Do You Need a Privacy Policy or Terms & Conditions on Your Website? Here’s the Difference.

If you have ever launched a website and thought,
“Wait… am I supposed to have legal pages on here?” you are not alone.

This is one of those business details that no one talks about until you are already live. Then suddenly you are Googling at midnight wondering if you missed something important.

Let’s simplify it in a clear, no-legal-jargon way.

Because yes, most businesses need at least one of these.
And often, you need both.

If you are investing in a strategic website, like the ones I design at Courtney Lynette Creative Co., this is one of those foundational pieces you want handled before launch.

First: What’s the Difference?

Think of it this way:

Privacy Policy = How you handle people’s information
Terms & Conditions or Terms of Use = How people are allowed to use your website

They serve completely different purposes.

Let’s break them down.

When You Need a Privacy Policy

The short answer?

If your website collects any personal information, you need one.

That includes:

• Contact forms
• Email newsletter signups
• Booking inquiry forms
• Checkout pages
• Google Analytics
• Meta or Pinterest pixels
• Cookies

If someone types their name and email into your website, you are collecting data.

Privacy laws like GDPR and various U.S. state laws require you to disclose:

• What you collect
• Why you collect it
• How you store it
• Who you share it with

Even if you are a small business.
Even if you are not located in Europe.
Even if you assume international visitors are not coming to your site.

If your website has a contact form, you need a Privacy Policy. Period.

And if you are working with me on a custom site or a Website in a Day, this is something we will account for inside your build so everything is structured correctly from the start. You can see how I approach strategic builds on my Services page.

When You Need Terms & Conditions

Terms & Conditions are about protection.

They outline:

• What people can and cannot do with your content
• Refund and cancellation policies
• Intellectual property ownership
• Limitations of liability
• Disclaimers

You especially want Terms if you:

• Sell digital products
• Sell templates
• Offer courses
• Run memberships
• Have client portals
• Allow comments or user submissions

It essentially says:

“This is how this website works. Here are the rules. And here is what I am not responsible for.”

It sets clear boundaries.

If you are a service-based business owner, creative entrepreneur, or wedding vendor like many of the brands you see in my portfolio, you are almost always collecting inquiries. Which means this matters for you.

So Which One Do You Actually Need?

Here is the practical breakdown:

If you have a contact form or email list, you need a Privacy Policy.

If you sell anything online, you should have both.

If your website is purely informational with zero data collection, which is rare, you might not legally need either. However, that situation is uncommon today.

Most business websites collect data in some form, even passively through analytics.

Which means most businesses need a Privacy Policy at minimum.

What I Recommend for My Clients

When clients book with me, I always recommend getting your legal pages handled before we design.

Because beautiful design does not matter if your foundation is not protected.

If you are looking for a legally sound, small-business-friendly option, I recommend The Boutique Lawyer’s contract and website templates. They are written by an actual attorney and tailored specifically for online and service-based businesses.

You can explore their website legal page templates here:
https://the-boutique-lawyer.myshopify.com?sca_ref=3912167.20YkdZiYM1

Many of my clients purchase their Privacy Policy and Terms templates before our website build so we can confidently include everything from the start.

It is a simple step that makes a big difference.

A Gentle Reality Check

Your website is not just a portfolio anymore. It is a business asset.

We focus heavily on fonts and layouts, as we should, but legal foundations matter too.

Having these pages:

• Builds trust
• Shows professionalism
• Protects you long term
• Keeps you compliant

This is not about fear.
It is about running your business with intention.

If you are planning a new launch or redesign, this is something we can map out together from day one. You can learn more about working together here:
https://courtneylynette.com/services

Final Takeaway

If your website collects data, you need a Privacy Policy.

If you sell products or services online, you should have both a Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

And if you are investing in a strategic website, make sure the legal pieces are part of the plan from the beginning.

Beautiful design should always be smart design too.