Confidentiality

Why this exists

Portfolio rights keep prices fair

When we can reference a project -- show it in our registry, link to it, use screenshots in demos -- that project markets our business for years. That marketing value offsets what we charge you. Remove it, and the math changes.

Case studies

Your project becomes a reference we use to win future clients -- webinars, sales calls, portfolio pages.

Registry listing

Your directory appears in our public registry of 1,000+ sites -- driving traffic and credibility both ways.

Links & screenshots

We may link to your live site, capture screenshots, or reference your domain and branding in our materials.

Compare

Standard vs. Confidential

Two service levels. Same quality of work. The only difference is whether we can reference the project afterward.

Most clients

Standard

Base price

Portfolio rights included. Your project helps market our business, and that keeps your cost lower.

Listed in our public Registry
May appear in case studies, webinars, sales demos
Domain, URL, logo, screenshots may be used in marketing
Links from our sites to yours (SEO value for you)
Standard pricing on all services, widgets, and builds

Confidential

Base + 20% confidentiality fee

Full NDA coverage. We give up all portfolio and marketing rights to your project.

Removed from our Registry
No case studies, demos, or references of any kind
No use of your domain, URL, logo, or imagery
No links from our sites to yours
Same quality, same timeline, same support

+20%

Applied to every line item

The confidentiality fee is a percentage of the total -- whether it is a service engagement, a widget build, a custom feature, or a done-for-you project. One rate, applied consistently.

How it works

Simple, transparent, your call

Choose at any point

Select confidential before, during, or after a project. The fee applies to the scope in question.

We sign an NDA

A formal non-disclosure agreement covering all project materials, communications, and deliverables.

Best-effort removal

We work to remove your project from our Registry, marketing pages, and linked references as quickly as possible. Timelines may vary.

Policy

Portfolio & Confidentiality Terms

The following terms are incorporated into all service agreements, proposals, and widget/product purchases.

Section: Portfolio Rights & Confidentiality

Default portfolio license. Unless a Confidential arrangement is in effect, the Client grants DirectoryToolkit a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual license to reference, display, link to, and create derivative marketing materials from the project deliverables, including but not limited to: the Client's domain name, site URL, logo, brand imagery, screenshots, and descriptions of the work performed.
Registry listing. Under the default license, the Client's directory may be listed in DirectoryToolkit's public Registry and may appear in case studies, webinars, sales presentations, social media, advertising, and portfolio pages.
Confidential option. The Client may elect Confidential status for any project, service, or product purchase. Confidential status removes all portfolio rights described above and is governed by a separate Non-Disclosure Agreement.
Confidentiality fee. The Confidential option carries a fee equal to 20% of the total project, service, or product value. This fee compensates for the forfeiture of marketing value that would otherwise offset standard pricing.
Scope. The confidentiality fee applies per engagement, per widget build, or per product purchase -- whichever scope the Client designates as Confidential.
Removal timeline. Upon receipt of the confidentiality fee, DirectoryToolkit will make every reasonable effort to remove public references to the Client's project, including Registry listings, marketing page mentions, and outbound links. Removal timelines may vary due to technical constraints, third-party dependencies, outstanding account issues, or other factors preventing immediate action.
Retroactive election. The Client may elect Confidential status after project completion. The fee is calculated on the original project value.
Per-item election. Confidential status may be elected on individual items -- a single widget, a specific service engagement, or a particular product purchase. Each election is independent. The Client is not required to apply confidentiality to all past or future purchases.
Pre-existing materials. Confidential status applies prospectively. Any marketing materials, case studies, screenshots, registry listings, webinar recordings, social media posts, advertisements, or other media produced, paid for, or distributed prior to the effective date of the Confidential election are not subject to recall or removal. DirectoryToolkit retains the right to continue using pre-existing materials in perpetuity. The confidentiality fee covers the cessation of new usage only.
Distributed media. Materials shared with or republished by third parties (affiliates, partners, press, social platforms, search engine caches, archived copies) prior to the Confidential election are outside DirectoryToolkit's control and are not covered by this policy. DirectoryToolkit is not obligated to pursue removal of materials already distributed to or cached by third parties.

Questions

Common questions

Is it normal to charge for confidentiality?

Yes. Agencies, consultants, developers, and designers routinely charge a premium for NDA projects, white-label work, exclusive arrangements, and removal of portfolio rights. The ability to reference completed work is a real business asset with measurable marketing value.

Why 20%?

A completed project generates marketing value for years -- screenshots in sales decks, links that build domain authority, case studies that close future deals. 20% is a conservative estimate of that lifetime value relative to the project cost. Many firms charge 25-30%.

Can I switch to Confidential later?

Yes. You can elect Confidential status at any time -- before, during, or after a project. The fee is calculated on the original project value. Once the fee is received, we will make every reasonable effort to remove public references as quickly as possible.

What exactly gets removed?

Everything public: your listing in our Registry, any case study or demo that references your project, screenshots used in marketing materials, links from our sites to yours, and any mention of your domain, brand, or logo in our advertising or portfolio pages.

Does confidentiality change the quality of work?

No. Same team, same process, same timeline, same support. The only difference is whether we can reference the project publicly afterward.

Does the standard option actually benefit me?

Often, yes. A Registry listing drives traffic to your site. Links from our domains build your SEO authority. Being featured as a case study positions you as a credible, established business. Many clients prefer the visibility.

Ready?

Questions about confidentiality?

Reach out and we will walk through both options with you. No pressure, no judgment -- just a clear conversation about what works for your situation.

Get in touch

Your project. Your choice.