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Startups most often need an NDA when evaluating a potential investment or partnership. A term of around 2 years is typical for this kind of disclosure — long enough to cover the relevant business relationship without locking either side into an indefinite obligation. This generator produces the same mutual or one-way agreement as the standard NDA generator, with sensible defaults for this context.
How it works
Choose mutual or one-way depending on whether both sides will share confidential information or just one. Enter both parties' names and addresses, the effective date, how many years the confidentiality obligation should last, the purpose of the disclosure (e.g. "evaluating a potential business partnership"), and which state or country's law governs the agreement. Generate the document and download a PDF with signature lines for both parties.
- Choose mutual (both sides disclose) or one-way (only one side discloses).
- Enter both parties' names and addresses.
- Set the effective date, confidentiality term and governing law.
- Describe the purpose of the disclosure.
- Generate the agreement and download the signature-ready PDF.
Examples
Mutual NDA before a partnership discussion
Two companies exploring a joint venture both need to share sensitive roadmaps and financials. A mutual NDA with a 3-year term and a clearly stated purpose ("evaluating a potential joint venture") protects both sides equally.
One-way NDA with a contractor
A startup hires a contractor to help build a prototype and needs to share proprietary designs. A one-way NDA naming the startup as the disclosing party and the contractor as the receiving party protects the startup's information without imposing obligations the contractor has no matching information to protect.
Who should use it
- Two companies exploring a partnership, merger or joint venture.
- A startup sharing proprietary information with a contractor or freelancer.
- An founder discussing their business with a potential investor.
- Any situation where confidential information needs to change hands before a deal is finalized.
Industry applications
- Startups and investors
- Software and product development
- Manufacturing and product design
- Consulting and freelance contracting
Advantages
- Covers both mutual and one-way NDA structures from a single form.
- Produces a signature-ready PDF in under a minute, no legal drafting required for standard cases.
- No account or software installation needed.
Limitations
- A generic template — not tailored to unusual, high-stakes, or heavily regulated situations.
- Does not provide legal advice on enforceability in your specific jurisdiction.
- No e-signature collection built in; signing happens outside the tool.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the purpose vague ("business discussions") instead of specific, which can make the agreement's scope harder to enforce.
- Setting an indefinite or unreasonably long confidentiality term without considering whether it's actually enforceable.
- Using a one-way NDA when both sides will actually be sharing sensitive information — use mutual instead.
- Treating the signed NDA as a substitute for actually limiting who internally sees the confidential information.
- Skipping legal review entirely for high-value or unusually risky disclosures.
Best practices
- State the purpose of the disclosure specifically, not just "discussions" — it defines what the NDA actually covers.
- Choose mutual vs. one-way based on who is actually disclosing what, not by default.
- Set a term that matches how long the information will realistically stay sensitive.
- Name a specific governing law/jurisdiction rather than leaving it ambiguous.
- Have both parties sign before any confidential information changes hands, not after.
Tips
- Keep a signed copy of every NDA you enter into — you may need to reference its exact terms months or years later.
- If discussions involve multiple rounds of information sharing, make sure the NDA's term comfortably outlasts the expected relationship.