Create a project here: https://contra.com/proposal/new
What is a project on Contra?
A project is a structured agreement between a client and an Independent that defines:
Scope of work
Payment structure
Timeline
Projects are designed for work where you want clear deliverables, payment structure including escrow payments, and dispute assistance if issues arise.
Choosing the right project type
One-Time Fixed (Escrow)
Client pays the total project fee upfront
If there is an upfront amount set, this is released immediately
Funds are held securely
Funds are released once work is approved
Best for new relationships where the project scope is fixed.
One-Time Hourly (Escrow)
Client pays the total project fee upfront (max hours times the rate)
Funds are held securely
Fund are released once hours are submitted and approved
If the hours submitted as less than the max hours, the client is refunded the difference
Best for new relationships where the project scope is based on a hourly commitment
Milestones (Escrow)
Client pays each milestone in full before kicking off
Each milestone is funded and released separately
Funds are held securely
Fund are released once a milestone is submitted and approved
Best for larger projects that can be delivered in phases with the added protection of escrow.
Fixed Invoice Billing
Invoices are automatically generated on a fixed cadence (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly)
Clients are notified on the invoice date and prompted to pay
Best for established relationship with ongoing work.
Hourly Invoice Billing
Independents submit hours on an ongoing basis, which generates a payable invoice
Clients are notified when hours are submitted and prompted to pay
Best for established relationship with ongoing work based on an hourly commitment
Contract options
Contra offers three contract options:
Contra contract template (default) → Best for standard freelance projects
Locally-compliant contracts → Best for international or region-specific project work
Custom PDF contract → Best if you have your own contract with your own terms
For Contra contract templates and locally compliant contracts, we pre-populate agreements with the project details entered during creation and capture e-signatures.
For custom contracts, clients or Independents can upload their own PDF, and Contra will append the specific payment terms and e-signatures to the contract.
Fees
Project size | Non-Pro | Pro | Max |
$1-$199 | $2 | $1 | $0 |
$200-$499 | $5 | $2.5 | $0 |
$500-$999 | $10 | $5 | $0 |
> $1000 | $29 | $15 | $0 |
Fees can be covered by the Independent or the client. Processing fees are also applied.
FAQs
Made a mistake when creating your proposal?
Made a mistake when creating your proposal?
You can click "..." > "Revise" on your proposal page to revise the project before your client signs!
Have extra proposals you want to hide?
Have extra proposals you want to hide?
You can click "..." > "Archive" on your proposal page to archive the project. This will clear the proposal from your main projects tab and move it to your "Archived" tab.
Note that project will remain un-archived on the party's account, and if they take an action on the project it will become un-archived on your account as well.
This is only available for proposals that have not been countersigned.
Need to cancel your proposal?
Need to cancel your proposal?
If you need to cancel your proposal for any reason, you can click "..." > "End project" to cancel the project. Once a project is cancelled, it can not be re-activated, unlike archived projects.