Answers / Ownership

Who owns the code when a freelancer builds my app?

Matt Turley, Continuum. Updated November 5, 2026.

Why ownership has to be written down, the clauses to ask for, and the account side that matters as much as the contract.

The short answer

Who owns the code when a freelancer builds my app?

Do not assume it is you. Ownership of freelancer-written code depends on the contract and the law where you live, so get a written assignment of the work to your business, effective on payment, before work starts. Also hold the repository, hosting and database in your own accounts. This is not legal advice.

Why you should not assume

Paying for work does not always transfer rights in it. Who owns software a contractor wrote depends on what the contract says and on the law where you are, and the default can favor the person who wrote it. That is why the safe move is to settle it in writing before work starts, and to ask a lawyer if the software matters to a sale or an investment.

What to ask for in the contract

A clear statement that the work is assigned to your business, effective on payment.
A list of any third-party code or tools the work depends on, and their licences.
A promise that what is delivered is the freelancer’s own work or properly licensed.
Delivery of the full source code and the instructions to run it.
What happens if the freelancer disappears: access, handover, and a named backup contact.

The accounts matter as much as the paper

A signed assignment does not help if the code only exists in the freelancer’s repository and the app runs on their hosting. Set up the repository, hosting, domain and database in your own accounts from day one and invite them as members. How to own the code and accounts of an AI-built app lists all eight.

If you already have a developer who built something and you are unsure what you hold, the developer left checklist and the handoff guide cover the practical first steps. Our own MVP Build is set up so that you own the code from the first commit.

Want a number for your own project?

Describe what you want built or fixed and get a ballpark from the published price list straight away. It is labeled as a ballpark, not a quote, and a real quote comes from me after we talk.

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FAQ

Straight answers

Does the same apply to an agency?

Yes. The same questions apply, and the same fix: a written assignment to your business, and accounts in your name. Agencies often have standard contracts, so read the ownership clause before signing.

What about code an AI tool wrote for the freelancer?

The freelancer’s use of an AI tool adds a question about the tool’s own terms. Ask them to say which tools they use and confirm the output can be assigned to you.

Can I get ownership after the work is done?

You can ask for an assignment afterwards, but you have less leverage once the work is delivered. It is far easier to agree it up front, when the freelancer is keen to be hired.

Do I need a lawyer?

For a small job a clear clause and your own accounts may be enough. If the software is central to the business, or you plan to sell or raise money, have a lawyer in your country review the contract.

Keep reading

Get a free ballparkFree ballpark, then a real quote.How do I own the code and accounts of my AI-built app?The accounts that matter and whose name they should be in.My developer leftThe calm first-week checklist.Handing off a vibe coded appThe access checklist and the red flags to refuse.Hire someone to build an appWho to approach and what to ask before you sign.Outsource app developmentWhat to keep in your own name and what to hand off.How do I know if a software quote is fair?What a good quote contains and the warning signs.

Sources

1. Handing off (or taking over) a vibe coded app, Continuum: Used for the access checklist: which accounts to hold and which handover red flags to refuse.