The web studio contract: what to check before signing
A contract gets read carefully exactly once — when something has gone wrong, and it is too late to change the terms.
Scope and the attached brief
'Website development' as a scope means nothing. A working contract references an annexed technical brief listing pages, features and integrations, signed by both parties.
Telegram history helps in practice, but a signed annex carries far more weight if a dispute ever becomes formal.
Ownership and access
State that exclusive rights to designs and source code pass to the client on full payment. Without it you may use the site but not have another team change it.
List the handover: domain, hosting, admin, repository, analytics accounts — all registered to the client. Studios close and teams change; the site is your asset.
Revisions, payment and acceptance
Cap revision rounds per stage and state that changes after a stage is approved are billed separately, with a clear line between an edit and a new task.
Stage payments protect both sides, and the acceptance clause should give you enough days to genuinely test the site, not just open the homepage.