Most Popular Contracts and Documents of 2021 (with DocPro Templates)

DocPro, a leading online document creator and legal tech platform, have unveiled its list of most popular documents of 2021. Not surprisingly, the list is still dominated by COVID-related documents.

With the vaccines being made available in early 2021, we were all hoping to put COVID behind us by the end of 2021. Yet, we have to endure waves of variants such as Delta and Omicron to which vaccines are less effective. No doubt there will continue to be new variants in the future.

It is a new world where instead of trying to eradicate COVID, we have to learn to live with COVID. The contracts, letters and documents downloaded from DocPro truly reflect how people are using documents to overcome great difficulties and try to live “normal lives” with the help of documentation.

Read on to learn about what people around the world downloaded in 2021, and see if you will need the same documents for 2022.

Most Popular Contracts of 2021

Dropshipping Agreement ranks no. 1 on our list of most downloaded documents in 2021. With the increasing trend of working from home, many people are quitting to start their own businesses. Dropshipping is just about the easiest business to start at home since it does not require one to keep stock and can do so with little capital. A Dropshipping Agreement is crucial to managing the relationship between the vendor and the customer.

Brand Ambassador Agreement comes in second along the similar theme of starting your business from home. With everyone stuck at home and watching TikTok, businesses are investing more into social media and KOL marketing. At the same time, many people are becoming online creators, which gives them a lot of time and flexibility whilst requiring little experience. Once they get a large social media following, they can become KOLs and brand ambassadors for businesses.

The biggest craze besides COVID in 2021 is Non-Fungible Token (NFT). Many artists are creating unique and non-interchangeable digital versions of their artworks and selling them online. As such, our NFT Art Licence Agreement and Commissioning Agreement for NFT Artwork are ranked 3^rd and 9^th, respectively. The trend of combining technology (blockchain) with art will almost certainly continue in the future and provide a new source of income for artists.

Relationship Contract is still ranking high on our list of most downloaded documents. With lockdowns, it is even more important for couples to agree on their terms of engagement whilst being stuck 24/7 together. The opposite is true for couples not being able to see each other for two years – you may need a contract to maintain your long-distance relationship.

The remaining agreements are all business-related and can be used for both online and offline businesses. With the shutdown, many businesses are looking for investors - Investment Agreement - Single Investor. It is usual to ask a potential investor/business partner to sign an NDA, whether it is one-way or mutual: NDA / Confidentiality Agreement for Business (One way / Unilateral) and Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) / Confidentiality Agreement for Business (Two way).

The last two popular agreements are the Subscription Agreement to Services and Engagement Letter and Success Fee Agreement from Advisor / Consultant. This is in line with the trend of starting online businesses and working from home in the gig economy.

Most Popular Letters of 2021 

With COVID not going away anytime soon, the top letters downloaded in 2021 are all COVID-related. The Letter to School for School Fees Relief holds the top spot second year in a row. With Omicron, students are shifting back to online learning, and parents are reluctant to pay the same school fees. In particular, many have to stay home and take care of their children, which also affects their income. This letter has helped hundreds of thousands of parents to seek lower school fees from schools.

As with the school letters, people having financial difficulties are also writing to their banks for suspension of loan repayment or extension of deadline - Letter to bank on Suspension/Extension of Deadline on Loan Repayment. Many people are unable to repay their loans on time, and this letter has proved extremely useful for those looking for extra support from their banks during these tough times.

Leave Letter for School from Parent comes in at third place. Students need to be granted leave from their classes when they’re sick or face any injuries. Reference letters are also popular, with  Reference / Recommendation Letter for School Application and Internship Completion Letter / Certificate – Reference occupying the 4^th and 5^th spots, respectively.

Interestingly, with the COVID lockdown and the travel ban, adverse possession appears to be on the rise, with Complaint Letter to Police on Adverse Possession coming on the 6^th. The remaining are common business letters such as Letter to Supplier Requesting for Additional Credit Terms, Cease and Desist Letter and Complaint Letter to Supplier.

Interestingly online scams and frauds are on the rise, with Complaint Letter to police on money scam / wired fraud coming in 10^th place on DocPro’s most downloaded letters.

Most Popular General Documents of 2021

On other popular documents of 2021, they are mostly business-related. Not surprisingly, Privacy Policy (with GDPR) and Terms and Conditions of Service come in first and third, respectively. Our Refund Policy and Cookie Policy for Website are ranking 6^th and 7^th, respectively. Many online startups are relying on DocPro for their initial documentation. They are also using our standard disclaimers for website, app, email and other online services - General Disclaimers for Website / Application / Email / Text.

The next batch of popular business documents relate to company secretarial work: Minutes of Meeting of Directors, Register of Members (Shareholders) and Share Ledger and Register of Directors. DocPro has a comprehensive list of documents for Companies Secretaries.

With the Great Resignations underway, many people are preparing handover notes to pass their work along to their successors. Handover Note - Departure from Duties coming in on the 9^th spot captures what is known as the “Big Quit” in developed countries around the world.

Last but not least is the Memorandum of understanding (MOU)- Joint Venture. Businesses are working hard to adapt and survive COVID. Finding a good partner in a joint venture certainly helps.  The Joint Venture MOU helps to signal the intention of the parties to work together on certain goals of their businesses.

Top Contracts in 2021

1. Dropshipping Agreement
2. Brand Ambassador Agreement
3. NFT Art Licence Agreement
4. Relationship Contract / Consent
5. Investment Agreement - Single Investor
6. NDA / Confidentiality Agreement for Business (One way / Unilateral)
7. Mutual Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA) / Confidentiality Agreement for Business (Two way)
8. Commissioning Agreement for NFT Artwork
9. Subscription Agreement to Services
10. Engagement Letter and Success Fee Agreement from Advisor / Consultant

Top Letters in 2021

1. Letter to School for School Fees Relief
2. Letter to Bank on Suspension / Extension of Deadline on Loan Repayment
3. Leave Letter for School from Parent
4. Reference / Recommendation Letter for School Application
5. Internship Completion Letter / Certificate – Reference
6. Complaint Letter to Police on Adverse Possession
7. Letter to Supplier Requesting for Additional Credit Terms
8. Cease and Desist Letter
9. Complaint Letter to Supplier
10. Complaint Letter to police on money scam / wired-fraud

Top Other Documents in 2021

1. Privacy Policy (with GDPR)
2. Minutes of Meeting of Directors
3. Terms and Conditions of Service
4. Register of Members (Shareholders) and Share Ledger
5. Register of Directors
6. Refund Policy
7. Cookie Policy for Website
8. Handover Note - Departure from Duties
9. General Disclaimers for Website / Application / Email / Text
10. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) - Joint Venture