A user agreement can help you define the conditions of use of your website or app, as well as how users should interact with it.

In this article, we’ll explain what a user agreement is, how to create one, and share a free user agreement template and example you can use for your website:

• What is a user agreement?
• Why do you need a user agreement?
• What is the difference between a user agreement and a contract?
• How to create a user agreement?
• What to include in a user agreement?
• User agreement template
• Generate a high-quality user agreement

What is a user agreement?

A user agreement is a document that defines how users should interact with your website, service or app.

It is a legally binding agreement that sets out the conditions, roles, and limitations of using your website or service. In other words, it sets expectations about what your users can or cannot do on your website and provides a framework to resolve disputes if they arise.

Are “User Agreement” and “Terms and Conditions” the same thing?

Yes, they are basically the same thing. Terms and Conditions define the rules of your website, which serves the same purpose as a User Agreement.
These terms are often used interchangeably, depending on the context. For example, a User Agreement can also be called “Terms of Use” or “Terms of Service”.

Why do you need a user agreement?

User agreements aren’t always required, but you may need one if your website handles complex scenarios – for example, if you allow user accounts or discussions. In cases like this, you may want to define exactly what is acceptable and what is not, and what the consequences are of breaching your terms.

A proper user agreement policy will help you protect yourself and your business from potential liabilities, and it will also enhance trust and transparency with your users, since they will know what to expect from your website or service.

What to include in a user agreement?

Every user agreement is different because every business needs specific clauses tailored to its activity. However, there are some elements that we can find in almost every user agreement:

• introduction,
• registration, termination, security of accounts,
• intellectual property rights,
• acceptable use and user restrictions,
• user-generated content,
• conditions of sale,
• limitations of liability,
• dispute resolution,
• governing law and venue of jurisdiction,
• changes to the terms,
• acceptance of terms,
• contact information.

Let’s examine them one by one.

Introduction

This first section of your user agreement should introduce the purpose of the terms, providing a clear overview of what is included in the document. This means specifying what the terms apply to, as well as the effective date of the document.

Registration, termination, security of accounts

If your website allows the creation of user accounts, you should explain the process and requirements to create and maintain an account. Don’t forget to mention what could lead to an account being suspended or deleted, such as violation of terms, fraudulent activity, or extended inactivity.

Intellectual property rights

In this section, clarify who owns the rights to all content and intellectual property associated with your website or service. You can state that you retain all rights to their content, including text, graphics, logos, and software, with phrases like “All Rights Reserved.”

Acceptable use and user restrictions

In this section, specify what is considered acceptable and unacceptable behaviors on your website. Examples of misconduct are scraping data from the service, unauthorized copying and pasting of content, and other forms of misuse.

You should also define what are the consequences of misconduct, such as the suspension or termination of the account, a warning, or legal actions.

User-generated content

In cases when user-generated content is allowed – that is, content that users create, upload, or share on your website – you should define what is considered acceptable content and what is prohibited (e.g., offensive, illegal content in comments).

You might also reserve the right to remove or modify user content that violates these guidelines.

Conditions of sale

If you own an online store, or you allow purchases on your website, you should clearly define your conditions of sale. The details include:

• Purchasing and billing: specify the pricing structure, whether there are any additional costs, and what payment methods you accept.
• Delivery and shipping: define the details about the timeframe of delivery and any shipping costs.
• Returns and refunds: in this section, explain how customers can return an item they bought from you, how they can get a refund, and what items can’t be returned.
• Warranty: in this section, specify the guarantees or exclusions of implied warranties provided.

Limitations of liability

Here, you should explain what you cannot be considered liable for. This section is important because it limits your liability in cases of issues, like damages or losses incurred by the user in connection with your service.

Dispute resolution

Here, detail the specific process for resolving disputes between you and your user.

Governing law and venue of jurisdiction

The Governing law and venue of jurisdiction clause specifies what legal framework will be applied in case of dispute, when the terms need to be enforced. This clause is important because it ensures that all parties are aware of the legal standards in place.

Changes to the terms

Describe the procedure for modifying your terms, including how changes will be communicated to users, and how users can terminate the agreement if they do not accept the new terms.

Acceptance of terms

You must have your users accept your terms. You can do this through a clickwrap agreement, which requires users to click a checkbox to confirm they’ve read and accepted your terms.

Contact information

Provide your main contact details, including physical address, email, and phone number. It helps users to make inquiries, lodge complaints, or seek support.

User agreement template

Here below you’ll find our free user agreement template. Here’s how to use it:

• Download the template: get our free user agreement template in Word Doc or copy and paste the HTML directly into your website.
• Fill in business and contact details: before you publish it, fill in all the [brackets] with your business info and contact details.
• Customize sale and service clauses: the template covers selling physical goods and includes sections for both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) sales, with some clauses addressing only consumers. Make sure these sections match what your business offers.
• Tailor to legal jurisdictions: the template includes parts relevant to the EU, the UK, and the US. Some sections are specific to certain areas, so make sure they comply with the laws where your customers are.

Using a basic template is not wrong by default, but it can come with significant risks to you and your business. User Agreements are complex legal documents that cover multiple legal scenarios (eg, commercial law, copyright laws, liabilities, etc.), and jurisdictions, and must apply to your specific business practices. This is difficult to achieve with a basic template. If using a template seems too risky, we recommend seeking the help of a legal expert or using a professional solution like an online generator from a compliance expert provider.

User agreement template (HTML text)

Copy and paste the user agreement template HTML directly into your website.

User Agreement of [website name]
This document governs:

the use of our website, and
any other related agreement or legal relationship with us

in a legally binding way. You must read this document carefully.
Our website is provided by:

[name/company and full address]

Contact email: [email address]
TERMS OF USE
Unless stated otherwise, the terms in this section apply generally when using our website. Specific or additional conditions may apply in certain situations and are noted in this document.
By using our website, you confirm the following:

you are older than [number of years of age];
you are not in a country subject to a government embargo, or that has been designated as a “terrorist-supporting” country;
you are not listed on any government list of prohibited or restricted parties.

Note: Add any other conditions for use here — for example, rules for account registration, acceptable use, intellectual property rights, and access to third-party content. The correct wording will depend on what your website or service offers.
LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION
Note: This section covers the limits of your liability, your disclaimer of warranties, and the circumstances under which users agree to indemnify you. The correct wording varies significantly between the EU, the UK, and the US — each jurisdiction has its own requirements, and a clause written for one may not be valid in another. Tailor this section to the jurisdictions where your business operates and where your customers are based.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE
Note: Include this section if you sell products or services. At minimum, cover your prices, accepted payment methods, delivery terms, and the customer’s right of withdrawal. EU and UK consumer law sets specific requirements — including a 14-day withdrawal right and a 2-year legal guarantee on physical goods — that differ from US rules. If you sell across multiple markets, this section will need to reflect each one.
COMMON PROVISIONS
No waiver
Our failure to assert any right or provision under these terms does not waive that right or provision. No waiver will constitute a continuing waiver of such term or any other term.
Service interruption
To maintain the best service level, we reserve the right to interrupt the service for maintenance, updates, or other changes, with appropriate notification.
We may suspend or discontinue the service within legal limits. If discontinued, we will assist you in withdrawing personal data and respect your rights regarding continued product use and compensation under applicable law.
The service may be unavailable due to events beyond our reasonable control, such as infrastructure breakdowns or blackouts.
Service reselling
You may not reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, or exploit any part of our website or its service without our express written permission, granted either directly or through a legitimate reselling program.
Privacy policy
For information on the use of personal data, you can refer to our website’s privacy policy.
Changes to the terms
We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time, informing you of any changes.
Such changes will only affect the relationship with you from the date communicated onwards.
Your continued use of the service will signify your acceptance of the revised terms. If you do not wish to be bound by the changes, you must stop using the service and terminate the agreement.
The applicable previous version will govern the relationship prior to your acceptance. You can obtain any previous version from us.
If legally required, we will notify you in advance of when the modified terms will take effect.
Governing law and jurisdiction
Note: Specify the country or state whose law governs these terms, and the courts that will have jurisdiction over any disputes. If you serve consumers in the EU or UK, note that mandatory consumer protection rules in their country of residence may still apply regardless of your chosen governing law.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Note: If you serve European consumers, include a reference to the EU’s online dispute resolution platform (https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr). You may also want to specify whether disputes will be resolved through arbitration, mediation, or litigation, and in which jurisdiction.
CONTACT
All communications regarding the use of our website must be sent using the contact information provided in this document:

[name/company and full address]

[email address]

Free user agreement template (Word DOCX)