Freelance revision policy: a simple template

Every freelancer eventually meets the endless revision. The client sends feedback, you implement it, they send more, and a few weeks later the project is still open. A revision policy prevents this. It is a few sentences in your proposal that explain how feedback works. Done well, it makes projects faster, because clients collect their thoughts before replying.

This article gives you a template you can copy, then explains each part so you can adjust it for your work.

What a revision policy is

A revision policy answers four questions:

1. What counts as a revision?
2. How many rounds are included in the price?
3. How and when must feedback be sent?
4. What happens when the included rounds are used?

If your proposal answers these, you will rarely need to argue about them.

The template

You can paste this into a proposal or contract and edit the brackets.

Revisions. This project includes [two] rounds of revisions. A round means one consolidated set of feedback on a deliverable, sent in a single message. Revisions are adjustments to the agreed scope, such as changes to wording, colors, spacing or layout details.

Feedback should be sent within [five] business days of receiving each draft. If feedback takes longer, the delivery date may move.

Changes that go beyond the agreed scope, such as new pages, a different concept, or additional deliverables, are not revisions. They will be quoted separately.

Additional revision rounds are billed at [$X per hour / $X per round]. A deliverable is considered approved when the client confirms it in writing or when [ten] business days pass without feedback.

That is about 120 words. It is short enough that clients actually read it.

Why each part matters

"A round means one consolidated set of feedback"

This is the most useful sentence in the policy. Without it, a client can send ten separate emails over three days and call it "one round". Asking for feedback in one message encourages them to look at the whole piece, discuss internally, and send a single list.

"Adjustments to the agreed scope"

This separates revisions from new requests. A revision changes how something looks or reads. A new request changes what the project contains. If you do not draw the line, every new idea becomes a free revision.

A feedback window

Projects slow down when feedback does. A time limit tells the client that their delay has consequences, without sounding harsh. It also gives you a clean reason to move the delivery date or schedule other work.

Billing for extras

Clients usually accept paying for extra rounds when the price was stated in advance. They resist when it appears for the first time at round four. State the rate up front, even if you plan to waive it for small things.

A deemed approval

Without this clause, a project can sit open forever with no response. A deemed approval date lets you close the work, send the final files and invoice. Make sure your clients know about this clause in the beginning, and remind them before the date arrives.

How many rounds should you offer?

There is no universal number, but these are common starting points:

• Small, well-defined work (a logo, a short article): two rounds.
• Medium projects (a website, a brand identity): two or three rounds per stage.
• Large or ongoing work: define revisions per milestone instead of per project.

Consider your own margin. If a typical project takes you twenty hours and each revision round takes about two, three rounds is already a large share of the work. Include the time in your price.

If a client is anxious or new to this type of work, a third round can build trust. If a client is experienced and decisive, two is usually plenty.

Make revisions easier for both sides

Ask for specific feedback. Instead of "What do you think?", ask "Does the layout match what you had in mind? Is the tone right for your audience?" Specific questions bring useful answers.

Record approvals. After each stage, ask the client to confirm in writing. This is the single habit that prevents most disputes. We cover it in detail in our guide on written client approvals.

What to do when the policy is tested

Even with a policy, some clients will send a fourth round. You have three reasonable options:

1. Apply the policy. "This would be round four. Per our agreement, extra rounds are billed at [rate]. Shall I go ahead?" This is the cleanest approach.
2. Make an exception, openly. "I will include this one at no charge. Further rounds follow the agreement." You keep goodwill and the boundary.

Whichever you choose, put it in writing.

Final checklist

• Your policy is in the proposal or contract before work starts.
• It defines a round and sets a limit.
• It states a feedback deadline.
• It separates revisions from new requests.
• It gives the rate for extra rounds.
• You record each approval.

A revision policy does not make clients difficult or you inflexible. It gives both sides a shared picture of how the project will run, which is what most people want.

Keep a record of every approval

If you want a ready-made log and short messages for requesting approvals and handling revisions, the Client Approval Log + 50 Client Messages pack covers exactly this. Use the button below to see it on Gumroad.