading this it likely means someone has just proposed using the Bonterms Mutual NDA. We appreciate the opportunity to explain what the Bonterms NDA is all about and why it might be the perfect fit for your situation.
The Bonterms NDA is a Standard Agreement implemented by a Cover Page:
The Bonterms NDA is a Standard Agreement that the parties implement and modify through a Cover Page, not redlines. To use the Cover Page, the parties fill in the Effective Date, Purpose and other Key Terms, specify any changes to the standard terms and sign (see step-by-step guidance here).
We describe the Bonterms NDA as being best-practice, balanced and open source:
Best-practice? The Bonterms NDA was drafted and extensively reviewed and revised by our now 100-member Standard Agreements Committee of in-house and law firm lawyers. They took the task seriously. The Bonterms NDA went through four major drafts and multiple meetings, surveys and discussions across four months.
Balanced? The Bonterms NDA is designed to meet the needs of both parties and not inherently favor either.
Open source? The Bonterms NDA is free to use under CC BY 4.0.
What are the benefits of using the Bonterms NDA?
You skip the battle over whose form to use and move straight to a balanced form that is designed to work for both parties.
We’re here to help.
We stamp every Bonterms open source form “review once, use many”. We hope you will in fact review and use the Bonterms NDA. Either way, we’d love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have at [email protected].
2 Embarcadero Center, 8th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
www.bonterms.com
Bonterms NDA Explainer
Learn more: Bonterms
2022 12 06
About this template
What is this template?
Explainer for Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (Bonterms) is a free, ready-to-use Confidentiality & Non-Disclosure Agreements template you can open, customize, and download on GitLaw. It gives you a professionally structured starting point, so you never have to draft from a blank page. The wording is plain and modern, organized into clear sections that are easy to read, edit, and adapt to your own situation before you share or sign it.
When should you use it?
Reach for this Confidentiality & Non-Disclosure Agreements template whenever you need a reliable agreement quickly and want to be sure the essentials are covered. It suits individuals, freelancers, startups, and established businesses alike. Instead of paying for a document drafted from scratch, you can start here, tailor the details to your arrangement, and have a polished draft ready in minutes. This version is drafted with California (US) and United States of America in mind, though you should always review the final wording against the laws that apply to you.
What's typically included?
A well-drafted Confidentiality & Non-Disclosure Agreements usually sets out the parties involved, the scope of the agreement, and each side's rights and responsibilities. Expect sections covering key terms and definitions, how long the agreement lasts, how it can be ended, and what happens if something goes wrong. This template brings those building blocks together in a sensible order, so you can focus on the specifics rather than worrying about what to include. Open it to read the full document, then sign up to edit, negotiate, and e-sign it directly in GitLaw.