Free deal reviews for creators

Your counterparty has a banker. Now you do too.

Better Terms matches creators with volunteer finance professionals (investment bankers, private equity and venture investors, CFOs) who review brand deals, equity offers and buyouts before you sign.

Request a free review Volunteer your deal experience

No feeNo cutNo stake

Deal ReadSample

Equity offer for a creator's holding company

Lifestyle YouTube channel · prior-year creative income $85,000

Investment: $100,000
Stake: 10% of holding company
Implied value: $1,000,000 post-money · 11.8x income
Scope: All current and future businesses1
First rights: Every new venture, no expiry2
Buyback: None3

1The multiple looks generous. The cost is in the scope: launch a product line worth $4M by year four and this stake in it is worth $400,000, four times the check.

2Ask for first rights to expire after 24 months.

3Ask for the right to buy the stake back at a set multiple of the price paid.

Negotiate before signing3 terms to push on

Illustrative example, not a real client.

Creator deals now look like corporate finance.

$1B+

Deployed to YouTube creators by one fund that pays upfront for video libraries

Spotter, 2026

62%

Share of creator pay that went to the top 10% of creators in 2025

CreatorIQ, 2026

Creator-economy acquisitions in the first half of 2025, up from 30 a year earlier

Digiday, 2025

What we review

If there's money, equity or exclusivity on the table, we'll read it.

We model what the offer is worth, compare it with what's normal, and tell you which terms to push on.

Brand deals

Sponsorships and ambassador deals

Multi-year terms, exclusivity, usage rights, and equity offered in place of cash.

Equity

A stake in your company

What a slice of your holding company really costs, including the businesses you haven't started yet.

Licensing

Library deals and advances

Upfront cash for your back catalog of videos or episodes, and the future revenue you give up for it.

Acquisitions

Offers to buy what you built

A channel, newsletter or podcast: the multiple, the earnout, and how long you're locked in.

Fundraising

Your first raise

SAFEs, valuation caps, dilution and a cap table you'll still like in three rounds.

Representation

Management and agency terms

What the commission is charged on, and what you still owe after you part ways.

How it works

From offer to answer in two weeks.

Apply
10 minutes
Tell us about the offer, your revenue and your deadline.
Match
2 business days
A two-person team: a senior deal lead and an analyst, checked for conflicts with the other side.
Review
Up to 10 business days
They model the offer and compare it with similar terms in the market.
Deal Read
45-minute call
A two-page summary, the terms to push on, and a lawyer referral if the contract needs one.

Our rules

Independent means nobody gets paid on your deal.

Every volunteer agrees to these before they see a single offer.

We never take a fee, a cut or a stake

Not from you, not from the other side, not later.

We never introduce buyers or investors

We review the deal you have. We don't shop you around.

Reviewers can't invest in your deal

Volunteers may not bid on, invest in or work on a deal they reviewed.

We read the economics, not the contract

We're not lawyers. When the language needs a look, we refer you to one who works for free.

Volunteer

You've spent years reading term sheets. Read one for someone who's never seen one.

Creators get offers from sophisticated buyers and funds. You know what those offers look like from the other side.

Investment bankingPrivate equityVenture capitalCorporate developmentCFOsRoyalty valuation

Commitment: Two reviews a year
Time: About 12 hours per review
Format: Remote, in a two-person team
Deal leads: 5+ years of transaction experience
Before you start: Written clearance from your employer, a conflict check and a confidentiality agreement

Get started

Got an offer on the table?

Reviews are free for creators who meet all three:

You earned under $100,000 from your creative work last year

You have a written offer or term sheet in hand

You're based in the United States

Not eligible? Our monthly office hours and plain-English term guides are open to everyone.

Questions

The fine print, in plain English.

Is it really free?

Yes. Better Terms is a nonprofit funded by donations. Volunteers aren't paid and we never take a percentage of your deal.

Is this legal or financial advice?

It's an independent read of the deal's economics from people who do deals professionally. We're not your lawyer, agent or financial adviser, and the decision stays yours.

Will my deal stay confidential?

Every volunteer signs a confidentiality agreement and is checked for conflicts with the company making you the offer before they're matched.

What if my deadline is this week?

Tell us when you apply. We prioritize by deadline, and even a quick call is better than signing blind.

Why would a banker do this for free?

Most of our volunteers spend their careers on the other side of the table. This is a chance to use that experience for someone who can't afford an advisor.