freelance retainer calculator
Thinking of moving a client to a monthly retainer? Price it from reserved hours or monthly deliverables, set the discount and overage, and copy a proposal snippet.
Price your retainer
Change any input to see your monthly retainer and a proposal snippet.
how a retainer changes what you charge
A retainer swaps project-by-project pricing for one fixed monthly fee. You get income you can plan around, and the client gets a reserved share of your time. The trade-off is the discount, so check the effective hourly rate before you send the proposal.
- Bill the first month: Use the freelance invoice generator to turn the retainer into an invoice with each deliverable and the discount as its own line.
- Price extra scope: Use the project quote calculator to price work that falls outside the retainer.
- Check your capacity: Use the writing workload calculator to see whether another retainer fits alongside your other work.
- Chase late payments: Use the invoice late fee calculator if a retainer payment falls behind.
This Retainer Calculator provides estimates only and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. By using this tool, you agree that you are solely responsible for your business and pricing decisions, and the creators are not liable for any outcomes resulting from its use.
FAQs on freelance retainers
What is a freelance retainer?
A retainer is a recurring agreement where a client pays a fixed fee each month in exchange for reserved time or a set amount of work. You get predictable income, and the client gets a guaranteed slice of your capacity instead of paying project by project.
Should I price a retainer by hours or by deliverables?
Reserved hours suit open-ended work such as advisory, editing or ongoing support, where the output varies. Monthly deliverables suit work with a clear unit, such as four articles or two newsletters, because the client pays for an outcome and you keep the benefit of getting faster. This calculator handles both.
How much discount should I give for a retainer?
There is no fixed number. The discount is what the client saves for committing to a monthly fee, so set it from your own margin. The calculator shows the effective hourly rate after the discount, which is the number to check: if it falls below the rate you need, the discount is too deep.
What is the effective hourly rate on a retainer?
It is the monthly retainer divided by the hours you spend on it. A retainer that looks like a fair deal can quietly pay less per hour than your one-off rate if the work takes longer than you planned, so track your real hours for the first few months.
What happens when the client asks for more than the retainer covers?
Put an overage rate in the agreement before work starts, and say that extra work needs the client’s written approval first. Many freelancers set it at their standard rate, without the retainer discount. The calculator suggests that rate, and you can type your own.
Should unused hours or deliverables roll over?
That is a contract choice with trade-offs. Letting them expire protects your schedule from a pile of deferred work. Letting them roll over can feel fairer to the client but makes your capacity harder to plan. Whichever you choose, write it into the agreement.
When should I invoice a retainer?
Invoicing before the month starts keeps your cash flow predictable, but the date is for you and the client to agree. State it in the agreement, and use the invoice late fee calculator if a payment runs late.
How do I move a one-off client onto a retainer?
Start from what they already pay you. If a client keeps hiring you for similar work, add up a typical month, show the monthly price next to your one-off price, and explain what the commitment buys them, such as reserved time or a faster response. The proposal snippet in the results is a starting point for that conversation.
