Free NDA Templates
Non-disclosure agreement templates for every situation — mutual NDAs for partnerships, one-way NDAs for contractors and vendors, and specialist NDAs for employees and startups. Fill in online and download as DOCX or PDF. No account required.
- 1 template available now
- More coming soon
- DOCX + PDF
- No signup required
- Reviewed June 2026
Choose your NDA template
Pick the NDA that matches your situation. The type of relationship — mutual or one-way — and the context — business, employment, startup — determines which template fits best.
Both parties share confidential information and both are bound by the same obligations. Includes AI tools clause (2026), survival period and standard exclusions. The most common NDA for business discussions.
Only one party discloses confidential information. Used when onboarding a contractor, vendor or consultant who will receive sensitive information but not share their own.
For use during employee onboarding or as a standalone agreement. Covers trade secrets, customer data, internal processes and post-employment obligations within employment law limits.
Designed for pre-investment discussions, co-founder conversations and early-stage partnerships. Includes an IP background technology exclusion and investor non-circumvention clause.
Non-disclosure agreement drafted under English and Welsh law. Covers the same obligations as the standard mutual NDA but uses UK-appropriate legal terminology and governing law provisions.
A comprehensive non-disclosure agreement template covering the broadest range of use cases — from vendor evaluations to M&A discussions, with configurable one-way or mutual flow.
What every NDA should include
A well-drafted non-disclosure agreement must balance protecting the disclosing party's information with being reasonable enough to be enforceable.
The basics
Legal protection
Frequently asked questions
- A well-drafted NDA should include: parties and roles (disclosing and receiving party); a clear definition of confidential information; standard exclusions (public domain, independently known, compelled disclosure); obligations of the receiving party; the permitted purpose for which information may be used; term and expiry; a return-or-destroy clause; remedies including injunctive relief; and governing law. All templates above include these elements as standard.
- A mutual NDA (bilateral) protects both parties — both share confidential information and both are bound by the same obligations. Use this for partnerships, joint ventures, and business discussions where information flows in both directions. A one-way NDA (unilateral) protects only one party's information — typically used when a company shares confidential information with a contractor, vendor or prospective employee who shares nothing confidential in return. When in doubt, a mutual NDA is the more balanced and commonly accepted choice for initial business discussions.
- Most NDAs have a confidentiality term of 2–5 years from signing or from the date of disclosure. Some trade secret NDAs have no expiry — the obligation lasts as long as the information remains a trade secret. Perpetual NDAs are harder to enforce in some jurisdictions and may deter the other party from signing. A practical approach is a 3-year term with a survival clause covering information that remains commercially sensitive at expiry.
- For early-stage idea discussions — exploring whether a collaboration makes sense — an NDA is good practice but rarely decisive. Ideas without execution are difficult to protect regardless of an NDA. Where an NDA matters most is when you are sharing specific implementation details, proprietary data, customer lists, pricing models, technical architecture or other genuinely sensitive information that would give the recipient a meaningful competitive advantage. Before sharing that level of detail, get an NDA signed. For casual early conversations, a short email confirming the confidential nature of the discussion is often sufficient.
- Yes. NDAs are legally enforceable contracts in the US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada and most other jurisdictions when properly drafted and signed. Enforceability depends on the definition of confidential information being clear and reasonable (overly broad definitions are narrowed by courts), standard exclusions being present, the term being proportionate, and the governing law having enforcement mechanisms. A well-drafted NDA with reasonable terms is routinely enforced — injunctions are a common remedy for imminent breach because monetary damages alone rarely compensate for disclosure of trade secrets.
Bonsai handles e-signatures, secure document storage and client onboarding — built for freelancers and consultants.
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