Create an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) in Minutes

A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) — also called a confidentiality agreement — is a legally binding contract in which one or both parties agree to keep shared information secret. It identifies a disclosing party (who reveals the information) and a receiving party (who must protect it), and sets the rules for how that confidential information can be used.

People reach for an NDA before pitching an idea to an investor, hiring a contractor, evaluating an acquisition, or onboarding an employee who will see sensitive data. The agreement is the foundation for any relationship where trade secrets, financials, customer lists, or product plans change hands.

A non-disclosure agreement works like a rulebook for trust: it lets two parties speak openly because both know exactly what can and cannot be repeated. Get it right and it genuinely protects you; leave it vague and it becomes hard to enforce when it matters most.

In a one-way (unilateral) NDA, only one party discloses confidential information and the other is bound to protect it. This is common when a startup pitches an investor, or when a company shares data with a contractor — information flows in a single direction.

In a mutual (bilateral) NDA, both parties share secrets and both are bound to protect what they receive. This fits situations where two companies evaluate a partnership, a merger, or a joint product and each side needs to see the other’s confidential information.

When in doubt, a mutual NDA is the safer default for two-sided conversations. Just describe who is sharing what, and the generator structures the obligations to match — symmetric for a mutual NDA, one-directional for a one-way NDA.

A strong non-disclosure agreement is more than a promise to stay quiet. These are the core clauses our generator includes by default, and the ones the AI review checks for:

Parties and effective date. The agreement names the disclosing and receiving parties, their legal entities, and the date confidentiality begins — the starting point for any enforceable NDA.

Definition of confidential information. This clause spells out exactly what is protected (documents, source code, financials, designs) and what is not (information already public, or independently developed). A precise definition is what makes the rest of the NDA usable.

Obligations of the receiving party. It states how the receiving party must handle confidential information — limiting access, preventing disclosure, and using it only for the agreed purpose.

Permitted disclosures. Real NDAs allow narrow exceptions, such as disclosures required by law or court order, usually with a duty to notify the disclosing party first.

Term and survival. The agreement sets how long it lasts and how long confidentiality survives after it ends — trade secrets are often protected for longer than ordinary confidential information.

Remedies and governing law. Finally, the NDA explains what happens on a breach (including injunctive relief) and which jurisdiction’s law applies, with signature blocks that make the agreement binding once executed.

Yes — plenty of founders, employers, and freelancers create their own non-disclosure agreements, especially for straightforward situations. The key is to be specific: define the confidential information clearly, state the obligations, and pick a term that matches how long the information stays sensitive.

That is exactly what this NDA generator is built for. Instead of copying a template you do not fully understand, you describe your real situation and get a draft tailored to it, then refine it clause by clause in the editor. If you would rather start from a structured template, our NDA template gives you the same clauses to customize.

For most routine confidentiality agreements, a lawyer is not a legal requirement — many standard NDAs are created and signed without one. A clear, well-structured agreement covering the core clauses above is enough for everyday business situations.

A common, cost-effective approach is to generate or template your NDA first, then ask a lawyer to review it before signing — you save time and money while still getting professional input. For high-stakes deals, cross-border arrangements, or unusual terms, legal advice is worth it. This tool produces a professional draft and helps you review it, but it is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney.

Confidentiality terms commonly run from two to five years, which covers most commercial situations. The right length depends on how long the shared information actually stays sensitive — a product roadmap may be old news in a year, while a manufacturing process could matter for a decade.

Trade secrets are a special case: many NDAs keep the duty to protect genuine trade secrets in force for as long as the information remains secret, with no fixed end date. When you describe your agreement you can set any term, and you can always change it later in the editor.