7 Red Flags in Agency Contracts

1. "Deliverables" defined loosely — if "done" isn't measurable, it isn't agreed
2. IP assignment conditional on payment — pay the invoice, lose the code
3. Unlimited revision cycles — sounds generous, means scope is undefined
4. No timeline with consequences — dates without penalty clauses are suggestions
5. Subcontracting rights without disclosure — your code could be offshore overnight
6. Auto-renewal retainers — the "maintenance" that never ends
7. Non-refundable deposits over 30% — they're pricing in your walk-away risk

We sign fixed-price, milestone-gated contracts with full IP assignment on payment. The Stock Picks engagement ran on exactly that — ask us for the template.