Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) Template

Choose the NDA template that fits your situation

The right NDA template depends on two things: who is sharing the confidential information, and what the relationship is.

A one-way (unilateral) NDA covers a situation where only one side discloses. A mutual NDA covers a situation where both sides share, like two companies exploring a partnership. Then layer in the relationship: an employee, a contractor, or a vendor each calls for slightly different emphasis.

Not sure which fits a business sale or a more unusual setup? When the relationship is mutual, a mutual NDA is usually the safer default, because it protects whatever you happen to disclose back. When in doubt about which way the information really flows, that's a good prompt to slow down and check.

What every NDA template includes

Whatever type you choose, the core of an NDA template is remarkably consistent. The clauses below show up in almost every confidentiality agreement, and knowing what each one does makes the document far less intimidating to fill in.

Here's what to expect, one plain line each:

• The parties. The disclosing party who shares the information, and the receiving party who agrees to keep it private.
• Definition of confidential information. What actually counts as protected. This is the heart of the document: it tends to cover things like financial data, customer lists, product plans, and source code.
• Permitted use. What the receiving party is allowed to do with the information. Usually only what's needed to evaluate or carry out the relationship, and nothing else.
• Exclusions. What the agreement does not cover. Common exclusions include information that's already public, that the receiving party already knew, or that they develop independently without using your disclosure.
• Term. How long the obligation lasts. Can be a fixed number of years, or for as long as the information stays confidential.
• Return or destroy. What happens when the relationship ends: the receiving party returns or destroys the confidential information on request.
• Signatures. The execution block where each party signs and dates the agreement.

A short way to think about the two clauses people fight over most:

Three ways to create your NDA: template, generator, AI review

Most sites give you a library or a generator. We give you three paths to the same finish line, so you can pick the one that matches what you're starting from.

• Start from a typed template. If you already know your type, choose it, then customize the blanks — party names, the definition of confidential information, the term — right in your browser. This is the fastest route when your situation is standard.
• Describe your case to the AI generator. If you're not sure which clauses you need, the NDA generator lets you describe your situation in plain language and builds a draft around it. You still review and customize every clause. The AI just gets you to a sensible starting point faster.
• Paste an NDA into the AI review tool. Already have an agreement on your desk? The AI review tool reads it and gives you a plain-English summary of what it says and where the risks tend to sit, so you're not signing something you don't understand.

Choose the path that fits, and you can switch between them as your draft takes shape.

Can you write your own NDA?

Yes. For a standard situation, a good template covers the clauses you need, and you can customize it to your facts without a law degree. Plenty of straightforward NDAs are written exactly this way.

Where it gets less DIY is the edges. A template covers the standard case; the answer to "is this enough?" depends on what's at stake.

A quick note on AI tools and confidential information

Pasting another party's confidential information into a public AI tool can itself risk the obligation you're trying to honor. Some tools may retain or train on what you submit.

If you're handling someone else's confidential information, use a tool built for the job rather than a general chatbot, and read up on AI tools and your NDA before you paste anything sensitive. It depends on the tool, but the safe assumption is that public AI tools are not private.

Create your NDA in minutes

The embedded generator below walks you through the whole thing. The flow is the same whichever path you start from:

1. Pick a type. Based on who's sharing and the relationship, the NDA terms vary.
2. Customize the details. Fill in the party names, the definition of confidential information, and the term.
3. Review. Read it through, or run it through AI review for a plain-English risk read.
4. Download or e-sign. Generate the final document, download it as PDF or Word, and e-sign it on the spot.

Ready to start? CreateMyNDA helps you pick the right type, customize it, review it with AI, and e-sign, all in one place.