You search "free contract template," find LegalTemplates.net, and download a Word document. It looks professional. But then you start filling in the blanks and questions come up. Does this clause apply in your state? Should you include an IP assignment section for this type of work? What about the payment terms — is net-30 standard or should you push for milestone-based?
A template gives you a starting point. What it does not give you is a contract tailored to your deal.
How LegalTemplates works
LegalTemplates.net is a document template marketplace:
- Browse their library of legal document templates
- Select a category (contracts, real estate, business, personal)
- Fill out a questionnaire to populate template fields
- Download the completed document in Word or PDF
- Edit as needed in your word processor
Some templates are free. Most require a subscription (starting around $7.99/month annually) or a one-time purchase. The library covers a wide range of document types beyond contracts — wills, power of attorney, rental applications, and more.
The model is straightforward: you get a pre-written document with your details filled in. The legal language is fixed — what you see in the template is what you get.
How Contract.diy works
Contract.diy generates contracts from your deal terms. One credit equals one finalized contract. No subscription required.
- Select your contract type — NDA, freelance agreement, lease, service agreement, or custom contract
- Enter your deal terms — parties, payment structure, deliverables, jurisdiction
- Review, edit, and export as PDF — complete with proper clauses, signature blocks, and governing law
Sign up free — no credit card required. Buy a one-time credit pack or subscribe if you prefer.
Templates vs generated contracts
This is the core difference. It affects everything downstream.
Templates start with fixed legal language and plug in your details. The clauses, structure, and risk allocation are pre-determined by whoever wrote the template. You are responsible for:
- Knowing whether the template language fits your deal
- Removing clauses that do not apply
- Adding clauses that are missing
- Checking jurisdiction-specific requirements
- Understanding what each clause means and whether it favors you
Generated contracts start with your deal terms and produce a document around them. The clauses, structure, and language adapt to what you described. You review and edit the output rather than reverse-engineering boilerplate.
Neither approach replaces legal advice for high-stakes deals. But for standard contracts — NDAs, freelance agreements, service contracts, leases — generated contracts do more of the work for you.
Pricing comparison
| | Contract.diy | LegalTemplates | |---|---|---| | Free tier | Free signup (no card required) | Limited free templates | | Monthly subscription | Optional: $9–$29/mo | $23.99/mo (monthly billing) | | Annual plan | $7–$24/mo (billed annually) | ~$7.99/mo (billed annually at ~$96) | | Per contract (no subscription) | $0.33–$1.00 (credit packs) | Varies by template ($9.99–$39.99) | | Contract types | NDA, freelance, lease, services, custom | Broad library (100+ templates) | | Document format | PDF export | Word/PDF download |
Feature comparison
| Feature | Contract.diy | LegalTemplates | |---------|-------------|----------------| | Contract generation from deal terms | Yes | No — template fill-in | | Jurisdiction-aware clauses | Yes | Limited state versions | | Clause explanation in plain language | Yes | No | | Template library breadth | Focused (5 contract types) | Broad (100+ document types) | | PDF export | Included | Included | | Word document editing | No (edit in preview) | Yes | | Beyond contracts (wills, etc.) | No | Yes | | Custom contracts | Yes — describe your needs | Limited to existing templates |
When templates fall short
Templates work well for common, low-stakes documents where the standard language is close enough. They fall short when:
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Your deal has non-standard terms. A template NDA assumes a standard confidentiality arrangement. If your NDA needs to cover mutual disclosure with different time periods for each party, you are editing boilerplate — which is harder than starting from your terms.
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Jurisdiction matters. A California lease has different disclosure requirements than a Texas lease. Templates may or may not include these differences. Generated contracts account for them by default.
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You are not sure what clauses you need. Templates assume you know which sections to keep and which to remove. If you have never written a service agreement, how do you know whether the indemnification clause is appropriate for your situation?
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You need a custom contract. Templates only cover document types someone has already created. If your arrangement does not fit a standard category, there is no template for it.
When LegalTemplates makes sense
Choose LegalTemplates when:
- You need documents beyond contracts — wills, rental applications, power of attorney, business formation docs
- You want a Word document to edit extensively — your workflow is built around Word
- You are comfortable with legal language — you know which clauses to keep, modify, or remove
- You need a quick starting point — a basic template to adapt yourself
- Budget is extremely tight — some free templates cover simple needs
When Contract.diy makes sense
Choose Contract.diy when:
- You want contracts generated from your deal terms — not boilerplate you adapt
- Jurisdiction compliance matters — the contract should reflect your governing law
- You want to understand your contract — clause explanations in plain language
- You need a custom contract — something that does not fit a standard template
- You create contracts in bursts — credits wait for you, not the other way around
The bottom line
LegalTemplates gives you a starting document. Contract.diy gives you a finished contract built from your inputs.
If you know your way around legal language and just need a framework to fill in, templates are fine. If you want a contract that reflects your specific deal, jurisdiction, and terms from the start, generation saves you the editing and second-guessing.
Related reading
- Best Contract Generators in 2026: 7 Tools Compared
- Contract.diy vs LegalZoom: Full-Service Legal vs Focused Contract Creator
- Contract.diy vs LawDepot: Modern Contract Creation vs Template Libraries
- How Much Does a Contract Cost in 2026?
- Free Contract Template: What You Need to Know Before You Download
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