Can I use a Secrecy Agreement rather than going for a patent?

Can I use a Secrecy Agreement rather than going for a patent?

A Secrecy Agreement (also often called a Confidentiality Agreement or a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)) can be used as an interim measure when you need to talk to others to assess whether your idea is worth protecting. However a Secrecy Agreement of course does not affect third parties so it cannot replace a patent. Secrecy Agreements are also notoriously difficult to enforce.