Analyze contracts for risks, key terms, and problematic clauses. AI-powered health scoring, clause comparison, and a clause reference library � all 100% local.
This tool runs 100% in your browser. All computation happens locally on your device — your input is never uploaded to any server. Results are for reference only.
The decoder scans a contract across six categories — payment terms, termination, liability, confidentiality, auto-renewal, and IP rights — and flags clauses that match known risk patterns. Each detected clause carries a weight: Low +5, Medium +15, High +30, or Critical +50. The health score is simply 100 minus the accumulated risk: 100 and above is clean, 70+ is Low risk, 40-69 is Medium, and below 40 is High. Because the same clause can hide in multiple contracts you sign, the tool also tracks your risk history over time so you can see whether the agreements you sign are getting better or worse.
The example is a freelance services agreement that trips 3 Low clauses (standard payment terms, standard NDA, termination for convenience) and 2 Medium clauses (late-payment penalty, auto-renewal). Total risk 45 → health score 55 → 'Medium — needs attention'. Health score thresholds: ≥70 Low, 40-69 Medium, <40 High.
Rina is about to sign a freelance services agreement. She pastes it into the decoder and it returns a 55/100 health score and 'Medium' risk. Here is the math behind that score.
Paste any contract; we highlight hidden traps and explain them in plain English. Free, private.
The Fine-Print Decoder is a free tool that scans contract text for common risky clauses that most people overlook. It uses a rule-based pattern matching engine to identify 9 categories of potentially harmful terms and explains each one in plain English with actionable advice.
Paste the full text of your contract, lease, or terms of service into the text area. Click Scan. The tool identifies risky clauses, assigns a severity level (high/medium/low), calculates an overall risk score, and provides plain-English explanations and advice for each finding.
No. This tool uses pattern matching to identify common risky clauses. It may miss nuanced legal language or produce false positives. Always consult a qualified attorney for important contracts. This tool is for informational purposes only.
The tool detects 9 types: auto-renewal, early termination fees, forced arbitration, price increases, data sharing, liability waivers, non-circumvention/non-compete, automatic payments, and unilateral changes to terms.
No. All scanning happens 100% in your browser. Your contract text is never sent to any server — which is especially important for sensitive legal documents.
It flags six high-risk patterns: auto-renewal with difficult cancellation, unlimited liability indemnification, one-sided termination rights, hidden fee escalation, broad non-compete restrictions, and sweeping IP assignment. Each flagged clause receives a risk rating (Low/Medium/High) and a plain-English explanation of what you are actually agreeing to.
No. It is a screening tool that identifies common risk patterns in 30 seconds—work that might cost $200-$500 in a lawyer's initial review. Use it to flag concerning clauses before deciding whether professional review is warranted. For contracts involving significant financial commitment, liability, or IP rights, always consult a licensed attorney.
No. All analysis runs locally in your browser using pattern matching and a local AI model. Your contract—whether an NDA, lease, employment agreement, or SaaS terms—is never uploaded, stored externally, or used for model training. This makes it safe for reviewing confidential agreements under existing NDAs.
This tool is also known by these tasks — each link opens the same tool with a focused guide:
What do you call a crab that plays baseball?
No paywalls, no signups, no data sold. Built by a solo developer who believes useful tools should be accessible to everyone.
☕Support me on Ko-fi— keep tools free100% of proceeds go towards hosting & building more free tools.