What is copyright?
Copyright transfer vs. licensing
Frequently asked questions
Note for Polish tax residents
On Useme, you can transfer your copyright or grant a license automatically – as a part of the invoicing process. It happens online and is legally binding based on our Terms and Conditions.
You and your client don’t need to print, scan, or sign any documents. Just tick one of these three options:
- transfer the copyright for your work to your client,
- grant your client a license to use your work,
- neither of these.
Screenshot from the Invoice a client form.
Your choice affects how your client can use your work – we explain it below.
What is copyright?
Copyright protects your right to share, use, and earn money from work that’s creative, original, and individual – such as your text, graphic, code, photo, song, video, or artwork.
There are two types of copyright: moral rights and economic rights. When we say “copyright transfer” we mean only the economic rights transfer, because the moral rights aren’t transferable.
Copyright transfer vs. licensing
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YOU TRANSFER THE COPYRIGHT TO YOUR CLIENT |
YOU GRANT YOUR CLIENT A LICENSE |
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What it means |
You give up your economic rights to the work completely and permanently, transferring them to your client. |
You let your client use the work, but you keep your economic rights. |
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When to choose this option |
When you create something unique and custom-made that you won't sell again, such as a logo, original website design, custom video. |
When you create something you want to sell to multiple clients, such as an app templates, code snippets, illustrations. |
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Who can profit from the work |
The right to use and resell the work transfers entirely to your client. |
You keep the right to reuse the work, including modifying it or selling it to someone else. |
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For how long |
Permanently. |
15 years. After that, your client loses the right to use your work. |
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Documents (generated automatically) |
After the client pays, we automatically generate a copyright assignment protocol for you and your client within 7 business days. |
After the client pays, we automatically generate a license confirmation document for you and your client right away. |
Frequently asked questions
What if I changed my mind about transferring copyrights / licensing?
First, check if you can edit the deal yourself. If not, email us from the address you use to log in to Useme. We can make changes before your client pays. Include the deal number in your message.
Where can I find my copyright or license documents?
You'll find them in your Useme account: go to Deals > open the relevant agreement > check the Documents section. We also email them to you and your client.
I can’t access the license or copyright transfer document
Not every type of work qualifies for copyright transfer or granting a license. If you select copyright transfer or a license for this type of work, we won't be able to apply it. We'll let you know if that happens.
Note for Polish tax residents
In some industries in Poland, a license or copyright transfer lets you apply a 50% tax-deductible cost. This means your income tax is calculated on a lower amount, so you pay less.
Got a question? Email us – use the address you log in to Useme with. We're happy to help!