Free Retainer Calculator
Price long-term engagements fairly by offering a volume discount in exchange for guaranteed monthly income.
Included services
Recommended numbers
Base retainer: $1,600.00
With 15% buffer: $1,840.00
Overage: $100.00/hr
Client vs list rate
List-rate equivalent: $1,600.00/mo
vs retainer $1,840.00/mo → pays $240.00/mo (-15%)
Annual delta ≈ $-2,880.00
What is a free retainer, and what goes on one?
The retainer calculator helps you price ongoing monthly retainer agreements. It factors in your hourly rate, expected monthly hours, and a retainer discount to calculate the monthly fee.
Key components
- Base hourly rate — your standard rate.
- Expected monthly hours — how many hours the retainer covers.
- Retainer discount — the percentage discount for committing to a retainer.
- Monthly retainer fee — the final monthly amount to charge.
How to use this tool
- Estimate the hours or deliverables required per month.
- Apply your standard rate or a slight retainer discount.
- Factor in any recurring expenses.
- Generate the monthly flat fee to pitch to the client.
Why this matters
Retainers stabilize freelance income. Calculating them correctly ensures you don't overcommit your time for a flat fee, keeping the arrangement profitable and sustainable.
Works well with
Frequently asked questions
Contracts differ—some use 1.25×, some 1.5×, some flat rush rates. Set the percent of your base hourly that matches your paperwork.
They inflate the base retainer to absorb small surprises without hourly nickel-and-diming.
List included rows to communicate caps; legal wording still belongs in contracts.
No—pair with the time tracker operationally.
It compares three packaged hour bundles with optional tier discounts before buffer—useful when clients choose between good/better/best.
A checklist-style flag to remind you to state whether unused hours expire or roll to the next month—material for cash flow on both sides.
It contrasts the retainer to the same hours at your list rate so you can show savings—or justify a premium for priority access.
If listed work adds up to more hours than the retainer covers, your narrative and contract hours are misaligned—fix before signing.