Can a client stop you working for their competitors?
A client can ask, and many contracts include it. Whether it is enforceable depends entirely on where you are — several jurisdictions void or heavily restrict non-competes for contractors, and others enforce them if they are narrow. Either way, the practical question comes first: how much of your income does this clause forbid?
What the clause actually does
- Restricts who else you may work for, usually for a period after the engagement ends. The definition of “competitor” is often broad enough to cover an entire industry.
- Sometimes appears as exclusivity rather than non-compete — you may not take other work at all during the term. For a contractor paid per project, that is close to employment without the protections.
- Frequently pairs with a non-solicit that covers the client's whole customer base, not just the people you actually worked with.
- Is worth pricing, not just resisting. A restriction that removes a third of your addressable market has a value, and asking for it to be paid for is a legitimate response.
The version that should worry you
For a period of twenty-four (24) months following termination, the Contractor shall not provide services of any kind to any business that competes with the Client, nor solicit any customer or prospective customer of the Client.
Two years is long for a contractor, “services of any kind” is broader than what you were hired to do, “competes with the Client” is undefined, and “prospective customer” could mean anyone the client has ever approached — including people you have never heard of.
A version worth signing
During the Term and for six (6) months thereafter, the Contractor shall not provide services substantially similar to the Services to the businesses listed in Schedule A. The Contractor shall not solicit any Client customer with whom the Contractor had direct contact in connection with the Services.
How to ask for it
Convert the category into a list. “Our competitors” is unbounded; a named schedule of five companies is something you can actually comply with and price. Then shorten the tail — six months is a normal ask — and limit the non-solicit to people you personally dealt with.
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Check this clause freeRelated clauses
This page explains what a clause does in general commercial terms. It is not legal advice, and what is enforceable varies by jurisdiction — for anything turning on that, ask a lawyer where you are.